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diff --git a/75560-h/75560-h.htm b/75560-h/75560-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9cc6750 --- /dev/null +++ b/75560-h/75560-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4058 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + A-b-c Of Housekeeping | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +h1 {font-weight: normal; + font-size: 200%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + word-spacing: 0.3em; + } + +h2 {font-weight: normal; + font-size: 150%; + margin-top: 1em; + word-spacing: 0.3em; + } + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +.p6 {margin-top: 6em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} + +hr.r5 {width: 10%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 45%; margin-right: 45%;} +hr.r65 {width: 30%; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 35%; margin-right: 35%;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.tdl {text-align: left;} +.tdr {text-align: right;} +.tdlp {text-align: left; + padding-left: 2em;} +.tdlpt {text-align: left; + padding-left: 2em; + vertical-align: top;} +.tdlt {text-align: left; + vertical-align: top;} + + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + + +.up {font-size: 160%;} +.large {font-size: 120%;} +.med {font-size: 70%;} + +.c {text-align: center;} + +.sp {word-spacing: 0.3em;} + +.pad {padding-left: 2em;} + +.sans {font-family: sans-serif;} + +.ph2 {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; + font-size: 160%; + margin-top: 1em; + word-spacing: 0.3em;} + +.dropcap {float: left; width: auto; padding-right: 1px; font-size: 200%; line-height: 80%;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.figcenter1 { + padding-top: 4em; + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + margin-top:3em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; + border: .3em double gray; + padding: 1em; +} + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75560 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="cover"> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter1"> +<img src="images/fig1.jpg" alt="front"> +</div> + + +<p class="c"> +A-B-C<br> +OF<br> +HOUSEKEEPING</p> + + +<p class="c">BY<br> +CHRISTINE TERHUNE HERRICK</p> + + +<p class="c">HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS<br> +NEW YORK & LONDON +</p> + + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="c sp up">HARPER’S A-B-C SERIES</p> +</div> + +<div class="pad"> +<p class="sp"> +A-B-C OF HOUSEKEEPING.<br> +<span class="pad">By <span class="smcap">Christine Terhune Herrick</span></span><br> +</p> +<p class="sp">A-B-C OF ELECTRICITY.<br> +<span class="pad">By <span class="smcap">William H. Meadowcroft</span></span><br> +</p> +<p class="sp">A-B-C OF GARDENING. By <span class="smcap">Eben E. Rexford</span><br> +</p> +<p class="sp">A-B-C OF GOOD FORM. By <span class="smcap">Anne Seymour</span><br> +</p></div> +<p class="c"> 16mo, Cloth +</p> + +<hr class="r5"> + +<p class="c sp">HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK</p> + +<p class="c p6 sans med"> +COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY HARPER & BROTHERS</p> +<hr class="r65"> +<p class="c sans med">PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA<br> +PUBLISHED MAY, 1915 +</p> + + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="ph2">CONTENTS</p> +</div> + +<table class="large"> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><span class="med">CHAP.</span></td> + <td class="tdl"></td> + <td class="tdr"><span class="med">PAGE</span></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c1">I.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Choosing a Home</span></td> + <td class="tdr">1</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c2">II.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Furnishing the Home</span></td> + <td class="tdr">13</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c3">III.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Table</span></td> + <td class="tdr">26</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c4">IV.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Concerning Household Accounts</span></td> + <td class="tdr">38</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c5">V.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The House in Order</span></td> + <td class="tdr">50</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c6">VI.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Hygiene and Plumbing</span></td> + <td class="tdr">63</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c7">VII.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Home Without a Servant</span></td> + <td class="tdr">75</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c8">VIII.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">In the Laundry</span></td> + <td class="tdr">88</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c9">IX.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">When Company Comes</span></td> + <td class="tdr">99</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#c10">X.</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Child in the House</span></td> + <td class="tdr">111</td></tr> + +</table> + +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> + +<h1 id="c1">A-B-C OF HOUSEKEEPING</h1> +</div> + +<h2>I</h2> + +<p class="c large sp">CHOOSING A HOME</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE choice of a home is usually decided +by the pocket-book. Other considerations +carry weight, but matters of convenience, +preference, and location are lighter in +the scale than the sum one can afford to pay +for a shelter. What proportion this will bear +to the rest of the income must be settled by +each one for himself after an estimate of the +other expenses which must be met.</p> + +<p>When a whole house is taken and the cost +of heating and the charge of the outer premises, +as well as the entire care of the place, +have to be assumed by the tenant, one-fifth +or one-sixth of the income is all he should +give for rent. The price of coal, the wage to +be paid the person who is to clean snow from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span> +the sidewalk in winter and dirt from it the rest +of the year, look after the furnace and ashes, put +out garbage; the consideration of the services +of the one who must sweep front steps, halls, +and stairs; the small repairs every house demands +from time to time, will all have to be +added to the sum devoted to rent. While the +tenant and his wife may perform part or all of +these duties, it is only reasonable that they +should understand how much they are saving +in actual cash, and comprehend that what they +economize in this respect is the equivalent of +what they would pay to the landlord were they +to occupy an apartment in a flat building.</p> + +<p>This state of affairs justifies the man who +lives in an apartment in allowing a larger +proportion of his income for his rooftree. +The details to which I have referred just now +are included in the price paid for a flat, to +say nothing of the reduction of work when +all the living is on one floor, when stairs do not +exist for the housekeeper, and her responsibilities +end at her own front door.</p> + +<p>The selection of a location is determined by +the make-up of the family and the man’s +place and time of business. These considerations +must be taken into account before the +house-hunting is begun. Distance from the +center of the town usually means a reduced<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span> +rent, better air, and more attractive surroundings. +To counterbalance these are the +long journey back and forth, night and morning, +the cost of transportation, inability to +come home for the midday meal. As a rule +these drawbacks do not equal the advantages +to be gained by a home remote from the business +district.</p> + +<p>In order to accomplish the strenuous task +of finding a home with the least outlay of +labor and worry—for in any case there will be +enough of both these commodities—as much +planning as possible should be done in advance. +The number of rooms necessary +should be settled, as well as the sum which +can be paid for rent. The sections of the city +which are suitable should be studied and, if +feasible, traversed, so as to get a general idea +of them. Sometimes even a cursory inspection +of a neighborhood decides the would-be +tenant against it.</p> + +<p>Then, when lists of houses or apartments +have been culled from advertisements and +secured from real-estate agents the actual +work of house-hunting is begun. One resolution +to be laid down at first and adhered to +positively is not to go over a house or an +apartment if the first glance shows it to be +undesirable. When six rooms are the limit<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span> +for a flat there is no more sense in inspecting +a ten-room apartment than there is in scanning +a house at twelve hundred a year if seven +hundred and fifty is the extreme price that +can be paid for rent. Such examination not +only consumes time and strength, but it also +provokes dissatisfaction with smaller and +cheaper quarters which may be seen afterward.</p> + +<p>A few essentials must be fixed in the +mind, to which any house or flat should conform. +It must be light—not a dim twilight +illumination, but, if possible, sunshine, either +direct or reflected—in the living and sleeping +rooms. The kitchen must not be a dark +corner, not only because such work-places +affect the health of those who occupy them, +but also because of the additional charge +there will be for gas or electricity burned by +day as well as by night.</p> + +<p>The matter of heat must next be considered. +When a house is taken the rent is +usually higher if there is a first-class heating +arrangement included. Old-fashioned appliances +mean lower rent, but they also require +increased work on the part of the tenant +or servant and are often unsatisfactory in the +amount of warmth they supply. A good furnace +or steam-heating plant may add to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span> +actual sum of the rent, but it is generally +cheaper in the long run. The quantity of +coal burned by such a plant should be ascertained +before concluding to take the house.</p> + +<p>All these questions are eliminated for the +man who engages a steam-heated apartment, +but he may change the place and keep the +pain. The comfort of the entire winter depends +upon a sufficient amount of heat, and +radiators should be examined and a number +of direct inquiries put so as to make sure that +adequate warmth may be secured in bitter +weather. The time when the heat is turned +on and off should also be learned, since it is +quite possible to shiver and suffer in September +and May as well as at Christmas-time.</p> + +<p>Plumbing is always to be investigated +closely, whether in a house or an apartment. +No amount of gilding and marble fittings can +compensate for cheap plumbing and a poor +supply of hot water. The dweller in a house +is dependent upon his own kitchen fire for +hot water, as a general thing, but in nearly +all apartment-houses the hot water is declared +to be supplied from the cellar. Even +in high-priced flats hot water is not always +ready, and queries as to this are to be voiced +before the lease is signed. More than that, +care must be taken to make sure that the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span> +plumbing is in perfect repair and is not likely +to give way at inconvenient seasons.</p> + +<p>All these details are essential and there are +others little less important. The quantity +of closet room, the pantries, the facilities for +washing and drying clothes, the quiet of the +house as assured or banished by the character +of the neighbors and other tenants, the cleanliness +of paint and paper, must all be looked +after.</p> + +<p>No matter what inducements in the way +of lowered rent are offered, it is always a mistake +to go into a house which is not absolutely +clean. This does not mean only that it +should be swept and scoured before taking +possession of it, but that paint and paper +should be refreshed. The latter is not to be +done by pasting fresh paper on over that +which already covers the walls, as is the custom +of many decorators—a custom connived +at by landlords because of the saving of +expense it implies. The incoming tenant +must insist that the walls shall be scraped +clean before the new paper is hung and that +fresh paint shall be used wherever it is needed. +It is hard enough to keep a house spotless in +the best of circumstances, and when one enters +a dwelling and establishes himself in the +midst of the dirt of the departed tenants the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span> +task is the most discouraging that can be undertaken.</p> + +<p>Moreover, vermin must be banished. This +is an easy thing to say, but hardly a housekeeper +of middle age can be found in the +length and breadth of the country who has +not had a struggle with the pest in some form +or other. In one home it may have been cockroaches +or water-bugs; in another it may +have been black or red ants; in many it has +been that worst and most dreaded of plagues, +bedbugs. Sporadic cases of any of these may +be conquered without much difficulty, but +when once the enemy is intrenched in the +home it seems almost as if the only way to +get rid of them finally is by burning the house +down!</p> + +<p>On all considerations, therefore, the house-hunter +must make sure that vermin are not +established in the new dwelling. If there is +even a possibility of their presence she must +insist upon radical measures being taken before +she will contemplate entering the house. +When the pests have been there and have been +driven out it is still wise to take reasonable +precautions against their return. No picture-moldings +should be tolerated in the bedrooms, +since these make a lurking-place for insects. +The walls of sleeping-rooms should be painted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span> +rather than papered, and dark cupboards, +drawers, etc., should be scoured out, disinfected, +and painted.</p> + +<p>I have dwelt upon the need of such care in +the bedrooms, but it is no less essential in the +kitchen and pantries. While bedbugs occasionally +get a foothold even here, the usual +plague is the roach or Croton-bug. He is said +to be inoffensive and he does not possess +the deadly odor of the <i>Cimex lectularius</i>, but +apart from the damage he undoubtedly does +in nibbling table-linen and the like, he is an +exceedingly unpleasant housemate. He frequents +uncovered garbage-pails, bread and +cake boxes which have been left open, wire +safes with imperfectly closing doors, and the +provision compartments of refrigerators; and +it does not tend to improve the appetite to +have him pop out of the cereal carton or run +from under the cold roast.</p> + +<p>So every precaution should be taken against +such creatures as well as against mice and +rats before renting the house. Mice-holes +should be choked up with broken glass and +dusted with red pepper; boiling water should, +when possible, be poured down the runways +of insects; borax scattered about their +haunts. After that, strict care in the way of +keeping food put away closely, pains to see<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span> +that no crumbs or drippings are allowed on +the floor or the shelves, and rigorous cleanliness +of every vessel which has been employed +in cooking are the best agencies against the +return of the adversaries.</p> + +<p>Other points should be looked to about the +kitchen. The stove is the chief consideration +after light, cleanliness, and pantry space.</p> + +<p>Locality has much to do in determining by +what means cooking shall be done. In the +country, where gas is not and wood or coal is +burned, a good range, suitable for either, must +be depended upon. Of such ranges there are +many, and there are divers items to be regarded +in each make. The size and fashion +of the fuel-box is one. The average kitchen +stove will burn a ton of coal in from five to +seven weeks, the time contingent not only +upon the care of the cook, but upon the size +of the range. One should be selected with a +maximum of heat for a minimum of fuel consumption. +The range with an upper oven +is easier for the cook, who by its means is +spared constant stooping and bending, but +some ranges with the upper oven are said to +burn more fuel.</p> + +<p>No range or stove should be considered +which does not provide adequate means for +heating water. When there is running hot<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span> +water in the house a boiler is usually arranged +at the side of the stove, but in the country, +where the water must be drawn by a pump or +from the well and put into the reservoir by +the pailful, a large enough receptacle must be +furnished to make it possible to have the supply +for the day all poured in at once. In this +way the man of the house may attend to this +heavy duty in the morning or at night, so +that no woman may have to strain her back +by filling and lifting pails of water during the +day.</p> + +<p>The coal or wood stove in the country may +be supplemented by an oil or gasolene stove. +Of these there is a good variety, each possessing +its own special merits, but they are +not to be considered in renting a house, since +they are purchased by the tenant, not supplied +by the landlord.</p> + +<p>In every large city, and in many small +towns, cookery by gas has superseded coal +and wood almost entirely. The cleanliness +and convenience of gas in cooking, while +inferior to those of electricity, are yet so far +ahead of the other means to which we have +been accustomed that the amount of time and +trouble the gas saves is incalculable. The +stove is generally owned by the local company, +who install it and keep it in order, but<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span> +in some places effort is made by the landlord +to charge the tenant for the use of the stove. +Common usage will have to determine the +tenant’s course in the matter, but as a rule +the stove is included in the rent and it is +worth while for the man renting the house +to make an attempt to secure this concession.</p> + +<p>There is a difference in gas-stoves and an +up-to-date kind should be selected, fitted with +an upper oven as well as a lower one, and +possessing such features as a low flame for +simmering, a plate-warmer, the latest make +of broiler, etc. The inexperienced housekeeper +is frequently imposed upon and the +old-fashioned stove is foisted off upon her. +This should be guarded against when the +house is rented.</p> + +<p>The inside of the house has received principal +attention in this consideration of the +rented home. The outer surroundings usually +compel a measure of thought and are +obvious enough to force themselves upon +even the uncritical observer. Yet there are +a few points worth emphasizing.</p> + +<p>The character of the neighborhood in a +country or a small town generally proclaims +itself and the details that must be noticed +have to do with sanitary conditions, the +presence or absence of such nuisances as unsavory<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span> +factories or businesses, the vicinity of +noisy occupations, the over-close proximity +to public schools with the accompanying +racket at certain hours of the day, etc. In +the city the drawbacks may be less self-assertive +but no less objectionable. Before +renting a house in a street it is always wise +to learn something of the people who occupy +the adjoining dwellings, to make sure that +there are no unpleasing features connected +with the section and so insure oneself against +future annoyances.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c2">II</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">FURNISHING THE HOME</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE first details to be regarded in furnishing +a house have to do with the +woodwork and walls.</p> + +<p>Sometimes the landlord has settled these +and the tenant has no choice. This is especially +likely to be the case with the woodwork. +If it is a cheap and unattractive variety +of “hardwood,” so called, or is painted +in imitation of hardwood, it is difficult to induce +the owner to change this. When he will +consent to paint to please the tenant selection +should be made either of white or of a soft, +neutral tint which will not conflict with any +color of furniture. The painting which simulates +the graining of a natural wood is distinctly +bad and should never be tolerated +except when it cannot be changed.</p> + +<p>The kitchen should be painted throughout, +walls as well as woodwork, and in some good +light color, such as buff; this will give the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> +room a bright, cheery look, and the steam +which accumulates on the walls of a kitchen +can be scrubbed off the paint as it cannot be +from a kalsomined or papered wall.</p> + +<p>In choosing papers, the tenant should bear +in mind that they will have to be lived with +for a long time, and should pick out such as +can stand familiar association without becoming +objectionable. Striking patterns and +assertive hues should be avoided. When two +or three rooms open into one another it is +well to have them papered alike and thus +avoid the patchy effect produced by several +small rooms all with different wall-coverings. +In this day cheap papers which are also +pretty and artistic can easily be found and +it is worth while to bestow a good deal of +time and thought upon their choice.</p> + +<p>If possible, all painting and papering should +be done and the workmen out of the house +before the tenant moves in. This plan permits +the rooms to be cleaned and saves +double toil to the housekeeper.</p> + +<p>The furniture of the house does not always +lie within the tenant’s power of selection. +Few are the homes which are freshly furnished +throughout by a young couple. Almost +invariably there are “left-overs” and +“hand-downs” which are presented to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span> +newly married pair, and they are fortunate +indeed if such relics are desirable and not +discarded pieces which no one else wants.</p> + +<p>When even a portion of the furniture is to +be bought, it should not be purchased at +random. “Sets” of any sort are best avoided. +For the parlor of a modest establishment, +wicker and willow articles are far better than +the conspicuous styles which attain a sudden +popularity and then become old-fashioned +and out of date. Comfort should be considered +in every item chosen and nothing +taken merely because it looks well or is reasonable +in price. While sets are deprecated, +a room need not look like a harlequin collection. +A certain uniformity of style and coloring +is to be studied, that the apartment may +produce a harmonious effect. Odd pieces, +such as a deep arm-chair, a fancy tea-table, +an attractive set of book-shelves, are entirely +suitable and will not strike an incongruous +note in the general surroundings.</p> + +<p>Bare floors are more used now than carpets, +and rugs may make islands of safety +here and there on the smooth surface. When +fine antique rugs have not been given and +cannot be bought, the best choice is from +among the many good varieties of inoffensive +native rugs. Or a rug may be made of a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> +quiet-toned carpet, the breadths sewed together +to form a square of the size desired, +and surrounded with a border to match. +Good druggets or art-squares may be found +for the dining-room, matting or bare floors +and rugs will serve for the bedrooms, and hall +and stairs are to be covered with the runners +which come for these purposes or with a neat +stair carpet in quiet colors and pattern.</p> + +<p>The dining-room furniture demands a good +deal of deliberation. It is a mistake to buy +it in too great a hurry and so to be laden down +with something one does not really want. +The table and sideboard are usually purchased +for a lifetime, and it is better to put +up with makeshifts for a while on the chance +of finding something really good and satisfactory +than to buy in a hurry and repent +at leisure.</p> + +<p>The wood of the dining-room furniture is +not so much a matter of choice in many cases +as of necessity. One must buy what one can. +Every one cannot have mahogany or Circassian +walnut, and it is a comfort that so +many of the less costly woods are made up +into excellent designs. It is much better to +buy a good article of a low-priced material +than a cheap variety of the more expensive +woods. Oak, ash, cherry, birch, gumwood<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span> +and other native growths may be found in +pieces of excellent lines which will satisfy +even an artistic eye. When there is money +enough to get all that is wanted for the dining-room, +a serving-table and a china-closet +of some kind may be added to the sideboard, +dining-table, and chairs that rank as essentials.</p> + +<p>The requirements of the kitchen will receive +more detailed consideration later on. +Among the must-haves are the range, to +which reference has already been made; a +good kitchen table, supplied either with a +zinc top or with a shelf to draw out and use +as a bread-board; a refrigerator; a wire meat-safe; +liberal pantry room, shelf room, and, if +possible, a kitchen cabinet.</p> + +<p>When the bedrooms are to be furnished +the same simplicity must be followed which +is recommended for the other apartments. +The less furniture the bedroom contains the +better, from a sanitary point of view. The +Biblical inventory of a bed and a table, a stool +and a candlestick, had much to commend it. +The bedstead should be of iron or iron and +brass; the dresser, table, etc., of white enamel +or some light-colored wood. The heavy +pieces our grandparents took for granted are +fortunately out of vogue in a modest household.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span> +A box-couch may be included in the +furnishing of the room, or what is known as a +utility-box for holding shirtwaists and the +like, and it is to be hoped there is either +abundant closet room or an extra wardrobe +or clothes-press.</p> + +<p>Such are the large and important furnishings +of the house. These may be reduced or +increased, simplified or elaborated, in accordance +with the preference and powers of the +owners of the dwelling.</p> + +<p>Other articles, hardly less essential, have +to be considered. Take the question of +draperies, for instance.</p> + +<p>Within the past few years the fashion has +grown of having two and sometimes three +pairs of curtains for each window—inner +hangings of lace or some similar fabric, outer +draperies of rich and heavy goods, and frequently +these will be supplemented by sash-curtains +close against the pane, to say nothing +of one or two shades to the window.</p> + +<p>This may answer for the woman who is at +a loss what to do with her money and can +devise no better use to make of it than a +multiplication of her possessions, but the custom +is not one the young housekeeper need +feel it incumbent upon her to follow. One +shade of a neutral tint at each window of her<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span> +living-rooms, a pair of curtains of some material +which can be readily washed, are all +that she requires. For the principal rooms +a good Madras, a pretty scrim, a pleasing +though inexpensive lace (all fabrics which will +look well after careful washing) will meet +every necessity and present an attractive +appearance.</p> + +<p>In the chambers two shades may be demanded +by those who wish to have a dark +room for sleeping, but short white curtains +of wash-goods, or sash-curtains, are sufficient +here, and something of the same sort, +but possibly a little better in quality, can +be procured for the dining-room. As a rule +plain, straight curtains, without ruffles, are +not only more easily laundered, but look better +after they are done up than those pranked +out with frills.</p> + +<p>When ornaments are to be considered one +generally makes the best of what one has. +The newly settled couple may be thankful if +they have not been burdened with pictures +and bric-à-brac which not only do not +please their personal taste, but refuse to +harmonize with one another or with anything +else. In some cases one can only make the +best of conditions, and after endeavoring to +arrange the unwelcome gifts to the best<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span> +advantage and scattering them over the +house so as to dispel the curse to as many +different quarters as possible, resign oneself +to endurance until such time as the presents +can be removed, one at a time.</p> + +<p>Those fortunate persons who can buy their +own luxuries will recall the Oriental proverb: +“If thou hast but two loaves of bread, sell +one and buy jacinths for the soul!” What +form the jacinths may take will be determined +by individual preference. One will +find more joy and uplift in really fine pictures +than in anything else; another will +concentrate upon books and magazines; another +will turn from both of these and +toward music. It makes little difference +which way the window is opened into the +Infinite. The vital point is that such an +outlet must be provided if soul and spirit +are to be nourished and grow as well as body +and physical strength.</p> + +<p>However much the importance of such +plenishing as this may impress either the man +or the woman, the latter would be profoundly +lacking if she did not display a keen interest +in other essentials of her new home. The +pictures, the books, the other arts, may rejoice +and help her, but she would be wanting +in femininity if she failed to select her table<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span> +and bed linen with almost as much thought +as she would expend upon her “jacinths.”</p> + +<p>Even with unlimited means, it is not wise +to buy more linen than can be used in a small +household. Plenty there should be, but not +a large stock which will lie aside and yellow +from lack of service. Three or four dinner-cloths, +each with its accompaniment of a +dozen napkins, will be ample for her average +needs, especially if she uses a centerpiece +and doilies on the bare table for breakfast +and lunch. In her purchasing she should +avoid the fringed articles; these wear badly +and are difficult to do up well. Fruit-plate +doilies to place under finger-bowls, fish-cloths, +centerpieces, tray-cloths, sideboard +and dresser covers, tea and carving cloths, +and other ornamental as well as useful linens +will probably be given to her by relatives or +friends, or she may pick them up from time +to time as she has need for them or the chance +to purchase them advantageously. As her +table-cloths and larger pieces begin to wear +out she can usually cut from them squares +which will serve to lay under hot baked potatoes +in the dish, to wrap about rolls or +other hot bread, to use for fish-cloths.</p> + +<p>A dozen each of dish and china towels she +should have, and the same number of heavier<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> +towels for kitchen use, as well as three roller-towels. +But the napery in this line she should +keep under her own hand, if she has hired +service in her kitchen and pantry, and give +the towels out a few at a time in order to +save her linen as well as to inculcate habits +of care.</p> + +<p>When bed-linen is to be considered, the +housekeeper should follow the same line as +that she has laid down in her purchase of +table-linen. The ornamental may be selected +as suits her fancy, but there are certain +must-haves in the plainer articles. Six +pairs of cotton sheets are none too many, and +pillow-slips to go with them. If she and +her family cherish a weakness for linen +pillow-slips, some of these may be provided +in place of so many pairs of the cotton cases. +For three beds three or four spreads should +be procured, so as to allow of change, and +these spreads should be of the kind which +wash easily and look well afterward. Mattress-covers +are also essential, as are blankets +and extra coverings. Silk or lace counterpanes +cannot be reckoned among must-haves, +any more than can like dressings for the +bureau, but may be supplied at will.</p> + +<p>At least two or three dozen fine towels +must be included in the list of essentials,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> +half a dozen good firm bath-towels, and +wash-cloths at discretion, as well as a dozen +heavier towels for the use of domestics. +Guest-towels, bath-sheets, bath-mats, and the +like are luxuries which may be accumulated +after the necessities are attained.</p> + +<p>When the housekeeper is filling out her list +of household linens and cottons she must not +overlook dusters, floor-cloths, mop-cloths, +dish-cloths, or mops—I hope she uses the +latter!—and other similar requirements. In +this advanced day there are new articles in +this line which present themselves constantly +and which the housekeeper must decide for +herself to be luxuries or necessities.</p> + +<p>For supplying the china-closet a fixed rule +is almost impossible. The best plan is for +the housekeeper to make out for herself what +her family will need and then to consult an +intelligent clerk in a good china-shop. Sometimes +it is cheaper to buy a whole set of china +than to select from “open stock” the pieces +that are absolutely required. Soup, dinner, +dessert plates; plates for lunch and for breakfast, +for afternoon tea, for salad, for entrées; +service plates; meat and vegetable dishes in +china or silver, can all be purchased in a +charming variety and at a reasonable price. +The same is true of glassware. Many gifts<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span> +will fit in well here, and the stock of silver +is pretty sure to be received from the family +or friends.</p> + +<p>In the kitchen matters are different. Few +persons present culinary plenishing, and it +almost always devolves upon the housekeeper +to select it for herself. While she may have +developed needs in certain explicit directions, +there are a few rules which can be laid down +for her general guidance, certain articles +which it is safe to declare essentials. Such +are the following:</p> + +<table> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Two 1-quart saucepans</td> + <td class="tdlp">One biscuit-pan</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One 2-quart saucepan</td> + <td class="tdlp">One set muffin-tins</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One 5-quart saucepan</td> + <td class="tdlp">Three bread-tins</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One 3-quart double boiler</td> + <td class="tdlp">Three pie-plates</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One 2-quart double boiler</td> + <td class="tdlp">One 2-quart pitcher</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Two baking-pans for meat<br> <i>or</i> one plain baking-pan<br> and one covered roaster</td> + <td class="tdlpt">Two jelly-molds</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One large frying-pan</td> + <td class="tdlp">One pudding-mold</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One small frying-pan</td> + <td class="tdlp">One steamer</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One colander</td> + <td class="tdlp">One teakettle</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One graduated quart measure</td> + <td class="tdlp">One teapot</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One graduated half-pint cup</td> + <td class="tdlp">One coffee-pot</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One meat-broiler</td> + <td class="tdlp">Fireless cooker</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One fish or oyster broiler</td> + <td class="tdlp">Chopping bowl and knife</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Three jelly-cake tins</td> + <td class="tdlp">Meat chopper or grinder</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">One large cake-tin</td> + <td class="tdlp">Soapstone griddle</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Cake-turner</td> + <td class="tdlp">Bread bowl and board</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Rolling-pin</td> + <td class="tdlp">Board for cutting meat<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span></td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Board for cutting bread</td> + <td class="tdlp">Meat-saw</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Bread-knife</td> + <td class="tdlp">Bread-box</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Cake-box</td> + <td class="tdlp">Butter-paddles</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Potato-beetle</td> + <td class="tdlp">Egg-beater</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Scales</td> + <td class="tdlp">Lemon-squeezer</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdlt">Meat-fork</td> + <td class="tdlp">One large crockery mixing-bowl</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Two small crockery mixing-bowls</td> + <td class="tdlpt">One platter</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Two pudding-dishes</td> + <td class="tdlp">Set of skewers</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Cheese or vegetable grater</td> + <td class="tdlp">Nutmeg-grater</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Vegetable-press</td> + <td class="tdlp">Soup-strainer</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Coffee or tea strainer</td> + <td class="tdlp">Coffee-mill</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Corkscrew</td> + <td class="tdlp">Pair of scissors</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Can-opener</td> + <td class="tdlp">Small vegetable-knives</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Mixing-spoons</td> + <td class="tdlp">Flour-dredger</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Salt-shaker</td> + <td class="tdlp">Cake-cutters</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Split spoon</td> + <td class="tdlp">Skimmer</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Ice-pick</td> + <td class="tdlp"></td></tr> + + + +</table> + + +<p class="large">Other no less important articles are as +follows:</p> + +<table> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Two dish-pans</td> + <td class="tdlp">A garbage-pail with cover</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Sink-brush</td> + <td class="tdlp">Soap-shaker</td></tr> + +<tr> + <td class="tdl">Wire dish-cloth</td> + <td class="tdlp">Oil-can</td></tr> + + +</table> + +<p> +Brooms, dust-pans, whisk brooms, carpet-sweeper, etc.<br> +</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c3">III</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">THE TABLE</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE judicious purchase and use of food +is the chief economical possibility of +housekeeping.</p> + +<p>The rent is an incompressible item. Every +month that immutable charge presents itself. +It cannot be cut down. The only way to reduce +it is by changing the dwelling.</p> + +<p>Fuel may be used with a discretion which +lessens outlay, but in cold weather the house +must be kept comfortable, even though the +coal bills mount high. When certain repairs +are due they have to be made or the rooms +become unbearably shabby. Only in the domain +of food is it feasible to apply a wise +judgment in buying, a cultivated skill in cooking +which induces cheap selections to be as +savory in taste, as nutritious in qualities, as +those which cost far more.</p> + +<p>Such ability in marketing and preparation +does not come by nature. It must be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> +studied and worked for, but it is worth the +effort.</p> + +<p>At the first glimpse nothing seems simpler +than for the young housekeeper to sally forth +to a good market, make her selections, order +them cut off and sent home, and pay for +them—or have them charged! (Usually it is +fatally easy to open a charge account!) The +same notion prevails as to buying groceries. +If a good shop is chosen, there is apparently +no trouble about the transaction.</p> + +<p>Possibly there need be no difficulties if the +family purse is so well filled that a little more +or less expenditure is of no real importance. +But few are the homes in which this state of +affairs exists and most of us find it desirable, +if not actually essential, to study the comparative +prices of staples in different shops +and localities, to learn if there is an advantage +in making some purchases at one shop and +some at another, instead of giving all the +family custom to one merchant.</p> + +<p>Earlier reference has been made to the proportion +of the income which is to go for rent. +Positive assertions as to how much shall be +spent on the food of the family are far less +easy to make, and the degree of definiteness +with which they are uttered is hampered by +the constant changes in the price of food.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span></p> + +<p>Not more than ten years ago a liberal +allowance for the food of an adult was from +three dollars to three dollars and a half a +week. This covered only the price of the +commodities and did not allow for the fuel +used in preparation, service, etc. To-day +this expenditure would be totally inadequate +for the same order of nourishment it would +have included a decade back. At that time +a breakfast consisting of fruit, cereal, bacon, +fish or eggs, bread, coffee or tea; a luncheon +comprising a solid dish of meat, fish, eggs, +or cheese, one or two vegetables, or a hot +bread, a simple sweet, and tea or cocoa; a +dinner of soup, a meat, two vegetables, a +salad, crackers and cheese, or a good sweet, +and coffee—could all have been secured in the +family at a little over three dollars a head, +when there were three or more to be fed. +From four and a half to five dollars per capita +would be required at the present time for a +similar provision.</p> + +<p>The rise in prices may have altered the +sums of our estimates; it has not lessened +the necessity for a study of the proportion of +the family means which must go for nutriment. +This must be determined by the heads +of the house in conclave. The harder part of +the work devolves upon the woman, who<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span> +must devise economies and carry them into +effect, both in marketing and in cooking.</p> + +<p>The inexperienced housekeeper should try +to gain a few lessons in the best methods of +purchasing. Sometimes a brief attendance at +a cooking-school is of aid; or she may be able +to join a class for learning how to market—such +classes exist and are most helpful—or +she may gain counsel from some older and +more experienced housewife, or by conning +books on these topics. In this day there is +no excuse for even a beginner making the +mistakes which have supplied material for +many of the hackneyed jokes at the expense +of young matrons.</p> + +<p>Important as is the practical and personal +lesson in knowing how to market wisely, +much can be gained from manuals on the +subject. Some of these furnish cuts and +charts of the various animals, with descriptions +of the portions and of the uses to which +each may be put. Instructions as to the +periods of the year when certain articles are +at their best are also supplied. Prices can be +learned from the market reports published +in the daily papers and much is to be acquired +by going from one shop to another. +After a little the housekeeper will become +acquainted with the appearance of meat and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span> +be able to judge for herself if it looks fresh +and good. She can likewise observe how the +shops are kept and in which certain obvious +sanitary arrangements are complied with. +She will not need much tuition to inform her +that she should turn aside from shops where +the food is not guarded from flies and dust, +where strict cleanliness does not prevail in +the salesmen and the appurtenances, and the +objects on sale are not handled with proper +care.</p> + +<p>A few points it may be well to emphasize +for the benefit of the beginner. The fat of +meat should be white and clean, the lean a +clear red, the joints of poultry must break +easily and the skin look smooth and healthful. +When a fowl is yellow, bony, and hairy it is +bound to be old and tough. The gills of fish +should be fresh and the eyes bright.</p> + +<p>I cannot speak too strongly against the +growing habit of marketing by telephone. +Not only is the housekeeper who follows this +custom at the mercy of her marketman, who +can put off on her any cut which has been +rejected by the wiser housewives who have +come in person to do their trading; he is +subjected to the pleasing temptation to cut +off more than she has ordered or charge her +for a heavier piece than he sends home.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span></p> + +<p>The woman who goes to market gains other +advantages beyond those of seeing for herself +the appearance and the size of the piece she +orders and has cut off while she stands by +and superintends the process. She also has +offered to her chances for bargains she would +never get if she marketed by telephone. +Often there will be a change in the market or +in the weather that will bring down the cost +of articles which are usually high-priced, and +the woman who does her own marketing is +the one to benefit by this as well as by suggestions +which introduce variety into her +bill of fare.</p> + +<p>This same variety is to be studied by the +sensible housekeeper, not only on account of +the gratification it gives her to set a pleasing +provision before her family, but also because +of the genuine good that is gained by avoiding +a monotony which fails to encourage the +appetite. Moreover, saving is aided by this +diversity, since cheap dishes can be slipped +into the commissary without awakening the +suspicions of the eaters that economy is being +practised at their expense.</p> + +<p>Among the rational details to be observed +in buying meat is that of insisting that all +“trimmings” shall be sent home. When a +roast of beef or a breast of lamb or a shoulder<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span> +of mutton or veal is boned and rolled, the +bones should never be left at the market for +the butcher to sell over again, but sent with +the meat that they may be used as a foundation +for soup or gravy stock. The giblets +and feet of poultry should also be demanded. +When chops are “Frenched” or a steak cut +into seemliness, none of the scraps should be +considered unworthy of saving. All have +their place in the stock-pot or as stew-meat.</p> + +<p>Too large a piece of meat should not be +bought by the woman with a small family. +Meat merchants have a way of discouraging +the purchase of the smaller roasts on the plea +that they dry out in cooking. If they do it +is because the work is not properly done. It +is quite possible to make a small roast toothsome +and tender instead of dry and hard if +the housekeeper will cook it in the right way +and with due care.</p> + +<p>Steak and chops, the frequent resource of +the woman with a small family, are expensive +luxuries. She is wise if she learns how to +cook the cheaper cuts in a sufficiently attractive +fashion to make her family contented +with these instead of leaving them longing for +the higher-priced portions.</p> + +<p>A “run” upon any one kind of food should<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span> +be avoided as much as having fixed days for +specific viands. Fish on Friday one may take +as a matter of course, but there is no real +reason why one should have roast beef every +Sunday or a boiled dinner on Saturday night. +I know it is the plaint of the majority of +housewives that it is most difficult to secure +variety in the meat dishes, but this trouble +should not exist in a family where practically +all sorts of meat can be eaten. In one household +such as I know, where veal and pork are +both taboo, and fish can be eaten by only one +person, the choice is narrowed down a good +deal. Even then, however, with a knowledge +of how to prepare savory stews, minces, +hashes, scallops, croquettes, fritters, meat-pies, +stuffed peppers, tomatoes and peppers +with a meat filling, as well as roast, boiled, +broiled, braised, and fried meat dishes, +there should be no wail over the trials of +the housekeeper in changing her menus +frequently.</p> + +<p>No time can be considered wasted which +is bestowed on the study of how to cook cheap +meat well. Always it should be recollected +that many of the so-called cheap cuts really +contain a greater amount of nutriment than +the choicer selections. As I have said on +various occasions, the housekeeper must be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span> +prepared to pay a price for excellence of food, +and if she cannot pay this in hard cash she +must supply the equivalent in careful cookery +and wise seasoning. A knowledge of the uses +of curry powder, anchovy, and other condiments +in changing and modifying the tastes +of familiar foods, a willingness to give the +time to slow and long cooking which will +bring out the best flavor of the meat, an +acquaintance with the manifold ways in +which left-overs of food can be utilized in +pleasing combinations, are among the +branches which a housekeeper of small +means finds well worth her study.</p> + +<p>Reference has been made to the help a +fireless cooker is to the woman who keeps +house well. It is a saving of time, fuel, labor, +and food values. By its assistance the housekeeper +can prepare her meal hours ahead of +time and go about other pursuits in the calm +certainty that when she is ready for her +dinner it will be ready for her, and as good +as if she had simmered over the kitchen fire +all the afternoon, using up her fuel and herself. +There are several varieties of these +cookers, all of them on practically the same +plan, and it will pay a woman to look about +her to find which kind suits her best. For +soups, stews, cereals, they are unequaled, as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> +for making jams, preserves, or anything else +which demands a long period of deliberate +cooking.</p> + +<p>Special attention has been given to the +purchase of meat, but there is almost equal +judgment to be shown in buying groceries. +Here there is a chance for the inexperienced +marketer to be imposed upon. Certain fixed +principles she should follow.</p> + +<p>The first of these is that it is, as a rule, +unwise to buy in bulk. That is, there is little +gained in a small family by laying in large +supplies at a time. A barrel of flour is likely +to be musty and weevily before it can be +used; corn meal in large quantities develops +vermin; so do cereals purchased by a number +of packages or pounds at a time. Care +should be taken to select an honest grocer or +to know enough of prices not to be overcharged, +and then to order supplies as they +are needed.</p> + +<p>Buying in bulk means more than this: it +also refers to getting the “loose” crackers, +cereals, and the like, instead of those inclosed +in cartons. The latter is always the better +plan, and care should be taken to select a +good variety that is put up by manufacturers +whose names are a guarantee of the excellence +of the products. Until one has investigated<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span> +the matter one has no idea of how many cheap +and poor materials are foisted off upon a +guileless public, bearing the stamp of unknown +makers, with the assurance that they +are “just as good” as like articles put up by +well-known houses.</p> + +<p>This fiction is especially prevalent about +canned goods. When these are first-class +they are admirable, and fortunately there are +daily increasing numbers of fine and trustworthy +establishments who can fruits, vegetables, +meat, fish, etc., in conditions which +assure the complete protection of the consumer. +Yet there are still in existence small +and unscrupulous concerns whose output is +cheap and poor if not actually dangerous to +health, and these should be boycotted by all +housekeepers.</p> + +<p>Care should be exercised in buying fresh +vegetables and fruits. In most of our large +cities the laws as to protecting these against +dust and dirt are being enforced more vigorously +with every year, and here, too, the +housewife can help to bring about a better +state of affairs by insisting upon purchasing +only such articles as have been properly cared +for. Vegetables which are to be cooked before +eating may not suffer so much by being exposed +to dust, but salads and berries and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span> +other fruits or vegetables which are eaten +raw are a menace when they have been suffered +to lie and wilt in a current of air laden +with dust and disease germs.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c4">IV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">CONCERNING HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNTS</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>NE of the first items of business to be +considered by a newly married couple, +or a pair who are about to begin housekeeping, +is the division of the income between the +husband and wife.</p> + +<p>This does not imply that their interests are +to be opposed or that they are to have absolutely +separate purses. It does mean that +there must be a clear understanding on both +sides of what the expenditure is to be for +certain purposes and that the funds for food, +domestic service, and other strictly housekeeping +outlay should be in the hands of the +wife.</p> + +<p>This point has been much debated and the +pros and cons on both sides exploited. Some +men argue that the possession of ready money +will lead the wife to extravagance, that it is +far better to have all articles charged and +the bills paid by the husband, that women<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span> +do not understand household accounts or +bookkeeping. Enough foolish and shallow +women exist to lend a trifling force to this +position. But the general and growing view +is that the housekeeper upon whom is laid +the responsibility of purveying for an establishment +rises to the emergency, that she does +better work and makes wiser purchases when +she is trusted with an allowance for such expenses, +that an exhaustive knowledge of +double-entry bookkeeping is not demanded +for simple domestic accounts, that even the +immature and untrained wife gains knowledge +by experience and competence by errors made +and corrected.</p> + +<p>Certain disbursements seem naturally to +devolve upon the man of the house. That he +should pay the rent, defray outside or general +repairs, perhaps meet the coal bill, appears +a matter of course. But it is unquestionably +the province of the wife to buy provisions and +pay for them, either in cash or by weekly or +monthly accounts. Charges for work done in +the house, the replacement of cooking utensils, +household linen and the like, the bills +for gas and electric light, all should be within +her control, to be settled by her as they fall +due, after she has examined them and convinced +herself that they are correct.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span></p> + +<p>If other arrangement is made than this, +it should be after careful consideration and +unbiased discussion of the advantages and +demerits of the system. As a general thing +such a division as that just suggested proves +the best.</p> + +<p>Exactly what proportion of the income +shall be placed in the hands of the wife is +a matter which must be decided by individual +circumstances. Estimate has already been +made as to the allowance to be given to food, +and it can readily be seen that this must be +determined by the character and size of the +family as well as by the conditions surrounding +them. The household of a farmer or of +one who commands a garden and dairy can +be kept on a much smaller pecuniary expenditure +for actual food than is possible +in the home of a dweller in the city, who +must buy and pay for every particle of food +which comes into the house. The sum disbursed +may amount to the same thing in the +long run, since the cost of keeping up the +garden plot or caring for the cattle must be +met by the man of the house, but he will +not need to give as much cash into his wife’s +hands as will be required in other circumstances.</p> + +<p>However the amount may be apportioned,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span> +whatever may be the charges laid upon the +wife and those assumed by the husband, the +necessity of strict and accurate household +accounts should be insisted upon. I am not +advocating any special system. I have known +excellent outlines of domestic expenses which +simply darkened counsel with words for some +housekeepers and rendered the business of +following their outlay confusion worse confounded. +Sometimes a woman with little +more than a common-school education and an +ordinary working knowledge of arithmetic +can keep her accounts with a conciseness and +cleanness many a trained bookkeeper might +envy. If a housekeeper has a system which +proves satisfactory it is a mistake for her to +try to change it for one which may be more +scientific but is less useful.</p> + +<p>Merely as a suggested guide I would advise +the beginner to provide herself with two +books, one small and cheap, to be slipped into +the pocket when going to market, the other +larger and of better quality. In the first +one, to which is attached a pencil, is to be +set down every purchase and its cost, as soon +as made. The memory should never be +trusted in these matters, but each outlay—no +matter how small, if it be nothing more +than a car-fare or a three-cent bunch of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span> +parsley—entered immediately. Then these +items are to be transferred in ink to the +larger book as soon as possible after the +housekeeper’s return to the home. It is fatal +to accuracy and to really helpful bookkeeping +to let the accounts accumulate before they +are written down and balanced.</p> + +<p>Still keeping along the most elementary +principles of household accounts, let me counsel +that on the left-hand page be written the +amount of money in hand, while the sums +expended and the items for which they are +paid out are set down on the opposite page. +The two pages may be balanced each day or +as the bottom of each page is reached, as best +suits the housekeeper. The one immutable +rule is that the sum which the written balance +shows ought to be in her purse should +absolutely be there. This may sound like +the very primer of household expenses, but +no woman who has ever gone through the +anguish of trying to determine what has become +of the stray dime her figures show +should be in her possession, or of discovering +how she happens to have a quarter more than +her ciphering proves to belong to her, will +ever make light of the endeavor to square her +accounts and her cash balance. Such struggles +are avoided by the consistent practice<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span> +of noting down each payment as soon as +made.</p> + +<p>Possibly the most important decision the +young housekeeper has to make in beginning +her domestic bookkeeping is how she shall +pay for her purchases. Shall it be cash or +credit? And if the latter, how often shall +bills be paid?</p> + +<p>From the standpoint of wise economy it is +safe to state that the strictly cash habit is +probably the most economical method to +follow. The old saying of “pay as you go, and +if you can’t pay don’t go!” is put into practical +effect. Foolish as it may be, the fact +remains that we all feel a certain reluctance +to part with actual cash which lays a detaining +grasp upon us when we might be tempted +to “plunge” if the charge were not to be +presented until the end of the week or month. +The housekeeper thinks more than once before +she buys the more expensive cut of +meat, the higher-priced fruits or vegetables +than her purse shows she ought to purchase. +And there is undoubtedly a comfort beyond +words in the knowledge that no vexing bills +are coming in after the food has been consumed +and forgotten. When feasible, there +are countless advantages in paying cash for +everything which is brought into the house<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span> +and leaving to credit only such items as cannot +well be met except periodically—such as fuel, +light, wages, and in some cases milk and ice.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, the charge system has +something to its account. It is much more +convenient, in the first place. When one is +in a hurry to finish her marketing and get on +to something else the nuisance of having to +wait for change is vexatious. Sometimes the +article desired is not in stock and must be +ordered. One hesitates to pay for it before +it is certain that it can be obtained. Again, +the telephone marketing or commanding of +groceries, disadvantageous as it is, must sometimes +be followed because of illness or inclement +weather, and then the habit of paying +cash is a bother. Moreover, there is little +doubt that the charge customer usually receives +a meed of consideration often refused +the cash payer. It is also a genuine inconvenience +to pay cash for milk and for ice and +for certain other commodities, such as butter +and eggs supplied by special dealers.</p> + +<p>I have not touched upon the possibility +that ready money may be lacking, as is +sometimes the case with the man on a salary +and still more with the one who does piecework +and is not paid on a fixed day. Often +the need for paying “real money” amounts<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span> +to a hardship, not because the purchaser is +not solvent, but because his remuneration is +slow in arriving. At such periods the charge +account partakes of the nature of a sheet-anchor. +And yet there are strong arguments +against it.</p> + +<p>Perhaps it is useless to lay stress on the +disadvantages of the charge account, and +yet I would feel I was in error if I did not +speak a word of warning against the fatal +facility attending on credit arrangements. It +is altogether too easy to have an article +charged, forgetting that a day of reckoning +can only be postponed at the best. The +housekeeper who for good and sufficient reasons +decides to pay by check periodically +should lay down for herself certain fixed rules.</p> + +<p>One of the chief of these is to have short +accounts. A grocer’s or a butcher’s bill should +be presented weekly and paid punctually. +When the bill comes in it should be gone over +carefully and the items on it checked up, to +be sure, in the first place, that every article +charged has been delivered; in the second +place, that the charge set against it is that +which was stated when the purchase was +made. It is a common occurrence to find +an increase of from one to five cents on several +entries on a bill. The error may be due to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span> +the bookkeeper’s mistake or to the dealer’s +dishonesty. In either event the blunder +should be called to the merchant’s attention +and corrected. He will respect the housekeeper +none the less because he learns she is +on the alert for possible discrepancies.</p> + +<p>Another principle to be followed is that +the marketer should not be led into making +foolish or extravagant purchases because they +are to be charged. In the majority of cases +it is a mistake for the small housekeeper to +buy in quantity, since the cash saved by the +transaction is offset by the waste of the +material, either by spoiling or because of +extravagant use. Yet when the purchase can +be charged it is easy to yield to the temptation +toward what seems at the first glance +like an economy.</p> + +<p>Again, the possession of the charge account +should not be permitted to lead the housekeeper +into the habit of vicarious marketing—either +by telephone or by messenger or by +ordering through an employee of the concern +she patronizes. Other mistakes may also be +made, but these are probably the most frequent +and those into which the woman who +is not on her guard against pitfalls in the +domestic path is likely to slip.</p> + +<p>I have said that it is not feasible to state<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span> +here a fixed sum to which the housekeeper +must limit her outlay for food. Her best +plan for arriving at an approximate estimate +is by a process of averages. A single day or +even a single week cannot furnish a standard +any more than can a single meal. The wisest +method is by the aid of strict system to keep +track of her expenditures and then study how the +economy of one time offsets the liberality +of another.</p> + +<p>To illustrate: when the holiday season is +at hand expenses are bound to increase. +The cost of the Thanksgiving or the Christmas +turkey and pies cannot be appreciably +reduced. But it is possible to make a science +of economical purchasing and catering—this, +too, without stinting the family or feeding +them poorly—so that the burden of high-priced +food may not hopelessly swamp the income.</p> + +<p>A like principle may be followed on other +occasions. If company must be entertained, +if a family feast must be observed, prudent +marketing and skilful cookery may delude +the household into an ignorance of the fact +that money is being saved to carry the housekeeper +over the time of increased bills. +Constant thought and consideration are required +for this, but to the lover of housekeeping +the occupation after a while becomes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span> +almost like a game in which she pits her wits +against the cost of living and glories when +she comes out ahead.</p> + +<p>Here is an enterprise in which the habit +of going to market for oneself and the custom +of keeping strict account of disbursements +both help the worker. She can pick up at a +bargain a cut of meat, a selection of fish, a +choice of vegetables or of fruit, or an occasion +in canned goods which will at once bring +down her average and permit her to lay +aside a little toward the next heavy pull upon +her purse. This is especially likely to be the +case in the period of preserving, pickling, and +similar pursuits, when often a happy “find” +in fruit will help to lighten the unavoidable +weight of conserving of any sort.</p> + +<p>The wise student of housekeeping need not +let her family recognize the alternation of a +feast and a fast at the table. When they +eat a larded lamb’s liver, they will not suspect +an economy; when they rejoice in filleted +sole they will have no idea that the cheapness +of flounders is responsible for their +treat, any more than they guess that a delectable +trifle which redeems a rather simple +dinner is made from the remains of stale +cake, the left-overs of a couple of jars of jam, +and a simple custard.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span></p> + +<p>Some of the so-called economies do not +economize. A bread-pudding which requires +eggs, milk, sugar, butter, and raisins to the +value of fifteen or twenty cents to use up +three cents’ worth of stale bread can by no +stretch of the imagination be regarded as a +saving. Better make toast of the bread, +save it for stuffing, or dry it and keep it for +crumbs to serve in frying. But there are +genuine economies galore, and the woman +who makes a science of them will lay up for +herself a series of agreeable sensations when +she balances her housekeeping accounts at +the end of the month.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c5">V</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">THE HOUSE IN ORDER</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">P</span>UTTING the house in order is one thing.</p> + +<p>Keeping it in order is quite another.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a theory that +every house, no matter how well kept, how +frequently swept and scrubbed, must be torn +up by the roots twice a year, for the spring +and fall cleaning. At those dreadful periods +mere men fled from before the devastating +broom and scrubbing-brush wielded by the +woman of the family. Even when they stole +home in the evening to the slim meal which +was all the worn-out housekeeper could provide, +the halls and stairs were likely to be +blocked by pails of suds, by furniture or rolls +of carpet <i>en route</i>.</p> + +<p>To the aged survivors of that epoch the +phrase “housecleaning-time” is still enough +to provoke a shudder. I have heard the assertion +made that it lasted at least six weeks, +although all seem to be agreed that the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span> +spring visitation was more severe than that +of the autumn.</p> + +<p>Even in this day and generation there are +found certain authorities to declare that a +house cannot be kept so clean that it does +not once in so often require a thorough going-over. +In a way there is an element of truth +in their claim. In every home there are nooks +and corners not in constant use, and therefore +not regularly cleaned; store-closets, +trunk-rooms, cupboards or drawers reserved +for extra bedding, clothing, furnishings, into +whose closed confines dust mysteriously seeps, +wherein moth and other vermin make their +breeding-places.</p> + +<p>At least once a year—and better, twice in +a twelvemonth—these “glory-holes” should +be emptied, the contents looked over, beaten +or dusted, the floors, walls, shelves, etc., +wiped off carefully. This is the time to give +away or throw away treasured possessions no +longer of use to their owners and which may +be of service elsewhere; to rearrange such +articles as escape banishment; to put aside +for the next season the summer or winter +clothing, hangings, and the like which are +not needed at the moment. So long as dirt +and dust continue to exist and to work +themselves into the most jealously guarded<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span> +precincts, so long must the housekeeper bestow +at least a semi-annual inspection on her +reserves and their quarters.</p> + +<p>She fails signally to understand her business, +however, if she permits an accumulation +of dirt with the comforting conviction that +it will all be removed in the spring and fall +clearance. More and more we understand the +importance of purity to health, and with this +comprehension we have grown to perceive +that the best method of retaining high cleanliness +is by never allowing the dirt to get the +better of us. A little brushing and sweeping +and cleaning here and there as it is needed, +a more attentive treatment once a week, +will keep the house clean without making +the labor a burden.</p> + +<p>The system which should be the housekeeper’s +most valued ally in the effort after +efficiency comes into play here. By the time +she is fairly settled in her new home she +should have evolved a routine which, so far +from being an irksome groove, will be rather +a track on which the domestic wheels revolve +without undue friction and the consequent +wear and tear.</p> + +<p>Take into consideration first the round of +the day as it has to do with keeping the house +in order. When the maid or the housekeeper<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span> +herself comes down in the morning +to start the breakfast, either by making a +fire with wood or coal, or by lighting the +oil or gas flame, or turning the key that sets +the electric current to work, she should open +the windows to let in fresh air and the light +which reveals the dusty or the untidy corners.</p> + +<p>While the kettle is boiling or the cereal +simmering she may have to set the table, or +if this has been done the night before and +a light cloth thrown over it to protect from +the dust, the dust-pan and broom may be +called into service or the carpet-sweeper +run over the places which demand attention. +The fortunate woman who has a vacuum-cleaner, +either one of the hand variety or the +larger style which connects with the electric +current supplying the house, has work simplified +and time saved, as well as strength +conserved.</p> + +<p>In those homes where an early and rather +hasty breakfast is obligatory for the sake of +the commuter or the business man who must +get to his office promptly, or the children +who must be off to school, it is better to +have done what superficial tidying was possible +the night before and to let the sweeping +and dusting go until after the morning meal<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span> +is despatched and the workers on their way. +If a system is followed which obliges the +readers of books and newspapers to put them +in their place before going to bed, which +insists that toys, tools, and clothing shall +not be left lying about for some one besides +the scatterers to put away the next morning, +there need be no confusion encompassing the +breakfast-table. A few moments should have +been snatched for dusting the more conspicuous +portions of the dining-room furniture, and +distress of digestion should never be induced +by the presence of dirt or disorder in the +surroundings.</p> + +<p>When the housekeeper has the home to +herself, has disposed of the details of dish-washing, +bed-making, etc., has planned for +her meals and made out the list for her marketing, +she should turn her attention to the +removal of the “matter out of place,” as +dirt has been gracefully termed. The living-room +will probably require her first efforts +after she has reduced the dining-room to the +proper condition of shining tidiness.</p> + +<p>I have referred to the vacuum-cleaner. I +wish I could put one into the hands of every +housekeeper! Several kinds are on the market +and I carry no brief for any special make, +but I know there is more than one good<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span> +variety. The woman of slender means can +use one of the hand-machines, which, while +perhaps more tiresome to work than the +cleaner run by electricity, will yet make +much less call upon the strength than the +ordinary broom and do the work much more +effectively. Not the least of the advantages +of the vacuum-cleaner is a merit it possesses +in common with the ordinary carpet-sweeper—that +it does not scatter dust as well as +gather it up.</p> + +<p>More than this, the vacuum-cleaner enables +the worker to remove the dust from +draperies without taking them down, to +clean walls by a less arduous means than +going over them with a cloth-wrapped brush +or broom. Decidedly, one of the best investments +a housekeeper can make is a good +vacuum-cleaner; and she will find that it +soon pays for itself in the amount of time and +toil it saves. The work it takes a woman +hours to accomplish is done by the vacuum-cleaner +in a fraction of the time she would +bestow on cleansing by the old methods, +and more than one housekeeper has found +that she saved the wages of an extra helper +by the purchase of a vacuum-cleaner that +she could handle herself.</p> + +<p>When such a cleaner is out of the question,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span> +a substitute for minor work in this line is +a carpet-sweeper. True, it cannot go into +corners and its accomplishment must be supplemented +by a dust-pan and broom, but +even so, it saves much stooping and struggle +to the housekeeper. A trustworthy variety +should be selected; it should be emptied +regularly and kept in perfect working order. +With this there should be provided what is +known as a dustless mop—there are several +makes of these—to use on the bare floors +after the rugs have been treated by the +sweeper.</p> + +<p>As a matter of course everything of this +sort, as well as the use of a broom which +raises dust, should be concluded before the +housekeeper attacks the furniture with the +brush for the upholstered pieces, a flannelette +or cheese-cloth duster for the hardwood, or +one of the so-called oiled dusters. Of these, +too, a good choice is offered at house-furnishing +establishments. While the cleaning goes +on the windows should be open, but not in +such a way as to blow the dust, and the +doors into the other part of the house should +be kept closed. The old method, still practised +by untrained maids or by housekeepers +whose zeal is in excess of their knowledge, +of cleaning two or three rooms at once and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span> +driving the dust from one room to another +should be entirely out of date in these sanitary +days.</p> + +<p>The same sort of surface-cleaning should +be followed throughout the house, in halls +and chambers, as well as in the down-stairs +rooms. Even in the tidiest household dust +is likely to gather from day to day, and if +neglected twenty-four hours its presence is +unpleasantly conspicuous.</p> + +<p>This superficial care answers excellently +for part of the time, but it is not sufficient +without a more thorough attack at least once +a week. The housekeeper need not follow +the modes of her mother and grandmother +and have the whole house swept from top +to bottom on one day of the week, unless +she finds, after study of ways and means, +that this simplifies living for her. A better +plan is to have one room or two done a day, +so that the labor is lightened by being spread +out through the week.</p> + +<p>The same method should be followed in +each room that is to be cleaned. The smaller +ornaments should be wiped and laid away, +either in the bureau drawer or on some large +piece of furniture which cannot be moved +but may have its surface and the objects +put on it covered with a sweeping-sheet.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span> +Lighter articles, such as chairs and small +tables, should be dusted and then carried +from the room. The postponement of the +dusting until they are brought back after the +room has been swept means a fresh scattering +of the dust about the clean chamber.</p> + +<p>Sweeping-sheets, made of cotton cloth +bound with red, that they may not be confused +with the regulation bed-linen, should +be at hand to lay over such large pieces as +cannot be removed. The sweeping should be +done from the sides of the room toward the +center, recollecting always to have at least +one window opened and all doors closed. +When the dust is all in one compact heap it +should be taken up in the dust-pan, transferred +at once to a newspaper, this rolled up +tight and put aside to be carried down to +the furnace or the ash-can. After the dust +has settled the walls can be gone over with +a cloth or with a broom about which has +been wrapped a duster, or a hair brush with +a long handle, such as comes for this purpose.</p> + +<p>The above method can be followed in a +room with a carpeted floor or with a large +rug fastened down. When small loose rugs +are used they may be swept first, then rolled +up and carried from the room, after which +the bare floor is dusted or wiped off with oil<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span> +or rubbed with one of the good waxing +preparations which the popularity of the +hardwood floor has brought into the market. +In a house supplied with a vacuum-cleaner +the floor and the rugs can both be cleansed +without the labor of carrying out the latter, +and the upholstered furniture will not need +the offices of the small brush in removing +the dust from folds and tufts.</p> + +<p>Water should not be used on a hardwood +floor. It may be wiped off with a cloth dipped +in crude oil and turpentine mingled in equal +parts, and the mixture must be well rubbed +in. In default of this, kerosene may be employed, +observing moderation in the quantity +of the oil applied. Too much of any +kind of dressing makes an unpleasant odor +which lingers persistently.</p> + +<p>It may be said, by the way, that when +oilcloth is washed the cloth should be wrung +out nearly dry. If the water gets under the +oilcloth this will rot.</p> + +<p>When windows are to be washed the dust +and dirt from the frames should be removed +before the glass is touched. If not, the panes +will be streaked. Warm water should be +used, and no soap; this would make the +glass cloudy. A little borax or ammonia may +be added to the water, and in cold weather<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span> +alcohol should be mixed with the water to +prevent this from freezing on the cloth.</p> + +<p>In scouring paint the soap or other preparation +should be applied on a flannel or the +paint will be scratched. Hardwood finishings, +such as door-posts, window-frames, and +the like, should have the same sort of oiling +as is used for the floors.</p> + +<p>If the silver which is in daily family service +is always washed as it should be after each +meal there is no reason why it should become +dull and dingy and require a weekly scouring. +Scalding-hot water is an essential; the silver +should be rinsed off in hot suds, dropped into +the almost boiling clean water, fished out +quickly, a piece or two at a time, and dried +immediately. No draining of silver or glass +should ever be allowed, no matter what compromises +are permitted in this line with china +and crockery.</p> + +<p>Close to the worker’s hand should stand +a few helps toward keeping her silver and +glass bright and shining. A bottle of household +ammonia or a box of borax is one of her +best aids. Also she should have a little +coarse salt with which to take egg stains +from silver, and a cake or box of good silver +polish in case some of the pieces look less +brilliant than they should. A chamois-skin<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span> +to give a final polish is also a desideratum. +If silver has been laid away and become dull +so that a general scouring is demanded, it +is well for the housekeeper to have one of +the patented devices by which silver can be +cleansed by an immersion in a bath of soda +and salt contained in an aluminum pan. +Again, there are several good articles of this +kind for sale at reasonable prices.</p> + +<p>The daily equipment for dish-washing +should consist of two dish-pans for the +housekeeper who does not possess a butler’s-pantry +sink with running water. In +one of these pans the silver and china +should be rinsed free of all grease before +they are put into the clean hot suds of +the other pan. The glasses should be +washed in the clear water before soap has +been added; next come the silver pieces, +and these, like the glasses, should be wiped +dry as soon as they are taken out.</p> + +<p>The ideal method is to dry the china in the +same way, but if it is perfectly clean when +taken from the suds, the pieces ranged in a +rack and boiling water poured over them, +they will usually dry evenly and show no +marks or streaks. This method undoubtedly +saves much time and bother. A dish-mop +is better for use in washing dishes than a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span> +dish-cloth, since it keeps the hands from the +hot water, but should be scalded after each +service and boiled once a day. The towels +should be washed and boiled with equal +regularity.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c6">VI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">HYGIENE AND PLUMBING</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">S</span>OME of the apparently minor details of +housekeeping really possess more importance +than those which seem to bulk larger.</p> + +<p>Consider drains, for instance. In this day +it is taken for granted that no one buys or +rents a house without being assured that the +plumbing is in perfect order, as well as having +been of the best quality in the beginning. I +say that this is taken for granted, and yet I +feel I should modify this statement, recollecting +homes in which I have been a guest where +the plumbing is obsolete and neglected to a +degree which would be dangerous with even +the most up-to-date fittings. When such +carelessness exists relative to the old-fashioned +closed plumbing with the cheapest and +least scientific of traps and stop-cocks, one +gains a rather alarming notion of the hazards +to which householders recklessly subject their +families.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span></p> + +<p>Let me state here that the absence of evil +odor is no proof that drains and traps are in +excellent order. The deadly sewer-gas is +practically without smell, and persons can be +badly poisoned by it with no warning on the +part of their olfactory nerves. There are +tests which will demonstrate the presence of +noxious vapors, but these must be made by +sanitary engineers or specialists in this line. +Unless the dweller in any home is positively +assured that the drains, plumbing, etc., are +in perfect condition there should be no delay +in making such tests and in proving the good +or evil state of the house-fittings.</p> + +<p>This is not sufficient, however. The drains +must be kept clear, not only for such a simple +hygienic reason as the desire to guard +against disease, but also because a greasy or +dirty pipe soon means a choked pipe, and +this in turn brings the inconvenience of a +sink which cannot be used, of a backed-up +overflow of waste water, with the possible +accompaniment of injured floor-coverings, +walls, and ceilings.</p> + +<p>The expert may be required to decide as to +the perfection of drains. The veriest beginner +in housekeeping needs little education to +know how to keep them free. In the first +place she should see that nothing is thrown<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span> +down a waste-pipe but the things it is meant +to carry off. When wads of paper, broken +pasteboard boxes, rolls of hair-combings, and +similar refuse are flung into the mouth of even +a wide and generous waste-pipe there is pretty +sure to be trouble sooner or later. When +grease and particles of food, tea-leaves, coffee-grounds, +and collections of dust are dumped +into a sink, or a corresponding amount of +debris is permitted to try to make its way +through the pipe running from the wash-basin, +no one but the person guilty of such +gross carelessness may be to blame, but the +whole household is likely to suffer for the +offense.</p> + +<p>In view of the fact that most persons are +heedless, the housekeeper should protect herself +and others against risks. One of the +simplest helps to this is the use of washing-soda—a +chemical which is absolutely ruinous +to clothing when used as a detergent in +laundry-work, but is admirable for cutting +grease or fat which has accumulated in waste-pipes +and for eating away other foreign particles +which have gathered there. I hasten +to add that it will not disintegrate strands +of hair or bone buttons—both of which are +often found by plumbers in the joints of +choked pipes they have been called in to open!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span></p> + +<p>Another aid to keeping the pipes clean and +free is household ammonia. This does not +need to be poured clear into the pipes, but +when it has been employed in rinsing greasy +dishes or in cleansing the sink, or in brightening +glass or silver, the hot water to which it +has been added is of distinct benefit to the +waste-pipes. It may be suggested, by the +way, that one of the best methods for using +the washing-soda is to lay a good-sized lump +of it over the drain-pipe from the sink so that +the water which goes down carries particles +of the soda with it on their cleansing errand.</p> + +<p>Either ammonia or a solution of washing-soda +should be used in rinsing out the set-tubs +after laundry-work has been done. +When one thinks of the human waste from +the skin which adheres to the clothing and is +washed off from it in these tubs, there is a +degree of foulness in the notion of letting the +tubs pass with no more cleansing than the +rinsing they get from the second or third +water through which the clothes are passed.</p> + +<p>Other cleansing preparations come which +are perhaps less severe in their effect on the +hands than the common washing-soda. Many +of those on the market are known to be +excellent by the proof they have given housekeepers. +The names of several of these will<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span> +at once suggest themselves to any one who +keeps up with the times in the line of domestic +helps. Whatever the chosen cleaning medium +may be, a bottle or box of it should always +stand in the bath-room, not only for rinsing +out pipes and keeping them clear, but also +for preserving the purity of basin and tub +and toilet-bowl.</p> + +<p>I have often been impressed by the carelessness +of housekeepers in this detail, especially +in homes where there are several children. +Evidently these have never been +taught the niceties of rinsing out the tub +after bathing, or the basin after washing the +hands. Around each vessel runs a high-tide +mark of soap or dirt, the mere sight of +which is enough to deter the observer from +using bowl or bath. The touch of the hand +to the inside of either will almost always discover +a sediment or accretion of grease or +dirt or both. This accumulation is readily +removed by a soap-rubbed cloth or by one +dipped in ammonia or other detersive. Such +care may seem a trifling detail, but it is one +which should never be neglected.</p> + +<p>In connection with this a word does not +come amiss as to the superior attractiveness +of nickel bath-room fittings, or of those of the +kitchen or butler’s pantry, when they are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span> +kept bright and clean, over those which are +suffered to lapse into dinginess. When the +nickel coating is hopelessly scoured off it is +not a serious matter to have the fittings done +over and made to look like new.</p> + +<p>The whole care of the bath-room deserves +more attention than it usually receives. +Soiled towels and wet wash-cloths should not +be flung down here and there, or stray medicine-bottles +and medicine-boxes left in untidy +rows on the shelves. The medicine-cabinet +should be kept in order; the towels +and wash-cloths folded neatly and hung up +after using; clean towels in plenty in readiness +for the chance guest; the soap-dish should +be scoured scrupulously as often as once +a day. Of course it takes time to do these +little things, but their presence or absence +marks the difference between the good and +the careless housekeeper.</p> + +<p>Washing-soda has another use beyond that +of keeping drain-pipes clear. A solution of +it is excellent for washing out the ice-box or +refrigerator. This process should take place +at least once a week. When this is said it +is not meant that the ice-box should not be +cleared out oftener than that. A new piece +of ice should not go into it if there is a possibility +of bits of food of any sort having been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span> +left in the corners or cracks of the ice-chamber. +Daily inspection of the contents of the +refrigerator will make sure that all food in +it is keeping well and is sweet and fresh.</p> + +<p>In most well-made refrigerators of the day +the shelves are so built that they can be +slipped in and out. By this plan they can be +scrubbed clean and the sides of the refrigerator +can also be scoured off, as would not be +feasible with non-detachable shelves. After +it has been made clean a few pieces of charcoal +should be laid in the corners. This will +keep the place sweet by absorbing the odors +from food, and every few days the fragments +of charcoal should be thrown out and new +ones put in their place.</p> + +<p>Even with this care the ice-box will sometimes +get a close smell; at such times a +small shovel should be made nearly red-hot, a +little ground coffee sprinkled upon it, and this +put into the refrigerator for a few minutes. +It should be understood by every housekeeper +that butter, milk, and cream should never be +kept near strong-smelling articles of food. +They absorb the odors and taste of the items +they have been with.</p> + +<p>Milk is usually kept in open dishes or +pans for those who wish to get the full good +of the cream which rises to the surface, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span> +nothing else except other milk products or +perhaps fresh eggs should be permitted near +it.</p> + +<p>When highly flavored foods of any sort +must be kept in a refrigerator they should +either be closely covered—which is not always +possible or desirable—or put in a chamber by +themselves. Butter should not be suffered +to remain in the wooden boxes or plates on +which it is often sent home; lettuce and +greens should either be washed before they +are put away or wrapped in clean paper. +Lettuce is best rinsed and then done up in a +clean cloth before it is laid near the ice.</p> + +<p>When canned goods of any sort are opened +they should at once be turned from the tin. +They will keep indefinitely in the can while +this is sealed, but as soon as the air gets at the +contents a chemical change is wrought by the +contact of the fluid and the tin and the food +soon becomes affected and a positive menace +to health. The housekeeper should always +have in her stock a number of small bowls +or dishes into which to turn the fruit, vegetables, +etc., which have been sent home to +her in a can.</p> + +<p>A wire meat-safe is an important item to +have in the pantry, when there is room for +such a convenience. Lacking this space, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span> +dweller in flats achieves a compromise by a +box built outside of her kitchen window, covered +on top with oilcloth or other water-proof +material, that the contents may be kept dry. +According to the exposure of the window to +the sun, the sides of the box may either be +of wire netting or solid wood. In length the +box matches the width of the window and is +usually high enough to allow of two shelves. +In this improvised outdoor pantry can be +kept in cool weather many articles which +would otherwise crowd the refrigerator unduly +and would perhaps wither or spoil in the +warm kitchen or pantry.</p> + +<p>Every convenience she can lay her hands +on the housekeeper is within her rights in +securing. When it is worth while it pays for +itself in sparing her busy hands and feet, +in easing the tire of her overworked back. +On her floor she should have linoleum, as it +is easier to keep clean than the bare boards, +more sanitary and more convenient than rugs.</p> + +<p>The study of how to arrange her kitchen +so as to save herself steps is one of the first +things the new housekeeper should undertake. +The table should stand near the sink and not +too far from the stove; the utensils most frequently +in service should be hung on a row +of hooks close at hand or be ranged on a couple<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span> +of shelves above the table. Here, too, +should be such articles of seasoning, etc., +as are in constant demand—the salt-box, the +pepper-cruet, the vinegar-bottle, the flour-dredger, +and the like. The bread-box and +bread-board should be near the table on +which the loaf is to be sliced; the bread-knife +should be close by.</p> + +<p>One of the greatest conveniences for a +kitchen is that piece of furniture called a +kitchen cabinet, which unites the functions +of a dresser, a receptacle for provisions, a +table or shelf at which to make bread and +roll pastry, and various other qualities that +must be known to be appreciated fully. +These cabinets come in different sizes, styles, +and finish, and are easily made by the clever +home carpenter.</p> + +<p>The fireless cooker must not pass unnoticed, +whether this be of the home-made hay-box +kind or of the more elaborate variety +containing plates to heat for cooking the contents +of the vessels of the cooker. Whichever +make is selected, the cooker itself is one +of the most potent aids the housekeeper can +have as a saver of time, of fuel, of labor, and +of fatigue. By its assistance the meal virtually +cooks itself, once it has been started in +the right way. Food prepared in the fireless<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span> +cooker preserves its flavor as it cannot do +if cooked in the oven or on top of the stove, +and there is far less waste of the material of +each article than if it were suffered to go off +in steam and aroma.</p> + +<p>The most popular fuel of the day is undoubtedly +gas, since the cost of electric equipment +puts it beyond the reach of most housekeepers +of moderate means. Yet there are +many parts of the country where all cookery +must be done by coal or even by wood, and +where the only solace of the worker is that she +has the comfort of the heat in winter and the +benefits of slow cooking at all times.</p> + +<p>For housekeepers who must buy their coal +it is well to know that the most advantageous +mixture for the average-sized range is a mixture +of egg-coal and nut-coal, in the proportion +of equal parts of the red ash and the +white ash. The latter burns more slowly +than the former, while this gives a stronger +fire and makes fewer cinders.</p> + +<p>A fresh fire need not be made more than +once a week if the housekeeper is careful to +rake out the ashes at bedtime, put on fresh +coal, open the draughts for ten or fifteen +minutes or until the new coal is fairly kindled, +then close the draughts and leave the +upper door of the stove open. In the morning<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span> +the draughts have only to be opened +after the upper door has been closed and a +little fresh coal put on as soon as the fire +has begun to be red. Not until this has begun +to burn well should a further small supply of +coal be added. This mode is much more +economical of fuel and work than making a +fresh fire every day.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c7">VII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">THE HOME WITHOUT A SERVANT</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE housekeeper who undertakes to run +her establishment without a servant is +beset by certain disadvantages. When she +has had a bad night, is suffering from indisposition +of any kind, or wishes to undertake +some piece of work, such as dressmaking, for +which she desires to have her time free, it +is inconvenient to feel that without her personal +effort no part of the business of the +house will be done, that all responsibility as +well as all performance falls upon her.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, great are the comforts +of the woman who has no one but herself to +do her work. These should be considered, +since an enormously large proportion of +American housekeepers employ no regular +servant and many others call in assistance +only for such toil as washing and ironing and +heavy cleaning.</p> + +<p>The woman who does not keep a maid<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span> +can run her kitchen to suit herself and have +things done as she prefers. She need not be +constantly worried because the cook neglects +to line the garbage-pail with a newspaper or +to put on the cover, persistently leaves the +refrigerator open in hot weather and will not +save left-overs. The mistress knows that the +dishes are washed by an approved method, +since she does it herself, and this position +also enables her to have the utensils and general +plenishing of the kitchen and pantry in +the order she likes.</p> + +<p>The same freedom obtains in other parts of +the house. There is no uncertainty as to +whether towels and napkins are used in the +prescribed routine; no doubt if the beds are +properly aired and made, the corners of the +rooms swept and the top shelves dusted, +sanitary precautions observed as to drains +and similar niceties of care followed. The +woman who does her own work can be sure +of an attention to details which she could +not compel from a hireling except at the +cost of close watchfulness and more or less +nagging.</p> + +<p>More than this, the economies to be compassed +in a house where no maid is kept far +exceed the mere outlay for food which is required +to supply an extra person. No one<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span> +but the mistress of the home will watch for +small leaks, and, having bought judiciously, +will take pains that the saving thus practised +is not lost by careless use of materials. She +will plan her meals so as to utilize remnants, +will see that the trifle which seems of no importance +is put aside to combine with another +apparently negligible quantity, will guard +worn-out household linens for other services +than the rag-bag, will watch for the first +breaks in table-cloth or napkins and stop +them with a wise stitch or two. Through it +all she will possess the delightful sense of +having her home to herself, of knowing there +is not a nook or a corner of it where she does +not reign supreme, and that her theories are +put into practice from the top of the house +to the bottom.</p> + +<p>Such delightful sensations as these are of +course out of the question for the woman who +undertakes housekeeping without a good +working knowledge of how to conduct it. +The theories to which reference has been +made may be the best of their kind, but unless +they are backed by the ability to do the +things they describe there is likely to be trouble. +Still, the woman who has more book +instruction in the line of housekeeping than +actual experience can learn by doing and in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span> +time reach a point where her independence +is a joy to her. The best aid she can have +in this endeavor is system, the habit of doing +each task at a certain hour and in a certain +way, and she need not consider the time +wasted she bestows on planning out her +routine so as to make it at once easy and +efficient.</p> + +<p>In a city apartment or a small house fitted +with the latest improvements the way is +much simplified. If one can have a fire by +striking a match and turning on the gas-stove, +is supplied with hot water by a means +outside her own kitchen, has milk, ice, meat, +and other provisions brought to the door of +her pantry, and no responsibility as to getting +rid of ashes or garbage, she may feel that +her lines have fallen in pleasant places.</p> + +<p>Naturally, a woman who lives in these +conditions must direct her work in a very +different way from that incumbent upon the +dweller in a village or on a farm, who must +build and keep in her own fires for cooking +and heating, warm every drop of hot water +that is used—often perhaps having to draw +or pump it first—fill the lamps by which the +house is lighted, and do all the many other +duties which are performed for the dweller +in a city flat and taken by her for granted.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span> +Yet as much efficiency, as delightful a life, +exist in these conditions as can be found in +a home where the work is reduced to a minimum. +The housekeeper who must put up +with inconveniences will generally find that +they are offset by benefits which go far to +counterbalance the drawbacks.</p> + +<p>If the city housekeeper with all modern +improvements at her command requires system +in her work, it is even more necessary for +the one who must do without such aids. +At the same time she must secure every help +she can. When she can get one of the gasolene-stoves +which, if properly managed, are +hardly second to a gas-range in excellence, +or, if lacking one of these, she can secure a +good oil-stove with an oven; if she can provide +herself with an oil hot-water-back or +heater which will warm the water for cooking +and bathing; if she purchases all such aids +as fireless cookers, steamers, hand vacuum-cleaners, +and other up-to-date appliances, +she will simplify her labor and at the same +time preserve the youth and strength that +would be devoured by the adherence to +the methods of her grandmother in a day +when twentieth-century living is taken for +granted on even the remote rural free-delivery +route.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span></p> + +<p>In addition to this she should study the +art of sparing herself in other ways, even +of shirking when it is wise. By this advice +there is no implication that she should be +careless of work that should be done or +perform it in the wrong way. But often +duties can be postponed with no harm to +anything except the housekeeper’s supersensitive +conscientiousness, just as there +are times when it is even wiser to leave +the room unswept or undusted than to +wear oneself down to absolute fatigue and +the fretfulness or irritability such weariness +connotes.</p> + +<p>One of the first rules for the home-worker +to lay down for herself is that no positive +moral superiority is displayed by standing +at one’s occupations. There is no reason +except a custom better broken than preserved +why a woman should not have a high +stool or chair on which to sit while washing +and drying dishes, while preparing vegetables, +beating eggs, creaming butter or flour, and +performing other such tasks, as well as while +ironing small pieces. The stool or chair +should also be accompanied by a hassock or +footstool on which to rest the feet. The fact +that some of the old type of housekeepers +will call the practice lazy does not in the least<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span> +affect the common sense of the suggestion +and the habit.</p> + +<p>Another means for rendering kitchen work +agreeable is to have the right sort of utensils +with which to accomplish it. I have spoken +of some of the conveniences already. Certain +of them are high-priced, but many of the +aids to easy and pleasant cookery are inexpensive. +To have plenty of bowls and spoons, +the right kind of measuring-cups, pans, and +pudding-dishes, is as essential in its way as +the purchase of a bread or cake mixer or a +washing-machine. Too often housekeepers +put up with the poor outfits they have and +let a mistaken economy prevent their securing +the right kind of tools. Nothing worth having +is gained by washing dishes in a rusty +and battered pan, drying them on ragged +towels, any more than by serving your puddings +in a chipped bake-dish or measuring +ingredients in a leaky cup. This is not real +economy; it is either slovenliness or sloth. +When a woman does her own work she can +surely trust herself to take care of the articles +she uses, and she should not stint herself in +buying those she needs.</p> + +<p>Also she should dress for the part of maid-of-all-work +when she is filling that rôle. +Tightly fitting waists and long skirts should<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span> +never be worn, and wash frocks are the best, +since the material not only does not harbor +odors of cooking as does a woolen fabric, but +the garment can be washed when it is soiled.</p> + +<p>A shirtwaist and short skirt or a one-piece +frock is the best uniform, and always there +should be a large and comprehensive apron +with a high bib and shoulder-straps. In +addition to this it is well to have a couple of +aprons supplied with sleeves, which can be +slipped on over an afternoon frock when +getting dinner ready or when washing up +afterward. All the aprons should be long +enough to come down well to the hem of the +gown and should be of some pretty goods, +such as gingham or percale, or one of the +crinkly fabrics which do not need to be ironed +after washing. There is no reason why a +woman who does her own work should not +look attractive while she is at the process. +Above all, she should abjure curl-papers, kid +curlers, and similar atrocities both while at +her duties and when presiding at the breakfast-table +for a family which should surely +take away with them an agreeable mental +picture of the mistress of the house. If these +adjuncts are actually necessary to render the +wearer presentable later in the day, she should +at least conceal them under a pretty boudoir<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span> +cap. Such a cap is advisable not only on account +of the appearance, but as a protection +to the hair from smoke and steam.</p> + +<p>After the morning meal is over the housekeeper +may either put her dishes to soak in +hot water, leave her beds to air, and go out +to do her marketing, or she may decide to +postpone the purchasing until later in the +day and despatch her household duties before +she leaves the house. Often it seems wiser +to go to market late in the morning, or even +in the afternoon, and thus have the best part +of the forenoon unbroken for domestic occupations. +The systematic housekeeper can +usually plan her meals so that this plan can +be followed without inconvenience.</p> + +<p>In the well-kept flat there is not very much +to do when there are only two in the family. +With so few in the house articles do not get +out of place to any marked extent, and when +the windows have been opened in the chambers +and living-room while breakfast was +going on there is little to hinder the housekeeper +from devoting only a short time to +pushing furniture back into place, running a +carpet-sweeper over the floor, and doing necessary +dusting. A bed or two must be made, +the bath-room put in order, the dishes washed, +and the dining-room and kitchen set to rights;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span> +but in the apartment where the woman does +her own work there will be no accumulation +of other persons’ dirt to be removed.</p> + +<p>When a whole house is occupied there is +more to be done. Halls and stairs must be +brushed, perhaps front steps swept, stoves +looked after in winter, and flies beaten out +and rooms shaded in summer. Other duties +will present themselves if there is more than +a single floor to be kept in order—a floor on +which are found kitchen, pantry, and dining-room +as well as chambers and bath-room.</p> + +<p>Whether it be an apartment or a whole +house, the same order of work should be followed. +The morning should be the time applied +to turning off any heavy or disagreeable +work which has to be done. Cleaning, sweeping, +dusting, making ready of vegetables for +dinner, preparing the pudding or other dessert +which is to be cooked later in the day, +should always be planned for the early hours +of the day. This is the time when the energies +are at their best and freshest, and it is +also the period when interruptions are least +likely. In the afternoon one cannot be secure +against callers or other demands upon leisure—to +say nothing of the comfort one feels in +knowing that the unpleasing portions of the +day’s toil are done and over with!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span></p> + +<p>The young housekeeper who becomes absorbed +in her new occupation sometimes slips +into the fault of yielding herself to it too +unreservedly. When a woman really loves +the work of cooking and planning, of keeping +her house in exquisite order and contriving +to make supply and demand meet one another, +she is in danger of becoming given over +to it. Her husband is not likely to be able +to understand her attitude, and although he +may enjoy a well-kept home, he will probably +feel he desires something more in his wife +than a domestic devotee.</p> + +<p>Against the danger of drifting into this +position the young housekeeper should be on +the alert. No one else is as much interested +as is she in the business of running her particular +home, and the sooner she appreciates +this the better for her and the more agreeable +for every one else. At first she will possibly +wish to talk of little else, but after the +very earliest novelty has worn off she should +wake up to the perception that there are +other things in the world besides her home. +She should see that she must keep herself in +good mental condition as well as keep her +house; that the time is not wasted that she +spends in reading, in wise recreation, especially +in permitting herself a little rest each<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span> +afternoon which will help preserve her freshness +and vigor and put her into condition to +make life pleasant for her husband when he +comes home at night.</p> + +<p>For this is as important a point as any other +in housekeeping. Even a man who loves his +home wearies of finding a worn-out wife at +dinner every evening, and of being confined +for subjects of conversation to the round of +the happenings connected with the butcher, +the baker, and the grocer. He likes a lively, +fresh wife awaiting him; he enjoys being entertained +after the hard toil of the day; he +is pleased when she is glad to go with him +for a little outing or a mild dissipation. To +be in readiness for this is an object the housekeeper +should have in view through the work +of the day, and she should resolutely cut out +any additional labor which will interfere with +her making the dwelling a home as well as a +mere place to live in.</p> + +<p>As a practical illustration of this let me +commend the habit of letting the dinner-dishes +wait to be washed until the next morning +when there is something on hand with +which this work would clash. While it is +undoubtedly agreeable to go to bed with the +pleasant sensation that there are no “hangovers” +in the way of undischarged duties, it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span> +is often wiser to postpone a task than to perform +it at the cost of hurry and flurry. The +dishes may be put in a pan with hot water +and a little washing-powder, and left until +after breakfast the next day, when they may +be washed without haste or nervousness.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c8">VIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">IN THE LAUNDRY</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">W</span>HETHER or not a housekeeper expects +to do her own washing and ironing, +she should know in every detail how it is to +be done. The occasion may not arise for her +to put her hands into the wash-tub or to +wield a flat-iron, but she should understand +the operations and know how to correct intelligently +the errors of her laundress.</p> + +<p>There has been a good deal said of the burden +of laundry-work, and yet I have known +many women who preferred undertaking it +themselves to trusting it to the charge of an +ignorant or untrained washerwoman. This +is sometimes the only variety that can be +secured in the country or in small places, but +the laundry, which is the resource so often +of dwellers in the city, is frequently far more +injurious to clothing than the treatment of +the poorest laundress. In such circumstances +or when economy seems necessary the housekeeper<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</span> +who has the ability to do up the clothing +of her family and the bed and table linen +possesses a power which means not only +comfort, but saving of wear and tear as well +as of money.</p> + +<p>In the effort to provide the A-B-C of laundry-work +a beginning must be made with directions +for sorting and preparing the clothes +for washing.</p> + +<p>The first step is to separate towels and +bed-linen from starched white garments and +place them in different piles, with flannels and +stockings in a third gathering. This should +be done on the evening preceding wash-day, +as the labor is much lessened by putting the +clothes into soak overnight. The method—or +lack of method—of the careless laundress +is to throw those garments to be submitted +to this preliminary treatment into a tub of +warm water to which has been added some +washing-powder or detersive and leave them +thus all night.</p> + +<p>Instead of this the clothing should be +looked over carefully, dipping the worst-soiled +portions into warm water and rubbing the +spots well with laundry soap. Each garment +should then be rolled up with the soaped side +inward, and all the rolls thus made packed +down into a tub of lukewarm water to which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</span> +has been added a small quantity of borax, +household ammonia, or other equally good +and harmless detersive.</p> + +<p>Just here it is well to make a slight digression +on this subject. I have already spoken +of the injurious effects of washing-soda in +laundry-work. It cuts and perforates the +linen on which it is used, but it is so potent +in taking out dirt that I have known laundresses +to bring it with them in their pockets +when its use was forbidden by a housekeeper. +Washing-soda is possibly the most destructive +of these agencies, but there are others +on the market, sold as patented preparations, +which are hardly less harmful. Of a number +of them it is true that they are helpful if +used in moderation. The trouble is that the +unskilled worker is likely to imagine that +where a little is good much would be better, +and to apply the powder or fluid with a +liberality that has disastrous results.</p> + +<p>Even when borax or ammonia—probably +the least deleterious of all detersives—is used, +it should be in small quantities when the +clothing is to be left with it for any length of +time. Therefore there should be very little +put in the tub in which the raiment is to be +soaked.</p> + +<p>Woolens, cotton and wool, or silk and wool,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</span> +colored clothes, and stockings are not given +this soaking, but left to one side until the +next morning.</p> + +<p>When the actual washing begins flannels +should have the first attention. They should +be given especial care, since upon this depends +their coming from the wash smooth +and soft instead of thickened and rough. +Soap should not be rubbed upon them unless +there are badly soiled spots, and then these +should be soaped without applying soap to +the rest of the garment. A little ammonia +should be added to the water in which they +are washed, and this should be lukewarm +and made into suds by the addition of +shaved soap before the flannels are put in. +They should not be rubbed on the board +but between the hands, with frequent dipping +up and down in the water until they look +clean.</p> + +<p>The flannels are then squeezed between the +hands until as much water as possible is gone +from them, when they are thrown for rinsing +into water of the same temperature as +that from which they were taken. This is +essential. Water which is either colder or +hotter will thicken and shrink the flannels. +After a thorough rinsing they are again +wrung out and hung to dry at once, in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</span> +shade, if an outdoor drying-place is used. +They look better if they are ironed while +still slightly damp. When both colored and +white flannels are to be washed the latter +should come second, that specks of lint from +them may not disfigure the colored articles.</p> + +<p>The second water from the flannels will +answer very well for the first washing of the +other clothes. It is not necessary to practise +this economy in a flat furnished with hot +water from the cellar, but the fact is worth +recalling when the supply of warm water is +insufficient.</p> + +<p>Too many pieces should not be put into +the tub at once, as the clothes cannot be +washed properly if crowded together, and +plenty of water is demanded to get them +clean. The water should be warm and the +clothes which have been soaked overnight +will require little rubbing on the board in +order to make them clean. It may be mentioned +that clothing which is worn long +enough to become badly soiled will need an +amount of hard rubbing which will wear it +out much sooner than garments that have +been thrown into the wash before they are +very dirty.</p> + +<p>The boiler, half full of cold water, should +be at hand. Colored clothes are never boiled,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</span> +and they may be washed separately if this +seems more convenient. After the soiled +spots on the white clothes have been well +soaped the pieces should be dropped into the +boiler. The addition of a tablespoonful of +kerosene to the water is beneficial. The +boiler should be put on the stove and the +water brought to a boil, stirring the clothes +up from the bottom with a clothes-stick from +time to time. The boiling should not continue +long, but the clothes be removed as +soon as the water has fairly boiled. Too +long on the fire yellows the clothing.</p> + +<p>Clean hot water should be at hand and +into this each article should be dropped as +it comes from the boiler. Careful rinsing is +one of the secrets of having clothes a good +color after washing. Each piece should be +turned inside out to rinse it sufficiently. +The garments to be blued should be transferred +from the rinsing water to cold water +to which a few drops of bluing have been +added. Judgment must be used in this addition +or the clothing will be too blue. A favorite +trick of careless laundresses is to save +themselves the scrubbing which would make +the garments clean, and cover their fault +by making them very blue.</p> + +<p>After the bluing the unstarched pieces may<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</span> +be wrung and hung out to dry. The other +pieces must be starched as will be directed +a little further on.</p> + +<p>The rinsing water in which the clothes were +dipped after coming from the boiler will +serve for the first washing of the colored +garments. As these need no bluing, such of +them as do not require starching may be +rinsed and hung out at once to dry. Those +that must be stiffened may be dipped into +the starch, wrung out, well shaken, and dried.</p> + +<p>For boiled starch, a half-cupful of the dry +starch is needed in proportion to a quart of +boiling water. The starch is made to a paste +with cold water, the boiling water poured +upon it, and the mixture stirred over the fire +until it is clear and smooth. Some laundresses +insist upon boiling the starch an hour, +but good results may be gained with the +preparation made as just directed. This +starch is of the right consistency for shirts, +aprons, etc., but it must be thinned to use +for either table-linen or for delicate underwear +until it is little thicker than single +cream. If shirt bosoms or cuffs or the cuffs of +shirtwaists are to be stiffened, raw starch +must be added to the boiled. Raw starch is +prepared by moistening a handful of the +raw starch to a paste with a little cold water,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</span> +increasing the water until a quart of it has +been used, and stirring it with a piece of +fine white soap.</p> + +<p>The pieces which have already been passed +through the boiled starch may be dipped +into the raw starch for additional stiffening, +after the first starch has dried in them. +They are well moistened in the raw starch, +rolled up and left for half an hour or so, and +ironed while damp. The quantity for which +direction has just been made is rather large +for a small family, but the proportions may +be used in smaller measure.</p> + +<p>Cheap soap and starch should never be employed; +they are an extravagance in the end. +The soap should be bought, in a small family, +about a dozen cakes at a time and dried. +One cake is enough for a small wash, unless +left floating in the tub after its use is over.</p> + +<p>All stains should be looked to before +the clothes are washed at all. Fruit and +wine stains, like those from coffee and tea, +may be taken out by stretching the spotted +part over a basin and pouring boiling water +through the fabric. The process should be +repeated several times or until the stain is +gone. Soap will often “set” a spot which +would come out if washed in clear water. +Fruit stains, rust stains—such as iron-mold—and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</span> +sometimes ink stains may be removed by +wetting the spots with lemon-juice, sprinkling +salt upon this, and laying the article in the +sun. The operation must be done more than +once before the spot will come out entirely. +The same treatment will sometimes obliterate +mildew stains, but if these prove obstinate, +boiling in buttermilk the article marked will +perhaps take them out. Turpentine will remove +paint stains, and oil marks must be +washed with cold water and a good white +soap. Grass stains are sometimes taken out +by rubbing with butter and then washing +this out. All spots or stains are far harder +to get rid of after they have once been put +through the regular wash.</p> + +<p>Fine pieces of linen like doilies, centerpieces, +embroidered and lace-trimmed handkerchiefs, +or very delicate lingerie underwear +should never be washed with the ordinary +clothing unless the housekeeper gives her +special attention to them. They should +under no circumstances be rubbed on the +wash-board, but rubbed between the hands +in a good suds made of warm water and a fine +white soap, and rinsed very carefully. If +they are to be stiffened at all the starch +water through which they are passed should +be no heavier than milk. While still warm<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</span> +such articles should be pressed on the wrong +side; and if embroidered, a thick woolen cloth +must be laid under the ironing-sheet. By this +method the work on the article stands out well.</p> + +<p>A little experience with ironing is worth +more than instruction. When the clothes +have been well sprinkled and folded, the work +done evenly, and each piece rolled up tightly +when dampened, a strong arm and steady, +smooth strokes will give good results; but +practice is needed to make the work entirely +satisfactory. Experience will tell when the +iron is the right heat. For starched clothes +a greater heat is needed than for flannels; +the iron must be tried on a piece of paper to +make sure it is not too hot. Each piece +pressed should be ironed until dry to make a +smooth finish. Table and bed linen should be +ironed lengthwise. Always the irons should +be well wiped off before using, and when not +in service they should stand on end on a +shelf. Never should they be left on the range +when not in use; this roughens the surface.</p> + +<p>The electric iron is a great aid, but this +must be used with care or it will be short-circuited +and burned out. Always the power +must be turned off when the iron is laid +aside for even a few minutes.</p> + +<p>No advice as to laundry-work would be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</span> +complete that did not speak a word relative +to mending. The woman who does her own +work will be on the alert for breaks or thin +places in any article and will lay pieces thus +damaged to one side as they are pressed. +As a matter of course it is well to make repairs +before the washing is done, when this is +possible, but many garments are far pleasanter +to mend after laundering than before. +Stockings do not gain enough harm by being +washed before darning to offset the unpleasantness +of having to mend them while they +are still soiled.</p> + +<p>When possible, fine articles which have to +be darned or carefully mended with a patch +or by piecing are best repaired before they +are ironed. After they have been washed +they can be put aside until the housekeeper +has time to mend them properly, and they +can then have an iron run over them and +the mended spot smoothed.</p> + +<p>The life of fine table-linen can be prolonged +indefinitely by attention to the first break in +the hemstitching, the first wear of a thread +in the fabric, the first hole in lace. After +the material once begins to go, even long and +careful mending will scarcely save it, but +watchfulness for the earliest symptoms of +wear will postpone the evil day.</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c9">IX</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">WHEN COMPANY COMES</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">E</span>LABORATE entertaining should not be +undertaken by a young couple of moderate +means. Hospitality should be a matter +of course, but never on a scale that makes it +a burden to carry out at the time or to pay +for afterward.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the best and in many respects the +most agreeable form of hospitality is that +which calls in the occasional guest to an informal +meal—a sort of improvised party. +The husband asks a crony to dine on a certain +night, the wife invites a friend to meet +him. Little change is made in the family +meal—perhaps a salad added as well as a +sweet, or more unusual items ordered, or a +special dessert prepared, but nothing which +would bring the repast into the line of a +dinner-party. There is no state and ceremony +and everything is pleasant and jolly. +Such little dinners are among the most charming<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</span> +forms of entertainment that can be +achieved by young people of moderate means. +When it seems well to widen the circle of +invited guests, all to be done is to increase +the provision made without departing from +the simplicity which is one of the features of +this kind of entertaining.</p> + +<p>In the properly regulated home, where the +observances of polite society are followed as +much when the family is alone as when there +is company, guests have no terrors. When +the unexpected visitor arrives the table is +found spread for two in the same style that +it would be for ten. The napery is fresh and +well laundered; the silver, glass, and china +are shining—clean and arranged in correct +order—the knife at the right of the plate with +the soup or bouillon spoon, the fork at the +left with the napkin; the bread-and-butter +plate, with its slice of bread or roll and the +butter-ball, near the fork, to correspond with +the water-glass on the other side.</p> + +<p>In such a home the maid is taught to +follow the orderly sequence of courses, changing +the plates and crumbing the table with +as much pains for one as for half a dozen. +Little by little she becomes accustomed to +the routine, so that when a more formal entertainment +is planned her work seems to her<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</span> +merely an amplification of that to which she +has grown wonted.</p> + +<p>At the same time a warning should be uttered +to the housekeeper of small ménage +against attempting to ape the hospitality of +those whose incomes far exceed her own. +Pretense is always absurd, and the woman +who undertakes to imitate the style of the +wealthy and fashionable hostess only renders +herself ridiculous without in the least impressing +those with whom she is striving to +compete. Such entertaining strains her income +and is in reality far inferior to the little +parties she might give that would possess a +merit all their own.</p> + +<p>The hostess who aspires to give dinners +should make them small, in the first place. +Six is an excellent number—four besides the +man and woman of the house—and it is +rarely safe for the beginner to have more +than eight all told, unless she is prepared to +hire extra service. Fully as much attention +should be bestowed upon the selection of +the guests as upon the items of the bill of +fare. Friends may be unexceptionable taken +alone or in their own environment who do +not mix with those from another circle, and +in these conditions even the most delightful +develop unexpected powers of boring and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</span> +being bored. To get the right persons together +at a dinner and to seat them in the +proper combinations requires a good deal of +social skill, and for this reason it is better for +the tyro in entertaining to start with small +parties and only work up to the larger affairs +as she becomes more accustomed to exercising +general hospitality.</p> + +<p>Experiments in food should never be tried +on company. Only those articles should be +served which the maid has proved her ability +to prepare perfectly and to serve correctly. +When innovations are to be presented it +should be in the privacy of the family circle. +A dinner that is confined to a few courses +should be remarkable rather for their excellence +than for their unusual character or for +their costliness. I have known housekeepers +who won themselves a reputation for their +dinners when the items of these were of +the simplest character, but were beautifully +cooked and served with a touch of unusualness +which redeemed them from the commonplace.</p> + +<p>Again let me warn the hostess against +attempting too much on such occasions. In +any establishment not supplied with a corps +of trained servants a great deal of the work +of even the quietest dinner falls upon the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</span> +hostess. To her it comes to see that the +table is set, the many small and fussy details +looked after; generally she must give the +final touches of seasoning or blending to soup, +sauces, and salad-dressing. It is no wonder +if sometimes she comes to the table too tired +either to enjoy the food or to lead the talk +of the board and play the part so important +for a hostess who desires to have her guests +enjoy their evening.</p> + +<p>Such fatigue is not necessary if the rules I +have laid down are followed. If, for example, +the cook can make an unapproachable tomato +or oyster bisque; if she can roast a leg +of lamb so that it will melt in the mouth, +prepare candied sweet-potatoes to tempt an +epicure, and spinach with the knack of a +French chef; if there is some special sweet +dish for which she has made herself famous, +whether this be a prune soufflé with whipped +cream, or a frozen mousse or ice—then let +the hostess confine herself to these items for +her company dinners until her maid has +acquired further accomplishments. What difference +does it make if precisely the same +dinner was served to a knot of friends last +week? The guests are different this time, +even if the dishes are unchanged, and these +are good enough to stand repetition though<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</span> +they appear half a dozen times in succession!</p> + +<p>In a neighborhood where dinner is usually +served in the middle of the day and the period +for social festivity is in the evening, supper +may take the place of dinner and be no less +attractive. When this is the case, I would +advise the hostess to adopt some specialty +and stick to it, with only a few variations.</p> + +<p>For instance, I know one housekeeper who +was transplanted from the South to another +section of the country, and who there became +famous for the meals she served from +her mother’s cook-book. Fried chicken with +cream gravy, Southern sweet-potatoes, beaten +biscuit, Sally Lunn, waffles, fried oysters, +batter-bread, syllabubs, were among the dainties +she offered her appreciative guests. Not +that she had all these at one time, but she +rang the changes on them, to the delectation +of the company.</p> + +<p>Another woman I know who was born and +raised in New England made a success much +farther south than this by feasting her friends +on such delicacies as genuine baked beans, +cooked in a bean-pot (she made the fireless +cooker take the place of the ancient brick +oven), Boston brown bread—she called it +“rye ’n’ Injun”—fried pork with cream gravy,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</span> +even creamed codfish and boiled potatoes, +made to taste as no one had ever before +dreamed such things could taste. Of course +doughnuts and coffee were included in her +menus, and pumpkin-pies and other dishes of +that sort. It was amusing and, in a way, +pathetic to see the joy of the exiles from New +England before whom were placed the viands +they had been used to in the long-ago.</p> + +<p>The simplicity of the provision should not +be made an excuse for departing from the +orthodox methods of service. A supper such +as I have described can be served with as +much daintiness as a formal dinner, and the +courses should follow one another in as orderly +a style.</p> + +<p>As strict in the lines of its etiquette as a +dinner is the lunch, where usually women are +the only guests. Such a meal as this may +also be limited in its items. It may begin +with bouillon or soup in cups and, without +pausing for an entrée, may go directly on to +a solid course, such as chicken in some form, +chops, cutlets, and the like, with a vegetable +or two; this be followed by a salad with +crackers and cheese, and the meal wind up +with a sweet of light character, and coffee. +When one has a well-enough trained maid +to introduce such an entrée as oyster pâtés,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</span> +crab meat <i>au gratin</i>, eggs <i>à la Bénédictine</i>, +or something of the kind, and can reconcile +the extra cost to her economical conscience, +the guests will probably enjoy the additional +provision, but no hostess can feel she is +guilty of social stinginess if she omits these +features and follows the simpler lines.</p> + +<p>The same caution may be given here as +with the dinner—to introduce no novelties +for the first time. Use the family as an experiment +station before presenting the new +dishes or the untried fashion of serving them +to outsiders.</p> + +<p>Like the luncheon is the breakfast-party, +with this difference—that men are frequently +invited to the latter, while they are seldom +at the formal luncheon. For such a breakfast, +to be served at twelve-thirty or one, +the first item may be fruit; the soup may be +omitted and the meat course, consisting of +some such dish as broiled or fried chicken, +chops or steak or fish, should be accompanied +by a good hot bread as well as by potatoes +daintily cooked; and coffee in large cups may +be served the same time. A sweet to wind up +a meal like this is rather out of place unless it +takes the form of waffles or griddle-cakes of a +delicate variety with maple syrup or honey. +Sometimes the breakfast concludes as it began,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</span> +with fruit, although of a different kind from +that with which the meal opened. When +oranges or grapefruit prelude the repast, +grapes, etc., may end it.</p> + +<p>All these affairs I have mentioned are for +a small number. The afternoon tea is the +best method of entertaining guests on a +larger scale, and with a minimum of expense.</p> + +<p>I do not need to go here into the details +of sending out cards for such an affair. +Whether the tea be a single one, given for the +amiable purpose of wiping out social obligations, +or as a means of introducing a visitor +to the local friends of the hostess; or a series +of three or four afternoons, the method followed +is the same and the guest who comes +expects nothing beyond a light refreshment. +At the more elaborate affairs of this sort +coffee or chocolate may be served as well as +tea, or a bowl of punch offered. The edible +provisions are always practically the same +and cover a range of sandwiches of different +kinds—piquant, solid, and sweet—varied by +toast buttered plain or sprinkled with cinnamon, +hot scones, small buttered biscuit +and similar cates, followed by cakes of various +kinds, plain or fancy, and in some cases +bonbons and salted nuts. The last are not +really necessary.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</span></p> + +<p>At such a tea as this, if it comprise more +than a few intimates, the maid is usually in +attendance to open the door, direct the +guests to the drawing-room, bring hot tea or +hot water when needed, remove soiled cups +and perhaps pass the food. In the latter +service the hostess may have the aid of her +friends, who usually appreciate the honor of +being asked to “pour” or to help act as +hostesses in introducing new-comers, looking +after the comfort of strangers and making +sure that no one is neglected in the distribution +of refreshments.</p> + +<p>Thus far reference has been made to hospitality +exercised in the home where a maid +is kept. Far more numerous are those establishments +in which no regular service is +employed. Even in these one’s friends may +be entertained as delightfully, if not as formally, +as in the houses supplied with hired +domestics.</p> + +<p>The regulation dinner is practically out of +the question, and it is wiser not to attempt it. +But merry informal suppers, luncheons, and +breakfasts can be compassed and often these +are greater successes than those parties given +under the supervision of a staff of trained +servants. The main point to be guarded +against is the attempt at anything which cannot<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</span> +be put through well. As soon as struggle +is made to do the impossible the effort +becomes not only a burden to the host and +hostess, but a sort of nightmare to the guests. +Better have a roast-oyster party in the +kitchen, where selected members of the company +do the cooking over the gas-stove, while +others take upon themselves the responsibility +of serving the eaters, and the whole +affair is a jolly picnic, than to endeavor to +manage a stately function with insufficient +aid and appurtenances.</p> + +<p>The same sort of informality may mark +the afternoon-tea party in the home where no +maid is kept. All the making ready can be +done in advance, the sandwiches cut and +piled, the cakes arranged, the china and tea +equipage set out, so that nothing is needed +but to start the kettle to boiling and make +the tea when it is needed. A friend will preside +at the tea-table, other friends will look +after other details and leave the hostess free +to welcome and entertain her guests. Such +a party as this is one of the pleasantest, least +costly, and generally satisfactory ways of +gathering one’s friends about one for a social +hour or two.</p> + +<p>The hostess of small means and no maid +should concentrate upon some such line of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</span> +entertaining as this and stick to it. She +should aspire to become known for her merry +afternoon teas, her pleasant Sunday-night +suppers, her gay and informal after-theater +spreads, where the chafing-dish is the principal +feature and where her guests are so well +amused that they think far less of the simple +food put before them than they do of the +good-fellowship they have enjoyed. Formal +entertaining may have to be foregone, but +the substitutes she offers are more genuinely +satisfactory both to the guests who share +them and to the host and hostess who have +to pay for them!</p> +<hr class="full x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</span></p> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="c10">X</h2> +</div> + +<p class="c large sp">THE CHILD IN THE HOUSE</p> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">W</span>ITH the introduction of a baby into an +establishment the whole general management +of the place is changed.</p> + +<p>That is to say, it is changed for a while. +A serious mistake is made when even so important +an event as the arrival of a new member +of the family is permitted to cause a permanent +alteration in the conduct of the home. +The most devoted of husbands and fathers +will yield his position as first-and-foremost +for a while to the latest advent; will take +it for granted that his wife shall be absorbed +in the needs of the baby, shall have no conversation +but that which deals with its joys +and woes, its accidents and accomplishments; +but eventually any man worth a row of pins +will recollect that after all he was a human +being, a husband, and a householder before +he was a parent, and will claim a few of the +rights coming to him in those capacities.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</span></p> + +<p>The prospective mother who grasps this +truth and puts it into practical service after +the baby comes is much more likely to make +a success of her wifehood and matronhood +than the one who is all mother and nothing +else. If the child is well and is properly +trained there is no reason why it should not +be a satisfactory member of society and a joy +to the household and to all about it instead +of a nuisance to every one except its most +devoted parent.</p> + +<p>A great deal more of the comfort of the +child and its future good habits is settled +within the first month of its life than is +suspected by those who have had little to do +with the care of babies. If it is started with +regular habits of eating and sleeping, is from +the beginning accustomed to lie in its cradle +or crib instead of being held in the arms +constantly and lifted and rocked at its first +whimper, it takes such treatment for granted +and forms no habit of making demands for +that which is difficult for the attendant +always to supply and does no good to the +child to receive.</p> + +<p>With a delicate or sickly babe the same +strict rules cannot be enforced as with a +healthy infant, and yet even a puny child +is better off if kept to a steady regimen than<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</span> +if fed, taken up, and put down at uncertain +intervals, and allowed to accumulate a crop +of irregular fashions of eating and sleeping. +Sometimes the struggle to implant a sense of +law and order is a difficult undertaking when +the ill health of the child or the carelessness +of the first nurse has brought it into bad +ways, but persistence in the effort is worth +while for the sake of the comfort success is +bound to bring later to all concerned.</p> + +<p>The periods of feeding are determined by +the doctor, to begin with, and the space between +them is gradually widened as the child +grows older. The system which should be +the guide of the housekeeper in her home has +as large a field of usefulness applied to children +as anywhere else. The baby should be +washed and dressed at a regular hour; the +time for its meals and its outing should be +invariable; the hour for undressing it, washing +it, and making it ready for bed should +never vary except in cases of rare exigency. +If it is a healthy child it will fall naturally +into the habit of taking a morning nap after +the bath and the meal, of waking at a certain +time, and then of lying comfortably in the +bed or on a couch or in its carriage with no +wails to be lifted and walked with. Modern +medical science has declared that the less<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</span> +handling a little baby receives the better for +it, and that for some months its growth +should be in most respects as much like that +of a vegetable as possible.</p> + +<p>As the child gets older and begins to use +its limbs it will be good for it to be exercised +rather more, but nature is a pretty safe guide +to follow in this respect. The baby who is +well and normal is not slow to show its growth +and progress, and it is far wiser for the parent +to be led by these than to attempt to hurry +development either of body or of mind. The +child will assert itself soon enough, and so +decidedly as to leave no room for doubt as +to its proclivities.</p> + +<p>Possibly it may sound a trifle absurd to say +that from the first the child should have the +habit of obedience implanted, yet this is no +absurdity, but a serious and important fact. +At an astonishingly early age the infant endeavors +to pit its small will against that of its +seniors, and the initial step in revolt is +promptly followed by others unless the attempt +is checked at once.</p> + +<p>Neither time nor place is sufficient here to +go into the reasons why the training of a +child in obedience, even at the cost of suffering +and punishment, is not the exercise over +the weak of the tyranny of the strong, but<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</span> +the display of superior wisdom for the benefit +of the inexperienced. It is enough to remind +those who think that a child should be allowed +to grow up naturally, unrestrained by rule +and severity, when severity is required to +enforce discipline, that all through life the +human being must conform to constituted +authority as exemplified in the laws of health, +of the state, of teachers and employers, of +morality, of religion. In view of this the +sooner the child learns to defer to those in +whose charge it is the better for it later on, +the less cruel the lessons life holds in store +for it.</p> + +<p>Apart from this there can be no doubt that +the well-trained child is actually happier than +the one with no law but its own whim. Also +it is much pleasanter company than the self-willed, +undisciplined infant who follows its +own sweet will regardless of the comfort or +preference of others.</p> + +<p>The same kind of regimen established for a +child in babyhood should be pursued when +it grows older and begins to share more +actively in the life of the household. The +mistaken custom of permitting a child to +keep the same hours, eat the same diet, and +follow practically the same life as its elders +cannot be sufficiently condemned. The habit<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</span> +of going to bed early after a light meal, of +having the heaviest repast in the middle of +the day, of partaking of such food as is particularly +suited to the needs of a growing +child, of being debarred rich and indigestible +articles of diet, of having postponed until +more advanced years exciting amusements +and pursuits instead of being hurried into +them while hardly out of infancy, should all +be enforced. A child is not a miniature man +or woman, but an immature human being +who must develop naturally, as plants grow, +and is wronged by being forced into premature +bloom or fruition, mentally or emotionally +as much as physically.</p> + +<p>The child’s food should be carefully considered +by the mother and she should not +regard the time wasted she bestows in studying +food values and devising the best sort of +diet for the nursery. Not until the first +teeth begin to come should starchy food of +any sort be given, and then with caution. +Until the saliva flows freely to help digest +starch, bread in any form, crackers, etc., +should be withheld. As the child reaches +the stage where solid food is allowed this +should continue to be simple in character. +A child does not have the longing for variety +common to more sophisticated palates.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</span></p> + +<p>For the breakfast of the child of two or +more years of age a cereal, well cooked, with +plenty of milk, should be given. Sugar should +not accompany it. When sweet is desirable, +as it often is, it should be taken in some other +way than as an adjunct to a regular article of +diet. With the cereal and milk the child +seldom needs anything more, but if the consumption +of the porridge is not sufficient, a +soft-boiled egg or a poached egg may be +supplied, with a little toast. Milk should +be the drink.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the morning a supplementary +meal may be taken, and this may +consist of a piece of bread and butter and a +glass of milk. Whole-wheat bread is better +than that made from the bolted flour. When +there is a tendency to constipation Graham +bread is good.</p> + +<p>At noon the substantial provision of the +day is to be served and a cup of soup may +begin the dinner, followed by a very small +piece of steak or chop cut up fine, or by an +egg, if one has not been taken at breakfast, +a baked potato, well mashed, with butter or +cream and salt upon it. Rice is also excellent +when served with plenty of good butter. A +plain sweet, like stewed fruit, a milk pudding, +one of rice, of arrowroot, tapioca, or a custard,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</span> +will answer. Milk may again be drunk unless +the child has eaten a meat soup or broth +and meat besides.</p> + +<p>Generally the little one who has taken so +substantial a meal as this at noon will need +nothing more until supper-time, when bread +and milk, crackers and milk, or something +of the sort may be provided; or bread and a +good plain jam or stewed fruit, like prunes +or apple-sauce, with a glass of milk. After +this comes the child’s bed-time, and it should +be put to sleep in a quiet room, alone, with +the door open if symptoms of nervousness +declare themselves, but without a nurse or +other attendant. This may sound hard-hearted, +but the child who is accustomed to +such solitude from infancy will not feel it +an infliction, and the saving of inconvenience +to the parents in the habit of going to sleep +unattended is incalculable.</p> + +<p>The good manners of the child should receive +early consideration. The habit of courtesy +implanted in infancy gives a finish of +manner in later life that no surface polish +can impart. It is as easy for a little boy and +girl to be taught to rise when elders come into +the room, to take their turn at the table, to +handle a knife, fork, and spoon properly, to +eat in a decent fashion, to say, “Thank you,”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</span> +“If you please,” and the like, and to show +the thoughtfulness for the feelings and comfort +of others which is the foundation of all +good breeding, as it is to let the youngsters +grow up as they will and hammer superficial +manners into them when they are older. +The good old rule that “children should be +seen and not heard” is sadly in need of a +revival in many homes, and parents cannot +wonder at the unpopularity of their offspring +when they reflect upon the disagreeable qualities +these often possess.</p> + +<p>All this does not mean that children should +constantly be snubbed and repressed until +individuality and initiative are crushed out +of them. In most children these characteristics +are strong and triumphant. But a certain +measure of deference to elders should be +inculcated—a respect which will prevent a +child from interrupting the conversation of +his seniors, a regard for the conventions +which, after all, have more to do with peace +and amity in the family than many of us +are willing to admit.</p> + +<p>As the child grows older and begins school +and kindergarten, other children will be associated +with him, and from them he will learn +many things it would never occur to his +parents to teach him. Sometimes it seems<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</span> +as though the least that children acquire at +school is their regular lessons. These become +almost a side issue. The influence of the +strange boy or girl often carries more weight +with a child than all the precepts of father, +mother, and teacher. Part of this effect is +transitory, but much of it sticks through life; +and while the children are little more than +babies it becomes incumbent upon the parents—by +which is usually meant the mother—to +strengthen the bond between herself and +her child so that she may the more effectually +offset the outside forces that sway him.</p> + +<p>The sooner the mother recognizes that this +is her lifelong “job” and a most important +one, the better for all concerned. The mere +animal care of the child any competent nurse +could bestow, and sometimes it seems as if +the charge of a specialist who understood +the ins and outs of dietetics and was able +to study the child’s constitution impersonally +might perhaps be better than the attention +received from the average parent. With regard +to the question of instruction in book +learning there is little doubt that a well-qualified +teacher is far more capable than the +most devoted father or mother. All such +duties as these can be delegated to those who +are trained and paid for the work.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</span></p> + +<p>When it comes to the companionship, however, +it is another matter. Here is something +only the mother can give. It is “up to her” +to study the ins and outs of her child’s +nature; to know where and how to bring +pressure in order to counterbalance another +influence; to make herself so one with him +that he turns to her instinctively, with complete +confidence in her ability to meet his +need; to be so close in his intimacy that she +grasps his thoughts almost before they are +formulated; to persuade him unconsciously +to rely upon her judgment, her companionship, +her understanding to an extent that +will hold him in temptation and move him +to range himself on the side of right against +wrong.</p> + +<p>Of course it is not always easy. The +mother does not resign her own individuality +by the mere fact of motherhood; she does +not lay aside her special interests when she +takes up those of her child. Yet if she lets +him suspect that anything comes ahead of +his well-being in her heart she makes a fatal +mistake; she starts the rift between them +which may widen into a chasm not to be +bridged by all her agony and tears.</p> + +<p>It may sometimes be hard to yield up +one’s own will and preference in this way,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</span> +and yet the mother gets her pay as she goes +along, and her labor brings its reward in a +fashion unequaled in any other vocation in +the universe. Nothing in the whole world +pays so well as being a mother!</p> + + +<p class="c large sp">THE END +</p> + +<div class="transnote"> + +<p class="c">Transcriber’s Notes:</p> + +<p>Variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained.</p> + +<p>Perceived typographical errors have been changed.</p> + +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75560 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + |