Middletown transcript., 1907-06-08
USEFUL THINGS 10 KNOW

Many OF the little hints given for th
housewife are old to experienced house
keepers, yet there are always new house
keepers arriving upon the scene and they
too, must be told how TO docertain things
how to economize and make a good be
sginhing, The beginner has such limite,
experience Hat she is always eager i
learn something new to help her in ih
beginaing OF her reign in the new home
Here are useful ideas:
Metal teapots, ifdisused for some time
give musty flavor to the tea when mex
used. This may be prevented by placing
q lump of sugar in the teapot before put
ting away.
Mirrors which are fy-specked should b,
washed in cold water, and then polished
with chamois dipped in alcohol.
A new idea for a pie board is slab O
marble. Sometimes q pieceof marble viii
be foupd ia; the cellar OF an old houss
when antiquated wristbands or mantels
have been torn down. A section OF new
marble, the remnant end of slab, could
be bought at marble yard for the price
ofa mediumAsize pie board.
II house plants droop from no apparent
cause, and refuse to thrive, try watering
them solely BY pouring warm water into
the suacers every day. Plants love bottom
heat, and it win sometimes give them q
new lease of life. &
Many housekeepers are not successful
in canning fruit and frequently find their
jars running over or working" a few
weeks after being sealed and put away.
This may be due to several causes, viz,
imperfect fruit, unsterilized cans or tops
that are imperfect and not air-tight. When
caused by the latter it is easily remedied
by melting parafin or sealing wax and
dipping the top of each jar, after it is
tightly screwed down, in the melted wax.
After allowing it to cool and harden if any
airholes show dip again.
5 A little arrowroot enclosed in muslin
bag and placed in the water ia which
handkerchiefs are boiled will give clothes
a faint and agreeable scent, when ironed.
II borax is added to the water in which
they are rinsed, they will assume the right
degree of stisfuess without being hard, az,
if actually starched.
Needles and pins will never rust in a
cushion filled with coffee grounds. Pour
The coffee from the grounds and rinse
them in cold water. Let them dry
thoroughly before using.
The bent point of sewing-machine
needle may be sharpened on a milestone
and need not be discarded.
Put small bag of talcum powder in a
box with cover, and keep in the work
box torub on the fingers when they pres
oire.
When you have occasion to use plaster
of paris, wet it with vinegar instead Of
water; then it will be like putty, and can
be smoothed better, as it will not 'ssetn
or half an nour, while plaster wet With
water hardens at once.
Te string very fine beads, cut one strand
# silk thread little longer than the rest
Vas and twist firmly. This can be |
dreaded through fine beads without u.s.
ng a needle.
The resistance of glass jars that refuse
o open can be overcome bysetting them, |
op downward, in hot water.
If oranges are dropped in hot water and |
eft for few minutes, it will be less diff
icult to peel them, and the rinds can be
;ut in fancy shapes when they are to be
lsed for decorative purposes.
The lime deposits on the inside OF tea |
lettles can be removed by filling the |
Zettle with water and salammoniac, and |
polling. Often by heating the kettle very
lot, without water in it, will crack the
ime and it can be scraped out with a |
gire scraper.
In preparing cheese for sandwiches al
vays heat with milk instead of frying in
utter and it will not harden as soon as
hilled..
When every known method is used and
he lid refuses to come from glass jar,
axe fork, pry back piece Of the lid,
atch the gum and gently withdraw from
eneath the lid.
Never put white collars and cuffs in the
opper with other washing; instead, soap
hem well. After they have been washed,
ut them in deep jars and cover them
18th cold water Then set the jar in the
ven, cover with an old plate, and let it
MINER for two or three hours. Then
Ike them out and rinse and dry them
nd get them up in the usual way.
Lace is never improved by ironing
hile it is wet, but if it is wanted quickly
: the time for working is limited, it
lould be placed right side down on a
ad Of flannel and covered with piece
muslin, to keep the iron from touching
le lace. This win prevent the lace from
aving shiny appearance and viii also
eep it from sticking to the iron, which
cry often causes it to tear.
When making boiled starch, mix 1t first
ith cup of cold water, pour on the
bling water, stirring till the starch turns
a thick paste; then add, while hot, a
zee of lard about the size of an egg, then
,ntinue stirring till the lard is dissolved.
hen clothes are put through this after
ashiDg it is surprising how easy they are
iron and what a beautiful gloss and
illness remain. The dirt viii slip out
the clothes the next time Of washing
ter this experiment has been tried with
tile or no trouble whatever. tt
One of the most convenient articles to
used in sick room isa sand bag. Get
me clean, fine sand, dry If thoroughly
8 kettle on the stove. Make bag