The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1914-11-06
LESSONS IN |
DOMESTIC SCIENCE /
Prepared by the
Agricultural Department |
WARRINGTON. D. G.
CONvENIENCES FOR LETTER.
WRITING.

A'siiuo, " SoPy recipes, ana 10 keep &C
counts, simply because she has no
conveniences at hand. Her paper is
in one place; her ink in another; her
pen In another; and perhaps the only
table which she can use must be
cleared before she can find place
to write. This is unfortunate for
many reasons: 1t cuts her off from
friends who expect to hear from her
and 1t also makes it difficult to put
housekeeping on business basis"
as we are so often told nowadays that
1t should be. A farm woman should
know whether on the whole it costs
more to buy given article than to
spend in making it time which might
be otherwise employed, and she will
never know until she keeps accounts
Oftentimes, too, there is a record to
be kept in connection with the sale
or butter eggs, chickens. or other
farm produce. 1t costs very little to
get the necessary equipment for con-
venient letter writing, and account
keeping (the paper, pens, erasers, pa
per clips, and what noD, and a place
in which these can be kept together
and used can also be obtained at very
low cost.
Just wide shelf made of soft wood,
stained and fastened to the wall at a
convenient height and in a place
where the light will fall upon it, pre-
ferably from the left, is far better than
nothing. This can be made at home
and need not be unsightly. 1t should
be large enough to hold a lamp as we'll
as the usual writing materials, so it
can be used comfortably in the eve
ming. If no other sort of lumber is
available, pieces of box or packing
case can often be used. If the wood is
rough, sandpaper it first with coarse
paper, then with fine and finally stain
It. Oil stains can be obtained in
many wood colors for about Is cents
a can, holding enough stain to stain
several articles the size of the one
described. Over this coat of pre-
pared wax, which also can be pur-
chased for a small sum, should be ap-
piled. If this is thoroughly rubbed in
1t gives good surface, smooth and
bright and not too glossy to be pleas
ing from the standpoint of appear
ance. If you are so fortunate as to
have piece of hardwood, fill it in
stead of staining it, for this brings
out the beauty of the grain.
If something more than this is de-
sired, make a simple desk in the form
of wall cabinet with a door or cover
hinged at the bottom, which can be
dropped at will to form a writing ia
BILE. Such desk as this can be sup
piled with little shelves to hold pa
per, envelopes, account books, pens,
Ink, erasers, etc, and it can also
be supplied with lock and key to
keep the family from borrowing ones
supplies. The shelf must be support
ed when down by chains. These can
be bought for few cents foot.
There are many other possibilities
in the way of the use of packing-box
lumber for furniture, besides the one
suggested; SO save the best boxes that
come into the house and do not let
them be used for kindling wood. Much
has been written about the furniture
which can be made from boxes and in
genious women have learned that they
may be used for many small pieces
CT furniture, book racks, footstools,
umbrella stands, settees, chairs, wash
stands, dressing tables, window boxes,
etc. For many of these uses the
boxes are neatly covered with Gre
tonne, denim, burlap, or some similar
material, provided with hinges or
mounted on casters if need be, and if
used for window seats or for some
similar purpose provided with a mat
tress or thick cushion covered like
the sides of the box. For other uses
the wood should be painted or stained
and finished
There are other ways in which use.
full and attractive furniture can be OBJ
tanned at low cost. The possibility of
repairing and refnishing old furniture
should not be overlooked. Old chairs,
tables, desks, and other articles can
often be made serviceable by small re-
pairs and refnishing. If the original
wood can be filled or stained, this as a
rule is better than painting it, In
these days of varnish removers, of
ready mixed stains and varnishes and
wax finishers, etc, the problem is not
too difficult for the man. woman or
child, who finds pleasure in such work
and who can use sandpaper and brush
and has some idea of making small
repairs. Many beautiful old chair,
table. or other piece of furniture of
mahogany, walnut, cherry, maple or
some other good wood has gone from
the farmhouse shed or kitchen into
some town home because the one who
purchased 1t, land often for a very
small sunni, could see beyond the
stained, worn, and battered surface
the beauty of good wood and good
workmanship which only needed care
full refinishing to bring it out Many
an old desk has been found in an
attic or used to hold old tools or odds
and ends which has been repaired and
refinished until 1t is again the useful