s she is a girl. She is sure to
have to "keep house" some day, and whatever house she finds herself in,
it is certain that that place is the better for her being there.

Too many odds and ends and draperies about a room are only dust-traps,
and rugs or carpet squares, which can be taken up easily, are better
than nailed down carpets. Keep all the furniture clean and bright. Fresh
air, soap, and water are the good housewife's best allies. Bars of soap
should be cut up in squares, and kept for six weeks before being used.
This hardens it, and makes it last longer.

In scrubbing boarded floors, the secret is not to deluge the floor;
change the water in the pail frequently.

In the work of cleaning, think out your plan beforehand, so as not to
dirty what has been cleaned. Plan certain times for each kind of work,
and have your regular days for doing each thing.

PASTE-BOARDS AND DEAL TABLES.--Scrub hard the way of the grain. Hot
water makes boards and tables yellow. Rinse in cold water, and dry well.

SAUCEPANS.--New saucepans must not be used till they have first been
filled with cold water and a little soda, and boiled for an hour or so,
and must be well scoured. After basins or saucepans have been used fill
them at once with cold water to the brim; this will prevent anything
hardening on the saucepan, and will make cleaning easier.

[Illustration]

Needlework

"A stitch in time saves nine." We cannot agree with this favorite
saying, because it saves so many more than nine, besides saving time and
preventing untidiness.

Tailors, who are such neat workers, will say that they never pin their
work first. If you are not a tailor, it is much better to place your
work, before you begin, with plenty of pins. You will never get straight
lines or smooth corners if you do not plan and place it all first, just
as it has got to be, and tack it there.

Have you noticed that thread is very fond of tying itself into a bow;
but this can be prevented by threading the cotton into the needle before
you cut it off the reel, making your knot at the end you cut.

In rough measures, one inch is equivalent to the distance across a
twenty-five-cent piece, and a yard is from nose to thumb, as far as you
can reach. Needlework is good for all of us; it rests and calms the
mind. You can think peacefully over all the worries of Europe whilst you
are stitching. Sewing generally solves all the toughest problems,
chiefly other peoples'.