music, of
engagements, of books, and so forth might be set down. Any subject that
needed to be kept track of could be thus securely noted in the card
catalog.

Under the heading "Inventory" a most useful record might be made.
Subordinate headings on cards of some other color should be used. The
first of these would be "Parlor." Behind that would be placed the cards
that told all the articles of furniture or decoration that that
important room contained. "Dining-room," "Kitchen," "Pantry," etc.,
would come along in order and all items considered worthy of note would
be put on their proper cards. Then there would be other cards entitled
"Linen-closet," "Side-board," "Old Bureau," "Old Chest," "Black Trunk,"
"Brown Trunk," "Old-fashioned Deep Basket," or other containers of
clothing, silver, bedding, linen, utensils, or treasures of any kind. In
case of fire, the card catalog, along with the locked document box or
safe, would be one of the things to be sought for first and rescued from
harm. In fact there should by rights be two copies of any household
inventory made, so that in case the inventory in the house should
chance to be burned with the house, there might still be a careful
record preserved in some safe place for future reference, for purposes
of insurance or for historic archives. Every one of us should think of
the family as an institution of dignity, one whose smallest doings have
importance, because we belong to a great human family, and because we
are bearing on the touch of life to future generations. We are now
making history. And we should see to it that our link of the unending
chain should not break for want of a sensible and accurate recorder.

This description of the card catalog is given with so much particularity
because it has been proved by long experience that it is a very great
saving of trouble to have it exactly right. The making of the cards is a
matter of the nicest care. This exactitude is essential to the quick
movement of the fingers and is therefore a saving of time in hunting for
the one card desired. The jelly may be almost ready to "jell," and one
may run to the catalog of recipes to find what is the matter; one must
not be impeded an instant at that critical point. Time is always
precious, too, to the housekeeper, and the orderliness that makes it
possible to find things quickly is one of the most important elements in
the success of the new housekeeping.

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