Year: 1878

When the washing and ironing are we'll out of the way, comes the sweeping. A house to be clean must be swept, we all know; and if all the housskeepers in the land could give their way of doing 1t, nine out of every ten doubtless would say, "Oh, I sweep once or twice a week, and brush up little every day" Now, it is not to the housekeeper who has had the broom question in full consideration that We offer these suggestions; but it is to the many who in their hurry seize vicious-looking broom and give the carpet "a good going over." Rather rough treatment this. It is much better economy to keep nice, new broom for the carpets; let it be hung up and kept for that sole use. Put it entirely away, if there Is danger of it's being taken to brush the outdoor steps or round in the kitchen.

 In sweeping, the dust is to be brushed off the surface, and we think a light broom is better than heavy one. And in the first place, let all the delicate or naments be put away. Let the bed-if it is bedroom-be carefully covered, and have upholstered furniture also cov- cred as far as possible. Then open the windows, and after scattering damp tea leaves over the floor, sweep clean, but lightly, using small broom for the cor ners and around the stove. Taking up the dust as it is gathered in little heaps Is certainly heater than rolling the whole mass from one side of the room to the other. Let the furniture then be dusted, wiping it with clean dusting-cloth and many people forget entirely when this cloth is filled, to give it shake at the window. We speak of this, for, sur prising as it may seem, we have seen people fairly rub chintz furniture covers and stuffed furniture with dusting. cloths that were simply filled with dirt.

 When a room has been thoroughly swept, dusted, and the little ornaments returned to their places, one feels that it is clean and delightful to contemplate {; but if this is the sitting room or the dining g-room, the next thing few crumbs or threads are dropped, or sand is brought in, notwithstanding the mat at the door. Then comes the brushing up. The scrubbing broom IS picked up in a hurry and hourished over the floor, but there is no time to dust the furniture. Now the question Is, Would it not be l. k> l. III l.. II dining table, and oftener employ the small broom and the dust-pan, leaving the actual sweeping till it could be nice- ly done?

 In truth, we abhor the brushing-up business. We visited in a house once where this style prevailed. It was a very pleasant house to visit except for this. The mistress was charmingly agreeable; she could talk, and also knew how to cook everything in the incest manner, without making fuss about it ; but we could never wear our best black cashmere dress to the dinner table, for the chairs were often covered with dust. The brushing-up sometimes took place just before dinner generally, however, we were obliged to run before the broom, immediately after breakfast. We wanted perhaps moments chat with our friend, and she always said, "Oh, you are not in my way r'-but if we had on 6 morning dress of crimson cashmere, and our hair was "done up, D why fhen-we hnrric,1 off Oh that everlasting broom :!