The Washington times., 1906-11-11


have gathered dust during the anstlC1
OF the family-uo matter how cattiully
the sun has been excluded by closed
shutters and lowered shades, the cploFs
have suffered from heated light produc-
ing a general effect OF dinginess pecu-
narly dispiritlng 70 the frugal housewife.
For. as none of us needs To be told
floors and windows are the most serious
items In computing the probable cost OF
housefurnishiug. Your notable manager
will tell you that. when hanglngs nre
ND and carpets Tor rugs are down lhe
rooms are moro than half furnished
What follows is mere childs play by
comparison. Table, beds, chairs sofas.
and sideboards are optional with the
mistress. II there are few, ingenuity Is
brought into exercise 10 place them 10
the best advantage, and no conventional
decree in this our day oblises us 70 huy
partor and chamber, or even dlillllB-
room Sets" Carpets aud curtains are
obligatory and iuImutable. Nor Is II
worth our while to pr tend 10 ourselves
that the whole some fashion oil hardWooo
ur PAINTED floors egDauicipates US IIoil
the bondage Of expensive noor COVERINGS
We need not buy carpeting by the nun
dred yards. but We DO not slI ana s'aliu
an 4
,n,at ana mosaic with costly rugs; the
day laborer's wife spreads rag carpel
ing In her kitchen. and scr1mps her
far,iiv biu-of-fare all winter TO get what
she shows as "a genuWine brussel
fsingular number, accent on last syl-
ahle1 for the parlor.- We must nave
rarpets. AS axi9matic is the assertion
mar carDets will wear cut ana lne
cleaner they are the sooner they give
way. Furthermore, a worn or faEseu
carpet imparts a poverty-stricl1en looH
10 room and house. No smartness Oh
furniture can Danish or conceal the
sdualor of dingy floor covering
A Dismaying Survey,
Appreciating the fell truth, our house
wife OF narrow means surveys Win ul9-
may the threadbare breadths IN lHe iiiiN-
die OF the dining room, defining "heit
restless feet have stirred on beaten the
nattern 10 death: the lines Of gray blank
spaces. stretching from doors to hearth
in the family parlor; the holes worn In
the 75-cents-a-yard ingram, promoted
only last year from mothers room 10
the nursery The handmade rag car
pet in the kitchen, a present from JOhn g
mother. three Christmases back, was
turned last winter-but. bless your soul!
YOU cant expect anything but wear and
tear in a house where there are three
boys. all under nfteen. The homemade
carpet holds its own, so Tar as that own
IS represented. by warp and wool. But
il is dirty-vulgarly and unequivOcany
dirty
Our housemother is not easily ap-
preached while she pOnders these things
IN her heart, and couples them with
gloomy talk she held with John last
night upon tie increased cost of llviHe
and the upward tendency OF everything.
EXCEPT wages She is sore of heart
poor woman-2nd, although she may
never have head the words a pessimist
OF a pronounced type.
Nevertheless. il Is she, and at this
season. with whom ! would hold con-
verse today.
You may not be able TO make money
You and every other woman-even q
busy editor-can make time 10 do what
must be done And. since your carpets
are pastwOrthy. IL follows that they
must be renovated.
Begin We with the dining room Ii has
not escaped your housewifely eve that
the breadths next the walls are COM
paratively anwoln.
"Of course!" you interrupt. sarcastic
ally lust where they are least seenr'
Take that as your starting point
Eave the carpet beaten free OF fyst.