HOUSEHOLD HINTS. 



calculated to have the most salutary and agree- 

 able effects. The tendency to over-expenditure, 

 -or living beyond the means, is constantly checked, 

 or at least you are not deceived upon the subject, 

 and, in all likelihood, much future embarrassment 

 is avoided. 



In referring to housekeeping accounts, we must 

 put you on your guard against the very mischiev- 

 ous practice of buying on credit, and running up 

 bills with tradesmen. If you can at all avoid 

 taking credit, do so. By paying for every article 

 with ready money, you will possess two decided 

 advantages you get everything cheaper as you 

 want it, and you can go anywhere to seek out the 

 best markets. Housewives who run up bills 

 beyond weekly or monthly convenience, become 

 the slaves of tradesmen, and can possess no 

 proper independence of action or self-respect. 

 The advantage of ready-money dealing is now 

 fully recognised by the success which has attended 

 co-operative stores. 



Servants. The old practice of hiring domestic 

 servants for six months at once is going out of use. 

 Both mistresses and servants find, by experience, 

 that a bargain for such a length of time very often 

 produces disagreements. It is best for all parties 

 that the term hired for should be only one month 

 at a time, with one month's notice for separation. 

 By this plan a servant can leave a place which 

 does not please her without any long delay ; 

 and in the same way a mistress can give a 

 servant warning to quit at a short notice, should 

 it be found that she is unsuitable. Thus a 

 separation can always take place amicably. All 

 servants and mistresses who try this plan find < 

 it so agreeable, that they never like to change it. j 

 Many servants remain years in a place, though I 

 hired on the understanding that it is only from i 

 month to month, or, what is the same thing, for ' 

 no fixed period, but just as long as both parties 

 agree ; and that, in the event of any dissatisfaction, 

 there shall be a week or a month's warning given 

 on either side. This practice is now almost uni- 

 versal. 



Ordinarily, a good mistress endeavours to seek 

 out and attach a good servant to herself. She 

 effects this attachment and good-will by simply 

 laying before the servant what is to be her line of 

 duties, or what is expected of her, and then leaving 

 her, undisturbed, to execute these duties in a 

 regular methodic manner. No servant likes to be 

 interfered with in her work, or to be called away 

 from one thing to do another ; nevertheless, some 

 mistresses are not happy unless they are bustling 

 up and down the house, ordering and counter-order- 

 ing, or in some other way worrying the servant out 

 of all patient endurance. Mistresses of this fidgety 

 turn can hardly expect to keep good servants, 

 should they be so fortunate as to procure them. We 

 advise the young housewife to commence on the 

 wise plan of prescribing to her servants, in simple, 

 plain terms, the duties which she expects they will 

 daily and regularly execute ; and if the servants 

 are unfit to take advantage of this friendly and 

 liberal arrangement, and require to be continu- 

 ally urged and ' spoken to,' it is better for both that 

 there should be a separation. Where two or more 

 servants are engaged, it is absolutely necessary 

 that the precise duties of each should be expressly 

 defined, in order to prevent disputes between them, 

 and that the work of the house may be duly per- 



formed. We hope yet to see colleges or institu- 

 tions established- where young girls may receive 

 an education fitting them to fulfil the duties of 

 servants with satisfaction to themselves and to 

 their employers. At the same time, a proper 

 footing between servant and mistress cannot be 

 expected to exist, unless the latter has been brought 

 up to a thorough practical knowledge of house- 

 keeping, and can thus appreciate work when it is 

 well done, or point out deficiencies and faults 

 when they exist. As really good and trustworthy 

 servants are by no means common, we would 

 strongly urge the young housekeeper, if she hap- 

 pens to possess them, to treat them with every 

 kindness and consideration. 



In accordance with our best legal authorities, the 

 character to be given of a servant must accord 

 with the strict truth. If a false good character be 

 given, and the servant afterwards rob her master 

 or mistress, the person who gave such false char- 

 acter is liable to an action for compensation. For 

 the protection of masters and mistresses, it has 

 been legally decided that they are not obliged to 

 give a discharged servant any character, and 

 no action is sustainable for refusing to do so. 

 Where a servant has proved unfaithful, the 

 safest and best course to adopt is, for the master 

 or mistress to decline answering any inquiries on 

 the subject. 



CLEANING AND POLISHING. 



The best way to clean a house is to keep it clean 

 by a daily attention to small things, and not allow- 

 ing it to get into such a state of dirtiness and dis- 

 order as to require great and periodical cleanings. 

 Some mistresses, and also some servants, seem to 

 have an idea that a house should undergo ' regu- 

 lar cleanings,' or great bouts of washing and 

 scrubbing, once every three or six months, on 

 which occasions the house is turned almost inside 

 out, and made most uncomfortable. All this is 

 bad economy, and indicates general slovenliness 

 of habits. 



Wooden Floors, if kept in order by daily sweep- 

 ing and other small attentions, may be effectually 

 cleaned by washing them with warm water and 

 soap ; but if spots of grease are to be removed, 

 the spots must previously be taken out with 

 fuller's-earth. Ink-spots may be discharged with 

 spirit of salt. Some mistresses make a practice 

 of ordering the floors of bedrooms to be frequently 

 washed. We wish to guard both mistresses and 

 servants against this practice. It is most danger- 

 ous to the health of the person who occupies tfi 

 bedroom to wash or scour it, unless the we.uhcr 

 be very fine or warm, in order to allow the window 

 to be opened for thoroughly drying the room 

 before night The utmost that should be done, 

 except in favourable circumstances, is to pass a 

 damp mop lightly over the floor. 



Carpets. Ordinary Kidderminster carpets can 

 be cleaned only by shaking and beating ; i 

 cleaned by means of washing, they become so soft 

 as to be speedily dirtied again, and their appear- 

 ance is spoiled. Brussels carpets may be cleaned 

 as follows : Take them up and shake and beat 

 them, so as to render them perfectly free 1 

 dust. Have the floor thoroughly scoured and dry, 

 and nail the carpet firmly down upon it Take a 

 pailful of clean cold spring water, and put into it 



