Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-05-13

Aunt Priscilla, N. D.
The "year-old bousekeeper" called her
husband to read the letter With. her.
"Dear Housekeeping Lady:
"If there Ii anything In your mouse
that needs mending, will you not get u
together and let me flx Up I shall esteem
II 2 favor to spend day In your sewing
room. for am an old lady with nothing
to occupy my time. ~,
"Well, did you everP" gasped the
housekeeping lady. "She certainly will
be welcome" And few minutes later
che read aloud her reply:
Dear Aunt Priscilla, N. D.:
"You most assuredly will be welcome.
How will the day after tomorrow dor -.
"What does N. D. stand for, any wayP
"Your delighted niece, D. K"
Next morning brought this card:
81 shall be with you by nine O'Clock.
N. D. stands for-Dootor of Needles!
The housekeeping lady looked apollo
petic when Aunt Priscilla arrived. "This
seems Ike dreadful lot of things, and
l expect most of them are past all mend
ing. There are always 30 many things
TO see 10 which are moro important tnat
the mending has to 60, lots Of times. But
it is certainly dear Of you to offer to
help"
Aunt Priscilla opened her bag and
took out her spectacles and thimble with
a smile. II am an N. D. and ! sup
pose it is natural for me to believe In my
profession, but think there 10 hardly
any hing about the housekeeping that IL
of more importance than the mendipg. :,
~ have been mending for years and
years, dear, or wouldn't dare appear az
practiciDg N. D.
Teach me about 1t If you cam" offer
ed the niece, with a laugh, IL have al.
ways thought mending very far remoV'
cd from professional"
ITO begin WITH" began the Doctor OF
Needles cheerfully, "always divide pile
of mending into two classes-tbe gar
ments that are still 80 good - to dc.
serve the most careful of mending, and
those in which there is still some wear
ing quality, but no beauty. Careful
handling Of the first class will make
them practically as good as new; like at
tention to garments in the second class
would be q foolish waste Of time and
patience.
"Here. We will take these two petit.
coats. for instance. This one 10 perfect.
| Iy good and new except where the lace Ia
torn on the hounce. With thread OF the
same size weave in the pattern, using
your embroidery hoops to keep the work
fat, 1t may take half an hour, but the
skirt will then be as good as new; other
wise II is ragged garment, and coon
past mending. Now this other petit.
coat with a torn band is several years
old. and is too full for present day fash
IONS"
Eyes, it's always hanging below my
skirt when ] sit down." sighed the
housekeeping lady.
"And the material is old and tender
all over. 1t would be waste OF time to
replace the baud and take out the un-
necessary fulness; 10 We will simply
piece out the torn band aud you can
wear it mornings under your house
dresses or in taking country walks"
"And save my good ones-that Is IN
idea, certainly. This mended place 10
the lace isn't going to show; l thought
I'd have to get new pet'icoat for best
| You've already saved me So 80, dear
| Doctor of Needles -"
my motto" continued Aunt Priscilla
"is very old and trite one, with varia
tions, but I wish you would bear 1t IN
mind. "A stitch in time saves money
time and patience
"Here are some applications. Use
wash ribbon in your gauxe vests and
underwear, 80 that 1t need not be remov'
ed for laundering, and after adjusting It.
tack securely in place at the front OF
back as the case may be; it never gets
pulled out or lost then, and the gar
ment will never be destroyed BY using
pins.
"Your husband wears out the heels oil
his socks; when getting new ones darr
the heels with a single thread OF cotton
before letting him wear them. This vii
not show and they will wear much
longer.
"Always re.sew the buttons on ready
made garments before wearing them
they are never fastened strongly, and
there is seldom button to match wher
one comes off,"
"I've drawerful of old shirt waists
have Q mind TO bring out" hesitated
the little housek eeper. "They are moi
fit to wear, and I've hated to throw them
AWAY"
Aunt Priscilla received them eagerly
"Here are two lovely, sheer ones," she
said after some study, "where the ma
terial has given way under the arms,
which will mend beautifully. Place
piece of very thin material under the
thin place and then stretch 1t in your
hoops. Now darn back and forth on the
right side, with a fue thread, going
Through both materials; cut away the
| new cloth at the back close to the darn
ing, and when It has been Numbered the
mend will hardly be noticeable.
"This pile OF waists are worn out In
collars and cuffs; cut away the worn
portions, flush the sleeve bottoms and
the round or square neck you have cut,
with odd lengths of lace or embroidery
or even plain muslin bands, and you
have pretty and comfortable waists fol
morning wear for only few minutes
work.
"N0w these waists are worn too far on
the shoulder to be OF further use as
waists. II you will try them on, how.
ever, I will cut them low and cut out the
sleeves, leaving just strap on the
shoulder, attach to each one Of the near.
" WORKOUT skirts, and you will have
convenient little slips for morning wear. "
"You fill me with WONDER" sighed the
young woman, Fastening to remove her
dress for the fitting, II begin 10 see,
now, how have wasted my good things
by wearing them mornings and on every
Rort OF occasiin."
"That 10 true, my dear. And you have
also purchased cheap things for morn.
ings when you had plenty OF articles 10
the house that could have been mended
aud would have looked better. This
little waist that I've just finished from
oue of those old ones looks much better
than the cheap lawn one you are wearing
this morning, and you might have
saved"
Seventy five CENTS" meekly. "Why
do You not, also, have for motto, "A
penny saved Ia penny earned'P"
Aunt Priscilla laughed. "Let me
give you some working rules:
Spend less time in making new gar
ments aud moro 10 caring for what you
already have.
Have q special mending place, with
materials OF all kinds convenient.
Mend whenever possible before send.
ing garments to the laundry.
Repair in time.
Watch out for new ideas-I saw girl
l.