AX niPEOTED RAILBOAD CROSSING 



43 



full of dishes to wash, and a boy down with 

 the measles." 



Thinl- more of the corn-fort of the fanuhj than 

 to outdo the ucifjhbors. — •'Many of the un- 

 necessary steps I take are caused by forget- 

 fulness and in putting up things that some- 

 one else has left out of place. I find a great 

 saving in having the stove near the sink and 

 cupboards. A cupboard half way down the 

 cellar stairs to put provisions in is better 

 than going down the full length of the stairs. 

 Two or three shelves on the side, that can 

 be reached by just opening the door, will 

 hold many thing"? very conveniently. I wish 

 housekeepers could be made to think more 

 of the comforts and pleasures of their fam- 

 ilies, and less of txTing to outdo someone 

 else, and keep in the latest fashion." 



Apiireri'-itiou corn pen sates for extra Jfihor. — 

 "One way that housewives may save many 

 steps is to haA^e one of those kitchen cab- 

 inets that hold all the flour, meal, spices, 

 etc. Dare I say that the men can help more 

 than anyone else to save steps? They can 

 lighten our work by encouraging and prais- 

 ing us. If one of those lords of creation 

 comes in and doesn't even say one vvord. but 

 smiles, picks up the water bucket, and brings 

 in a lot of wood, or takes up the ashes, how 

 pleased we are! But if he comes in and 

 takes the last drop of water out of the 

 bucket that our poor tired hands have drawn 

 and brought in. that doesn't save steps. Still 

 we perhaps would be too tired to notice this, 

 if he would only not say, T never come into 

 this house but that the water bucket is dry!' 



If in taking the water, he would say, 'How 

 nice of you to have water right here for me!' 

 I really believe we would feel compensated 

 for our extra labor." 



Build the sink and tables high so as to avoid 

 stooping. — "There should be hooks near the 

 sink for the large dish-pan, the handled dish- 

 cloth and a shelf of the height of the sink, 

 which should be so high as to reach nearly 

 to the housekeeper's waist so as to save her 

 the painful stooping and also protect her 

 from the slopping of water. A high stool 

 should stand in every kitchen upon which 

 the mistress can sit while compounding 

 bread, cake and other foods, washing and 

 wiping dishes and cleaning vegetables." 



In the next issue of Home axd Flowers 

 we may be able to give you some suggestions 

 for saving steps. In the meantime, let us 

 hear from you, that we may have the benefit 

 of your practical experience. Never mind 

 if the sphere in which your work is small. 

 It is a useful one. The woman who works 

 otit her household problems intelligently is 

 chemist, physicist, physiologist, entomol- 

 ogist, botanist, artist, physician and min- 

 ister. The Quaker poet may have felt this 

 when he said, 



"Her presence lends its warmth and health 

 To all who come before it. 

 If woman lost us Eden, 



Such as she alone restored it." 



AX I M P E 0 Y E D E A I L E 0 A D C E 0 S S I X G 



MILL XECX PARK" is a striking ex- 

 ample of what can be done in 

 the way of outdoor decoration and 

 beautifying with the expenditure of a little 

 time and trouble. This park is the work of 

 Charles F. Wilkens, of Flushing, New York. 

 Mr. Wilkens is one of the humblest of the 

 employees of the Long Island Railroad. He 

 is a flagman engaged to watch the crossings 

 of the railroad at the Mill Xeck road, an 

 important highway that winds down along 

 the north shore of Long Island just outside 

 the limits of the Greater New York. Mr.. 

 Wilkens found much spare time on his hands 

 this past spring. He loves nature, and the 

 thing that suggested itself to him was tc 

 make his surroundings more inviting. 



Just across the tracks from the little 

 shanty that the railroad provided for him 

 was a high and uninviting bank, overgrown 

 v.ith briers and underbush. He decided to 

 make a park of this bank. He went to 

 work with a pick and shovel and leveled the 

 bank as far as the railroad's property ex- 

 tended. Then he laid out grass plots and 



flower beds. These beds are very artistic. 

 Between the beds walks of white gravel 

 were laid. Several little rockeries were 

 built at convenient places. Then Mr. Wil- 



kens made three or four rustic chairs and 

 put them in the shady corners. The fame of 

 Mr. Wilkens' pretty little park has spread 

 widely. 



