Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1917 — Best Ways [ARTICLE]

Best Ways

To brighten linoleum, for ten square yards beat two eggs lightly, then add a quart of. lukewarm water and mix thoroughly. With a soft flannel dipped In the mixture wipe the linoleum. When dry repeat, being careful not to step where you have wiped. Open windows and doors and it will dry quickly. Do not spend time or strength scouring discolored tins —-boil them, not tco long, In strong borax water. Wash ir soap suds,, rinse and dry with fire heat. Now rub them thoroughly, wh h a cloth wrung dry from This will soon evaporate, leaving no disagreeable odor. It is not economy to let your kitchen fire go out at night. It will take niore coal to start a fire in the morn ing than it will to keep it up. Clean out the ashes at bedtime, put in a sup ply of coal, close the draughts and leave the front covers slightly ajar. The fire will keep and not -consume much coal. It is not wise to use an old agate or porcelain lined kettle in which season after season successive crops of fruit have been cooked and possibly more or less scorched to the kettle. It costs too much time, labor and sugar to put up fruit to run any risk from a poor kettle. Do not get too large a kettle; the best results are secured when not more than two quarts are cooked at a time. •

It is important, if not necessary, that the housewife should know how to test eggs. Dissolve salt in water in the proportion of two, tablespoonfuls to a pint of water and drop in the eggs one at a time. If strictly fresh they will sink at once to the bottom and remain there. If several Jays old they will sink more slowly, and if over a week they will float, showing a. little above the water. Obstinate ink stains will yield to the following .treatment: If fresh, put salt thickly pver the spot to absorb the ink. In a few seconds shake off and with a cloth apply sweet milk, being careful not to spread the spot. Ccver again with salt, let remain a little Ipnger, wet with milk again,And repeat until the stain disappears. Have you a greasy kettle or spider to clean? Wipe it well with an old rag or some soft paper and the cleaning will then be mere sinecure. Newspapers are a fine thing to polish windows or mirrors. Keep squares of paper hung on a hook near the kitchen table and you will be surprised and pleased at the various uses you will find for them and how much worn they will save. Whenever we go abroad in very cold or windy weather, we cover tbe chest with several layers of newspapers. There is quite a scope for study in hanging pictures. Study the effect of light and position. Give strong light to dark or somber pictures. Those of bright tints like fruit, may be placed

“in a lesser light. If a~picture has many figures or details it will appear at best advantage to be hung low, in nearly a direct line of vision. Photographs should not have heavy of dark frames, light or enameled wood or gilt. Medallions and small water colors may have a wire drawn tightly across the back at the center and be caught on a small screw in the wall, so that the wire is not seen. |tete that will keep sweet almost in<J®nitely is made by dissolving one ounce of good glue and one ounce of alum in warm water. When boiling stir in some flour-wirfehbas been beaten smooth in warm water and cook until it is df the consistency of boiled starch. When cold stir in two teaspoonfuls of oil of lavender or any of the essential oils. ——

Arranging Flowers Here are five golden rules which -should be observed by those who often arrange flowers. Use plenty of foliage. Pul your flowers in very lightly. Use artistic glasses. Do' not pnt more than two, or at the most, three different kinds of flowers in one decoration. Arrange your colors to form a bold contrast or, better still, a soft harmony. The aim of the decorator -should be to show off the floweiw—not the vases , that contain them; therefore the simpler ones are far preferable to even the most elaborate. Glasses for a dinner table shoulAlm either white or a delicate shade of green or- rose ’ color, according to the flowers arranged in them. Some Carpet Notes Do you know that carpet like ancient' Gaul, 1J divided into three classes? First there is the jacquard—carpet with cut or uncut pile and a mechanical repeat form pattern. In this class ireincluded brussels, wilton and Ingrein. Then there is the enlightening t.tle of non-jacquard. Axmtnster and chenile carpets are in this group. Finally, there is the printed class, which includes fabrics on which the design is printed after weaving. Favor is awarded to' carpets in the following order: Brussels comes first, followed by wilton, axmlnster, ingrain, tapestry and last of all velvet. Althouglr vinegar may be used so; Meaning the outside of copper cooking tlensHs, care should be taken to avoid 1 etting any fall on the tin lining a< the pan. To clean the pan inside and out, by tar the best method is to icrub it with soda, hot water and r oap> The outside may then be polished with a rag dipped in vinegar, - v