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HANDYELPSHOW TO DO THINGS

A COLLECTION OFUseful l)im$ and SuggestionsFor tHe Hotise-wife.

Valuable alike tothe young brideand the grayhaired matron.COPYRIGHTED 190* BY MARSH i DAVI

Man is Ptibhshing Company (not inc.)^11 Madison Street

C/iicas:o.

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fuBRARY of CONGRESSTwo Copies ReceivfcciAPR 3 6 1904Copyrlgrht Entry

CLASS C^ XXc. No.? 5-2. ^ -2-COPY B

^X'^.*^(A-^

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HOME HELPS.Asbestos Fads.The value of asbestos pads

to protect the polished surface of diningtables is now fully appreciated. When a clothis used the entire table is covered with anasbestos pad, covered with double-faced can-ton flannel to make it soft and noiseless.A convenient pad of this description is of-fered in housefurnishing stores. It is to behad in various shapes and sizes, and is soprepared that it folds in convenient lines tolay away in a drawer when not in use. Doil-ies in which asbestos mats may be slippedare also convenient and useful.Bath Tubs.For cleaning enameled baths,zinc tubs, etc,, use a paste made of equalquantities of shaved yellow soap, whiting andsoda, dissolved over the fire with the smallest

quantity of water required to keep it fromburning.Blankets.When washing blankets make alather of boiled soap and tepid water andallow a teaspoonful of household ammoniafor every pailful and a half of water. Washthem in two or three waters, put them throughthe wringer and hang out to dry. Choose a

fine, windy day for this work, as blanketsspoil by being kept damp.BottlesTo Cleanse.Make a lye by boilingequal quantities of soda and quicklime. Whencold, put this in the bottles with some peb-bles, and shake well. Set the bottles to drainthoroughly, then warm them, and blow insidewith a pair of bellows to absorb all moist-

ure.

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4 Home HelpsBrooms.It may not be generally known

that brooms will wear better and longer Ifkept clean, than if allowed to remain un-cleansed throughout their span of existence.Twice a week, at least, a much-used broomshould be dipped into a kettle of boilingsuds, afterward being rinsed in cold waterrun from the faucet. This operation not onlycleanses the broom, but makes it at oncepliable and tough. Carpets retain their pileand tinting far longer when swept with cleanbrooms; hence, for this reason, if for noother, the process is entirely worth while.A small whisk broom, clipped obliquely soas to make one side of it pointed, is the onlyimplement to use when sweeping the cornersof rooms or stairways, as by no other methodcan every particle of dust be so effectuallyremoved.Don't stand brooms on their brom end, butupside down in the cornerBrushesTo Keep Clean.Hair brushesmay be cleaned as follows: Dissolve a pieceof soda in some hot water, allowing a piecethe size of a walnut to a quart of water.

Put the water into a basin, and after comb-ing out the hair from the brushes, dip them,bristles downward, into the water and outagain, keeping the backs and handles as freefrom the water as possible. Repeat this untilthe bristles look clean; then rinse the brushesin a little cold water; shake well, and wipethe handles and backs with a towel; but notthe bristles, and set the brushes to dry itithe sun, or near the flre; but take care notto put them too close to it. Wiping the bristlesof a brush makes them soft, as does also theuse of soap.Bugfs.If, as is frequently the case, evenin the best regulated families, the beds be-come infested with occupants that do not be-

long there they may be exterminated by afree use of kerosene. If one has a carelews

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Home Helps 5neighbor, as is apt to be the case in anapartment house, baseboards, window sills andthe springs of the bed should be wiped offwith oil at least once a week as a preventive.Applied liberally about the kitchen sink, boil-er and pipes, cockroaches and water bugs may-be defied, eVen in an old house.

Birds.Caged birds are frequently muchtroubled with insects in their eyes. It willbe found that hanging a small bag of sulphurin the cage will prevent these insects worry-ing the birds, and will also improve theirhealth in other ways.Buttons.In sewing on buttons, if the knot

is placed on the right side of the cloth, di-rectly under the button, the thread will beless liable to break and become loosened,and the button will remain on longer.Cement.Common alum melted in an ironspoon over the fire forms a good cementfor joining glass and iron together. It isuseful for holding the glass reservoir of alamp to its metal base and for stoppingcracks about the base. Its great merit forthis purpose is that paraffin will not pene-trate it.

Cereals.Cereals should be emptied in theirproper receptacles of tin or glass and closelycovered to prevent insects getting in. Coffeeshould go immediately into an airtight can-ister in order to keep its aroma. Olive oilshould be put into a cool, dark place, andsalt, soap and cheese in dry places.Chamois.Wash chamois leather in luke-warm soap suds and finally rinse in slightlysoapy water of the same temperature, forwashing leather in clear water causes it toharden. Dry in the air and not near a fire.Chapped Hands.For chapped hands heatone ounce of cocoa butter and one ounce of

sweet almond oil in a double boiler. Stir

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6 Home Helpstill thoroughly blended, then add one drameach of oxide of zinc and of borax, drop by-drop. When cool add a few drops of per-fume. Rub some of this cream into the hands,then pull on some loose kid gloves. If thefinger tips are cut off and a circle cut outof the palm the results will be happier, ascovering the hands tightly tends to makethem yellow and ugly.China.China with gilding on it shouldnever be washed with water containing soda,for the soda will soon take off the gilding.Soap will answer the purpose of soda per-fectly, and will do no damage.Clothing* Tips.In putting away daintysummer chiffons if a little extra care istaken they will come out of their seclusionnext spring quite fresh and ready to beworn again. Silk parasols should have looserolls of tissue paper between the folds toprevent the silk from splitting. Deep bluepaper as an outside wrapping will preventwhite silk from turning yellow, it is said.To keep lace white lay it in a box and sprinklemagnesia through its folds. This will remove

oily stains. The magnesia easily shakes out.By hanging a creased cloth jacket or skirton a line over the bathtub, closing tlie win-dows and doors and turning on the hot watertill the room is full of steam, I find I canremove the wrinkles from the garments, aclever housekeeper writes. The clothing mustbe left for two hours hanging in the vapor,and then placed in the fresh air to dry. Theprocess is simple and practicable for any one,and better in many cases than pressing.To clean trousers without washing take asquare of dry pipe clay, rub it well over thetrousers and allow it to remain for a coupleof hours. Then brush off. when the garmentshould look fresh and clean. If grease spotsremain take them o\it with a hot iron, appliedOver a clean piece of blottinp- paper or brown

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Home Helps 7paper. If this method fails then try benzine,applying: it with a flannel cloth.

Dip children's frocks, pinafores, etc., in asolution of alum after they have been washed,for thus you will render them non-inflam-mable.Very wet boots should be filled with drycats and set aside for a few hours. The oatswill absorb . the moisture and, swelling out,will prevent the leather shrinking and theboots hardening, as they would if put nearthe fire to dry.

Clinkers in Stoves, To Remove.When thefirebricks have become covered with clinkerswhich have fused and adhered they may becleaned by throwing oyster or clam shellsin the firebox when the fire is very hotand allowing the fire to go out. The clink-ers will generally cleave off without the useof much force the next morning. From 1quart to a peck will be sufficient for moststoves, and the operation can be repeatedif some of the clinkers still adhere. Saltsprinkled on clinkers adhering to firebrick willalso loosen them.Coal Oil, To Remove.Cover the spot with

finely powdered chalk or cornmeal; lay apaper over it and rub it over with a mod-erately heated iron. Two or three applica-tions are all that is necessary.Cockroaches.Mix together thoroughly 1pound of powdered sugar, 1 pound of pow-dered borax and 10 cents' worth of parisgreen; put in all places which they infest

with a puffer or blower.Coffee.Coffee is the easiest thing in thetrade to adulterate, even whole coffee beingopen to suspicion. That which is sold groundat 40 cents a pound is frequently half chicory,the latter being worth about 8 cents. Whilechicory improves the flavor of coffee, accord-ing to most tastes, it defrauds the buyer in

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d Home Helpspoint of value. As the coffee bean improveswith age, it is a good plan, when sure of apure article, to buy in bulk, then roast andgrind as needed.

Coffee is best when made in a pot whichmerely allows the water to pass through thepulverized berry.Curtains.To tint lace curtains cream coloradd an ounce of yellow ochre to two ounces

of starch and mix in the usual way with boil-ing water. Strain the starch to clear it oflumps. It is best to soak a pair of curtainsat the same time, for, thus one can insureboth being of the same shade of color.Linen curtains of a cream color may becleaned by rubbing with powdered bath brickand a piece of flannel.Cookingr Tips.It is said that a crust ofbread put in the water spinach, beet tops,dandelions, etc., are being boiled in not onlyprevents a disagreeable odor from arising butimparts an added delicacy to the vegetableas well.A little flour sprinkled lightly over the topof a cake will aid in preventing the icingfrom running off.To prevent the odor of boiling ham orcabbage throw a few bits of charcoal intothe pot in which they are cooking.If you set a dish of water in the oven whenthe cake is baking you will find that therewill be no scorching.Bacon rinds can be used many ways, so donot throw them in the garbage barrel. Washthem thoroughly and put them in a jar forfuture use. They make an excellent season-ing for greens and some soups, and they areoften used to give a finishing touch to bakedand fricasseed chicken.Doughnuts or biscuits may be heated

"amaist as good as new" by putting them in

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Home Helps ga whole paper bag, sprinkling in a fer7 dropsonly of water, twisting the ends, putting inthe oven, raised a little from the bottom ona grate. The oven must be very hot.When you suspect that your cooking hasbeen scorched because you have neglected itfor just one moment too long, lift the vesselholding the food quickly from the fire andstand it in a pan of water for a few minutes.In almost every case the scorched taste willentirely disappear.There will be no disagreeable odor duringthe cooking of cabbage or cauliflower if puton in cold water to which has been addeda good pinch of baking soda. They must becooked about twenty minutes after the waterreaches a boil and the saucepan should be left

uncovered during the entire process.Boiling liquids, jellies or fruits may beturned into glass without breaking the vesselif you press the bowl of a spoon on the bot-tom while filling.

Boiled cabbage is much sweeter when thewater is changed in boiling.To prevent the smell of cooking from get-ting into the house, sprinkle a little cedarsawdust on the top of the stove. When milkboils over on the stove or in the oven sprinklea thick layer of salt on the burning milk;let it remain a few minutes, then brush off.In making bread or rolls put a saucepanof boiling water into the oven. The steamwill keep the crust smooth and tender.Much of the heavy cake and bread is theresult of the oven door being banged in clos-ing. It should be closed as gently as possi-

ble.After baking a cake stand the tin directlyyou take it from the oven on a cloth whichhas been wrung out of hot water. Leave a

few minutes and then turn out. The cake willcome out without any trouble.

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10 Home HelpsWhen cooking green vegetables a smallparticle of soda added to the boiling water

just before putting in the vegetables willkeep them in fresh color.When boiling green vegetables add a lumpof sugar to the water; it is as effectual assoda and perfectly harmless.To have custard pie of an even, nice brownwhen baked, sprinkle a little sugar over thetop just before putting into the oven.Cut Plowers.To preserve cut flowers theyshould be taken out of the vases every dayand a tiny piece cut off the end of each witha sharp knifenot with scissors, as the object

is to keep the pores of the stem open, and thiscan be done only with a very sharp instru-ment. The vase should be kept perfectlyclean. A small piece of charcoal placed inthe bottom of the vase will help keep theblossoms fresh for many days. The watermust be changed every day if the vase beof clear glass. A pinch of borax may takethe place of the charcoal.Cracks in Ploors.To stop cracks in floorsputty is not necessary. A cheap and effective

substitute for it is made by soaking news-paper in a paste made by boiling a pound offlour in three quarts of water and adding ateaspoonful of powdered alum. This mixtureshould be about the consistency of putty andshould be forced between the boards with ablunt knife. When the compound has driedit can be painted to match the boards, andif the cracks have been neatly filled up theywill hardly be perceptible.Doors Creaking*.Rub a little soap or amixture of tallow and black lead on thehinges; or apply to them with a feather alittle sweet or sperm oil once or twice ayear.Dried Fruits should be kept in airtight cans;

nuts in a cool, dry place to prevent their

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Home Helps iigrowing rancid, and chocolate, cocoa and co-coa-shells in cold storage. Molasses and sirupsneed to be where it is cool.

Eg-g's.To test the freshness of eggs pntthem into water. A fresli egg remains ntthe bottom of the basin, a less fresh egrfloats a little higher, while a really bad eggrises to the surface.Eggs should be handled carefully so asnot to break the membrane separating theyolk and white, and kept in a dry, cool place.A pinch of salt added to the white of anegg will facilitate the whipping.When cracked eggs have to be boiled a

little vinegar added to the water will preventthe white from boiling out. The acid coagu-lates the albumen and stops the leaks. Thecracks may also be covered with a bit ofpaper wet with the exuding albumen. Noth-ing sticks like wliite of egg, and not evenboiling water will remove the paper.

It is not generally known that eggs coveredwith boiling water and allowed to stand forfive minutes are more nourishing and easierdigested than eggs placed in boiling waterand allowed to boil furiously for three anda half minutes.

Fish.To scale fish easily, dip them inboiling water.Pish Smell.To remove the fishy smellthat clings to knives, forks and frying pansafter a fish dinner, rub all articles used witha cut lemon, then wash as usual.Zleas.The oil of pennyroyal will drivethese insects off, but a cheaper method, wherethe herb grows, is to throw the cat or dogwhom they infest into a decoction of it oncea week; when the herb cannot be obtainedthe oil can be used. Saturate cloths with it

and tie around the necks of dogs and cats.These applications should be repeated every

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12 .Home Helpstwelve or fifteen days. 2. Oil of cloves, 2J4drams; carbolic acid, ^ dram; cologne, 3ounces; diluted alcohol, 2 ounces; sprinklebedding:, beds, etc.

Flies.Place a castor-oil plant in the roomand the flies will leave.Floor Stain.A cheap floor stain can bemade by dissolving four ounces of perman-ganate of potash in a pint of water.Flour.Flour belongs in a bin or barrelraised a few inches from the floor. Whilewheat flour may be obtained in quantity,cornmeal or graham flour should only bepurchased in small quantities and kept in tinor glass.Frames.Dingy or rusty gilt picture frames

may be improved by simply washing tliemwith a small sponge moistened with spiritsof wine or oil of turpentine, the sponge onlyto be sufficiently wet to take off the dirtand fly.Gilt frames may be revived by carefullydusting them and washing them with 1 ounceof soda beaten up with the whites of three

eggs. Scraped patches should be touched upwith gold paint. Castile soap and water, withproper care, may be used to clean oil paint-ings. Other methods should not be employedwithout some skill.Frost on Windows.People who are troubledwith the frost on the windows of a coldroom may keep them transparent by rubbingthem with glycerin. This will prevent aheavy frost forming on them.Fruit Stains.Fruit stains can be removedfrom table linen by pouring boiling waterover the spots.Furniture Polish.An excellent furniturepolish is made of equal parts of vinegar and

salad oil. Apply very sparingly with a piece

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Home Helps 13of flannel and polish off thoroughly withclean cloths. Don't forget that a great dealof the merit of this polish depends on theaddition by the user of plenty of "elbowgrease."To clean stains and mildew from furni-ture take ^ pint of 98 per cent alco-hol, ]/i ounce each of pulverized resin andgum shellac, add J^4 pint of linseed oil, shakewell and apply with a brush or sponge. Sweetoil will remove finger marks from varnishedfurniture, and kerosene from oiled furniture.

Purs.The secret of the life everlasting infurs is to keep them as free as possible fromall contact. After shaking and wiping themdry, if they have been out in the rain orfog, hang them over the back of a chair, andwhen dry hang up where nothing can touchthem. If room is wanting for this place ona shelf with tissue paper under and overthem and between each fold. Purs that havebeen wet should never be hung in front ofa stove or open fire to dry.Gas Globes.Wash gas globes with warmsoda water and then rub the insides with a

little powdered pumice stone. Rinse andpolish with a soft cloth.In fitting on gas globes it is a commonerror to screw them too tightly. Room shouldbe allowed for the expansion of the glass when

it has become heated by the gas, otherwisea breakage is inevitable.Glass, to Clean.^ 1.Soda water in waterwill clean glass. 2. Take powdered indigo,dip into a moistened linen rag, smear overthe glass with it, and then wipe it off witha perfectly dry cloth or finely-sifted woodashes aplied by a rag dipped in alcohol orammonia will answer just as well.Glass.To prevent windows steaming.

Clean the glass occasionally with a cloth

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14 Home Helpsmoistened with pure glycerin, wiping' it soas to leave only a trace of the glycerin adher-ing- to the surfacethis on the inside.To clean a glass decanter put into it a fewlumps of soda and a spoonful of vinegar.Shake well, but leave the top open or thedecanter may burst. Rinse with clear waterand turn down to drain.To cut glass with scissors hold a sheet ofglass horizontally under water and then cutit. as you would a sheet of paper, with astrong pair of scissors. The cutting is easilyaccomplished, but it will not be as neatlydone by a long way as with a diamond.To imitate frosted glass dissolve Epsomsalts in beer, and apply to tlie window witha brush. As tlie solution dries it crystallizesand may be varnished.To remove panes of glass lay soft soapover the putty whicli holds tliem, and aftera few hours the putty, however hard, willbecome soft and easy to scrape away.Crloves.Rub light gloves with fine breadcrumbs after each time of wearing. If youallow them to get very dirty home cleaning

is seldom a success, but tr*)ated in this waythey will look nice for quite a long time.Suede gloves can be cleaned by rubbingthem over with oatmeal.Emery paper is good to clean undressedkid gloves. It should be very fine and shouldbe used with great care, as undressed kid isso tender.Kid gloves may be cleaned, when slightlysoiled, with a small piece of oiled silk woundtightly about the finger and rubbed vigorouslyover the surface of the glove.Never throw away old gloves. Keep themto wear while dusting, cleaning silver andattending to other household work of a simi-lar character. By so doing the hands will be

kept clean and in good condition.

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Home Helps 15Crlae.A good waterprof glue is made thus:Boil four ounces of the best glue in a pintof skim milk. Use it in the ordinary way.Glycerin.Glycerin is very slow to freeze,and if a little is put on taps in frosty weath-

er, and exposed pipes are covered with piecesof old carpet or sacking, the water is notlikely to freeze.Gnats.The best preventive against gnats,as well as the best cure for their stings, iscamphor.Gold Chains, To Clean.I^et the article re-quired to be cleaned stand for some time ina solution of caustic potash until all theadhering dirt is removed.Grass Stains on clothing should be rubbedwith spirits of wine, and then the stains willreadily come out if washed with soap andwater.Grease, To Kemove Grease From Carpetsand Floor Cloths.Aqua ammonia, 2 ounces;soft water, 1 quart; saltpeter, 1 teaspoonful;soap shavings, 1 ounce; mix well; shake and

let it stand 24 hours before using to dissolvethe soap; when used pour on enough to cov-er any grease or oil that has been spilled,spraying and rubbing well, and apply againif necessary; then wash off with clean coldwater.Soda and hot water will remove grease spotsfrom the kitchen floor.Grease Eraser.Benzine, alcohol, ether,equal parts; mix; apply with sponge (pattingthe spot) ; put a piece of blotting paper oneach side and iron with a hot flatiron.Gutta Percha.To clean gutta-percha, rub

it with a mixture of soap and powdered char-coal and polish it with a dry cloth.Ha.ir.The right way to brush the hair is

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i6 Home Blpsto grasp the brush firmly with the right andthe hair loosely with the left hand, and brushwith a slow, gliding motion, every strandbeing brushed up and down, right, left insemicircles from the forehead to the centerof the head. Diet has much to do with thecondition of the hair. Vegetables and cerealsare hair tonics. Too much meat and milkcause atrophy of the roots. Of course, thehair comes out as a result of this condition.

Ink.In removing ink stains from a car-pet if they have become dry the best plan isto rub them with milk, taking fresh as itbecomes inky. The spot should afterward bewashed with ammonia water to remove thegrease. Fresh ink stains on a carpet shouldbe taken up as far as possible with blottingpaper to prevent their spreading, or salt maybe put on them for the same purpose. Thesalt will absorb the ink and it can then beswept up.Ink stains, if fresh, will soak out in milk:if, however, they have been allowed to drythe application of oxalic acid or salts oflemon will be necessary.

Ink spots on floors may be removed byrubbing with wet sand dipped in oil of vit-riol and water; when the ink is removed rinsewith pearl-ash water. Ink stains on furni-turemahogany, rosewood, walnut, etc.may be removed by touching the stain witha feather dipped in a spoonful of water withsix or eight drops of niter in it. Great caremust be taken, however, to wipe the stainedplace immediately it disappears with a clothwet in cold water, or the niter will leave awhite mark. If this is inefficacious repeatthe operation with a slightly stronger solu-tion. White stains on varnished furniture cangenerally be removed by holding a hot plateover but not touching them.To remove ink stains from the leaves ofa book, damp them with a little oxalic acid

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Home Helps 17or tartaric acid, diluted with water. Thiswill destroy the stains without injuring theprint.Iron Holder.Linen crash, blue denim andticking are the best possible fabrics for cov-ering iron holders. Make them removableby basting one end together and occasionallyput them in the family wash. Beeswax forsmoothing sadirons should be tied in a pieceof white muslin to prevent waste.Ivory.To clean the ivory handles of knivesmix equal parts of ammonia and olive oiland add to this enough prepared chalk tomake a paste. With this rub the ivory and

let it dry before brushing it off. Several ap-plications of the paste may be necessary.Jet Trimming's can be made quite new-looking by being laid for twenty minutes orso in a basin containing equal parts of vine-gar and water. Remove from the basin anddry in a cool place.Kerosene applied with a flannel cloth, ismost efficacious in removing discolorations inmetal or porcelain tubs. These are often oc-casioned by the mineral properties containedin the water, but sometimes by a lack ofdaily care. In either event a brisk applica-tion of kerosene will effectually remove alltrace of them.Kettles may be thoroughly cleaned by boil-ing potato peelings in them.To prevent the formation of crust inside

kettles put in a small, well-scrubbed oystershell.To make tin kettles, etc., as bright a.-: new,rub them with a woolen rag dipped in paraf-fin. Polish with a soft newspaper. Paraffinwill hlso remove stains from varnished fur-niture.Knife Cleaning" may easily be performed by

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i8 Home Helpsrubbing- the knives over with a slice of potatoand then polishing them with brick dust.

Stained knife blades should be rubbed witha cut raw potato, dipped in knife powder orbath brick, and then polished in the usualmanner.

l^ace.If lace is ironed directly after wash-ing, first under a cloth, finishing off withnothing between it and the iron, there is noneed to starch it. Ironing while wet givesit just tlie right amount of stiffness.To clean gold lace or embroidery use spir-its of wine tliat has been made warm.

IiaccLuer Work.To clean lacquer work rubwith lemon juice, then with clean cloths tilldry and polished.Iiamp Chimneys.To clean lamp chimneys

rub them with newspapers on which a littlekerosene has been poured. This will makethem much cleaner than if soap and water isused, and also make them less liable tocrack.Iiard should be kept in a tin and in a coolplace.Laundry Hints.Borax in the water willmake fine fiannels look new and will not shrinkthem.A little table salt in starch helps in theironing.If the starch is mixed with soapy water itmakes a glossy surface on the article.A good bluing can be made at home withone ounce of powdered indigo, one-half ounceof powdered oxalic acid and one quart ofsoft water. This should be well mixed. Atablespoonful is enough for one ordinary-sized tub.Irons should be frequently washed in hotsoapsuds and thoroughly dried.

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Home Helps igTo prevent scorching, rub the iron on a

cloth saturated with kerosene.An iron rubbed frequently on sandpaperwill keep it from sticking.A holder made from asbestos cloth is thebest kind to use.Irons once having been red hot never againretain heat.Flatirons should be set on end when ^ putaway.A tablespoonful of the following solutionwill make a splendid lather to wash clothes

in: In two quarts of hot water dissolve threeounces of borax and then add two pounds ofsliced white bar soap.To remove the stains from clothing rubwitli lard before washing. The yolk of anegg rubbed on stains on wasliable goods be-fore laundering will remove spots.Turpentine added to starch in the propor-tion of a teaspoonful to each quart addswhiteness and gloss to tlie ironed article.When making starch use soapy water. Theclothes will have a more glossy appearance

and the ironing will be more easily accom-plished.Never put a table linen that has fruit stainsinto hot soapsuds. It sets the stain.For starching muslins, ginghams and cali-coes dissolve a piece of alum the size of ahickory nut for every pint of starch. Thiswill keep the colors bright for a long time.For laundry use kerosene is very effectualin whitening clothes. A half teacupful ina boiler of clothes will produce a most satis-factory result. Yet care must be exercisedwhen using this explosive material.When bluing clothes if boiling water ispoured over pure indigo tied in a thin bagindigo can be bouglit at the druggist's

and the liquid thus obtained poured into a

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20 Home Helpstub of clear water, the household linen willhave the pearly tint of new clothes. Indigotints without dyeing and leaves no bluestreaks and mysterious spots of iron rust,which often appear after using the ordinarybluing bag.The Chinese silk blouses with entredeuxand insertions of imitation Valenciennes thatare worn so much wash perfectly. All thatis necessary is lukewarm water and whitecasfcile soap. Instead of rubbing dip a blouseup and down in the suds and squeeze gently.Wlien nearly dry press it on tlie wrong side.Black stockings will retain their color ifwashed in warm suds of soap and water, witha little vinegar in the rinse.

Iieather.Orange juice will polish patentleather.Iiime.Liime in abundance is the house-wife's stand-by for a general purifying agent.Not merely the sprinkling of a little lime inthe tightly closed cellar and storerooms ofwinter time, and tlie wliitewashing of serv-ants' quarters and the cellar at the time ofthe spring housecleaning. but a weekly appli-cation or a weekly filling of generous lime-pots. After cleaning the pantry or sweeping

the cellar, set a small jar of lime on a pantryshelf and a larger jar or pot of the samepurifying material on the cellar shelves andin the dark corners, and the whole house willbe benefited by this precaution.Ziinoleum.Never scrub linoleum. Clean itby rubbing on a mixture of olive oil andvinegar in equal parts.Meat.Tough meat may be made tender bylaying it a few minutes in vinegar water.Milk.Before boiling milk rinse out thesaucepan with a little hot water; it will pre-vent the milk sticking to the bottom of thepan.

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Home Helps azA pinch of soda stirred into milk that is

to be boiled will keep it from curdling.Oil.Burning oil cannot be extinguished by-water. The water only serves to spread theflames. The right thing to do is to throwdown flour, sand or earth. Thus the area ofthe conflagration is limited and the flre ex-tinguished.Oil Stove.For the warming of a small sit-ting room or a bedroom an oil stove is amost useful acquisition. It is so easy to carryfrom one place to another, so convenient tohave ready to light just when wanted andto put out immediately if it is no longer re-quired. Nevertheless it has its disadvantages;sometimes the smell and fumes are most un-pleasant. This arises from carelessness in

managing it and from not keeping it in goodcondition. Like all machinery, an oil stovedemands constant cleaning, and it must bedone regularly. Clean it and refill it everytime after using; if oil or dirt clog in it itmust smell disagreeably when lighted. Al-ways turn the wick down to extinguish itand leave it turned down until lighted again.Do not cut the wick, but pinch off the charredtop with a piece of soft paper or rag, beingoarcful not to let any of the bits drop downon the sides of the wick, the case holdingthis being thoroughly cleaned and rubbed in-side and out each time the stove is used. Ifa crust has formed around the top scrape itoff at once.

Onions.To prevent the eyes from smart-ing when paring onions place the onions ina bowl of water and peel them while you holdthem in it.Ovens.In all houses the oven should bewell scrubbed out after cooking, with hotsoda water and soap. Any hard substancewhicli is caked on to the baking sheets should

be scraped off with an old knife. It is really

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22 Eome Kelpsvery simple to have the oven scrubbed outwhile it is still hot, after baking a joint, etc.,and many disagreeable smells are avoided bythis practice. For the purpose a long brush,such as is used to clean carriage wheels, isuseful. "With it the back wall of an ovencan easily be reached and the danger ofburnt hands avoided.Paint.Old paint and varnish may be re-moved by an emulsion formed of two partsof ammonia shaken up with one part of tur-

pentine. It will sol ten them so they mayeasily be scraped off.White paint when dirty should be washedin milk. Colored paints may also be treatedin the same way.The smell of fresh paint can be removedby leaviiig in the room all night a pail ofwater containing several sliced onions.Piano Polish.Take equal proportions ofturpentine, linseed oil and vinegar; mix; rubin well with a piece of flannel cloth. Thenpolish with a piece of chamois skin. Thistreatment will entirely remove the dingy ap-pearance that age gives to fine woods.Portieres.It is w^ell to remove the por-

tieres occasionally and give them a good clean-ing. If they are placed on a curtain stretcherand swept with a whislc broom it will improvetheir appearance and keep them from lookingdingy during the winter.Raisins.When many raisins are put intocakes, pies or puddings, good housekeepersoften use both malagas and sultanas, halfand half. The malagas are much sweeter andfiner flavored than sultanas. The difference

is said to be that sultanas are cured fromgreen grapes that have not yet formed theirseed, while the malaga raisins are dried fromthe fully ripened fruit.Before beginning to seed raisins cover them-

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Home Helps 23with hot water and let them stand fifteenminutes. The seeds can then be removedeasily.Rubber, To Restore Elasticity of.Use asimple mixture composed of 1 part of aquaammonia with 2 parts of water.Rugfs.A connoisseur in rugs advises thatrugs be washed at least once a year. "Washsome of j^our treasures," he says, "and you

will wonder at their real g'lory and color."Good soap will do wonders in bringing theoriginal beauty back to a rug if the cleanerwill remember to stroke the rug softly withthe soap while the rug is^ drying.Rust on Tin.If tinware is well rubbedwith lard and then with common unslakedlime before being put away it will never rust;this is also the best plan to remove rust.

2. Rub fresh lard on every part, then put itin an oven and heat it thoroughly; thustreated any tinware may be used in waterconstantly and remain bright and free fromrust indefinitely.Salt.To keep salt so it can be easily

shaken from the cruet, mix 1 teaspoonful ofcorn starch with each cup of salt. Thiswill prove effectual.Salt rubbed on the black spots on disheswill remove them, and salt placed over afresh claret stain on the table linen willassist it to disappear when washed.It is said that salt placed under baking

tins in the oven will prevent their contentsfrom scorching on the bottom. Salt and vin-egar will remove tea stains from china.Screws, to Iioosen.One of the simplest andreadiest ways of loosening a rusted screw isto apply heat to the head of the screw. Asmall bar or rod of iron, flat at the end, ifreddened in the fire and applied for two or

three minutes to the head of the rusty screw

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24 Home Helpswill, as soon as it heats the screw, render itswithdrawal as easy by the screw-driver asif the screw had only recently been inserted.As there is a kitchen poker in every house,that instrument, if heated at its extremityand applied, for a few minutes to the head ofthe screw or screws, will do the work of loos-ening; an ordinary screw-driver will do therest without causing the least damage, trou-ble or vexation of spirit.

Sewing* Machine.If your sewing machineworks heavily oil it thoroughly with paraffin.This will remove all dirt and grit, but itmust be afterward wiped off carefully, andthe machine must then be oiled with theordinary lubricating oil. Never use paraffinas a lubricant or yovi will cause your ma-chine to wear out before its time.Sheets.Sheets folded across the wide and

narrow hems brouglit together, tlien foldedagain, and well mangled, are quickly finishedand look as well as if more time and troublewere spent on them.Shoes.White satin shoes may be easilycleaned at home. Stuff out the shoe in anyshape and rub it gently with a soft clothdipped in methylated spirit, repeating till

clean. Dry with a clean, soft cloth.Shoe Iiaces.To prevent shoe laces fromcoming untied, wax them before putting theminto the shoes; the slight trouble is well worthwhile.Silk.A piece of flannel is very much bet-ter than a brush for removing dust from silk.To make silk that has been washed looklike new put a teaspoonful of methylatedspirits to a pint in the rinsing water andIron while damp.Silver.One of the simplest means of clean-ing silver that has become badly blackenedby gas or time is to mix a teaspoonful of

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Home Helps Z5ammonia with a cup of water and use alittle of this liquid to form a paste with whit-ing. Polish the article to be cleaned withthe paste, using a soft chamois to apply itand another to dry it.

Soap.That toilet soaps are not good as ashampoo for the hair is the verdict of a hairspecialist. "Don't you know," he says, "thatsoap was first used as a hair bleach? Soapany kind and the best kindpossesses bleach-ing qualities still along with its cleansing pro-pensities, and unless you want your locks tofade and lose their lusterbleach, in otherwordsyou will eschew toilet soaps in thiscapacity. Of course, tar soaps and the othersoaps that are prepared especially for sham-poo purposes are quite a different matter."Soap should never be used for washing pud-ding cloths.That toilet soaps may be bought in quan-tity as advantageously as laundry soaps isthe opinion of a soap manufacturer. Finetoilet soaps, he says, need drying and ripen-ing just as much as the coarser varietiesof the laundry.Soot.Tf soot falls upon the carpet coverit thickly with dry salt. You will then beable to sweep it up without leaving smearsor stains.Spongres, to Clean.The following is a verysimple and certain way of cleaning spongesfrom grease or any other impurities: Takesome soda and break it up; measure about

3 tablespoonfuls, put it (as much as you can)into the holes of the sponge, and keep therest; then fill a large jug with boiling wdterand immediately put in your sponge and allyour soda; cover over and leave it standingfor about 12 hours; after you rinse it wellyou will see the sponge look almost likea new one.To keep a sponge in a good condition wash

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Home Helps 27A crumpled-up newspaper forms an excel-lent rubber for the kitchen stove, and if itbe used to wipe off water, or anything elsewhich may happen to boil over, it will befound that the regular cleaning and polishingwill be less often needed and more easilyaccomplished. A newspaper rubber is alsoan excellent substitute for a leather or aduster when one is cleaning windows; it givesa good polish and saves the wear and tear of

cloths.Tea Iieaves.Tea leaves are most usefulfor sprinkling over carpets before sweeping,for they gatlier up the dust and prevent itsspoiling tlie furniture of the room. To avoiddanger of staining the carpet put the tealeaves into a colander, pour clear waterthrough them and squeeze them dry as possi-ble.

Teapot.A teapot which is only occasionallyused should be dried as thoroughly as possi-ble, and should then have a lump or two ofsugar placed in it before it is put away. Thiswill prevent the pot acquiring a musty smell.Tea Stains.Tea stains can be removed by

soaking the fabric in milk. If the stain ison a carpet or any other material that doesnot wash let the milk dry on and the greasestain can be easily removed with benzine ornaphtha.Tinware.To mend tinware by the heat ofa candle.Take a phial about two-thirds fullof muriatic acid and put into it bits of sheetzinc as long as it dissolves them; then put

in a crumb of sal ammoniac and fill up withwater, and it is ready for use. Then, withthe cork of the phial, wet the place to bemended with the preparation; then put a pieceof zinc over the hole and hold a lighted candleor spirit lamp under the place, which meltsthe solder on the tin, and causes the zinc toadhere without further trouble. Wet the

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28 Home Helpszinc also with the solution; or a little soldermaj' be put on instead of the zinc or withthe zinc.To keep tins bright, wash well with str^onghot soda and water; when dry, polish witha cloth and a little powdered whiting.To make labels stick to tin, use a pastemade with flour as usual, but containing a

little honey.Tumblers that have been used for milk

should never be put into hot water until theyhave first been rinsed in cold water. Theheat drives the milk in and gives a cloudyappearance to the glass, which cannot beremoved.Varnisli Stains.To remove varnish stainsfrom the hands rub with a little methylated

spirit, wipe off with a piece of rag or softpaper, then wash with soap and water.

Vineffar.A little vinegar added to thewater in which fish is boiled will make theflesh firmer and whiter.Wall Paper.The following is a most ex-cellent and simple method of cleaning wallpaper, and can be used with confidence inevery house. Take 1 quart of flour and stirin 5 cents' worth of ammonia and enoughwater to make a stiff dough; work and kneaduntil smooth, then wipe the paper with thisbatch of dough, working it so that a cleansurface will be presented with every stroke.Go over the paper in this way and your paperwill be clean.Water.Don't use any but rain water ordistilled water. Rain water is, in fact, theonly water fit to wash the face with. Manybeauties of romance owed their charms to itssaving virtues. It keeps the skin soft andvelvety and makes beauty last as long as

life itself.

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Home Helps 29Water Pipes.Freezing pipes may be pre-

v^ented during the frosty weather by a little3are and forethought. Before going to bedmake up the kitchen fire with cinders welldamped and coal dust in alternate layers.Press the top well down, pull out the hotwater tap slightly, so that a tiny stream ofwater may flow all night. This keeps it cir-culating, and the slow fire prevents it freez-ing.vrhitewash.A whitewash that will noteasily wash or rub off may be made of tenparts of slacked lime added to one part ofthe best hydraulic cement, the whole mixedwell with salt water. It should be applied

thin. This recipe has the sanction of our ownnational government, which has had largeexperience in whitewashes.Window Fanes, to Prost.Take Epsom saltsmd dissolve in beer. Apply with a brush, andyou have the finest window frosting known.Woodwork.Ammonia painted over wood-work will deepen its color.Wood alcohol rvibbed on a polished table

stained or marred by a hot dish will restorethe finish if followed by a polishing with lin-seed oil. The odor of wood alcohol is notpleasing, but it is cheaper than the medicinalalcohol.For washing boards, kitchen tables, etc.,the following mixture is excellent: Take onepound of fuller's earth; half a pound of soap

md a quarter of a pound of soda. Mix to1 paste with boiling water. No other soapsvill be required when this is used.Woolens."The proper way to dry wool-ins," says a large manufacturer of woolen?oods, "is to hang the garments on the lineGripping wet without wringing out at all.

rf dried in this way the shrinkage will be30 slight as to be almost unnoticeable."

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30 Home Helps]|lIISCZ:i.IiAlTEOUS SEImTS.

Tarnished steel ornaments should first besoaked in paraffin and then rubbed withemery. An old tooth brush will be founduseful for applying the emery. Polish withleather.Old towels may be made to renew theiryouth, says an economic housewife, by cut-ting them through the center and sewing the

two outside edges together. The raison d'etreof this is that the towels get thin downthe center long before the sides are worn.Don't forget to have a high stool in thekitchen, and thus save yourself a great dealof unnecessary strain of back and limbs, whenironing, washing dishes, cleaning silver, pre-paring vegetables, etc. Not only will your

back be less tired, but your brain will growless weary. What strains the back over-works the nerves.You may not be beautiful, but there is notthe smallest reason why you should not beattractive. The plainest of women may causepeople to forget her want of beauty by mak-ing the most of such good points as she has,by the careful dressing of her hair, and byher choice of suitable and becoming costume,and above all by her general neatness anddaintiness.

Before cleaning out a fireplace sprinkle agood handful of tea leaves among the ashes.This makes the ashes lift more easily, andprevents the dust from flying about the room.It is a good idea to put a little shot in thebottom of tall vases. Then they are not soliable to be knocked over by careless hands.Don't dry the face with a rough towel ifyou want to keep the skin smooth; instead,use a fine damask one, and "dabble" the facewith it. This preserves the delicate appear-ance of the skin.

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Home Helps 31The health of a family depends very largelyon the cleanliness of the home.To prevent stoppers of smelling- bottles get-ting fixed, rub them lightly with vaseline.Don't dry the face with a rough towel ifyou want to keep the skin smooth; insteaduse a fine damask one, and "dabble" the facewith it. This preserves the delicate appear-ance of the skin.A flurried hostess or nervous host whosecountenance betrays the anxiety felt can domore toward making the guests uncomforta-ble than if the soup were stone cold and thesalad dressing were ruined by a too bountifulquantity of vinegar.. An imperturbable calmand a ready tact are the most importantqualities in the making of a hostess. Securethese and you need never fear for the successof any of your entertainments. There is noquality more to be desired to make a womana social success than that of tact. Its pos-sessor knows the right thing to do and theright time for doing it, and thus gains a repu-tation for cleverness and for many virtueswhich a tactless woman would never winfrom her circle of acquaintances, no matterhow excellent her qualities of both heart andhead. The tactful woman is not only a pa-

tient listener, but she is a thoroughly goodone. She knows no weariness, even when shehas heard the same story more than oncefrom the same person, and she smiles in theright place, and appears to enjoy hearingjokes as much as her companion enjoys tell-ing them. Tact is a weapon guided with amultitude of precautions and innocent wilesby the wise, and it is only the wise whopossess it.

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32 Home HelpsMoths.1. Steep y^ pound of cayenne pepperin 1 gallon of water; add 2 drams of strychnia

powder; strain and pour this tea into a shal-low vessel. Before unrolling a new carpetset the roll on each end alternately in thispoisoned tea for 10 minutes, or long enoughto wet its edges for at least an inch. Afterbeating an old carpet, roll and treat its seamsand edges to the same bath; let the carpetdry thoroughly before tacking it down inorder to avoid the accidental poisoning of thetacker's fingers by the liquid. If preservedfor future use, carefully label "poison." Thispreparation will not stain or disfigure carpetsor corrode metals in contact with the carpet.2. If fine-cut tobacco be sprinkled under theedges of carpets and under places where bu-reaus, bookcases and the like may make itdark, the moths will be prevented from layingtheir eggs there, as it will drive them away.3. Tarred paper, the same as- is used for cov-ering roofs, when cut into slips and placedin convenient stituations under carpets andbehind sofas and chairs in a room will repelthe moth miller from depositing its eggs. Ifsimilar strips are placed inside the backs andseats of parlor suits, it will render the fur-niture moth proof. 4. Sprinkle furs or woolenstuffs, and the drawers or boxes in which theythe kept, with spirits of turpentine, the un-pleasant smell of which will evaporate on ex-posure of the goods to the air. Camphor gumis also a preventative for moths. Goods packedin a cedar chest are moth proof. If clothingis exposed to the air and well beaten occa-sionally it will prevent moths from depositingtheir eggs. Light and fresh air are the swornfoes of moths.

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