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8
The Commoner.
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VOLUME 5, NUMBER 4
LjRtfVi fnn Ameni
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Conducted fry
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My Valontlno
wiin. si'mli 1 send my love?
flowers are dead;
Tlio scent of summer roses long have
Hod;
Tho blasts of winter long ago have
blent
With dying leaves their mission well-
nlgh spent.
I sent my love, when she and I were
young,
"With many a dream undreamed and
song unsung,
A vnleiilino such words as lovers
write
Whon hearts are young and happiness
in sight.
What shall I send her, now, from out
U1U JJUHL
Tho days so sweet, that could nor
would not last?
Nor flowers nor words the distance can
o'orlcap
'Twixt hoarl3 that languish or 'twixt
oyos that weep.
Tho years that parted us have brought
us pain;
Naught can assuago it till we meet
again;
But thought can bridge the distance
to her shrine,
And thought, tonight, shall be. my val
entine. Ladies World.
skirt in this, dip up and down, in and
out, many times, as you woum wasu
flannels. When tne airt is wnony uuc,
rinse well in clear, lukewarm water,
shako -vigorously, but do not wring,
hang in tho open air and iron before it
becomes thoroughly dry, ironing on
the wrong side. Before wetting, care
fully hunt out all spots, mark them
with a white threajl, and give them at
tention in the 3Uds.
Seods and Plants
I have in my hand a half dozen let
ters from as many of our readers, ask
ing where they may get the seeds and
plants I havo told them about, and as
I read the letters, I wonder if the writ
ers over look over the advertising col
umns. Taking up a copy of The Com
moner, which proves to be of date of
January 20th, I find tho cards of no
less than eight nurserymen and seed
Biuwurs, una irom Having dealt with
nearly all of them, myself, I feel con
lldent that an order, placed with any
of them would be satisfactorily filled
It will cost but a postal card to get the
catalogue of any one of them, and you
will find much valuable information in
oach. By sending your order early
you will bo more apt to gel the choice
as to quality, and the kinds you send
ror, for orders are filled in tho order in
which they are received, and the sends
sent at once, but the plants will usual
ly not bo sent until time to plant them
out.
Our Homo Chats
This is tho "dead of winter," and as
ily glancing out at the snow and ice
bound landscape before us, we hardly
know what to do with our enforced
idloness. In many parts of the country,
the coldest weather and the most disa
greeable days come in February, and
raiiu liiu uuuiuu ui cue xuiuiij uib
never at a loss for employment, tho
cold and snow and ice of the out-doors
send tho men folks inside and they
seem to find it hard to interest them
selves, or to keep from rushing away
to tho towns to "hear the news." Many
of these men, if asked by their long
enduring wives to do the little odd jobs
mF inmifUnf fhn furiiHiiro nr rotinirtrnr
the inside of the house, or in other
ways lessening me inconvenience un
der which the housework must be done
because the wife is seldom mechanic
enough to do them herself, will be
come indignant, and ask if they are
never to be allowed to have any rest
forgetting that the truest rest comes
.J I... .. .- ..! ..!
Ul U UllilllgU OI WUl'K.
If they could only appreciate tho
great convenienco a new shelf, or a set
of thorn, or a row of hooks, or a little
Wltchim? nf (ui nnrnnru ;i ctnnnlnr ,p
mouse holes, or a gluing together or
"shackling" articles of furniture, the
a little treatment, can be made to do
service for many days to come. In my
own home, many a dark day has been
brightened by the sound'of the saw and
hammer which assured mo that
"things" would be in better shape after
their noise ceased, and tne order that
all dust-raising must bo suspended for
a day or two was simply delightful, for
by it I knew the varnish brush had
been in play, and that meant less house
cleaning labor.
9
To Ronovato Portiors
INOtning is ueuer iui una uiuh taa--oline,
but one can not be cautioned
i.w. ., inn .ofmnwlv in hnnrlln
this dangerous fluid carefully. To
clean a pair of chenille or velour. por
tieres, six to eight gallons of gaso
lino is necessary, and the work-must
bo performed out of doors. Spread
tho hangings on the gras3 .and brush
lengthwise and across, and on both
sides; never hang on a line, to brush or
beat, as the strain is very likely to
break the warp. Look them over care
fully for soiled spots and dust streaks,
and mark each spot and .streak with a
white thread. Put tire hangings in a
tub and cover with gasoline; rub the
soils, and afterwards the whole cur
tain with the. hands and work up and
down in the fluid until it looks clean.
Gently squeeze out the gasoline, but
on no account wring; rinse, in another
tub of fresh gasoline and hang to dry
in tho shade, without wringing or
ollolino- nnrl ncin oo frtiTf nino no nnnnt
ble. As' the curtains dry, occasionally
pull them out smooth and straight.
Theodor will disappear in drying.
Household.
easing of tight window sash or bureau
The
For Tho Sowing Room
very best dressmakers alwavs
easing 01 tignt window sash or bureau they sew on hooks and eyes, and work
drawers, and innumerable llttlo odds toward tho top or neck, and they also
and ends of repair, wmilrl iw tr ir keen a cnnMmimis rlim-wi inctoni ap
To R.onovato Dlaok Cloth
Spots may be removed from black
cloth by tho use of soap bark, to bo
bad of tho druggist. Pour a quart of
boiling water over an ounce of soap
bark; let stand fifteen minutes strain
through cheesecloth and It is ready
for use. Use a piece of ihe material if
you havo it, saturated well with the
fiuld, for sponging off the soiled or
sta ned spots. Any old black skirt
. stained, spotted or soiled to an appar
ently hopeless condition, may be made
anew by immersing wholly in a tub
of diluted soap bark and water in the
nroportions as' above, adding thereto
ibout two gallons of hot water to the
aunrt of soap bark suds. Immerso the
BETTER THAHAilNG
" rojmU,n,irPn trouble y 011 'in th l wir r n ,,rt,y
and ends of repair, would be to the
worneu nome-mouier, 1 think there
would bo moro happy homes. As a'
case in point, a few weeks ago, a rocker
thai, bad served all summer on my own
porch was sent to an out building in a
very shabby condition. In many fami
lies it would have found its way to the
kindling pile, because of its weather
beaten, "rickety" condition; but in-
bicau, a low days later, 1 found occupy
ing a place which just needed another
chair, a really handsome, apparently
new rocker, and It looked very much at
homo, too. On investigation, I found
it to bo the battered veranda ehair
made anew with glue and varnish '
One need not be a "professional" in
order to use the paint and varnish
brush about, the home, and nothing
adds more to "the looks of things " or
effects a greater savins in r.? ',,
to he cash cost, than fresh paint var
nish and glue, applied indoors and out
as the needs may be. The work is not
hard, and many women wolud gladlv
do it for themselves, if only the mate
rial were furnished them. 1 have dono
a little of it, myself, although a Tore
practiced hand might have donT It
better, but even as 1 did it, there was
manifest improvement.
nn itho h"?C cleaninS season will
soon bo on, it might be a good thim!
for tho head of ih Tf JJL 5oa tn ?S
hero that is in him b T gVng to battln
armed with tho glue pot the nSt. -
begin at the bottom of a bodice when
keep a continuous thread, instead of
Lutmuiuig it ul eucn nooK ana eye. It
is better practice o alternate the hooks
and eyes wherever practicable since
they are sure to remain more securely
fastened than when arranged each
kind on one side. A good many ama
teur dressmakers use the hook-and-eye
tape that can be bought all ready
for use, but the best dressmakers in
particular work, prefer to sew on the
hooks and eyes by hand.
Always finish off your sleeves before
sewing them in; overcast or bind the
sdams and carefully press them open if
necessary, also adjust the trimmings
and finish the sleeves off at the wrists
then tho bodice will not get wrinkled
and soiled from over-much handling
Before finishing the sleeves, however
they must be carefully basted into the
bodice and carefully fitted to tho arm
and the proper length noted; the bod
ce must be entirely completed before
the sleeves and stock are permanently
fastened to place.-Ladles' World
Clowning With. Gas n
h?,cev, ?, Vaq best dry-cleanser3 for
S?e use ldof UTV ll gf0line' but in
tne use of it, it shou d always ho
borne in mind that there is very great
danger from the escaping fum7s com
Ins in contact with heat or fire ov?n
at a considerable distance OnBSiS
must never be used or uncovered in
match ' "-"u .J?"!. caD-llQ or
much of the discomfort, To say' nolmt T' , T eat pre au ,on can nSt
of the saving and brightening J ll USed' xt wi always be well to
tho old pieces of rurnitiip iS!i. U5..S.f liav.G any vessel contalnfiii, if 1? J
oiuoors. For cleansing articles 4lch
nan not be washed without ruin ns f
shrinkage or color, it can be used
to- wash in the same as water, and
when the washing and rinsing are
finished", it can be poured into somo
vessel which can bo tightly closed, set
a3lde and allowed to settle, and can
then be used again, either as fuel, or
for washing other dark articles, but
not for white; or'; liglft tints. S'uch
work should always- bfi done out of
doors, in the open air, , and even then
at a distance from any flame or fire.
It this care is taken, it is a good clean
ser to recommend; otherwise, it
should bo strictly let alone.
Fevshlorv Notes
Although itis yef'too.-early in the
season lo begin inuqh dress-ma.ung,
much of the family -sewing can bo
done; many of -the wjnter garments
that 'are showing wear and "soil can be
renovated and, with ;a -.little touching
up, bo made to supply the "between"
season, and also' to be worn during the
many cold days the advancing season
is sure to bring. For the new styles,
t;he shoulders, will bo broad, tho
3leeves full, at both the shoulder and
the "wrists, gathered intp deep cuffs, or
close-fitting below the elbows. As a
rule, however, the. sleeves will be largo
at the top, and some will be made with
one or more puffs -and deep, close-lit-ting
cuffs. Many sleeves have tucna
running around .the legro'inutton, and
this stylo promises to-be .very popular
tho coming season. V)Th,ebishop sleeve
is a little larger at tho top, and elbow
sleeves aro seen in gowns of many
fabrics.
The skirts are full add in round
lengths; surplice. waists will be much
worn, chemisettes will be popular,
round yokes will remain and much
shirring and tucking will be seen in all
soft, clinging materials.
The shirt-waist suit is advertised ex
tensively and now and pretty designs
and materials are largely shown. In
some of the magazines, the old Mother
Hubbard is' brought "dut, being siniplo
in the extreme as to make, alid grace
ful in lino, while thero is no gainsaying
its comfort for indoors wear.
The small, tapering waist with
broad, high shoulders are again seen,
and tho craze for hand-embroidery,
fancy braids, jets, eyelet- embroidery
and fancy stitching is still very great
For th Baby
The bag-night-gown is very useful,
as it prevents tne baby kicking off ihe
covers and thus exposing 'its little
limbs to the cold, while it in no wise
hampers tho action of the restless feet.
This gown is simply a plain, little
gown, made of flannel or flannellette,
with comfortable bishop sleeves and
high neck, cut wide at the bottom of
a rather long skirt, in tho hem of which
a tape is run by which it can be drawn
up and tied like a bag.-
A pretty little bloomer creeping
apron is also shown made of good
wearing material, and its use saves tho
little dresses both from wear and from
tho laundry. The apron is ihade full
both before and behind, buttoning up
the back; the lower part, which must
be cut very full and long, is fashioned
like bloomers, and each leg part is
gathered into a band at .the bottom,
through which a piece of elastic may
bo run to hold it closely about tho
ankles.
Entertainments, Etc.
Frequently, some one or more of our
readers ask that menus "for special oc
casions, ways of entertaining, number
of guests to bo invited, plays, games,
etc., be given them, either by privato
letter or through tho page3 of tlio
Hojmo Department. In nono of theso
cases do I havo any idea of tho finan
cial circumstanced, ' ropm or rooms to
be! given over to tUo guests, ability of
thfe; liostess to carry 'out a fixed pro
gram, r'tastes of the Intended partici
pants, their age3, or. other Knowledge
1WSB3CW