New-York tribune., 1912-03-14
Many Household Treas
ures Worth Less Than
Space They Occupy.
BY Martha McculIoch Williams.

| am not blowing hot and cold with the
same mouth--the art OF throwing away is
an integral part of true economy. There
are things, so many OF them, whose Keep
ing costs more than ii comes to. This not
only In that they are moth breeders. pur-
veyors OF rust and dust and general musu-
ness, but that by the keeping we breed in
ourselves a certain Grass and miserly
covetousness unbeautiful TO behold
Truly mans life is not in the things
which he hath, but a lot of women come
mighty near to living in their possessions
They say they are attached to- their
keepings, when in truth they are merely
selfish. So they clutter closets and lumber
Rarrets with things they will never use any
more, but which are full of use, even of
comfort for those who lack. And II the
accumulation is well kept it is continuing
care; if i'll kept II is something betwiNt
a pest and a plague. When at last the
plague spot becomes too evident there Is
some throwing away, but by that time
what is thrown away has lost all VaIue'
Once upon time | looked on Whlle
saving and very weil-to-do woman cleaned
out her garrett She threw away among
other things, a whole trunkful Of old WOOL
len underwear. once belonging to her three
sons. Though it had been packed in cam
phor and put away clean, moths had rid
died IT, leaving hardly hand's breadth
whole anywhere. From the trunk they had
spread to presses full of heavy coats, WIN
ter frOcks, even furs Of sorts, and ruined
entirely most Of the good garments. ] hope
| have proper respect for those who DO
not lack anything, still | could not join in
the woman's lamentations and self-pity-
ings Rather It seemed to me she had in
country phrase got her come-uppance.
The old hannels would have been so well
come to poor families round about, sew
eral of them workers upon her property
Their menkind went cotton clad through
bitter wcather-there would have beeh
worlds of comfort in the woOllen garments
which had gone TO worse than waste ret
the woman answerable for the waste was
far from being wholly unkind. Nebulousiy'
at the back of her mind she had meant 10
dye the fannels and make OF them
drawn rug, more vivid than any neighbor
could boast, but in a self-indulgent moment
had bought rugs, all she had room for'
and had made up to herself for the eN-
travagance by promising 10 make the
drawn rug some day.
II you save things for a definite purpose
keen them well, and do not falter away
from using them all very well. But simply
to pile up things worth much less than the
space they occupy is extravaganza OF lhe
first water This applies especially TO 'artl-
cIes Of bigotry and virtue All OF us, great
and small are by way Of accommodating
them and feeling them burden. / nave
made my way through drawing rooms so
called, compared to which the Cretan
Labyrinth would have been simple as "A B
c. Vases to the right Of me, hgurlnes 10
, the left of me. plaques, banners, Dronzes
so called. near worries and Japanese art
made in Germany. volleyed and Numbered
the need Of a general throwing away. Then
the pictures! ] am almost persuaded II
should be made a felony TO keep and e&-
hibIt photos longer than five years. Ot
course they may be kept for private views
if there are reasons Of sentiment, but the
deadly horrors that hang on many walls
surely need some abatement EspecialI!
the "crayon engagements, whose making
ought to be forbidden.
Cluttering is among the chief sins or ou'
day Machinery makes so many things so
Cheaply. 50 easily, the world ls more IMAM
eve. deceived 10y ornament What WIN
bargains and Christmas gifts our homes
over1low-for the most part with things We
world pc IL lot better OF without For they
.r,,.o o-ctowdiug is ugly exc yuicar-thoy
dehase taste with bad lines and crude
colors. they catch dust and CRIME, or else
IN cleaning take time that might be much
bettor spent And all the good they do IS
TO noursh a pride Of possession enapllhE
MS to boast that we have more ugliness
than our neighbors.
The art Of throwing away lies largely IN
right estimate of potentialities Keep al
ways the triics that may come in handy
the odd or uncommon things whereof fate
has possessed you. But rid yourself sys-
Dramatically Of things outworn or out
grown. Mess there are younger chlIdreH
erov.jug up to them, it is little short of
crime to pack away frocks, aprons, knick-
erbockers jackets. half as Sood as neW' Dut
TOO small for their owners. Pass them on
TO smaller folk-you can find them II you
.,,. rIis is q form Of throwing away over
which angels smile Bury old shoes II DS
chance yCu have even square rOd UI
Garth for the burying Whatever may
cbancc 10 grow there later will thank
Won for your largess in flowers or fruit'
Crane vines in especial rejoice in buried
laatbcr-as i decays If furnishes the rch-
cst food to their clamorinG roots. If your
old shoes must leave you by the garbage
,oute make them into a parcel with stout
string and paper, in hope that somehow
they may be cobbled afresh ana mus cover
feet that would otherwise go bare.
II a bonfire outdoors is possible ourn IN
il all Iiuty things and paper esPeclail'
paper boxes. Never try 10 Keep packing
stuff excelsior is SO cheap, ana also so
,uaammablc, it can never be worth inc
addad fire risk Get rid of OLD TINS anu