,,from ,,kitchen ,,to ,,garret ,,printed ,,by ,,spottiswoode ,,and ,,co41 ,,new-,,street ,,square ,,london ,,from ,,kitchen ,,to ,,garret ,,hints ,,for ,,young ,,householders ,,by ,j4 ,e4 ,,panton ,,seventh ,,edition ,london ,,ward ,,downey #ab ,,york ,,street1 ,,convent ,,garden #ahij ,,to #8,,primrose' #8,,mollie' #8,,fr,,ulein' #8,,cherry ,,blossom' ,,and ,,many ,,others ,,who ,,from ,,correspondents ,,have ,,become ,,friends ,,through ,,the ,,medium ,,of ,,these ,,hints ,,to ,,young ,,households ,this ,work is ,dedicated ,,by ,,their ,,attached ,,mentor ,,and ,,guide ,,the ,,author ,,preface4 ,in presenting this book in a completed and augmented form to the public1 ,i think a few words of explanation are necessary1 lest the way in which the chapters are written may lay me open to a charge of egotism4 ,about two years ago ,i began writing a series of short articles in the pages of the #8,lady's ,pictorial' on the absorbing subject of housekeeping1 meaning to confine myself strictly to the house and home of the ,british matron who begins life with little money and less experience1 never thinking anything more would come of them than a mere temporary access of work for a few weeks2 but ,i had not begun them for more than a month when1 through the office of the paper1 a regular and increasing mass of correspondence began to reach me1 asking questions on every subject under the sun1 from the proper management of a house and the feeding of a baby to the fearful inquiry whether ,i thought a wife should leave her husband or not when she discovered all too late she liked somebody else better than she did her lord and master4 ,since then ,i have become a species of #8mother confessor' to hundreds of unknown and valued friends in all parts of the world4 ,i have correspondents in ,new ,zealand1 ,india1 ,america1 and in all parts of the ,continent1 and they have demanded of me that ,i shall produce a book evolved from my articles and from the pages of #8,answers to ,correspondents1' which have been my work and my great pleasure since the articles on the home began2 and as they persist in asking for my experience and my opinions ,i am obliged to give them1 though knowing and fearing ,i shall be accused of speaking everlastingly about myself2 still ,i have never mentioned a thing ,i have not tried or experienced1 nor spoken of a single chair1 table1 or1 in fact1 anything that ,i have not honestly and truly tried myself4 ,from my correspondence ,i have evolved quite a new profession1 which ,i commend to any lady who has taste and may wish to earn her living1 ,i go to people's houses and advise them about their decorations1 and tell them the best places to go to for different things2 ,i buy things for country ladies1 and write them long letters on every subject under the sun for a set fee1 and have made some of the nicest friends possible through this means2 and ,i feel sure that any lady who cares to take up the #8profession1' and is of sufficient social status to be above the suspicion of taking commission or bribes from tradespeople to advertise their wares1 and who above all possesses a quick eye and a certain amount of taste1 can make a good and steady income in a remarkably pleasant way1 while a great future would be before any gentleman possessed of the same qualifications1 for he could see to estimates for painting1 repairing1 c41 and could act as a buffer between the purchaser and the workman1 and1 being thoroughly acquainted with his business1 would soon become the boon and benefactor1 to the ordinary person who requires his house done up and furnished1 who is much wanted1 and that no lady can be1 because of the necessary fighting powers and technical knowledge4 ,in connection with my work1 we have now started a society for the employment of ladies who will either decorate a house entirely1 make the chair-covers and curtains ,i recommend1 or work at ladies' houses at dressmaking and upholstering1 so that ,i may justly pride myself on the fact that at least my particular column in the #8,lady's ,pictorial' has been of some small practical good already4 ,the address of the #8,workers' ,guild' is #aa ,kensington ,square1 ,w4 ,i may mention1 in conclusion1 that ,i have revised and rewritten the whole of the articles which appeared in the #8,lady's ,pictorial1' and in some cases entirely evolved new matter out of my inner consciousness2 and if only the public extends to my book half the sympathy and appreciation ,i have received from my thousands of correspondents for my articles1 ,i shall never regret the day when1 at my editor's request1 ,i seized the sceptre and became the ruling genius of many and many an unknown home4 ,j4 ,e4 ,,panton4 ,,the ,,manor ,,house1 ,,watford1 ,,herts4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,,page ,i4 ,,choosing ,a ,,house #a ,,ii4 ,,the ,,kitchen ,,arrangements #i ,,iii4 ,,meals ,,and ,,money #ah ,,iv4 ,,the ,,housemaid',s ,,closet1 ,,and ,,glass ,,and ,,china #bi ,v4 ,,first ,,shopping #cf ,,vi4 ,,the ,,hall #dj ,,vii4 ,,the ,,dining-,,room #di ,,viii4 ,,the ,,morning-,,room #fi ,,ix4 ,,the ,,drawing-,,room #gh ,x4 ,,curtain1 ,,carpets1 ,,and ,,lighting #ia ,,xi4 ,,bedrooms #ajc ,,xii4 ,,dressing-,,room #ace ,,xiii4 ,,spare ,,rooms #aci ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,servants' ,,rooms #aea ,,xv4 ,,the ,,nurseries #afj ,,xvi4 ,,in ,,retirement #ahj ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,schoolroom #aib ,,xviii4 ,,boys ,,and ,,girls #bja ,,xix4 ,,entertaining ,,one',s ,,friends #bji ,,xx4 ,,the ,,summing-,,up #bbc ,,illustrations4 ,,figs4 ,,pages #a4 ,,suggestion ,,for ,,draping ,,arch ,,in ,,hall #db #b4 ,,suggestion ,,for ,,draping ,,door ,,in ,,hall #dc #c1 #d4 ,,lamps #dg #e-h4 ,,chairs #ej-ec #i4 ,,sideboard #ee #aj4 ,,dining-,,room ,,at ,,gable-,,end1 ,,shortlands #eg #aa1 #ab4 ,,window-,,seat #ei1 #fj #ac4 ,,chair 7,,wicker7 #fc #ad4 ,,bookcase #gb #ae4 ,,drawing-,,room ,,at ,,gable-,,end1 ,,shortlands #gi #af4 ,,manor ,,house ,,windows #ie #ag4 ,a ,,corner ,,in ,a ,,bedroom1 ,,gable-,,end1 ,,shortlands #aje #ah4 ,,draped ,,alcove ,,for ,a ,,bed #aaa #ai4 ,,dressing-,,table #aag #bj1 #ba4 ,,washing-,,stands #abd1 #abe ,,from ,,kitchen ,,to ,,garret ,,chapter ,i4 ,,choosing ,a ,,house4 ,in the following chapters ,i propose to give young housekeepers1 just launching their bark on the troubled seas of domesticity1 the benefit of the experience that has been bought by me1 occasionally rather dearly1 in the course of some eighteen or twenty years2 for ,i have often been struck with amazement at discovering how few really practical guides there are that even profess to help newly married girls past those first shoals and quicksands that so often wreck the little vessel1 or that spoil and waste so much that could have been usefully employed had knowledge stood at the helm1 and experience served as a lighthouse to point out the rocks and narrows4 ,naturally1 no one ever uses another's experience entirely3 to do so would make life too near perfection and too monotonous to be pleasant4 ,still1 there are a hundred little hints that ,i have constantly been asked to give1 a great many helps to household arrangement that ,i have bestowed on many of my young friends starting in life2 and ,i trust ,i may not be considered unduly egotistical if ,i lay before my readers the result of some years of life1 and a good deal of experience obtained by looking about me generally4 ,i shall propose in the first two or three chapters to sketch out some #8notions1' as our ,american cousins would say1 about the questions of house-choosing and house-furnishing1 ,i shall then pass on to the question of servants2 then babies will have their turn2 education1 more especially of girls1 will not be forgotten2 and ,i shall endeavour to do my utmost to state plainly and describe accurately1 not only how a house should be furnished1 but how it should be managed and kept going1 literally from garret to basement4 ,as very rich people can place themselves unreservedly in the hands of a professional decorator1 and can moreover depend on their housekeepers afterwards for all details of domestic management1 ,i shall begin by supposing the model couple who wish to choose a house and furnish it are not rich2 if they were they need not come to me for hints1 for they would be able to gratify every one of their own tastes1 and need only discover the best and most expensive shops1 where skilled assistants would be ready to hang expensive papers and brocades1 and to fit up all the thousand and one things that fashion calls necessary1 without any of my assistance4 ,but neither are they very poor3 they are young1 happy1 and have taste1 and are rather disheartened at finding out what a very little way their money seems able to go4 ,they have looked longingly at ,persian and ,turkey carpets1 at beautifully designed paper and exquisite hangings1 and have come home from a long day's investigation of shop-windows that has almost made ,edwin forswear matrimony altogether1 and that has plunged ,angelina into an abyss of despair that makes her snappish to her brothers and sisters1 and brings a sad look into her mother's eyes1 who seems to see the first shadow #8of the prison-house' close in around her child1 and yet is powerless to help her escape1 because1 poor dear soul1 she has no means of doing so herself2 being as she is the victim of the old rgime of flock papers and moreen curtains and heavy mahogany1 and being conscious1 too1 of the vast sums it cost her to start in housekeeping4 ,however1 ,i refuse to hear any grumblings at all1 and demand calmly enough to know if ,i may see the house that our young folks mean to inhabit4 ,ten chances to one that they do not even know where it is likely to be3 how then1 ,i ask1 can they possibly know what they will want1 or what is likely to suit the house or the locality1 or1 indeed1 any of the many things that are positively necessary to know1 before as much as a roll of wall-paper can be bought or a chair or table purchased8 ,here is hint number one4 ,it is from not knowing and understanding the house in which one has to live1 and through purchasing furniture simply because we like it1 and not because it suits us or our domicile1 that such mistakes are made4 ,first know your house2 then1 and not until then1 can you proceed to furnish it in a manner that will result in pleasure to you and your friends for as long as you live in it4 ,to young people like my couple1 ,i would strongly recommend a house some little way out of ,london4 ,rents are less2 smuts and blacks are conspicuous by their absence2 a small garden1 or even a tiny conservatory 7the joys and management of which ought to have a chapter all to themselves71 is not an impossibility2 and if ,edwin have to pay for his season-ticket1 that is nothing in comparison with his being able to sleep in fresh air1 to have a game of tennis in summer1 or a friendly evening of music1 chess1 or games in the winter1 without expense2 and with ,angelina's absence from the temptations of shop-windows in town1 where1 if she does not know of anything she wants when she goes out for her aimless walk1 she soon sees something that she cannot resist1 which she buys just because she has the money in her pocket1 and likes the look of an article she would never have thought of had she been outside the range of temptation4 ,another reason for choosing the suburbs at the commencement of married life is that in this case the rival mothers-in-law and the rival families will not be running in and out perpetually2 and neither will ,angelina be always contrasting the old ease1 plenty1 and amusements in her sisters' lives1 and which used to be hers1 with the somewhat straitened and monotonous existence that she must put up with until ,edwin has made a mark in the world1 and is able to keep his carriage and live in style4 ,granted1 then1 that the suburbs have been selected1 the first few months of the engagement can be advantageously spent in running down on ,saturday afternoons to divers #8,parks' to look at houses that sound so beautiful on paper1 and are too often the very reverse in the reality1 in sauntering in the neighbourhood of each #8eligible residence' and in endeavouring to discover what are the pros and cons of each1 and in finding out the soil and the aspect1 and if there are or are not any pretty walks to be found in the country round4 ,avoid clay2 let no persuasions1 no arguments1 persuade you that clay--at all events suburban clay--can ever be anything save depressing and rheumatic4 ,you may drain1 you may dig1 but clay is like a ghost that will not be laid1 and that sooner or later asserts itself in the most unpleasant and decided manner possible4 ,one of the prettiest suburbs we know of is utterly spoiled by its clay soil4 ,in warm days it depresses1 in damp it chills2 and in an east wind the soil looks so dreary1 so parched1 that the mere sight of it is wretched1 while fog and mist hang over it all the winter1 and sour the tempers and warp the minds of the inhabitants until there is a lack of hospitality and an amount of work for the doctors that is wonderful1 if unpleasant to contemplate4 ,of course1 all the ,s4 or ,s4,w4 and ,s4,e4 suburbs are the most fashionable and the most sought after2 and although1 to my mind1 ,penge and ,dulwich are dreary and damp1 they are evidently well supported and much lived in1 but the higher parts of ,sydenham are to be preferred2 while ,forest ,hill1 the higher parts of ,lordship ,lane1 ,elmer's ,end--where there are some extremely pretty and convenient villas--and the best parts of ,bromley1 ,kent1 are all they should be4 ,still1 to those who do not mind the north side of ,london1 ,finchley1 ,bush ,hill ,park--where the houses are nice to look at and excellently arranged--and ,enfield are all worthy of consideration4 ,edwin's work and its locality must1 after all give the casting vote1 for1 if it be at the ,west ,end1 ,liverpool ,street ,station is out of the question1 and ,victoria1 is a sine qu non1 and1 of course1 he may choose to live in town4 ,if he does1 ,i should strongly persuade him not to be guided by fashion1 and to prefer a good-sized1 old1 well-built house in an unfashionable locality1 to a small1 heated1 stuffy1 badly put together residence in one of the parts of town that are inhabited by those with whom he can never hope to associate4 ,indeed1 when ,i have seen the tiny hovels in ,mayfair where ladies and gentlemen crowd together1 and where their servants herd under tiles or in the damp1 dark cellars1 ,i have thought that ,fashion and ,folly were two names for one thing1 and have had but a small opinion of those who could condemn themselves and their poor domestics to such an unhealthy and miserable existence1 just because ,park ,lane is close by and it is fashionable6 ,doubtless the great thing that strikes us when we are house-hunting is that if women architects could get employment houses would be far better planned than they are now4 ,in each bedroom1 it seems to me1 that ,i have inspected--and their name is legion--the male mind that designed the rooms never took into consideration that a bed should not stand between the windows and the door2 which1 by the way1 is always put so that the moment it opens the occupant of the bed has a full view of the passage or landing2 he has given us no recesses in which we can put shelves1 and by a judicious curtain arrangement do away with the necessity of buying large and expensive wardrobes2 he puts the fireplaces where1 if we are ill1 we could not possibly enjoy ourselves with sitting over the fire and warming ourselves2 and he gives us far too many windows as a rule1 and almost ruins us in blinds and curtains1 to prevent the neighbours from gazing at us when we are dressing4 ,he forgets cupboards1 and in fact insists on producing month after month an excellent shell1 but one that requires altering considerably by a lady before it really can be lived in at all2 and ,i would strongly suggest that female architects for domestic architecture solely would be a great help to all who have to live in houses planned and executed by men who have no idea of comfort1 and but small appreciation for the trifles light as air that make all the difference between that and great discomfort4 ,if ,edwin be at all handy at carpentering he could do a great deal to make even a builder's design much better--he could rehang doors and extemporise screens2 but ,i look forward to a time when it shall be necessary for houses to be passed by a sanitary commission before they are allowed to be let at all2 when all these discomforts will be minimised1 and when dust-bin refuse and bad drainage shall be penal if used for foundations and put into houses2 when the lesser evils of badly placed doors1 windows1 and fireplaces will be looked after1 as making parts of what should be a perfect whole4 ,before taking his house in the suburbs1 ,edwin must see he holds it on a lease that does not include structural repairs4 ,he must give a properly authorised inspector1 from a distance1 a fee to inspect all the drains2 he must examine the foundations and look to soil1 see that the doors and windows really fit1 and that the skirting board has not shrunk away from the flooring4 ,he must look to the roof and the chimneys1 and1 if possible1 get a character for it from the last tenant2 and then1 and then only1 need he and ,angelina come to me and say1 #8,we have settled on our ,paradise2 now please come and see it and tell us what we had better buy first1 and what we must do to furnish it and make it look as pretty as we intend it to do4' ,and yet1 even when ,edwin and ,angelina have at last settled on their house1 and have sensibly inspected it from top to bottom1 ,i should1 long before buying any furniture1 decide definitely which room was to be dining-room1 which bedroom1 and which drawing-room1 and1 being guided by the sunshine obtainable in each1 rather than the builder's plan1 utterly refuse to enter a shop until ,i had made up my mind how the rooms are to be appropriated4 ,sunshine is the very first necessary of life2 without it sickness comes1 low spirits are one's portion1 and a thousand and one tiny ailments hang about us1 until we sum up a tremendous doctor's bill1 utterly ignorant that we could have cured ourselves comfortably had we had any sense1 and dispensed with our blinds1 regardless of the fading of our carpets and curtains2 or moved our morning-room into the sacred precincts of the drawing-room1 which obtains all the early sunshine1 and has none at all during the hours when we should be sitting there4 ,but the possession of a large and hideous1 white marble mantelpiece and a tiled hearth to the ugly1 wasteful grate says #8drawing-room' too plainly for the ordinary mind to rise above the builder's dictum2 and so a cheerful breakfast table is sacrificed1 for conventionalities that ,i1 for one1 never see without longing to disregard1 simply because of their family likeness to every one else's possessions1 and gloom and low spirits seize their victim1 and work their wicked will1 sending off the husband to town with an aching head1 and causing the wife a long1 laborious morning of snapping at servants and children1 simply because she had not begun her day with a proper amount of sunshine4 ,i could fill a whole chapter with praises of the life-giver1 the mighty1 beautiful sun2 and whenever ,i see blinds hardly raised1 or carefully adjusted to save the furniture1 ,i know that ,i shall find inside those guarded windows faded cheeks1 even if the chairs are fresh1 and weary1 tired people1 who are hardly aware what sort of a day it is outside1 and who are shivering over a fire that would not be wanted were the fire nature has given us allowed to do its work4 ,therefore1 do not be guided in your choice of rooms by the fact that the builder has made a sunless1 dark-looking room the dining-room1 and a cheerful1 light1 and pretty chamber the drawing-room4 ,the white marble mantelpiece does not matter one bit4 ,i can soon alter that1 and a tiled hearth is not such a dear or precious luxury that one cannot afford to put in another in the drawing-room1 and it is extremely nice to have a hearth where we can put down our plates and dishes to keep hot should any one be late2 and the other details are generally so small in their differences that ,i am sure there is no reason why we should not have strength of mind to be different to our next-door neighbour1 who most probably has taken things as she found them1 and in consequence is rarely1 if ever1 without a headache4 ,even in the smallest houses in these days there is generally a third room1 and this ,i should advise being kept entirely to sit in4 ,i cannot imagine anything nastier than to sit in a room in which one has one's meals2 the mere worry of seeing them laid would annoy me so that ,i don't think ,i should be able to enjoy them afterwards2 and then nothing seems to me to quite clear away the terrible sensation1 and smell of meals1 that appear to saturate the walls of any room where food is constantly served1 while the additional fire that seems the only reason that compels people to remain all day in one atmosphere is paid for over and over again by the extra warmth of the house itself1 and the satisfactory manner in which damps and draughts are exorcised1 while no one can tell the advantage it is to health to have a change of rooms1 and to sit in a place where food and the evil odours attending meals never can come4 ,and here let me impress upon you1 my readers1 always to be guided by common sense1 not by fashion and conventionalities2 to do a thing because it is healthy and sensible1 not because ,mrs4 ,jones next door and ,mrs4 ,smith over the way do it2 to buy a thing because it is required1 because it is pretty and suitable to your house and your means1 not because it is #8so very expensive1' and so can never become #8common1' or because it is the #8very last thing out'2 and1 above all1 do not mind taking advice and using your eyes1 being quite sure that older folks1 even if they are stupid and slow-going1 have probably seen more and know more than you do1 simply because their lives have been longer by a great many years than yours are at present4 ,and do not be above letting other people have the use of your talents1 for the world would be much nicer and happier altogether if we were not all so profoundly selfish and exclusive1 and were not so desperately afraid of soiling ourselves and our garments by rubbing shoulders against anything or any one to whom we can apply the word #8common4' ,i myself should like to see every beautiful thing common4 ,i should love to know that all the world saw1 possessed1 and cared for art colours and art furniture1 and had nice tastes1 and ,i look forward to a time when even our poor brethren will appreciate all the inexpensive lovelinesses that are to be had now by those who know where to get them1 and ,i trust that some day free art exhibitions and lectures may teach them what real beauty is1 and so enlighten and enliven lives that at present are of the dullest and most sober description4 ,in stating that life itself may be changed by sunshine and by cheerful surroundings1 and that even the bitter lot of the poor would be bettered by art1 ,i am aware ,i lay myself open to the same jeers that greeted the ,kyrle ,society--that blessed society that1 regardless of cold water1 goes on its way1 giving of its talents to the sick and needy2 but ,i maintain my position for all that1 and regardless of the ridicule levelled at them1 anent sunflowers and dadoes taking the place of bread and clothes1 ,i point to the hospital wards1 transformed from bare whitewashed prisons into artistic1 charming1 home-like rooms1 and ,i should like to have the statistics given me of all who have recovered there1 and the time they took to recover in1 in the two different aspects of the walls1 being perfectly certain that there would be more and quicker recoveries in the reign of the ,kyrle ,society than when the wearied1 suffering creatures had nothing to look at or think about save their own painful1 cruel lot4 ,or if you wish another example still1 take the well-known famous description of the sour tempers and hard days possessed and lived by ,thomas ,carlyle and his wife1 and then go and inspect the house in which they lived together for some thirty-eight years4 ,the house itself is delightful--an old-world place1 full of beautiful corners--and could be made charming with a little money and taste1 but the hideous paper and paint still lingering behind them1 the dark windows1 in some cases half-filled with ground glass to keep out the view of a building that looks singularly like a workhouse--all accounted to me for a great deal of ,mrs4 ,carlyle's ill-health and low spirits1 and for a vast quantity of ,mr4 ,carlyle's dyspepsia and ill-tempered behaviour2 for he could be nothing else in sunless rooms and with walls papered in the ugly1 depressing manner in which he doubtless considered them satisfactory1 or1 still more likely1 thought that any paper did as long as the walls were covered4 ,therefore1 in selecting house and furniture1 and choosing your rooms and appropriating them1 remember the first thing is to be cheerful4 ,dark days will come in life to us all1 but they will not be hopeless and too dreadful to be endured if we cultivate a cheerful1 contented spirit1 and insist on having cheerful surroundings4 ,do you recollect1 ,i wonder1 the orthodox dining-rooms of twenty-five years ago8--the heavy1 thick curtains of red or green cloth or moreen damask2 the tremendous mahogany sideboard1 generally with a cellarette underneath it1 which1 ,i recollect1 made an admirable tomb in which to bury one's dolls or obnoxious books1 generally triumphantly taken from the schoolroom2 the chairs that required two people to lift them2 the carpet that seemed immovable1 and that was too heavy to be shaken more than once a year2 and the woolly-bear hearthrug that always smelt of dust1 and that was a receptacle for all sorts of cinders1 toy-bricks1 leaden soldiers1 and bones dragged in and buried there by a delinquent dog or cat8 ,why1 the mere shaking of that rug once a week resulted in the discovery of all sorts of treasures that had been lost1 and the dust that came out was enough to choke the neighbourhood1 and doubtless would have done so had the other inhabitants not all been engaged with their own4 ,ah6 if you do not all of you remember the dining-room of the past1 ,i do2 but never without a shudder1 or a wonder how we managed to live in such a dark and dusty atmosphere1 where work1 reading1 drawing1 and writing all had to be hustled out of sight and out of the way of the parlour-maid1 who came to #8lay the cloth1' and renew the foul odours1 which had only just been exorcised1 which breakfast had left behind it to poison the morning with4 ,i should think that domestic furniture was at its very lowest depths of despair then2 but that is thirty years ago1 or perhaps forty1 and nothing turned the tide for quite twenty years6 ,in the beginning of those evil days the graceful furniture of ,chippendale and ,sheraton was pushed away and consigned to attics1 or sold cheaply at country auctions to fit up inn parlours or rooms behind shops2 and the heavy #8handsome' furniture of mahogany and damask bore down upon us1 and made us for a time the most depressed of people1 heavy with our ugly furnishings1 and the mock of all nations that had better taste and lighter hearts than we were possessed of4 ,it would take too long to trace the gradual development of taste and cheerfulness since then1 neither do ,i know to whom is due our present state of emancipation and love of pretty things1 but even sixteen years ago light was only just beginning to be vouchsafed to us4 ,now it is impossible to buy an ugly thing in good shops1 and each person's house is no longer the reflection of one particular upholsterer's shop or of one particular style2 but it is a carefully arranged shrine1 cared for and looked after1 and judiciously managed by the owner1 who1 if she have not taste herself1 is now shamed into using some one else's1 by the contrast she cannot help seeing her home presents to all the others into which she enters2 and one of the most hopeless people ,i know1 who began life with gilt legs to her chairs and a collection of family plate 7plated7 on her sideboard1 has become unobtrusive1 even if she can never be tasteful1 simply by seeing how different her own notions were to those of the cleverer people with whom circumstances brought her into contact6 ,however1 this chapter will become too long if ,i relate any more #8fearful examples1' and1 impressing on my readers the great necessity of sunshine and cheerfulness in their scheme of furnishing1 ,i will pass on to the subject of the house itself1 which must be most carefully chosen after long and deliberate inspection thereof1 as ,i remarked before2 one of the most necessary of all mottoes to be recollected in starting in life being1 #8,do nothing in a hurry4 ,more haste1 less speed4' ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,kitchen ,,arrangements4 ,the other day ,i was asked1 as ,i so often am by young couples1 to go with them to look over a house they had just taken1 and to give them some advice on the decoration and management generally thereof2 and when we had thought about all the pretty colours and graceful draperies we considered suitable1 ,i asked to look at the kitchen department1 and ,i was truly horrified to discern that my young folks had only been into the kitchen once1 and had no idea of its capabilities4 ,i at once departed to look at it1 and found all the accommodation for the unfortunate maids consisted of a square box1 one half stove1 the other half door1 a couple of shelves for all the bridal glass and china1 and a larder in which one could have placed the meat1 butter1 and bread without moving from the fireside1 and which1 useless enough in winter1 would be doubly so when summer came1 and added another trial to those of the already overburdened cook4 ,however1 the agreement was signed and the house taken for five years1 during which1 ,i am quite certain1 no servant would remain a moment over her month1 and in consequence of which that establishment will1 ,i know1 be in a continual state of misery and turmoil4 ,of course one can hardly expect young people to think of these prosaic and disagreeable details for themselves1 but they are most necessary details for persons to consider4 ,personally ,i would much rather regard life as a smooth chariot gliding along a rose-embowered road1 propelled by some mysterious and wonderful power called ,love1 who is1 of course1 entirely ignorant of anything save kisses and blisses4 ,i do not want in the very least really to know how dinner is cooked1 how houses are managed1 and the very names of chairs and dusters are properly obnoxious to me--or rather would be if we could only do without them4 ,but1 alas6 we cannot2 we must be clean1 we should be healthy1 and it is imperative that we should have kitchens and be warmed and fed2 and1 as fairies are extinct and brownies no longer appear and do work mysteriously and pleasantly before we are up in the morning1 even a bride must be told about these unpleasant localities1 and must learn to take an interest even in her scullery and the position of her dust-bin4 ,therefore1 on the principle of getting rid of our disagreeable duties first1 we will begin with hints for kitchen management before thinking about the purchase of the rest of the furniture2 for it is a very good rule to buy what we must have first1 and then keep any surplus we may have to spend afterwards2 and we will begin with the kitchen1 for that department is always the most uninteresting to the young housekeeper1 for she has only a certain amount of money to spend on everything1 and she grudges1 ,i am sure1 every pound she has to spend on pots and pans1 that she thinks would be so useful if added to the small sum she has at her disposal1 for extras and ornaments in the other rooms in her house4 ,if their household consist of two maids and ,edwin and ,angelina alone1 their batterie de cuisine need be neither an extensive nor expensive one1 for after a lengthy experience of maidens and their ways ,i have come to the conclusion that the fewer things they have the fewer they will spoil1 and that we are far more likely to have clean saucepans and pots if there are none to put aside and no others to use1 if1 as the maid thinks1 she has not time at her disposal for the moment in which to clean them4 ,now if she have only the saucepans in actual use they must be cleaned as soon as they have been used1 or the food will most certainly tell tales of her4 ,the position of the kitchen in a house makes an immense amount of difference in the work1 for if it be situated underground it makes quite one servant's work difference4 ,fortunately builders are more and more inclined to think of this1 and it is now rare to find in a new house the unpleasant and unhealthy arrangement that exists in most ,london houses4 ,first of all1 the staircase to the kitchen is always a dreadful source of worry4 ,we must cover the stairs to deaden the noise1 and the wear and tear is so great that the covering has to be renewed well-nigh yearly if we are in any way to preserve a tidy appearance4 ,the best material to use on these stairs is a species of harshly woven ,dutch carpeting4 ,it is made in art colours1 and is about #as4 #f;d4 a yard2 or ,treloar's pretty crimson cocoanut matting1 which is a trifle less in price1 and lasts more time1 when1 if it should show signs of wear1 it can once more be covered with oilcloth1 and then ,i think the stairs will look as nice and keep as tidy as long as possible4 ,if there be any passages in and round the kitchen and servants' apartments generally1 ,i have discovered that a most excellent plan here is to have a high dado of oilcloth1 headed by a real dado-rail painted black1 and then papered above with one of the blue and white washable papers that resemble tiles1 are moderately inexpensive1 and always clean and bright4 ,at one time my passages in those regions were my despair2 they were narrow1 and bits and corners--paper1 plaster1 and all--were continually knocked out in the most depressing way1 especially at the back door1 where1 moreover1 every boy who came for orders or with parcels solaced himself while waiting by leaning his greasy head or putting his dirty hands on the wall-paper1 until the whole place looked disgraceful almost before the paste was well dry4 ,i was at my wits' end4 ,cretonne and matting were decidedly out of place4 ,at last the idea of oilcloth came into my head1 and for six years it has now been up1 and is as good as the day it was purchased4 ,i continued this up the back staircase1 with very favourable results as regards wear and tear1 for a box knocking against it does not hurt it in the least1 and any marks can be rubbed off at once with a dry duster4 ,the oilcloth is not stretched too tight1 and it is nailed top and bottom1 then secured at the top with the dado-rail1 which1 being made of what is technically called #8scantling1' is most inexpensive2 a neat pattern is chosen in oak-browns4 ,the oilcloth made like an old ,roman mosaic would of course be preferable as far as appearance goes1 but this costs double1 and therefore ,i was obliged to have an ordinary and commonplace-looking one instead2 but should the sthetic eye revolt against the ugly colours of cheap oilcloth1 ,i may mention it can be painted any colour easily1 and this can make it at once pretty to look at4 ,i am of opinion that such a dado would be a great thing in the kitchen itself1 where the walls so speedily become soiled by the heat from the hot-water pipes that the kitchen soon becomes dismal for the servants to sit in4 ,i do wish it would enter into the plan of even quite a small house to have a tiny room where the servants could sit and work1 or have their meals1 out of the kitchen atmosphere2 and then perhaps ,i should not mind the look of the kitchen quite so much2 but even in a large house there is seldom a room one can set aside for this purpose1 and often enough the only place a maid has to live in is the one in which all the cooking is done1 and where1 winter and summer alike1 a large fire has to be kept going from morning until night4 ,but until that happy day arrives we can make the orthodox kitchen almost a model one1 with a dado of oilcloth as high as we can get it1 and a light varnished paper above the dado2 the varnishing allows of constant washing1 and though this is1 of course1 an expensive process1 it insures cleanliness1 and1 the first outlay once made1 it does not require renewing for some years4 ,the ceiling1 however1 should be whitewashed1 with the scullery walls and ceiling1 and those of the cellars1 c41 regularly once a year--about ,may4 ,nothing should be thought more necessary than this2 and once a year1 when this is done1 the mistress should overlook every single possession she has1 comparing them with a list made at the time she entered the house1 which she should never let out of her own possession1 and which she should alter from time to time1 as things are broken or lost or bought4 ,the most important thing now to consider is the grate1 and nowhere1 ,i think1 does the ordinary landlord or builder #8skimp' more than in this2 and let me ask any young bride to put her pride in her pocket here1 and to consult her mother1 or the last bride but four1 or any one who has had a grate in her own possession1 before she passes the grate that the landlord has provided her with4 ,of course ,i can only hope any new householder will take advice2 the dear things always know so much better from theory than we do from practice1 and are never going to make the mistakes we did1 and from which sprang the knowledge we are as anxious to give them as they are unwilling to take1 that ,i can only humbly ask them to see about the grate before they really put themselves in its power1 and ,i beg them to insist on having a new one2 for on no other portion of the house does so much of our comfort depend1 a bad grate spoiling the cook's temper and wasting the food horribly1 while a good one is an endless treasure1 of which we really cannot make too much4 ,if our young folks are too proud to ask advice1 let them go to ,steel and ,garland's1 on the ,holborn ,viaduct1 where ,i have seen some most picturesque kitcheners1 which ,i must confess to hanker after in a manner that perhaps is not right2 but ,i cannot help it1 they look so charming1 and are1 ,i believe1 so satisfactory in their working4 ,they have blue-tiled backs1 and have also delightful ovens and a broad expanse over the fire that would heat any amount of saucepans at the same time2 and if ,angelina goes to live in her own house1 ,i should certainly recommend her to see these before buying any other kitchen grate4 ,they are most economical as regards coal2 and if ,angelina be wise enough so to manage her cook as to impress upon her what an excellent fire can be made and kept up in a kitchener using the small coal almost like dust1 that is so very inexpensive1 and that the best ,wallsend need not be taken for the purpose1 she will soon save the cost of her stove over and over again in the difference in the price of the material she uses to keep it going4 ,of course this small coal can be burned in a kitchener that has not blue tiles1 and is a simple1 ugly thing2 but these are not as reliable as a good stove is1 and the ovens burn and spoil so much1 owing to the inferior iron of which they are made1 that an effort is worth making to secure a good and reliable grate1 else ,edwin's dinner may occasionally not be quite as nice as could be wished for him to come home to4 ,but1 cheap grate or dear grate1 never allow for one moment that an odour therefrom should pervade the house4 ,this may require a battle2 but it is one to be won by the mistress if she exhibit firmness1 and1 above all1 a due knowledge of her business as manager of the household4 ,the terrible and sickening smell that so often has been known to fill a house simply comes from grease having been allowed to fall on the oven plates inside4 ,this waxes hot1 and then is followed by the odour1 which there is nothing like anywhere besides4 ,to obviate this1 a cook should always carefully look after any spot or drop of grease1 and if by any chance the oven has become foul1 it must be cleansed by burning some hay or straw in it2 but this need not occur at all if the cook be commonly careful1 any more than that green-water need smell1 if a small crust of bread be placed in the water while it is boiling1 and then the water should at once be emptied away into a corner of the garden1 or down the sink if there be no garden1 when a little carbolic acid should be added1 which would take away the odour at once4 ,these may appear very trivial matters to write about1 but a great deal of our comfort and1 in consequence1 of our happiness depends upon these trifles4 ,i know nothing more disagreeable and trying than a bad smell1 and if ,edwin comes home to a house reeking of dinner and the oven1 what wonder that he flies to his pipe and wishes himself back in his club2 while his wife cannot possibly smile and look pleased to see him1 when she is suffering untold miseries from the refractory grate1 and a cook who would be only too glad to save her the odours if only she knew how4 ,i am no advocate for mistresses spending their lives in a perpetual harassment of their unfortunate servants1 but there is one thing that should never be left to the tender mercies even of the best servant that ever lived2 and that is the sink1 or1 in fact1 any drain that may be in the kitchen regions4 ,i cannot tell how it is1 but a domestic appears to me to be born into the world bereft of any sense of smell4 ,they never can smell anything4 ,you will go into the kitchen and discover an odour enough to appal you1 and you will say1 #8,what is this terrible smell1 ,i wonder8' but your cook will reply1 #8,smell1 mum8 ,oh1 ,i don't smell anything2 perhaps it have drifted in at the window4' ,but do not be daunted by that4 ,do not for one moment think you are wrong and she is right1 but persevere1 and hunt that smell down1 and ten chances to one you will find something that requires your immediate attention in the sink line1 or else that1 despite most stringent orders1 cook has started a private dust-bin1 and has put away and forgotten something that is breeding a fever under your very nose4 ,insist upon a regular flushing of every drain or sink every week1 as a matter of course2 and ,i should advise you to see this done for yourself1 and1 furthermore1 that you should yourself supplement the flushing by using liberally some disinfectant4 ,if you do this yourself1 keeping the disinfectant locked up and labelled #8,poison1' there will be supplied to your servant's mind a reason why you should personally superintend the flushing part of the business1 and she will not then have the idea in her mind that is so often in the mind of the ordinary servant1 that you are spying after her because you cannot trust her4 ,the drains are far too important a matter1 you can tell her1 to leave to any one1 and therefore you must see after them yourself4 ,sanitas in saucers is a very good disinfectant1 and smells most pleasantly2 and permanganate of potass diluted largely with water is excellent to put down the sinks and drains themselves2 but there is no smell about this1 so ,i1 personally1 prefer carbolic or chloride of lime1 because then ,i know for certain that something of the kind has been used1 and the rather pleasant odour from the disinfectant also seems to send away at once any disagreeable smell that may have been hanging about4 ,in the sinks themselves should be kept a large lump of soda2 this should weigh half a pound or more1 and be renewed every day or two2 this prevents the grease from the saucepans clogging the pipes1 as such a large piece dissolves very slowly1 and all the water that passes over the soda serves to cleanse the pipe in a most satisfactory way4 ,it is always an excellent thing to set aside particular days and hours for different duties4 ,they are not half so likely to be slurred or omitted as they are in a house where any time does for anything4 ,therefore ,saturday1 immediately after the orders have been given1 is an excellent time for seeing to the drains4 ,saturday morning most people are at home1 and a quarter of an hour takes little out of the morning1 while a good deed has been done1 and the house has been purified for ,sunday4 ,and here let me just for one instant dwell on the great necessity of regularity1 order1 and1 above all1 early rising1 in a small household4 ,if you lie in bed1 ,sundays or weekdays1 things cannot possibly prosper with you2 you cannot possibly either keep beforehand with life if you live in a muddle or breakfast late2 and should you be late on ,sundays you not only hurry to church yourself1 or stay away altogether--a wretched habit--but you prevent your servants attending1 or allow them to go when the service has begun1 and they are too hurried and worried to properly appreciate the weekly rest that should be such a help to them4 ,every member of the household and every visitor should be punctual at the breakfast table1 and nothing save real illness should excuse a breakfast in bed4 ,a headache is more often cured by getting up than by remaining in the bedroom atmosphere2 and be sure of this1 lying in bed upstairs means waste1 laziness1 and unsatisfactory behaviour generally in the regions of the kitchen4 ,hence ,i feel ,i cannot say too much against it1 or in favour of regularity1 punctuality1 and early rising1 without which excellent qualities no household can get along practically or become anything save a place of hopeless muddle4 ,though it would be waste of space to write out an exact list of kitchen utensils in these days1 when every respectable firm publishes one at the end of their catalogue1 and which1 by the way1 may generally be halved as regards the quantities with advantage1 it may not be out of place here to give a few general hints on the subject4 ,and we may begin by stating that #8plenty makes waste1' and that #8enough is as good as a feast1' and then we will make up our minds to purchase only just sufficient kitchen articles for the cook's use1 at all events until we know our cook and learn if she be to be trusted2 though even then ,i see no reason why she should have more material at her command than she can use2 for ,i believe this idea of superfluity has done more harm in the kitchen than enough1 no servant being sufficiently strong-minded to resolutely put aside anything she can do without4 ,in a small and1 shall ,i say1 impecunious household it is not so much what we want as what we can do without that has to be considered2 and it is really astonishing on how little we can #8get along1' as far as mere existence is concerned1 if we resolutely turn our back on all that is not positively necessary for us1 although ,i must confess that under such circumstances life is certainly not worth living1 and has to be a very bare and barren matter altogether2 and ,i hope that ,angelina1 at all events1 will not have to live quite such a ,spartan existence as this2 still1 great care must be exercised1 especially in the kitchen1 if she be to have a pleasant time of it among nice and pretty things4 ,in the first place1 ,angelina must show her cook that she really does know her duties as mistress of a household1 and she must be able to hold her own when cook demands extravagant supplies2 while at the same time she must not expect a quart of milk a day to suffice for a household consisting of a baby1 two servants1 the master and mistress1 and last1 but not least1 two cats1 as a friend of mine did2 but she must diligently study beforehand quantities of divers things1 so that she may be ready when called upon to prove she really does know what she is talking of2 and a judicious selection of kitchen utensils will point out to her cook at starting that her mistress has ideas of her own on the subject of household management4 ,now six saucepans must suffice1 and this is really a most liberal allowance1 as four might be made to do2 two must be nicely lined with enamel1 and must be kept entirely for milk and white sauces1 such as melted butter1 for nothing else should ever be cooked in a saucepan that is required for delicate cookery4 ,after a long experience1 ,i must confess that no one's kitchen utensils please me as much as ,whiteley's do2 they are good and reasonable1 and can be relied on to be as cheap and wear as long as any one else's4 ,indeed1 for these things he is really cheaper than any one ,i know of1 and ,i now buy all there that ,i require for kitchen use4 ,he supplies a list of goods suitable for different-sized houses2 but no one requires1 ,i think1 all that he considers necessary1 and a little weeding should be done from even his smallest list1 according to the number of the rooms in the house4 ,still1 these lists are a great assistance1 and ,angelina would do well to write for one before she finally makes up her mind what to order4 ,there are generally three or four prices quoted for nearly all domestic articles1 such as fryingpans1 gridirons1 saucepans1 c41 and it is safe to make it a rule to take a medium quality4 ,at a shop you can trust1 the very best1 no doubt1 must always be best1 but #8good enough' for use and wear is to be our rule1 and when you have discovered that such-and-such an establishment really tells you the truth1 you may depend that for your purpose the medium quality will answer as well as anything1 while even in some cases the lowest will occasionally be good enough for the purpose for which you require it4 ,there are certain things no housekeeper should ever be without1 and one is a bread-pan with a cover1 and this is sometimes quite a difficult thing to procure4 ,no one seems now to have time to put their bread in pans1 and the milk in those nice white-lipped basins ,i can never see without longing to buy1 but these two things should be insisted on in ,angelina's kitchen4 ,the bread taken in to-day should not be used until to-morrow1 and when received from the baker should be immediately put into the pan in the larder and covered over4 ,this keeps it moist and fresh1 and1 without having the evil properties of new bread1 is as pleasant to eat1 which it could never be if left to dry in the hot kitchen1 or to become dusty and dry1 or may be even damp1 on the larder shelf4 ,the pan should be wiped out every morning with a clean cloth1 and on no account should pieces be allowed to accumulate4 ,there is1 ,i think1 more bread wasted in an ordinary household than is quite pleasant to contemplate4 ,crusts are cut off and put on one side in the dining-room1 and of course no one in the kitchen will look at them after that2 or double the quantity is cut at luncheon and dinner that is required1 and once more this is put on one side4 ,now1 it is quite easy to calculate how much bread should be used in a small household1 but it is very difficult to find out where the waste is when the establishment increases4 ,still it is possible1 and ,i do hope ,angelina will begin by impressing on her cook that she will not allow waste1 nor what makes sometimes a fearful amount of waste1 i4e4 the calling at the back door of those dreadful people with carts1 who want to buy bottles1 or rags1 or bones1 or such like trifles2 for these men often tempt young servants to thieve1 and often enough1 too1 snatch up a spoon or fork1 should one be lying about1 while the servant's back is turned1 and she is searching for her hoard of things1 none of which really belongs to her at all4 ,i recollect quite well one year1 when ,i was at ,bournemouth seeing these carts going about regularly to different houses morning after morning1 and as my window faced the road1 ,i had the curiosity to watch what they received1 more than once4 ,opposite to me lived a family1 the mistress of which had often enough lamented to me the fearful appetites possessed by her servants1 and one day1 about #h4ae1 just when ,i was going down to breakfast1 ,i saw the cart arrive1 and saw also half loaves of bread1 #8chunks' of meat1 and pieces of butter and bacon1 all brought out in an unappetising manner together1 and shunted into the cart4 ,my friend's breakfast-hour was half-past nine1 so the cart had merrily gone on its way long before her blinds were drawn up2 but the very next time she spoke of her servants' gigantic capacities for putting away food1 ,i #8up and spake' of what ,i had seen in such a way that the cart never called there again1 and her bills were reduced to one-half in less time than it takes to tell of them4 ,the driver of that cart once stopped at my door and descended into the kitchen4 ,luckily for me1 ,i was1 as usual1 writing at the window at my desk1 and1 seeing him come in1 ,i waited a few moments1 and then descended into the lower regions too1 and found him eloquently persuading my good little cook to sell bones c4 to him1 but she was refusing staunchly2 and then ,i appeared1 and though1 ,i confess honestly1 ,i was shaking with fright1 and was only sustained by the knowledge that the gardener was cleaning the boots near by1 ,i gave that man a #8piece of my mind1' and1 informing him that it was he and his fellows who made young servants thieves1 bade him begone1 telling him that if ever ,i found him on my premises again ,i would give him in charge2 which so alarmed him that he fled at once to other houses1 doubtless vituperating me in his mind all the time2 but that ,i did not mind1 as long as he transferred himself and his kindly attentions somewhere else4 ,in a well-regulated household every morsel of food should be used2 the bones always are useful for soup1 and a #8digester' should be one of ,angelina's most indispensable possessions4 ,this should always be at hand for stock2 and excellent soups1 than which nothing is nicer on which to begin one's dinner1 can be procured by aid of the digester1 if ,angelina has a thoughtful cook1 who uses every morsel to advantage1 and never throws away a bone1 even a fish bone1 all of which aid the soup1 and save buying other provisions4 ,care and thought are centred in the kitchen1 and once ,angelina has carefully trained her maid into nice ways1 the house will go like clockwork1 and that is why ,i should advise any young housekeeper to take young girls as household servants 7not on any account1 by the way1 as nurses2 no young nurse is worth her keep save as an under-servant72 an #8experienced cook' quotes her experience1 and ,angelina1 having none to fall back upon1 trembles and is conquered2 but with a bright1 intelligent girl1 ,mrs4 ,beeton's most excellent book on household management 7as regards food71 a little common-sense1 and a mother who has brought her daughter up sensibly1 ,angelina can start on her way1 quite certain that she and her maidens will work together in a pleasant and satisfactory manner1 and that she will never be exposed to domestic earthquakes such as occur with #8experienced servants1' who1 having brought themselves up in a big establishment where nobody cared for them1 go into ,angelina's small one in order to get as much out of it as they can1 regarding all mistresses as their natural enemies6 ,one more subject as regards the kitchen4 ,never allow1 on any pretext1 that a dust-bin or a #8wash-tub' is ever needed4 ,with a kitchener every morsel of dbris should be burned in the close grate2 and a dust-bin is never a necessity to any one who knows her business1 and is determined never to allow of the smallest waste4 ,there is nothing a kitchener will not burn--remember that1 please6 and flatly refuse to allow a dust-bin in any part of the house2 it only means that waste will go on ad libitum1 and that dirt and untidiness are favoured by one's cook4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,meals ,,and ,,money4 ,i am going to devote this chapter entirely to the matter of money--that is to say1 to indicating how the income should be apportioned1 and what it costs to feed a small family who are content with nice plain food1 and who do not hanker after elaborate cooking and out-of-the-way dishes2 in which case they must not come to me for advice1 as ,i have really no information to give them2 and to further indicate as far as ,i can--outside the limits of a cookery book--some of the meals that can be managed without either much fuss and worry and an undue expenditure of money and time4 ,if ,angelina really intends to marry on an income varying between #cjjl4 and #ejjl4 a year1 she must sit down and weigh the pros and cons most carefully4 ,dress and house-rent are the two items that have risen considerably during the last few years2 otherwise everything is much cheaper and nicer than it used to be before ,new ,zealand meat came to the front1 and sugar1 tea1 cheese1 all the thousand and one items one requires in a house1 became lower than ever they had been before2 and therefore1 if she be clever and willing to put her shoulder to the domestic wheel1 she can most certainly get along much more comfortably in the way of food than she used to do4 ,for example1 when ,i was married1 sugar was #f;d4 a pound1 and now it is #b;d42 and instead of paying #as4 #a;d4 a pound for legs of mutton1 ,i give #g;d4 for ,new ,zealand meat1 which is as good as the best ,english mutton that one can buy4 ,bread1 too1 is #e;d4--and ought to be considerably lower--as against the #h;d4 and #i;d4 of seventeen years ago2 and1 besides this1 there are a thousand-and-one small things to be bought that one never used to see1 and fish and game are also infinitely less expensive1 for in the season salmon is no longer a luxury1 thanks to ,frank ,buckland1 while prime cod at #d;d4 a pound can hardly be looked upon as a sinful luxury1 and this is the price we paid in the season in the ,central ,fish ,market1 where fish is always to be obtained fresh1 cheap1 and in as great a variety as at any ,west ,end shop2 while of course those detestable ,stores1 much as ,i personally dislike them1 have done much for us in lowering the prices of grocers1 who are always willing to give ready-money purchasers every advantage1 the while they are civil1 send the purchased articles home1 make out their own bills1 and take care their customers are not worried to death1 as they are at the ,stores by supercilious youths1 who make the place a rendezvous1 and simper with girls who have been sent to do shopping1 and combine it with large instalments of flirtation4 ,no1 ,i must say ,i have not one good word for the ,stores2 and1 furthermore1 ,i detest them because1 living as ,i do a little way out of town1 ,i am persecuted on my return journeys with enormous parcels1 of all sorts and descriptions1 that jam one's elbows1 fall down incontinently on one's best bonnet1 and are pushed under one's feet1 until the twenty minutes' travel are rendered purgatorial by people who will shop at the ,stores1 and are in consequence turned completely for the nonce into beasts of burden1 all to save a very problematic shilling or two2 but as cabs to and from the station have to be added to the fare to town1 ,i venture to state they would be far better served by a local grocer1 or by either ,whiteley or ,shoolbred1 whose prices are the same as at the ,stores1 and whose carts come to one's door4 ,but these little points are just where the ordinary woman's finance comes utterly to an end4 ,she can readily comprehend that sugar at #b;d4 a pound is cheaper than sugar at #c;d42 but tell her to add to the cost of this the fare to town1 wear and tear of temper1 gloves1 and clothes1 odd cabs1 and the necessary luncheon1 and she is floored at once4 ,she recognises the #b;d4 as against the #c;d4 immediately1 but she cannot grasp the rest2 besides which1 at the ,stores she sees one hundred and one things that she buys simply because they are cheap1 and not because she requires them in the very least2 so if ,angelina values her peace of mind let her eschew the ,stores1 and1 instead1 talk to her nearest grocer on the subject1 and see what can be done with him before she goes elsewhere4 ,now1 ,i think1 that #bl41 or1 at the most1 #bl4 #ajs41 should keep ,angelina1 ,edwin1 and the model maid per week in comfort1 and yet allow of no scrimping2 but in this case ,angelina must put a good deal of common-sense in her purse as well as money4 ,meat for three people need not be more than #abs41 #ds4 for bread and flour1 #bs4 for eggs1 #ds4 for milk1 half a pound of tea at #bs4 #f;d4--if they will drink tea--#alb4 of coffee made of equal proportions of ,east ,india1 ,mocha1 and ,plantation1 comes to about #as4 #g;d41 sugar #f;d41 butter 7#blbs41 enough for three people7 #cs41 and the rest can be kept in hand for fruit1 fish1 chickens1 washing2 and the thousand and one odds and ends that are always turning up at the most unpropitious moments2 such as stamps1 boot-mending 7two items that have largely assisted in turning my hair grey71 ink1 paper1 string1 and1 in fact1 all those things that an unmarried girl rather fancies grow in the house1 and that she is very much surprised to find have to be purchased4 ,in any case1 let me implore ,angelina to pay her books every week herself1 and never on any account to run up bills anywhere for anything4 ,let her never be tempted to have any single thing that she cannot pay for on the spot2 and she will live happily1 and be able to #8speak with her enemies'--if she have any--#8in the gate'2 that is to say1 she can boldly interview her tradespeople1 knowing she owes them nothing1 and coming cash in hand can demand the best article in the market1 which is1 after all1 the due of those who go and buy for ready money and should never be given to those who will have credit4 ,there is nothing so dear as credit--please remember that1 my readers1 and start as you mean to go on by paying for everything as you have it2 and1 above all1 know from your husband what he can give you1 and have this regularly once a month4 ,if you are fit to be his wife at all1 you are fit to spend his money1 and to spend it1 moreover1 without the haggling and worrying over each item that is considered necessary by some men to show their superiority over their women folk1 but which should never be allowed for a moment2 and should our bride have a small income of her own1 this should be retained for her dress1 personal expenses1 c41 and should not be put into the common fund1 for the man should keep the house and be the bread-winner2 but1 alas6 middle-class brides have seldom anything to call their own1 their parents thinking they have done all they need for them1 should they find them a husband and a certain amount of clothes4 ,i very much myself disapprove of the way middle-class parents have of marrying off their daughters and giving them nothing beyond their trousseaux2 and ,i do hope that soon fathers and mothers will copy the ,french more in this matter of a dowry than they do now4 ,i maintain that they are bound to give their daughters1 beyond and over such an education as shall allow them to keep themselves1 the same sum when married as they received when unmarried1 so shall they be to a certain extent independent and have a little something to call their own4 ,why1 in most cases1 if ,angelina wants to give ,edwin a present she has to buy it out of his own money6 ,can there be a more unenviable position for a young wife1 to whom very often the mere asking for money is as painful as it is degrading8 ,it would not hurt any father to give his daughter #ejl4 a year1 and the difference it would make in that daughter's comfort and position is unspeakable2 and would not be more than half what she would cost him were she to remain on his hands a sour old maid4 ,another thing ,i disapprove of is placing the household books week by week or month by month under the husband's inspection2 it leads to endless jars and frets1 and discussions2 therefore1 having talked matters over once and for all1 discuss money no more until you require additions to your allowance as the family increases2 or can do with less2 only know always how matters are going in business1 so as to increase or retrench in a manner suitable1 should circumstances alter4 ,domestic matters must1 of course1 be discussed now and again between husband and wife2 but a sensible woman keeps these subjects in the background1 and no more troubles her husband with the price of butter1 or the cook's delinquencies1 than he does his wife over the more intimate details of his office1 which he keeps for his clerks and his partners generally2 while the day's papers1 the book on hand1 people one has seen1 are all far more interesting things than ,maria's temper1 ,jane's breakages1 or than the grocer's bill1 which1 if higher than it ought to be1 is ,angelina's own fault1 and can only be altered by herself1 and not by worrying ,edwin4 ,common-sense housekeeping can only be done if the eyes be constantly open to see and the ears to hear4 ,waste must never be allowed4 ,no servant should be kept who wastes1 and if there be no dust-bin1 save for cinders1 no pig's tub1 no man calling at the door for bottles1 and1 above all1 if there be a mistress who is always on the alert to use anyone else's experience1 housekeeping need be nothing of a bugbear1 and can be done at one quarter the price that it usually costs4 ,but most girls marry in perfect ignorance of everything save the plot of the last novel1 the music of the last opera1 the fashion of the last dress1 and undertake duties they neither care for nor mean to understand1 seeing nothing beyond the wedding finery1 which is far too often an occasion of almost criminal display1 and that must indeed appear a mockery to the poor bride1 who contemplates her foolish wedding dress and wishes profoundly she had the money it cost her4 ,the great curse now of ,english households is this seeming to be what you are not1 this wretched pretending of #djjl4 to be #hjjl42 the shirking of work1 domestic details1 and common-sense housekeeping that characterises the bride of this day1 who only wants to enjoy herself and spend a little more1 see a little more gaiety than the last bride did1 and who sees nothing holy in the name of wife1 only a mere emancipation from the schoolroom2 who wants to decorate a house1 not make a home2 and who sees in her children1 not human souls to train for time and for eternity1 but pretty dolls to dress1 to attract attention1 or tiresome objects to be got rid of at school at the earliest opportunity4 ,that marriage means much more than this is gradually borne in upon the butterfly1 who either sobers down in the course of years1 and becomes faded and worn and peevish2 or else1 impatient of control1 she breaks all bounds1 and the whole family is disgraced by an esclandre that is as terrible as it is preventible4 ,with such women as this we have nothing to do2 but many of these poor creatures would have been saved had they been brought up properly1 so ,i trust1 after all1 my words on the subject of common-sense housekeeping will not be considered out of place4 ,though they are certainly a little discursive1 still they have to do with money emphatically1 and that was the first part of the subject ,i proposed to treat of in this chapter1 so before ,i leave it let me say just a few words on the best system of keeping accounts1 a most necessary portion of any woman's business as mistress of a household4 ,the best authority ,i know on the subject of accounts is a personal friend who began housekeeping many years ago on a very small and uncertain income4 ,her husband was a literary man1 and had of course that most tiresome and extravagance-encouraging income--a fluctuating one2 yet she told me only the other day she could tell to a sixpence what she had spent ever since she was married2 that at the end of the year she always sat down1 first with her husband1 then with her grown-up daughters1 and carefully went over each month's expenditure1 and in this way she was enabled to manage well1 for a glance would show her1 if she had spent too much1 where she could retrench1 or where1 if the income had increased1 she could best #8launch out' in order to insure more comforts and less forethought and worry3 in consequence of her arrangements she was always beforehand with the world1 and never owed a sixpence she could not pay4 ,a young housekeeper is often bewildered between account books4 ,she buys one1 of course1 and then is bothered by detail1 or begins to find #8sundries' a most convenient entry--and so1 alas6 it is4 ,but our model housekeeper shrinks from sundries1 or any of these somewhat mean subterfuges1 and boldly discovers how she has spent her money1 although ,i must confess ,i myself am such a bad hand at this sort of thing that1 could ,i be seen1 ,i feel convinced ,i should be found to be blushing violently at giving advice which ,i far too often do not follow2 indeed1 ,i always feel inclined to imitate the old woman-servant whose balance sheet consisted of so many #8foggets1' among other items1 that her master 7of course he was a bachelor71 confused with the idea of having so much firewood1 begged her for an explanation1 when she remarked1 #8',taint faggots1 master2 'tis forgets4' ,fortunately her honesty had been tried by many a long year's service1 or she might have got into serious trouble2 and ,i think when we too have #8forgets' we are not unlikely to get into trouble when at last we have to face boldly a day of reckoning1 which must come sooner or later4 ,but if ,i am not a good hand at accounts my friend is1 and ,i here append a leaf from her account book1 which1 ruled and written by herself1 is to me a model of what it should be4 ,of course the columns can be added to1 to any extent1 but this will show at once how to keep one's bills before one3 in such a manner1 that one sees at once how and where the money has gone1 and ,i can but hope this capital system will be adopted at once by all those who are starting in life with the best resolve of all1 that nothing shall persuade them to get into debt4 ,and here let me say that there should always be a special column for medical attendance2 and without doubting the medical profession in the least1 let me impress upon all who have to call in a physician to note his visits in the column set apart for the purpose4 ,i always note a doctor's visits in my diary1 as this often checks his accounts1 for1 without meaning to be dishonest1 a doctor often makes the most astounding mistakes4 ,for example1 not long ago ,i saved myself #gl4 on a doctor's bill by sending an exorbitant account back to my then doctor1 drawing his attention to the fact that by my diary only so many visits had been paid1 whereas so many had evidently been charged for2 when the clerk wrote back to say the error had been made in the addition1 and that of course this would have been rectified next time6 ,i can't say if it would have been2 all ,i know is1 ,i was saved the money by always putting down the visits2 so ,i most strongly advise ,angelina to put the column in her account book as a reminder1 even if she cannot put down in that the exact sum2 and ,i must say ,i do most heartily wish it were ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,greengrocer ,coal1 ,gas1 ,rent1 ,rates ,lighting and ,taxes ---------------------------------------- #ahhg s4 d4 s4 d4 s4 d4 ,jan4 #a ,messrs4 ,slater ,co4 -- -- -- 8 #e ,smith -- -- -- 8 #f ,whiteley's account -- #e #j #j -- 8 #g ,income ,tax -- -- #aj #j #j 8 #h ,water ,rate -- -- #b #d #j 8 #i ,poor ,rate -- -- #e #j #j 8 #aj ,christmas ,rent -- -- #be #j #j 8 #aa ,one quarter ,gas1 due ,christmas -- #e #j #j -- 8 #ae ,housemaid -- -- -- 8 #af ,parlourmaid -- -- -- 8 #ag ,cook -- -- -- 8 #ah ,worth -- -- -- 8 #ai ,mrs4 ,jones -- -- -- 8 #bj ,potatoes #j #aj #j -- -- 8 #be ,fish account -- -- -- 8 #bg ,sundry ,groceries -- -- -- 8 #bh ,coal -- #e #j #j -- ---------------------------------------- ,total #j #aj #j #ae #j #j #db #d #j ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,wages ,dress -------------------------- #ahhg s4 d4 s4 d4 ,jan4 #a ,messrs4 ,slater ,co4 -- -- 8 #e ,smith -- -- 8 #f ,whiteley's account -- -- 8 #g ,income ,tax -- -- 8 #h ,water ,rate -- -- 8 #i ,poor ,rate -- -- 8 #aj ,christmas ,rent -- -- 8 #aa ,one quarter ,gas1 due ,christmas -- -- 8 #ae ,housemaid #e #j #j -- 8 #af ,parlourmaid #f #j #j -- 8 #ag ,cook #g #aj #j -- 8 #ah ,worth -- #bj #j #j 8 #ai ,mrs4 ,jones -- -- 8 #bj ,potatoes -- -- 8 #be ,fish account -- -- 8 #bg ,sundry ,groceries -- -- 8 #bh ,coal -- -- -------------------------- ,total #ah #aj #j #bj #j #j ---------------------------------------- --------------- ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,washing ,total -------------------------- #ahhg s4 d4 s4 d4 ,jan4 #a ,messrs4 ,slater ,co4 -- #e #j #j 8 #e ,smith -- #a #j #j 8 #f ,whiteley's account -- #f #aj #j 8 #g ,income ,tax -- #aj #j #j 8 #h ,water ,rate -- #b #d #j 8 #i ,poor ,rate -- #e #j #j 8 #aj ,christmas ,rent -- #be #j #j 8 #aa ,one quarter ,gas1 due ,christmas -- #e #j #j 8 #ae ,housemaid -- #e #j #j 8 #af ,parlourmaid -- #f #j #j 8 #ag ,cook -- #g #aj #j 8 #ah ,worth -- #bj #j #j 8 #ai ,mrs4 ,jones #b #j #j #b #j #j 8 #bj ,potatoes -- #j #aj #j 8 #be ,fish account -- #c #j #j 8 #bg ,sundry ,groceries -- #b #j #j 8 #bh ,coal -- #e #j #j -------------------------- ,total #b #j #j #aaj #ad #j ---------------------------------------- --------------- etiquette for doctors to send in their bills made out in items1 instead of that business way of #8,to medical attendance1 c41' for ,i cannot see why they should not4 ,even a lawyer gives items of his detestable accounts2 and what should we say to a modiste who sent in her bill1 #8,to dress and draperies to date1' without items8 ,i like to know what ,i am paying for2 and why should not my case1 mentioned above1 be the case of many8 ,one word before ,i leave the doctor--pay his bill at once2 no one is kept waiting longer than a doctor2 no one usually deserves his money more2 it is a disagreeable bill to keep about1 and should be always settled as soon as possible4 ,now for one hint more1 as applying both to meals and money4 ,if you want to save begin with the butcher and the brewer--not that ,i for one moment want to run down beer--my husband being a brewer1 ,i should not be likely to do so2 and ,i mention this fact to show ,i cannot be a rabid teetotaler--but ,i do say and maintain that beer is not necessary for women and for women servants1 that young people especially do not require stimulants--,i1 for one1 never took either wine or beer until ,i had passed the pleasant age of thirty-one or thirty-two--and that milk is far better for both servants and children1 youths and maidens1 than malt liquor of any sort or description1 and that therefore milk should be a somewhat large item in the housekeeping accounts4 ,angelina should have milk for luncheon and milk instead of that odious tea after dinner2 ,mary ,jane should be encouraged to drink milk with her supper1 and a proportionate save is at once made in the accounts1 though1 after all1 one can only give general ideas on this subject1 as1 of course1 individual tastes have to be studied1 and no one person's expenditure is quite a guide for another's4 ,many people dislike milk1 and this subject of a pleasant beverage is one that often harasses me mentally a good bit1 for ,i don't honestly think filtered boiled water pleasant 7unfiltered unboiled water is unsafe drinking71 and unless we fall back on milk and home-made lemonade1 we are rather hopeless1 for beer is out of the question1 as far as ,i am concerned1 in kitchen and schoolroom1 and if some genius would invent something cheap1 healthy1 palatable1 and without alcohol in it1 ,i for one will patronise him largely1 and give him honourable mention1 if not a medal1 all to himself4 ,still1 until that is done ,i strongly advise ,angelina to pay the milkman rather than the brewer1 and by drinking milk herself to set an example which will speak louder than any amount of argument4 ,and general ideas1 too1 can only be given on the subject of meals4 ,yet general ideas are most useful as a species of foundation on which to raise the rest of the fabric1 so ,i will shortly sketch out now a foundation scheme that should be of great assistance to those girls who are beginning housekeeping on small means1 and less knowledge of the subject on which depends so much of their welfare and happiness4 ,it maybe of some little assistance to ,angelina if ,i begin my short dissertation on meals by giving her one or two hints as to what to have for breakfast1 before passing on to other subjects1 as in some small households this always appears to me to be somewhat of a stumbling-block to a young mistress1 accustomed to see a large amount of variety1 prepared for a grown-up family4 ,what is eaten for breakfast depends1 naturally1 a great deal on individual tastes1 and there are endless little dishes that require the attention of a first-rate cook2 but ,angelina and ,edwin must rise superior to this1 for they will not be able to afford such things even if they desire them1 and ,i do hope they do not1 for ,i do not know a more despicable way of spending one's time or one's money than in squandering it over food and expensive cooks4 ,if things are nice and are nicely sent to table1 that should suffice1 and ,i think perhaps a few simple hints on the subject would not be out of place1 for while ,angelina should1 of course1 order carefully all that is required1 ,i see no reason why she should rack her brain and harass her cook1 particularly when that damsel will have to do a great deal besides merely cooking the breakfast4 ,whatever else there is not1 there should be a little fruit4 ,oranges1 pears1 apples1 and grapes are cheap enough if purchased with sense1 and as #8dessert1' as a rule1 is unnecessary save for appearances--and we are too sensible to think only of these--,i should advise the fruit that nobody appears to grudge the money for then2 appearing at breakfast1 where it makes the table look pretty1 and where it is really good for both young and old folks1 too4 ,then1 if possible1 have either honey or marmalade1 it is much healthier and cheaper than butter1 and generally try to have either a tongue 7#cs4 #f;d47 or a nice ham 7#hs4 #f;d47 in cut1 it is such a useful thing to have in the house2 as also are sardines 7#as4 a box1 large size1 #f;d4 small71 as if unexpected folk drop in to luncheon1 or supper be required instead of dinner1 they are there to #8fall back upon'2 and if they appear at breakfast some really fresh eggs1 nicely fried bacon1 curried kidneys or plain kidneys1 mushrooms1 a most healthy dish1 and not too expensive at some times of the year2 curried eggs and rice1 bloaters1 and bloater-toast1 occasionally a fresh sole1 a mackerel split open1 peppered1 and salted and grilled1 a cutlet of cod1 an occasional sausage 7and ever since ,i can remember we always have had sausages for breakfast on ,sundays71 form a list from which a single dish can be chosen1 and which should suffice1 more especially when we consider the honey and fruit1 both of which look nice on the table1 are more wholesome1 and save the butter and meat bill4 ,and once the cook is trained into our ways1 and she knows what to do1 there is no need to order breakfast1 a great comfort for those who have much domestic routine of food to think of before beginning the day4 ,do not have hot buttered toast or hot bread4 ,those two items make the butter bill into a nightmare1 and are also most unhealthy1 but have nice fresh brown bread1 ,nevill's hot-water bread1 the nicest bread made1 oat-cake 7#bs4 a large tin at any good grocer's71 and fresh1 crisp1 dry toast1 and then ,i think neither ,edwin nor ,angelina can complain1 more especially if a nice white cloth 7freshly taken from the press1 in which all cloths should be put folded the moment they are taken from the table71 with a pretty red border1 and nicely folded napkins1 each in its own ring and each embroidered with initials in red1 be used1 and ,i think that ,i shall not be suspected of being a fussy old maid1 if ,i suggest that the crumbs should be brushed off by the maid and the cloth folded with ,angelina's assistance1 in which case it will last twice as long as it would if1 as usual1 it is crumpled up and shaken out at the back door in a manner much affected by careless servants4 ,but these trifles save the washing bill1 which in these days is no light consideration4 ,at first another meal that will trouble our bride is that most necessary of all meals--luncheon4 ,by-and-bye1 when little folks have to be thought of1 this midday dinner becomes a very easy business1 but ,i must own that luncheon and the servant's dinner combined is a terrible trouble during the first year or two of married life4 ,i think it was ,shirley ,brooks who used to say he believed that were women left to themselves they would never have dinner at all1 and that they would either keep something in a cupboard and eat from it when positively driven to do so by the pangs of hunger1 or else they would have a tray brought up with tea1 bread-and-butter1 and an egg1 and think they had done well2 and ,i confess freely that my first idea when ,i hear that the lord and master of my establishment is going out to dine is1 #8,thank goodness1 there will be no dinner to order2' but this is all very well occasionally1 albeit ,i don't see why we women should not have the same amount of food alone as when in company1 but it becomes serious if it goes on for long2 therefore ,i once more impress upon ,angelina to be sure and have her proper luncheon1 just as she used to do at home with her sisters and mother before she was married4 ,another reason for the midday meal is that no servant will ever grumble at the food prepared for them if it has first been into the dining-room1 and a good deal of trouble of this kind would be saved4 ,it is1 ,i own1 very difficult to find food for three women that is economical as well as satisfactory1 but a fair arrangement would be as follows3--,of course there will be a small piece of beef on ,sunday2 for a small household about #f lbs4 of the ribs of beef is best4 ,this should be boned 7the bones coming in for ,monday night's soup7 and rolled1 and sent to table with horse-radish1 placed on the meat2 ,yorkshire pudding1 which should be cooked under the meat1 and sent in on a separate very hot dish1 and appropriate vegetables according to the time of year4 ,for a large hungry family a piece of #ab lbs4 of the top side of the round should be chosen4 ,there is only very little bone here1 and not too much fat1 and besides being cheaper than any other joint it is most economical1 and as nice as anything else4 ,but more of this anon4 ,the beef can be cold for ,angelina and the maids on ,monday1 with1 say1 a lemon pudding4 ,on ,tuesday #8dormers' can be made1 with rice and cold beef1 and sent in very hot1 with nice gravy1 and simple pudding2 a mould of cornflour and jam is delicious4 ,wednesday1 a small amount of fish could be purchased1 and cold beef used if desired4 ,rice pudding1 made with a mringue crust1 is very good indeed4 ,thursday1 if no more beef be left1 a nice boiled rabbit could be had1 with some bacon round1 and a custard pudding4 ,friday1 #a lb4 of the lean part of the neck of mutton would make a delicious stew1 and pancakes could follow4 ,saturday1 about three pounds of pork could be roasted1 and sent in with a savoury pudding and apple-sauce1 and a sago pudding to conclude the repast4 ,this could be finished cold at ,sunday's supper4 ,here is variety and economy combined4 ,one great thing ,i find in housekeeping on a larger scale is to have one or two good-sized joints1 and to fill in the corners with fish1 poultry1 and rabbits4 ,fish can always be contracted for cheaply4 ,i pay #bs4 a day1 and get an ample supply for dinner and breakfast1 and sometimes enough for the schoolroom tea too2 and poultry and rabbits can often be bought at the ,london markets very inexpensively1 while ,i procure my chickens from delightful people in ,liverpool1 ,messrs4 ,hasson and ,co41 #ab ,dawson ,street1 who sell them to me at prices varying from #ds4 #f;d4 to #es4 #f;d4 the couple1 according to the time of year4 ,edwin's dinner requires1 of course1 more consideration1 and he may have very pronounced tastes that require special studying1 but in any case ,i say it is well and economical to have soup and fish before the meat4 ,soup made from bones and vegetables is as cheap and as nice as anything ,i know1 and sixpence or a shilling a day will keep you in fish1 if you set about this properly2 but the great thing about all meals is to have what you may like sent to table looking nice1 and to have none of the accessories forgotten1 an elaborate and expensive meal ungracefully served on ugly china1 or without flowers1 and with half the condiments forgotten1 being often enough to spoil any one's temper1 when a cheap1 well-cooked dinner1 prettily and tastefully put before ,edwin1 will satisfy him1 more especially when the household books are equally satisfactory when pay-day comes4 ,let me conclude this chapter by once more impressing on our young housekeepers never to allow jars and squabbles about money4 ,at first starting know everything about your income1 and settle exactly what is to suffice for dress and food1 and have a settled day1 once a month is best1 on which to receive that allowance4 ,should ,edwin have a fixed income this is a comparatively easy matter to settle between husband and wife2 but should it fluctuate1 as the income does of a man who lives by his pen1 pencil1 or even by stockbroking 7a manner of living that would drive me mad7 or by rents from land1 it is safe to arrange expenditure on the basis of the least sum obtained by these means1 drawing an average for the last three years1 any surplus going on joyfully towards the second year1 towards procuring books1 taking a holiday1 or bringing something home for the house2 there being no pleasure like that of spending money we can feel is thoroughly our own1 and that may actually be wasted if we like on something delightful1 because it is not required to pay some odious bill or replace some ugly and necessary article4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,housemaid',s ,,closet1 ,,and ,,glass ,,and ,,china4 ,one of the very first things to be recollected1 either in the kitchen or housemaid's pantry1 is that there should be a place for everything1 and yet no holes or corners where dilapidated dusters1 old glass-cloths1 bottles1 and other dbris could be stuffed away2 and another axiom to remember is that every glass1 tumbler1 cup1 saucer--in fact1 every possession one has--should be neatly scheduled and kept in a book1 which should be inspected and gone through twice a year1 or when any change takes place in the establishment4 ,that disagreeable remark1 that so often completely floors a mistress1 #8',twasn't here when ,i came1' would in this case never be heard1 as the sight of the list1 duly signed and dated by both mistress and maid1 would of course be a complete answer to any such statement2 and seeing at stated intervals what glass and china had fallen victims to the housemaid is a wonderful deterrent1 and also saves any large and sudden call upon the purse1 which always comes at a time when the exchequer is at its lowest1 but which need never occur in an appreciable manner should each article be replaced the moment it is broken4 ,i am no advocate for having what is called best things1 holding that one's everyday existence should be as refined and cultured as when one has #8company1' yet it is necessary in most of our households to have best glass and a best dinner-service1 and these should be kept in a proper glass closet1 under lock and key1 as indeed should all spare glass and china2 for1 if the most trustworthy housemaid has an unlimited supply at her command1 she will never tell of each separate smash1 and reserves the grand total for the bi-annual day of reckoning with the book1 when the mistress has often to make an outlay that is most disheartening to her1 as regards not only the cost1 but the blow it is to her to discover the carelessness and deception of1 perhaps1 a favourite maid1 who would have been neither careless nor deceiving had she had to come to her mistress for every single glass over and above the few she had at her command4 ,nothing has altered more in the last twenty years1 both in character and price1 than glass and china1 and nothing shows the taste of the mistress of the house more than her plates and tumblers4 ,no one has now any excuse for having ugly things1 because good glass is as cheap as bad1 and good china can be had by any one who has the taste to choose it1 and the knowledge where to go and buy each separate thing4 ,granted that we have selected our saucepans1 our basins1 and other necessary things known to any one1 and to be chosen from a list either sent for from ,maple or ,whiteley--for ,maple1 ,i have discovered1 issues these lists too--and which1 it seems to me1 would only be waste of paper and time for me to enumerate here1 we must1 of course1 now proceed to think about our dinner set4 ,the best everyday one ,i know of is a species of plain white china supplied by ,maple1 and which has the owner's monogram on the edge of the dish4 ,these plates and dishes are so extremely cheap that when ,i say they are #bs4 a dozen ,i scarcely expect to be believed1 and even now ,i cannot help thinking there must be a mistake2 but the rest of the service was equally inexpensive1 and ,i really do not think ,i am making an error in giving this as the price4 ,i invariably have my soup-tureens1 sauceboats1 and vegetable dishes made without handles--a pretty1 rather oval shape1 with the monogram on the side and on the top of the cover4 ,there is nothing makes a table look worse than chipped or mended crockery2 and how often has quite a nice service been spoiled by the fact that either the handles were knocked off and smashed1 or else they were riveted on4 ,now if we have no handles or ornamental knobs to be knocked off1 the service lasts three times as long as it otherwise would4 ,the plain white service also insures cleanliness and absence of greasy or black finger-marks1 and one never tires of this as one does of the elaborate patterns and colours some people prefer1 and which are extremely difficult to match once the manufacturers have broken up the design4 ,i remember some friends of mine who had a service with a whole flight of red storks on1 flying over each plate1 and anything more ugly and incongruous it is difficult to think of4 ,i never dined there without remembering the storks1 whereas a plain service would not have been noticed in any way4 ,for a best dinner service we should have something better1 for of course the china ,i have been speaking of is not china really2 that is to say1 ,i would not see my fingers through it if ,i held it up to the strongest light that was ever made1 and young people who are asked what they would like in the shape of a wedding present should remember that ,mortlock1 in ,oxford ,street1 has quite charming designs1 but even here ,i should distinctly advise1 buy the plain ware1 with either monogram or crest1 for of this one never tires4 ,i once saw a charming dinner set that had been made by ,mortlock2 it was a beautiful pale buff ground1 with a black monogram1 and the china was of a delicious feel and touch1 and as light as possible4 ,each vegetable dish was an artistic shape1 and1 in fact1 if ever my ship comes home ,i shall have one like it2 at present ,i have plain white china with a pink and gold band1 and the crest and monogram in the centre of each plate1 c42 of course1 this was a gift1 and the nuisance it is is dreadful1 for when a plate is broken ,i have to send the bits to ,staffordshire to be copied1 where they keep me waiting months for it1 and charge me so highly that ,i am beginning to detest the whole thing4 ,the glass for everyday wear and tear should be as inexpensive as possible4 ,i like quite plain glass2 tumblers cost about #fs4 a dozen1 and the glasses for wine are equally cheap2 but for best glass ,salviati ware is lovely1 and really1 if bought judiciously1 is not so very expensive after all4 ,besides which1 it allows one to have a different set of glasses for each person4 ,i have a dozen different sets of three each1 so that if one be broken and cannot be replaced exactly like its predecessor it is not a set of thirty-six that is done for1 but only a set of three1 which after all need not be spoiled quite1 as having odd glasses one still more odd does not make the blot on the table that it otherwise would4 ,the finger-glasses should also be ,salviati ware4 ,another suggestion for ,angelina1 should she be asked to write down a list of things she is most anxious to receive as presents--a good plan1 by the way1 for birthdays and ,christmas1 and one we always follow1 as then one is sure of receiving something one requires1 and not the endless rubbish that accumulates when well-meaning friends send gifts qu gifts to rid themselves of an obligation2 and who crack their brains pondering what you would like1 and at last send you something you not only don't want but think hideous1 albeit it may have cost pounds4 ,water bottles should invariable be coloured4 ,the ,bohemian ware--a lovely green hue--is particularly useful for this purpose1 and there is a charming shop in ,piccadilly where all sorts of coloured glasses and bottles are to be procured--opposite ,burlington ,house--,douglas and ,co4--and nowhere else is this charming glass as cheap and pretty as it is there4 ,i got a sweet blue bottle and glass for a bedroom for #i;d41 and another1 quite a beauty1 for #as4 #f;d4 ,at these prices one can well remain #8mistress of oneself though ,china fall4' ,the teacups and saucers can also be white or pale buff1 but my favourite ware is ,minton's ivy patterned china4 ,we used to have it at home1 and ,i have it still1 as it is one of those delightful things that one can always match4 ,it is a little expensive1 but then it is so pretty6 ,the cups are all white1 but the handles represent a bit of ivy1 the leaves of which are in relief round the handle1 and just give a pleasant1 fresh look to the breakfast table4 ,the plates have a wreath of ivy also in relief on them1 and breakfast dishes1 cruets1 and plates that stand heat are made to match2 so that all can be en suite1 except the hot-water dishes4 ,these are plain white1 with a double dish holding hot water1 that keeps bacon c4 hot1 not for late comers--these lazy people should never be considered--but for those who may prefer fish first1 or like to have a second helping4 ,this tea ware is good enough for best as well as everyday wear2 but be sure and avoid the species that is not raised and has a gilt edge1 for no one who has not seen the two sets together could understand how different they can be4 ,i do not like gilt on anything2 it is always vulgar1 always suggestive of nouveaux riches1 and on china has a way of washing off that is most trying1 unless it happens to be burnished1 when it costs a young fortune1 and one's heart is broken every time a cup or plate receives a jar4 ,a very good way in schoolrooms or nurseries1 of which more anon1 to secure the smallest amount of breakages is to give each child its own cup1 plate1 and saucer1 each set to be of a different pattern4 ,there are some lovely specimen cups1 the set of which costs about #gs4 #f;d4--not a bad birthday present1 especially if a silver teaspoon is added1 with pale yellow1 marguerite1 and brown foliage depicted upon them4 ,the same style of cup has also a beautiful design of blackberries1 and ,i have also seen a pale pink daisy that was perhaps the most charming of the lot4 ,if a child's own plate c4 get broken one hears of it at once1 and they are at once replaced4 ,the governess has her own set too1 and it is a good plan to have two or three extra sets for schoolroom visitors1 for in well-regulated houses1 where the governess makes herself pleasant1 schoolroom tea is a delightful meal1 and1 if shared by intimate friends1 makes a pleasant break for the governess1 and gives the children an opportunity of seeing outsiders1 and learning how to behave when company is present4 ,the best dessert service that ,i know of is to be bought at ,hewett's ,baker ,street ,bazaar4 ,it is ,oriental-looking and most uncommon4 ,it has a green ground1 and a raised pattern of flowers1 butterflies1 c41 and looks so good1 no one has any idea of its cheapness2 for example1 a man who set up to be a great judge of china once was dining with us1 and taking up one of my dessert plates1 he began to expatiate to the lady on his left hand on the beauty and rarity thereof4 ,i let him go on for some time1 and at last ,i told him the price--#bs4 each plate2 and1 though he was silent and appeared to believe me1 ,i am certain he did nothing of the kind4 ,the dishes are dearer1 but not too dear1 and are all low and nice shapes1 and tiny plates can be obtained to match for preserved fruits or ,french bonbons1 all of which look nice upon a dinner-table4 ,mortlock has also a plain white dessert service1 of which the edges of the plate are pierced1 and the dishes are like baskets1 which are charming1 and not too expensive2 but these are rather colourless on a table unless a great deal of scarlet is used too in the flowers1 and ,i prefer a little colour introduced myself4 ,still1 if we avoid those terrible swans on sham ponds1 with holes in their backs1 like the ,elle women1 to hold flowers1 that used to be sold with the white service1 we might do worse than have this one4 ,of course1 real china1 ,crown ,derby1 and ,worcester are all nice for this purpose2 but we who cannot afford this style of property can be consoled with the idea that there are other things quite as pretty within our reach1 although1 maybe1 they are neither as costly nor as precious1 nor as liable to be broken4 ,while we are on the subject of glass and china ,i should like to say a few words more about the arrangement of the glass and china1 and especially about the everyday dinner and breakfast table management1 as in a small establishment it entirely rests upon the shoulders of the mistress whether the table presents a charming appearance or whether it does not4 ,i will not suppose that ,angelina burdens herself with experienced maidens1 but ,i will think she has taken my advice and secured a couple of bright pleasant girls1 of whom she can make friends1 and who are not already spoiled for her use in some large establishment1 and this being so1 she will no doubt at first have to lay her table herself4 ,this may be considered a hardship by our bride1 but ,i am quite sure she will soon cease to regard it as one4 ,anyhow1 ,i beg she will try my nice girls1 and if they fail1 why1 she can but fall back on her #8experienced' ones after all1 but she must not take them haphazard1 but must select them as she does her personal friends1 because then she will1 knowing something about their family1 their inherited tendencies and their dispositions1 be able to know how to manage them4 ,we do not #8make friends' with strangers unless we know something of their forbears1 and this rule should apply to strange servants quite as much as it does to acquaintances who do not live with us1 and only come in now and then1 and are easily dropped should they prove uncongenial and disagreeable4 ,it is so easy to get your maiden into nice ways if she have no bad ones of her own1 out of which you have to take her first1 and1 beginning at once to show her how you like things1 you will soon be able to rely on her1 and she will take a pride in copying you1 and you will soon have your reward in service that is real1 because it comes from the heart and not from the eye4 ,i am a great advocate for white china1 because the washing of this cannot be scamped1 and as far as possible all breakfast china should be white1 with just a pattern of ivy or daisies1 as described above2 and the breakfast-table could be laid something as follows1 putting the mistress at the head of the table if she wishes1 and the master at the side1 not at the foot--a most dreary arrangement1 unless the breakfast table is filled by others besides the host and hostess1 which in ,angelina's case is most unlikely4 ,in front of ,angelina is arranged the breakfast equipage1 and ,i strongly advise her to have either cocoa or nicely made coffee1 and to taboo that wretched tea that destroys so many digestions and unstrings so many nerves4 ,coffee is not more expensive1 and a charming drink is made from equal parts of ,mocha1 ,east ,indian1 and ,plantation coffee at #as4 #e;d4 a pound and #as4 #d;d4 ,it should be bought in the berry1 and ground each morning2 but as this is too much labour in our small household1 ,i should suggest buying half a dozen pounds1 two of each kind at a time1 mixing them carefully and keeping them in a tin biscuit-box1 filling up a smaller canister that holds a pound as required4 ,i always do this1 and the coffee is as fragrant and good the last day ,i use from it as on the first4 ,this should be made for two people in one of ,ash's kaffee kanns1 purchasable in ,oxford ,street1 the best coffee machine ,i know of anywhere1 and1 being furnished with a spirit-lamp1 it has always means of keeping the coffee hot1 and the cheerful song of the little lamp is very pleasant when we come down on a cold wet morning4 ,of course the milk must be boiled1 and sent in very hot in a china jug to match the china1 and ,barbadoes raw sugar is better with it than the ordinary lump4 ,very pretty basins1 both for moist and lump sugar1 can be bought at the ,baker ,street ,bazaar1 in ,oriental china1 for #as4 or #bs42 butter-dishes at #f;d41 in blue and white china1 also marmalade and honey pots1 for about #bs42 and as the blue harmonises with green1 these pots can be used quite well with my favourite ivy service1 of which ,i spoke before4 ,in the centre of the table there should always be an art pot with a plant in4 ,of course ,i know people will consider that expensive1 and will sometimes even put another enemy of mine 7a worse enemy even than that terrible hat-stand67 in this place of honour--,i mean a cruet-stand4 ,but let me tell you what this expensive item has cost me since this time last year--just five shillings4 ,i had my pot for years1 naturally1 and this is not included in the outlay1 but this some years ago cost #cs41 so no one can object on the score of expense4 ,in this pot ,i had planted a cocos palm1 #cs4 #f;d41 a most graceful plant1 and the other #as4 #f;d4 went for three tiny ferns1 all of which are flourishing mightily1 and will soon have to be transplanted and make room for smaller ones again4 ,any lady fond of gardening could have planted these herself1 and1 naturally1 cheaper plants are to be had2 but the fine1 graceful foliage of the cocos is so pretty1 and the plant lasts so long1 that ,i can heartily recommend it from long experience4 ,of course1 round the centre plant can be arranged three or four specimen glasses of flowers2 but this ,i have never time to do except on special occasions1 yet it adds much to the effect of a breakfast-table1 and no young housekeeper who has not a settled occupation1 such as keeps me employed from nine until one1 should ever allow her table to be flowerless or ugly4 ,in front of ,edwin should be placed any hot food provided for breakfast1 on nice china hot-water dishes2 the bread should be placed on a wooden bread platter1 that has neither a text nor a moral reflection carved on it--two things that always seem to me singularly out of place on a bread-stand2 and the knife should be one of those very nice ivory-handled ones1 made on purpose by ,mappin and ,webb1 ,i believe1 that cost #gs4 #f;d41 but that last years4 ,at the corner of the table1 between ,edwin and ,angelina1 should be neatly arranged salt1 pepper1 and mustard4 ,a tiny set of cruets for breakfast can be bought to match the ivy festooned ware1 and is as pretty as can be4 ,very pretty white china salt-cellars c4 can be also purchased1 with white china spoons to serve with2 and ,doulton makes charming sets also1 which go with any service1 and are very strong1 but these have plated mounts2 and ,i am not nearly as fond of them as ,i am of plain china1 as these always look and are clean2 and either plated ware or silver tarnish very soon1 and make a great deal of work for our one pair of hands2 which is one very strong reason why ,angelina should put away all the pretty silver salt-cellars she is sure to receive when she is married2 reserving these and other handsome possessions until she can afford a butler1 or until she has trained her maidens well1 and is justified in taking extra help1 under the housemaid1 when1 if she likes1 she can bring it out and use it daily4 ,as in every other department1 in the housemaid's department should rules and regulations be found4 ,she should clean certain rooms on certain days2 she should never leave her silver in greasy1 or her knives in hot water2 she should keep soda in her sink just as the cook does2 and she should be instructed how to keep her glass clean and bright1 a smeared glass or plate being at once returned to her for alteration should she bring it up to table4 ,let the housemaid1 moreover1 have two or three coarse dust-sheets for covering the furniture when she is sweeping and dusting 7and see she uses them71 a large piece of #8crash' to place in front of the fireplace1 when she is cleaning the grate1 and a housemaid's box and gloves4 ,she must1 furthermore1 have three dusters1 three glass-cloths1 a good chamois leather1 a set of brushes and plate-brushes1 a decanter-drainer1 a wooden bowl for washing up in1 which must be kept free from grease of any kind1 and she must wash out her dusters for herself4 ,this makes them last much longer than they otherwise would1 and if she has only a certain number she cannot waste and spoil them4 ,little things like these are what almost ruin a young housekeeper1 because she does not know how to manage1 and because she is too proud1 as a rule1 to ask any one why dusters vanish into thin air1 and why the washing bill adds up so mysteriously4 ,silver can be kept beautifully clean if washed in clean soda water daily1 and then cleaned with a little whitening2 which glass should be always rubbed bright with a leather4 ,these items appear insignificant1 but ,i am sure they will be useful hints to many of my less experienced readers4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,first ,,shopping4 ,in life1 as in everything else1 it is extremely difficult to draw the line anywhere4 ,i want both my young people to care about their house1 and know every detail of its management1 but they must not become domestic dummies1 and think of nothing save how to make a shilling do the work of two1 and how to circumvent that terrible butcher1 or that still more awful laundry-woman4 ,once started1 the details that seem so ugly and wearisome on paper need never be gone into again1 but it is necessary to have some plan and stick to it1 else the jarring of the wheels of the domestic car will always be heard1 and life will indeed be stale1 dull1 and unprofitable4 ,people provide their own poetry1 my young friends1 and life is a very good thing if you do not expect too much from it1 or if you will not refuse to accept other folks' experience1 for she has nothing new to give you1 nothing to show you she has not shown us all before you4 ,you are not the only young people who have started on a diet of roses and cream1 and not the only ones either who have found this disagree with them4 ,so buckle too manfully1 and work your way onwards1 being quite sure that every fresh home started and kept going on excellent sound principles of health and beauty does a work little known of1 less understood about1 perhaps1 by those who inhabit it1 but none the less beneficial to all those who come within its influence4 ,but ,i do not mean to preach a sermon1 much as ,i should like to do so1 but only to preface my remarks on the subject of our first shopping and how we should begin our scheme of decoration4 ,it is usual for the landlord to allow a certain sum for the decoration of a house2 but rarely1 if ever1 does that sum allow of anything like really artistic papering and painting4 ,yet1 ,i maintain1 artistic surroundings are far more important than handsome furniture or even an elaborate wedding dress2 and ,i think if we have common sense1 and find a good journeyman carpenter and painter1 who will work himself with his men under our directions1 we shall manage very well indeed4 ,could we afford it1 of course1 ,i would employ ,morris1 or ,smee's people1 or ,collinson and ,lock1 with their delicious arrangement of #8fittings'2 but we cannot1 and our first business is to find some inexpensive man who will do as he is told4 ,then we can buy our papers and set to work4 ,there is no saving like that we can make in this first work1 if we can only put our hand on our man4 ,and when this is done our next step is to describe the work we shall require to be done and to ask him to send in a contract1 which is to be for everything1 and is not to be departed from on any account whatever4 ,the great advantage to me in employing our own man is that we buy our own wall-papers c4 just wherever we like1 and can1 moreover1 obtain a large discount on them if we pay cash1 and insinuate that we expect the aforesaid discount as a matter of course4 ,then we can start on our shopping and to enjoy ourselves1 though ,i question much if shopping be quite as charming an occupation as one expects it to be4 ,certainly1 unless one starts with a clear conception of one's needs1 a long day's shopping can result in nothing save great confusion of ideas1 and a fearful consciousness that one has bought the very things one ought not to have purchased1 and entirely forgotten the very articles of which we were most in want4 ,to avoid this disagreeable termination to our day1 we must never start in a hurry1 never be obliged to hasten over our purchases2 and once our minds are made up on the subject of colours1 we must not allow a #8sweetly pretty' pattern or beautiful hue to tempt us4 ,having made up our minds what we want1 let us buy that1 and nothing else4 ,therefore1 before going out really to purchase1 we must settle definitely what are our requirements2 and after really making the acquaintance of our house1 the next thing to do is to find out what pretty things can be bought1 at which shops1 and at the most reasonable rate2 and this is only to be done by a painstaking inspection of what the different establishments have to offer us1 and by not disdaining to look in at shop windows1 keeping both ears and eyes open1 and using our senses and1 if possible1 other people's experiences1 as much as we can4 ,this is a long and tedious process1 but one worth going through1 if we really want our house to be a home1 and the experience we purchase with our furniture will go a long way towards helping us to solve the problem set before so many of us3 how to live pleasantly on small means4 ,one axiom we can undoubtedly lay to heart and remember1 and that is that no one establishment should be resorted to for everything4 ,long experience teaches me that each shop has its specialties2 it may supply everything from beds to food1 from saucepans to grand pianos1 still there is always some one thing that another shop has better and cheaper1 and it is as well to find this out before we start away to buy our furniture1 for ,i have often been made very angry by seeing exactly the same thing ,i gave #es4 for in one shop sold at #bs4 #f;d4 in a less fashionable but equally accessible neighbourhood1 while nothing varies as much as the price of wall-papers4 ,i have known the self-same paper sold at #bs4 #f;d41 #cs4 #f;d41 and #ds4 a piece by three different firms1 all within a stone's throw of each other2 and1 naturally1 patterns alter from year to year1 and we can scarcely ever match a paper unless we purchase one designed by some well-known designer1 such as ,morris1 ,jeffreys1 ,shufferey1 ,collinson and ,lock1 and ,mr4 ,e4 ,pither1 of ,mortimer ,street1 ,w41 for whose cheap artistic papers ,i for one can never be too profoundly grateful4 ,but even more important than to find where to get the cheapest things is it to consult the house itself on what will suit it best in the way of furniture1 and we should never allow ourselves to buy a single thing until we have taken our house into our confidence1 and discovered all about its likes and dislikes4 ,this sounds ridiculous1 ,i know2 but ,i am convinced a house is a sentient thing1 and becomes part and parcel of those who live in it in a most mysterious way4 ,anyhow1 to put it on the most prosaic grounds1 what would be the use of buying a corner cupboard that would not fit into any corner1 or in purchasing a sofa for which there was no place to be found once it was bought8 ,it is1 therefore1 far better to know our house thoroughly before we really begin to furnish2 and ,i cannot too strongly advise all ladies to buy merely the bare necessaries of life before they go into their houses to live1 reserving the rest of their money until they are quite sure what the house really wants most4 ,but here let me whisper a little hint to our bride3 a man before he is married is apt to be far more generously minded than he is once he has his prize safe2 therefore1 there should be a clear understanding that so much is to be spent really and positively2 otherwise the bridegroom may think1 as many men do1 that1 as things have #8done' for a while1 they can #8do' for ever1 and he may button up his pockets and refuse to buy anything more than he has already done4 ,i have known more than one man do this2 and even the best man that ever lived--by which every woman means her own husband1 of course--never can understand either that things wear out or women require any money to spend4 ,when starting out on our shopping1 we should put down first of all what we wish to buy1 and then what we wish to spend1 and we should never be persuaded to spend more on one thing than the outside price we have put down for it in our own schedule4 ,if we do1 something will have to go short1 and that may be something very important both for health and comfort4 ,you know individually what you can afford1 so make a note of that1 and keep to it firmly1 never allowing yourself to spend any more on that particular thing1 thinking you can save elsewhere1 for your list should be so exact that you cannot possibly spare anything you have set down in it4 ,and now another axiom to be remembered when shopping3 never allow an upholsterer to direct your taste or to tell you what to buy1 neither allow him to talk you out of anything on which you have settled after mature consideration4 ,the best of upholsterers has only an upholsterer's notions1 and naturally rather wishes to sell what he has1 rather more than he desires to procure you what you want4 ,he spots an ingnue the moment she enters his shop1 and he cannot help remembering that here is the person likely to buy his venerable #8shop-keepers1' and he brings them forward until1 bewildered by the quantity and ashamed not to buy after all the trouble she thinks she has given1 ,miss ,innocence spends her money1 and regrets her stupidity for the rest of her life4 ,all young people starting in life are so very certain that they are going to do better than any one else1 that they invariably scoff at the idea of an upholsterer being able to direct them1 but let them start prepared for this by my hint1 and let them keep their eyes open2 and if they do not see things that have not been brought to the light of day for ages at first1 and before the man has realised he has a forewarned damsel and no ingnue to deal with1 they need never believe a word ,i say for the future4 ,but ,i have seen and watched this little comedy too often not to know ,i am really stating a fact4 ,start on your shopping armed with this caution1 your list1 and a determination to be content with what you can afford1 and a determination to get the prettiest things you can for your money1 and you will do well2 and above all remember that your lines have fallen on days when beauty and cheapness go hand in hand1 and don't hanker after ,turkey carpets1 when the price of one would go far indeed to furnish the whole of the room for which you would so like it1 regardless of the fact that if you purchase such an expensive luxury you will have nothing whatever left with which to buy suitable chairs1 tables1 and plenishing to match a carpet which is only fit to go where expense is no object4 ,and please mark carefully the word #8suitable1' for there is no word so absolutely set on one side in our ,english language4 ,do not be guided by fashion1 or by what some one else has done or means to do1 or by anything at all1 save the length of your purse and the house where you are to live2 and recollect cheap things are easily replaced1 while expensive ones wear one to death in taking care of them1 and in marking sorrowfully how much sooner they fade or go into holes than we can afford to replace them4 ,if all this is remembered1 laid to heart1 and well thought over1 the first shopping can be commenced at any time1 and should consist of a careful selection of wall-papers and paints for at least the hall1 dining-room1 and staircase4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,hall4 ,perhaps the most difficult part of a house to really make look nice is the hall1 especially in one of the small houses of the period1 where that tiresome man1 the builder1 appears to consider either that an entrance to the house is not necessary at all1 or that the smaller it is1 and the more the stairs are in evidence1 the better and more appropriate it is to ,angelina's lowly station in life2 indeed1 this idiosyncrasy is not confined to small houses1 for ,i know of more than one good-sized domicile that is entirely spoiled by the manner in which the staircase rises from the front door1 scarcely allowing that room enough to open1 or which has not space even for the hat-stand and hall-table to which the ,british matron is as a rule so very fondly attached4 ,however1 there is now a distinct advance in the matter of the hall in many of the new houses2 and we will take it for granted that we have a small space at all events that we can make the very best of1 for nothing adds so much to the appearance of a house as a nicely arranged hall4 ,indeed1 were ,i now beginning housekeeping1 nothing should induce me to take a house where there was not an appreciable distance between the sitting-rooms and the front door1 for if this latter opens direct on them it is impossible to avoid draughts and constant catching of cold2 a nicely warmed sitting-room becoming well-nigh uninhabitable when the front door is opened on a cold or windy night3 a chill and cutting draught enters1 and in a moment a bad cold is caught4 ,i know nothing more important1 therefore1 than to consider the position of a front door in choosing a house1 as not only one's comfort but much of one's health depends upon this4 ,i have had this #8borne in upon me1' as the ,shakers would say1 often and often1 when ,i have been staying in a house where there is literally not a square yard of hall1 where the stairs and the front door seem all one1 and where the drawing-room literally opens out into the place where the front door is4 ,even in not particularly cold weather1 nothing keeps such a house even warm1 and the sudden changes of temperature caused by this arrangement are so great that ,i have had to live in a shawl and yet could not rise above freezing point2 and1 of course1 what it must be in the depth of winter ,i must leave my readers to imagine4 ,the first thing to look at1 then1 is what we can do with our hall1 when we have it4 ,if the front door is very near us1 we must hang over it a good thick curtain4 ,i should advise a double curtain of serge or felt4 ,this could be arranged on one of those delightful rods that are1 ,i believe1 only to be purchased of ,maple1 and that move with the door itself in some mysterious way1 with a bracket arrangement1 and that prevents the necessity of drawing the curtain itself when the door is opened4 ,of course this would only be for winter use and for when the delightful east wind was blowing2 but over all the doors in my hall ,i have curtains which remain up all the year round1 because they look so nice1 and are really of a great deal of use in more ways than one4 ,as the doors open inwards1 these are only put up on the ordinary narrow brass poles with rings1 and are tied back with ,liberty silk handkerchiefs1 or in several instances looped high with cords1 as in ,illustration ,no4 #a4 ,this allows of the curtain being dropped in one moment should more warmth be desired4 ,these cords and tassels are procurable at ,smee's1 while the handkerchiefs are ,liberty's4 ,a #cs4 #f;d4 handkerchief1 cut in half and hemmed1 is the proper size to use for this purpose1 should they be preferred to the cords4 ,some of the curtains are made of stamped velveteen at #bs4 #c;d4 and #bs4 #f;d4 the yard1 edged round the bottom and one side with a ball fringe to match1 and others are made of serge2 but ,i prefer the velveteen--it wears beautifully1 and can be made to look as good as new by being re-dipped by ,pullar the dyer1 who lives at ,perth1 who is very well known1 and has agents all over the kingdom1 so there is no expense1 incurred in sending the things to him4 ,the curtains over the doorways of the sitting-rooms are always kept tied back1 and ,i furthermore put in tintacks down the sides nearest the wall to keep them in place1 and to keep out the draught4 ,this does not harm the curtains in the least if very small bits of tape are sewn on the material1 and the nail inserted in these1 not in the curtains themselves4 ,over the door that leads into the kitchen departments the curtains should be in one piece1 capable of being drawn2 to keep this in place it is well to put the last ring over the end of the pole1 so that it cannot be drawn on more than one side4 ,this saves it from looking like a rag1 which it would do could it be drawn with equal ease both sides1 and also secures that it shall remain drawn over a door that would be always revealing all sorts of domestic secrets were it not for the friendly shield of the concealing curtain1 in the praise of which ,i feel ,i cannot really say too much4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4--,suggestion for draping arch in hall4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4--,suggestion for draping door in hall4 ,the flooring of the hall is our next consideration4 ,if we have tiles1 and very many houses have tiles nowadays1 ,i think ,i should be inclined to say1 leave the floor just as it is4 ,if you put down a nice rug1 dirty boots soon reduce it to a state of dirt and squalor2 and nicely washed tiles really look as well as anything4 ,of course a good thick mat must be placed at the front door4 ,this is best purchased at ,treloar's1 in ,ludgate ,hill1 for ,i really do believe his mats never wear out4 ,i have had one for years with #8,salve' on in red letters1 and that mat is as good now as the day on which ,i purchased it1 and it has had the wear of boys to contend with1 to say nothing of1 first1 an extremely chalky soil1 and then a clay one4 ,behind the door ,i should put a brass stand1 just to hold the wet umbrellas4 ,maple has very pretty brass stands indeed for about #bes4 #f;d42 but when dry each member of the family should be made to take his or her umbrella into their own room1 and put them in a corner there not rolled up4 ,the life of an umbrella is quite doubled in length if this simple rule is remembered1 and1 indeed1 if there be a room where the umbrella can be allowed to dry1 ,i should advise its being put there at once open1 for umbrella stands wear out one's umbrella quicker than any amount of wear4 ,very pretty stands are now made from drain-pipes1 which are painted1 and in some cases embellished with flowers made from clay in imitation of ,barbotine ware2 but these are easily broken1 and ,i think a brass one much the best for all purposes4 ,now1 on no account allow any one to hang up a coat or wrap in the hall4 ,first of all1 a collection of coats and hats tempts a thief2 and1 secondly1 ,i cannot imagine anything more untidy-looking4 ,the men of the household can be easily trained to take their own especial property at once into their own rooms1 where there should be accommodation for them2 and visitors' hats and coats can be taken possession of by the maid1 and hung up in the passage behind the curtained door that leads to the kitchen1 where they are out of sight at all events1 and can be given back to their owners quite as easily as if they were making our hall like an old clothes shop1 or filling it with water from outside4 ,on no account1 therefore1 buy a hall stand1 brass hooks or a row of pegs in some unobtrusive corner answering every purpose1 as far as ,i can see4 ,of course if the master comes in wet his garments must go straight to the kitchen fire1 anyhow2 if he be dry1 why should he not take his hat and coat into his own dressing-room8 ,we do not put on our bonnets and jackets in the hall1 or keep them there either1 and ,i cannot myself see why he should4 ,but it is all a matter of management and use1 and if he be asked to begin properly by taking his property upstairs1 ,i am quite sure there will be no trouble about that detestable piece of furniture1 a hat-stand4 ,of course1 nowadays no one thinks of having imitation marble-paper in the hall--that monstrosity is at last never now to be met with2 but the hall paper is rather a difficult business1 and must be chosen especially to suit the hall for which it is intended4 ,a soft green paper makes almost any hall and staircase look cheerful1 but my pet paper is undoubtedly ,pither's #8blue blossom1' at #as4 #f;d4 a piece1 and ,i especially recommend a dado here1 but not a paper one--this soon gets shabby4 ,children's little paws1 boxes going up and down1 a thousand things inseparable from a staircase1 in the shape of wear and tear1 all have to be considered4 ,therefore1 either a dado of matting1 with a real wooden rail1 painted the colour of the paper or else a wooden dado1 or one of really pretty cretonne1 are all to be preferred1 because they stand a good many hard knocks1 and remain unspoiled to the last4 ,a matting dado1 ,i think myself1 is the very best1 and1 if desired1 the stair-carpets can be saved much wear by covering them in their turn with narrow matting too4 ,i really think a blue hall is as pretty as any1 and then old-gold curtains over the doors look charming2 but a sage-green hall looks extremely well1 and ,i have seen a terra-cotta paper1 with a chintz dado1 using ,liberty's ,mysore chintz1 that had a very pretty effect indeed4 ,if the banisters end in a round1 a good effect is procured by placing a plant in a pot there4 ,i had one that never got knocked over2 but1 for fear of a catastrophe1 a brass pot with an aspidistra should be selected1 as1 if this falls1 it cannot be utterly and entirely done for1 as a china one would be containing a fragile fern or a delicate palm1 neither of which1 by the way1 would stand the draught as the long-suffering aspidistra invariably does4 ,i like pictures up the staircase1 and1 should there be a staircase window1 artistic jugs and pots1 more especially the ,bournemouth and ,rebecca ware1 sold by ,mr4 ,elliot 7who lives at the top of the ,queen's ,road1 ,bayswater1 ,no4 #ah71 should stand all along the window-ledge2 and if the outlook be ugly1 the entire window should be covered by a fluted muslin curtain in art colours1 using either ,madras1 which does not wash well1 and must always be new here1 or ,liberty's artistic muslins at #as4 a yard1 with the appearance of which ,i am delighted1 either for window blinds or summer quilts1 or material for throwing over sofas1 instead of guipure and muslin4 ,it is sold in all colours1 and is one of the best things ,i have seen for some time4 ,how we furnish our hall must of course entirely depend on the room we have4 ,liberty has some charming bamboo settees in black1 and arm-chairs to match4 ,these are especially suitable for a hall1 while an oak chest with an oaken back is a most valuable possession2 the chest holds comfortably the year's accumulation of papers and magazines until it is time for them to go to the binder1 and the top and back are charming with heavy jugs on1 made too heavy to be blown over by filling them with sand1 in which1 when flowers are plentiful1 blossoms can be put1 and when they are scarce1 leaves and berries and pampas grasses show to great advantage4 ,if any small tables are about1 have plants and books on them1 and above all avoid any appearance of a passage or hall--nothing makes a house look so miserable4 ,a good thing to bang in the hall is a nicely illuminated card saying when the post goes out1 with a box underneath for the letters1 and the time-table and a hat-brush should be in some unobtrusive corner1 whence they should never be moved on any pretext whatever2 a fixed matchbox1 that should always be full1 is another institution1 and a candlestick in good order should be put on one of the tables when the hall gas is lighted4 ,the painted artistic-looking candlesticks sold by ,liberty at #bs4 #i;d4 are very pretty1 but a brass candlestick does not get shabby quite so soon1 and is not much if any dearer4 ,one more axiom3 never have loose mats at the room doors outside2 they only turn over with the ladies' dresses1 and get untidy1 while a piece of indiarubber tubing at the bottom of the door keeps out far more draught than any mat possibly can4 ,if the hall be not tiled1 ,i recommend it to be covered with ,pither's capital hard-wearing drugget over felt1 with one or two dhurries about1 put down carelessly1 for sake of the colour2 these wash beautifully and wear excellently1 and begin at #as4 #f;d4 each1 rising in price according to size1 while one or two of the ,kurd or ,scinde rugs would be even better than these1 as they stand a very great deal of wear and tear4 ,before passing away from the hall1 ,i will just mention two or three schemes of decoration that are absolutely certain to be a success1 and therefore can be adopted without any chance of a failure3 ,no4 #a is ,pither's invaluable red and white #8berry' paper at #as4 #f;d4 a piece2 a dado of red and white matting--,treloar1 ,ludgate ,hill1 has a capital one at about #as4 a yard1 and varnished paint the exact colour of the red on the flower2 blue hard wearing drugget on the floor1 and red1 white1 and blue striped dhurries for portires4 ,no4 #b4--,paper of a good sage-green1 with dado of ,japanese leather paper in sage-green1 and gold all the paint varnished sage-green and ,pither's terra-cotta hard-wearing drugget on the floor and stairs2 terra-cotta and grey-blue serge curtains would be safe here1 and if there be a back staircase and no boys in the house1 the dado may be replaced by a frieze of ,maple's grey-gold ,japanese leather paper2 this resembles a flight of birds among palm branches1 and this arrangement is simply a perfect hall1 but not suitable for one where there is much traffic4 ,all the paint1 on doors1 wainscot1 and frieze or picture-rail alike1 must be one shade of green only1 and ,i most strongly deprecate for any place the odious habit of picking out styles and wainscoting with another shade of paint2 this is never needed1 only adds to the work1 and draws attention to the paint1 at which we do not want to look1 and which would only serve as a pleasant background to oneself and one's belongings4 ,the sides of the stairs and the balustrading should all be painted to match1 though the mahogany handrail should be left alone4 ,scheme ,no4 #c would only do where expense was no object1 but would undoubtedly make a most lovely hall4 ,this would be in cream-coloured varnished paint1 with a high wooden dado painted cream colour1 and then embellished with sketches of birds and flowers by ,mrs4 ,mc,clelland's clever fingers2 the paper could be a good gold-coloured ,japanese leather paper1 and the carpets could be ,oriental rugs sewn together1 while the hall should have a handsome ,oriental square of carpet1 and one or two divans placed about it2 the draperies could be ,liberty's beautiful chenille material in ,oriental colours too1 and great care should be taken with their arrangement4 ,in all cases ,i strongly advise the ceilings to be papered1 no one who has once indulged in a coloured or decorated ceiling ever going back to the cold1 ugly whitewash1 with which we have all been so contented so long4 ,it is generally safe to put a blue and white ceiling paper with a yellow or red wall paper1 a terra-cotta and white with green walls1 and a yellow and white with blue walls1 taking care to carry out this combination of colouring in the carpets1 draperies1 c4 ,much as ,i dislike gas1 it is a necessity in any hall1 and ,i here produce two sketches of beaten iron gas-lamps that would be suitable for almost any style of decoration2 these are from the designs of ,messrs4 ,strode1 #dh ,osnaburgh ,street1 ,regent's ,park1 and cost respectively #el4 #aes4 and #al4 #ds4 each2 quite simple hanging lamps are to be had from ,mr4 ,smee at #ces41 in beaten iron1 but these are not quite large enough by themselves to light a hall1 and two at least would be required4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #d4 ,on no account1 by the way1 allow your front door to be disfigured with the terrible #8graining1' against which ,i am always waging war4 ,painters always beg to be allowed to #8embellish' at least the front door with the hideous but orthodox arrangement of yellows and browns1 scraped mysteriously and agonisedly with a comb1 or some such instrument1 in a faint and feeble attempt to deceive callers into believing that the door is made of some highly polished wood1 veined by nature1 in a way that could not deceive the veriest ignoramus2 but ,i stoutly set my face against such an idea1 and denounce graining as the hideous and palpable sham it undoubtedly is1 advising all who come to me to have some good deep self-colour for their front door1 and generally suggesting a very dark peacock-blue door for a #8blue blossom' hall1 a very dark ,indian red for the red berry1 and a dark sage-green for the sage-green hall1 adding brass handles and furniture2 this stamps the house at once as an artistic one1 and one in which #8graining' will not be allowed at any price4 ,and here ,i will pause for a moment to beg any one who may need these words of mine to refuse to allow any graining whatever in their houses2 it is a barbarism that should be allowed to die out as quickly as may be2 it is always ugly1 always inartistic1 and1 being an undoubted attempt to seem what it is not1 ,i set my face against it always4 ,i would rather have deal1 rubbed over with boiled oil1 than the most #8artistically' imitated piece of walnut or mahogany ever produced by the grainer's tools2 the one is neat1 the other a vulgar sham--vulgar because it is always vulgar to seem to be what one is not1 and to pretend to be what can be contradicted by the tiniest scratch1 rather than to be confessedly of a cheap material1 and therefore graining cannot be too strongly condemned4 ,many people cling to it who dislike it as much as ,i do1 because they are told nothing can be done to it1 unless all the paint is burned off2 there never was a greater fallacy6 ,to paint over graining all one has to do is to have the paint washed thoroughly with strong soda and water1 and then rubbed down with glass-paper1 then apply one coat of ,aspinall's water-paint and one coat of his enamel1 and you can possess at once all the colour you require1 without any trouble at all4 ,of course a perfect #8job' is only made by burning off the paint1 but no one could ever tell this had not been done1 and very particular people can themselves apply first of all ,carson's #8detergent1' sold at ,carson's paint works1 ,la ,belle ,sauvage ,yard1 for #es4 a tin2 this brings off the old paint in flakes1 and leaves the bare wood ready for the painter's brush4 ,still this is not necessary1 and people who have kept to graining because they dread the burning-off process need do so no longer1 unless they positively cannot afford the new paint required to cover it over4 ,a stone hall in the country looks much better if the stones are painted a good red or blue1 instead of being whitened daily1 and ,treloar's scarlet cocoanut matting is invaluable in back passages and on kitchen stairs2 and above all we must recollect that the hall gives the first welcome to our guests1 and that therefore the more it resembles a cosy1 comfortable1 artistic room1 the more likely is the rest of the house to be a charming and successfully designed and furnished home4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,dining-,,room4 ,in my first chapter ,i laid just a little stress on the word #8suitable'2 but in looking back at it1 ,i find ,i did not say half what ,i intended to on the subject of making that most suggestive tri-syllable our guiding star1 as it were1 in our whole scheme of life1 and it may not be out of place just to dwell upon it a little1 before proceeding to lay out any money1 because if we calmly and dispassionately regulate our desires by their appropriateness to our purse1 and our standing in the social scale1 we shall find our requirements diminish sensibly1 and our purchasing powers increased in the most pleasing and comfortable way4 ,therefore1 in starting to buy the furniture for our modest dining-room1 let us consider not what is handsome or effective or taking to the eye1 but what is suitable to ,edwin's position1 and what will be pleasant for ,angelina to possess1 without having unduly to agitate herself and worry herself to death in nervously protecting her goods and chattels from wear and tear1 which often enough is reflected on her1 and wears and tears her nerves1 and takes up her time in a manner that would be pathetic1 if it were not so ridiculous and so extremely unsuitable to her position as a ,british matron4 ,therefore1 with a small income it is the reverse of suitable to make purchases that can never be replaced without months of anxious striving and saving2 for though1 of course1 incomes may increase1 they seldom increase in proportion to the wants of the household2 and it is better to buy strong plain furniture1 to purchase cheap and pretty carpets and draperies that can be replaced without a serious drain on our income1 than to revel in expensive chairs and tables which1 should they be scratched and broken1 can never be matched without much more sacrifice than they are worth2 and if we march along manfully1 determined to act suitably1 not fashionably1 we shall enjoy life a thousand times better1 and have at the same time the pleasing consciousness that we are doing good to our fellow-creatures1 without knowing it perhaps1 but most satisfactorily2 for example is worth a thousand precepts1 and practising is more than a million sermons1 all the world over4 ,how often a well-managed house1 an income carefully 7not meanly1 not lavishly1 but carefully7 administered1 or a pretty idea pleasantly carried out1 has shone like a bright light in this naughty world--other people have seen our strivings1 may be have noted our cheerful bright house1 and seen our small but comfortable mnage1 and have gone on their way cheered and refreshed by our example1 and in copying it have influenced some one else in quite another part of ,london or the suburbs2 and1 alas6 how many may we not have helped on the downward path of extravagance and foolish lavishness by our foolishness or our needless display1 which we have repented of1 most likely1 long before all the bills were paid4 ,taking into consideration the fact that no one can live to themselves1 even in the purchase of chairs and tables1 we may1 perhaps1 be forgiven our sermon2 but lest ,angelina tires of our prating1 and shrinks appalled from the serious manner in which we cannot help regarding the starting of any new home1 we will leave off preaching on unsuitability1 and proceed on our journey in search of nice and suitable furniture for our small dining-room4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #e4 ,great care must be taken in selecting our dining-room chairs1 and we earnestly advise all intending purchasers of these necessary articles of furniture to look not so much at the appearance as to their capabilities for affording a resting-place to a weary back2 for ,i have often endured a silent martyrdom at many a dinner-party1 in the houses of those amiable but mistaken people who go in for ,chippendale chairs1 embellished by carvings just where one leans back1 or for those other still more agonising seats which have a round gap or space1 and through which one almost falls should one try to lean against them and so obtain rest2 and ,i am naturally anxious to save others from the sufferings ,i have endured1 either on the chairs just spoken of1 or seated on one the seat of which was so high from the ground that my legs have refused to reach it1 and ,i have hung suspended in mid-air1 until ,i have hardly known how to sit out the long and elaborate meal ,i was enduring1 certainly not enjoying4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #f4 ,now here are five chairs illustrated1 any one of which would be quite safe to have4 ,no4 #e is the most expensive of all1 and would cost about #cl4 #ajs4 each4 ,these are ebonised ,new ,zealand pine1 and are upholstered in a dull brown morocco1 which has worn splendidly4 ,nos4 #f1 #g1 and #h are ,mr4 ,smee's designs1 and are made with a peculiar curve in the backs1 which just takes one's shoulders1 and gives one a comfortable resting-place without appearing to be in the least a lounge4 ,these chairs can be had for about #cbs4 and #dbs4 respectively1 ,no4 #f being upholstered in a species of woollen tapestry1 which wears well1 and would be singularly suitable for a small mnage1 and is1 therefore1 not out of the reach of most of us2 while for folks who require something much less expensive than even the cheapest chairs just spoken of1 there are the #cs4 #f;d4 rush-seated black-framed chairs1 sold by ,messrs4 ,harding ,bros41 ,beaconsfield1 ,bucks1 which are strong1 artistic in appearance1 and infinitely to be preferred to the chairs in the terrible #8suites1' that are such a temptation to the unwary1 and to those who make that most fatal of all mistakes1 and do their shopping in a hurry--than which there cannot be a greater error4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #g4 ,in a small room ,i am much inclined to a round table2 these are much more cosy1 and much more easily arranged to look nice2 but1 in any case1 the table need only be stained deal1 with fairly good legs1 for in these days the table is always kept covered by a tablecloth1 and is never shown as it used to be in the old times1 when half the occupation of the servants1 and often enough of the unfortunate mistress too1 was to polish the mahogany incubus1 and bring it up to a state of perfection4 ,we have other and better occupations now than this constant #8furniture tending1' ,i am glad to say2 and1 oh6 how much prettier our houses are1 to be sure1 than they used to be4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #h4 ,there are two of these species of tablecloths especially to be recommended1 both for their artistic and their inexpensive merits1 and are far to be preferred to the tapestry cloths kept ready made in most shops4 ,self-coloured felt or serge makes an admirable cover1 especially if a border is added of some contrasting colour4 ,peacock-blue serge looks well with an old-gold border1 about six inches wide2 each side of the border has a gimp combining the two colours1 and the cloth itself is edged with a tufted fringe4 ,two shades of red look well too2 but1 of course1 the cloth must be chosen to harmonise with the room in which it is to be used1 and not bought1 as ,englishmen all too often make their purchases1 because the thing is pretty in itself1 forgetting that it ceases to have even a claim on the score of beauty when placed among incongruous surroundings4 ,i may mention1 now ,i am on the subject of tablecloths1 that ,i much dislike the custom of leaving the white tablecloth on all day long2 this invariably makes the room look like an eating-house1 and causes the cloth to appear messed1 for dust from the fire settles upon it2 and ,i always insist on the white cloth being brushed1 folded in its folds on the table by the two maids1 and then placed at once in the press1 a cloth managed like that lasting twice as long and looking much better than the one that is left on for two or three days at a time2 for few if any of us can now afford a clean tablecloth every day1 not only on the score of the washing1 but because the washing process too often applied ruins our cloths1 and results in nothing save a series of holes1 worn by chemicals and careless mangling2 therefore the white cloth must be removed1 and replaced by a good art serge or felt1 made up1 as suggested above1 with a band of some contrasting hue4 ,this cloth careful people remove during meals1 for no one can be sure whether gravy or wine will not be upset2 and teacups and saucers have been known to be turned over bodily even in the best-regulated families4 ,these accidents do no positive damage if the good cloth is removed2 and1 after all1 this is a small thing to recollect1 and may save expenditure both of money and temper too4 ,these tiny hints are of course meant for people who are not well off1 but may not be out of place even to those richer people who are lucky enough not to be obliged to worry after every trifle4 ,a penny saved is a penny gained2 and even the richest among us has need to be careful4 ,what he saves can after all be given to some poor brother4 ,but however rich you are do not be persuaded to buy that ugly1 expensive1 and tremendous thing a sideboard2 neither waste your substance on dinner-wagons1 they spoil the appearance of everything2 but get some obliging and clever upholsterer to make you a cabinet or two1 one for each side of the fireplace1 if you have recesses there1 and take care they are pretty1 for much of the look of your home depends upon what you have in the shape of armoires4 ,i have two made in ebonised wood from a design given me by a ,royal ,academician1 which are illustrated here4 ,they have three shelves1 then a broad space where are deep cupboards1 and then again an empty space1 where books can be kept1 or great jars put to decorate it4 ,on the three shelves ,i arrange china1 which is also arranged on the top of the part that has three cupboards4 ,these have brass hinges and good locks1 and hold wine1 dessert1 dinner napkins1 and trifles1 such as string1 nails1 and other necessary articles1 and answer every purpose of a sideboard1 and1 instead of being ordinary1 ugly things1 are so ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #i4 decorative that no one ever enters my room without noticing them and asking me where they are to be procured4 ,i have had mine some years now1 but extremely nice ones are made by ,mr4 ,smee1 the prices beginning at #fl4 #fs4 in plain deal ready for painting any special hue to suit any room1 to #ajl4 #ajs4 each in oak or walnut2 and ,i very strongly recommend them to people who really wish their home to be artistic1 and not a mere warehouse for necessary furniture1 for while they answer the same purpose as a sideboard1 they are pretty to look at1 and would not be out of place in an ordinary sitting-room4 ,up to this present moment ,i have said nothing about the colour or arrangement of the walls of the dining-room1 and so1 before proceeding to dilate on the rest of the furniture1 ,i will here give my readers a few hints on this subject4 ,in the first place1 then1 let all people about to furnish determine that their dining-room shall be cheerful somehow1 and let them eschew anything like dark colours or dingy papers1 refusing to listen to the voice of the charmer1 who has his #8appropriate' designs to sell1 and does not care in the least for your ideas on the subject2 and1 having mentally selected the colour that appeals to their taste1 let them refuse manfully to be talked out of their purpose by a man who has no ideas beyond the conventional ones of dark colours for a dining and light ones for a drawing-room4 ,for those people who can afford it1 ,i advise invariably a plain gold ,japanese leather paper1 with a bold red and gold leather paper as a dado4 ,the plain paper is #ds4 #f;d4 a piece of nine yards1 ,french or narrow width2 the dado paper is #as4 #f;d4 a yard4 ,all the paint in the room should be the exact shade of the red of the ground of the paper1 and the painter should be instructed to keep entirely to one shade of paint1 to do no #8picking out' or embellishments at all1 but to paint wainscot1 shutters1 dado rail1 and doors alike in one uniform shade of a good red1 mixing the last coat with varnish1 or else giving one coat of ,mr4 ,aspinall's invaluable enamel paint1 which gives a smooth and polished appearance1 particularly suitable for this special tint of red4 ,the dado rail is sold by ,maple ready to put up at #b;d4 a foot2 thus it would be easy for any one to calculate exactly how much such a scheme of decoration would cost4 ,then the ceiling should be papered in pale yellow and white4 ,the cornice should in no case be outlined or #8picked out' with colours1 but should be a uniform shade of cream1 thus just shading into the paper without calling attention to itself4 ,here let me pause for one moment to impress emphatically on my readers the great necessity of recollecting that paint and paper are after all only a background to oneself and one's belongings1 and therefore are not to be brought unduly forward4 ,the paint must always be kept one shade of one colour2 the cornice must always be coloured a deep cream1 and the necessary ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aj4--;,dining-room at ,gable-end1 ,shortlands4 relief in doors and shutters is obtained by filling the panels thereof with a good ,japanese leather paper1 which at once causes the proper decorative effect with the expenditure of a very little money1 the effect being heightened by the addition of brass locks and handles1 which cost very little1 and yet just add the finishing touches to the room4 ,should the ,japanese paper be too expensive1 the red effect could be obtained by one of ,pither's papers with a bold frieze in a good floral design4 ,this is united to the paper by a frieze or picture rail1 sold by ,maple at #b;d4 a foot unpainted1 and from this frieze the pictures hang on brass hooks made on purpose2 these are about #bs4 #f;d4 a dozen2 and the pictures are suspended from them on copper wires2 this1 however1 only answers where there is no gas1 as gas corrodes the wire rather quickly1 and then cords must be used2 but where there is no gas the copper answers perfectly1 and looks far better than anything else can possibly do4 ,should red be objected to altogether--and ,i hope it may not be--here is another scheme of decoration2 a dark sage-green paper1 with a very little gold in it2 a gold and green ,japanese leather dado2 all the paint one shade of sage-green1 and a terra-cotta and white ceiling paper2 terra-cotta serge or damask curtains edged with ball fringe1 and a sage-green tablecloth with pale terra-cotta border4 ,with the red decoration the curtains c4 can be a rather faint pinky terra-cotta2 this produces an excellent effect1 while in some rooms a dull blue would harmonise most excellently with the red4 ,let me mention one other trifle3 always insist on that ghastly round in the centre of the ceiling1 above the gaselier1 being removed4 ,workmen always say this is impossible1 just as they generally declare they cannot paint over graining2 but it is quite an easy business1 and makes an immense difference in the appearance of any room1 and is another #8little-thing' the forgetting of which always annoys one1 and spoils what might otherwise be a perfect whole4 ,i generally advise a dado in the dining-room1 because of the rubbing the paper always receives from the backs of the chairs2 but this said rubbing can be obviated by putting all round the room on the floor against the wainscot a two-inch border of wood4 ,this does not show if painted to match the wainscot1 and always keeps off a great deal of the wear and tear the wall receives4 ,yet sometimes1 when the paper is a really handsome one1 a dado can be dispensed with for some time2 the placing of one when the paper itself has been up a few years having the effect often of making a new room of it1 and doing away with the re-papering process2 which is always such a terror by reason of the dilatoriness and utter worthlessness of many of the ,british workmen we are forced to employ1 painters1 as a rule1 being the most unsatisfactory of all2 and ,i am quite sure many young men who now starve genteelly as clerks1 either in or out of place1 could earn much more money1 and be constantly employed too1 if they would take to honest papering and painting1 and carry out our ideas in our houses for us1 giving us honest1 sober work in return for honest pay4 ,however1 we must not sermonise more than we can help2 and having suggested a few ideas for covering the walls and buying the most necessary articles of furniture1 ,i now proceed to dwell upon those small extras which will make the room comfortable1 should ,edwin have to sit in it when he is at home and has letters to write2 or should the bride-elect be obliged sometimes to make it her morning room1 to save the fire1 or the extra work caused by a third room to a servant4 ,a simple window-seat1 as in sketch #aa1 can often be placed in a suburban bow-windowed villa1 and at once makes a cosy seat4 ,this frame costs #gs41 and can be made by a local carpenter4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aa4 ,the top is made of sacking1 and takes four yards at about #as4 a yard2 the front is made from a deep frill of cretonne lined with unbleached calico1 and is sewn on rings 7fig4 #ab74 ,these are suspended on nails1 and the whole of the top is cushioned with cretonne1 cretonne cushions being sewn on rings and hung on the wall to make a back for these seats4 ,the description of arrangement of curtains suitable for this will be found in the chapter on curtains2 and ,i maintain that no girl or woman either need consider it a hardship if she have to spend her morning sewing or reading here1 while she could write her necessary letters at the desk prepared for her husband1 and which is a necessity in any house for a man who has accounts to keep and letters to write4 ,still1 if ,edwin is not a very much better specimen of a husband than the ordinary smoker of the period makes1 ,angelina will have to sit in her third room sometimes1 for there is nothing more trying than an atmosphere of stale smoke1 and ,i look forward to a time when men of the rising generation will be a little less selfish than they are at present in their indulgence in a habit that1 so far as ,i can perceive1 has not one merit to recommend it4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ab4 ,how often am ,i asked by girls how they can get rid of the disagreeable effects of smoke after dinner6 ,they say--and very rightly too--that they really dread breakfast-time1 and that their morning is poisoned for them by the indescribable odour that greets them when they come down refreshed from their night's rest to take up their day's work cheerfully2 that it would be worse if ,edwin smoked in the drawing-room1 and they have no small room where they could allow him and his friends to work their wicked will1 and that therefore they feel hopeless4 ,and ,i cannot keep from wondering why men should smoke as they do2 and thinking over this1 and remembering how terrible it has been to me to come down to stale smoke1 ,i should like to beg ,edwin seriously to consider whether he need indulge in this habit in his own domicile1 and whether the save of his after-dinner cigar would not conduce to his happiness as well as to ,angelina's comfort2 and really ,i have small heart to describe how ,edwin can have a comfortable corner in his dining-room when ,i feel convinced the more comfortable he is made the worse effect it will have on everything in any pretty room4 ,i often wonder if men ever reflect on what their smoke costs them--how many delightful books1 pleasant journeys1 pretty engravings and photographs1 and1 in fact1 all sorts of pleasant and permanent belongings1 fly off into thin air by means of those pipes and cigars that really seem part of a man at present1 and1 in fact1 are far too often their first thoughts4 ,i am not speaking for myself1 gentle reader4 ,the atmosphere of smoke is absent from my own especial domicile1 and is reserved for my atom of a conservatory1 should an occasional spoiled friend come down and look miserable without his pipe or cigarette--for cigars ,i cannot have even there2 but ,i am writing for all the young people who are beginning life1 and who think they make their husbands happy by giving them carte blanche to do just #8as they like in their own house4' ,my dear girls1 you cannot make a greater mistake with your husbands1 and later on with your sons1 than to wait upon them and give in to all their little lazinesses and selfishnesses at home4 ,it may sound ridiculous1 but it is a fact that old coats and slippers in the home circle mean manners to correspond2 that bad manners often show a bad heart2 and that a man is far more likely to care for the wife who exacts the small attentions that would have been lavished on the bride1 than for her who opens the door for herself1 rings the bell when he is in the room1 and fetches things for him to save him steps that ought to be taken for her and not by her2 and that boys who are allowed to bully and #8fag' their sisters and their mother are sure to make the selfish1 inconsiderate husbands of which we hear so much nowadays4 ,and this great smoke question means a great deal too4 ,it is a selfish1 disagreeable habit1 verily2 and ,i can but hope that ,edwin will think of this when in his pretty dining-room1 and confine himself to the garden or conservatory with the door shut1 even if he does not seriously consider how many pleasures for both vanish into smoke with the fumes of his post-prandial cigar2 while the odours in which he condemns ,angelina to begin her day would be done away with1 and cheerfulness reign instead of dulness and a sense of nausea that are most trying to any one who does not like cigars4 ,hoping that these words may have due effect1 we will contemplate allowing our bridegroom to have a comfortable armchair in one corner of the room1 and a big desk in another4 ,the armchair1 of course1 is rather a serious item1 and should really be made for the person who intends to sit in it4 ,this naturally means an expenditure of from #hl4 to #ajl41 according to the covering2 so this may be done without until ,edwin is older1 if he cannot afford it4 ,now1 in that case1 ,i should recommend his buying one of those delightful low wicker-work chairs1 which can be bought anywhere for #es4 or #fs4 ,this can be painted to match the room1 or ebonised with ,aspinall's lovely and invaluable enamel paints--paints that have a glaze upon them and wear beautifully1 and can be applied at home1 and it can be cushioned by any local upholsterer1 or even by ,angelina herself1 if she be clever with her fingers4 ,the best material for covering these chairs is undoubtedly a strong tapestry at about #es4 #f;d4 a yard4 ,maple has the best-designed tapestries for the money in ,london1 and one should be carefully chosen to harmonise with the room2 the cushion should be tied in its place1 or sewn in its place1 with very strong tapes or thread1 and should be buttoned down4 ,it takes two and a quarter yards double width material and four and a half single width to make a cushion for the sides and seat1 and the seat cushion should be finished off with a frill two inches wide4 ,the comfort of these chairs is much enhanced by the addition of a small square soft cushion to fill up the hollow in the centre and stuff into one's back4 ,these can be easily made either out of paper torn up and rolled into strips and then put into a piece of twilled cotton for a case1 and a second case made from the material saved out of the chair covering itself1 or small down cushions can be bought at ,whiteley's in ,turkey-pattern materials which can be hidden in a covering like the chair1 as suggested above1 or--whisper this1 please--the hair-cushions placed in the back of ladies' skirts now can be utilised for stuffing these cushions to far more advantage than if they were retained in the position suggested by the dressmaker2 and then the appearance of the chair is complete1 with the addition of a ,turkish embroidered antimacassar at #bs41 which always makes any chair look nice1 and even expensive 7see ,illustration #ac74 ,these chairs can be bought1 enamelled any colour and cushioned complete1 for #cas4 #i;d4 at ,colbourne's1 #hb ,regent ,street1 ,w41 made to my pattern4 ,if you have a more expensive chair1 do not buy one with a straight back2 comfortable as they look1 they are no use in practice1 and every chair should be rounded for comfort1 even if our grandmothers would shake their heads over the decadence of a generation that requires round backs to their chairs4 ,then there should be solid square arms on which books can be placed1 if we like to put one down for a few moments1 or even a cup of tea allowed to stand there1 should it be necessary4 ,mr4 ,smee made me such a chair--it was #hl4 #ahs4 #f;d41 ,i think--and ,i would not part with it on any consideration4 ,it is covered with a very beautifully designed tapestry1 and is trimmed with a deep woollen fringe1 knotted and headed with broad gimp1 and is simply perfect2 but he took an immense amount of trouble about it1 and made it to suit me1 going on the same plan as that on which the wicker chairs are formed1 only making mine higher from the ground1 the lowness of the wicker chairs being their only failing2 and even this1 of course1 is no failing in the eyes of a great many of our younger brothers and sisters4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ac4 ,edwin's desk should be wide and strong1 and should have good deep drawers4 ,this can be bought ready made for about #abl41 but ,i can provide a similarly convenient article for #bl4 #aes42 that is to say1 ,i can provide ,edwin with ideas on the subject that any small carpenter can carry out4 ,i have had for years a writing-table made by our own carpenter which cost me #bl4 #es41 and is now doing honourable service as a dressing-table in a boy's room4 ,it was made simply in deal1 had three very deep drawers on each side1 and one flat long drawer at the top2 and the top was covered neatly with a piece of ,japanese leather paper1 which was quite as serviceable as good leather4 ,i then had it nicely painted to match the room1 added brass handles and locks1 and had an extremely pretty desk or dressing-table for very little money4 ,it is now painted a very beautiful blue1 ,aspinall's hedge-sparrow's-egg blue1 and is most useful2 deep drawers in a desk or dressing-table meaning comfort1 for there is nothing more uncomfortable than having nowhere to put one's things4 ,good inkstands--indeed1 the best ,i know is the deep blue-and-white china one to be bought at the ,baker ,street ,bazaar for sixpence--should never be forgotten4 ,two should be bought1 one for red and one for black 7there is no ink1 by the way1 like ,stephens' blue-black fluid2 ,i cannot write without it1 and always take it with me wherever ,i go72 a box for string1 filled1 a post-card case1 a letter-weigher1 and a date-card and candlestick1 and also a tray for sealing-wax1 pens1 ink-eraser1 c41 all should find places on the desk1 and above it1 or on one side1 should hang something to hold letters--a basket at #d;d4 does beautifully2 beneath it should be a wastepaper basket1 and if ,angelina be wise she will have a sack in a cupboard from some paper works1 into which all pieces of wastepaper should be put4 ,the sack soon fills1 and from disposing of the contents there are seven shillings1 which come in handily for plants1 or flowers1 or any of the many trifles that seem nothing to buy1 but that run away somehow with so very much money--trifles making up life after all4 ,if possible1 keep a bunch of flowers on the desk4 ,i am never without one winter or summer1 and there is ample room on the desk ,i describe for this and also for dictionaries1 two plants1 and three brass pigs taking a walk1 which ,i always use as a letter-weight4 ,the dining-room desk should always be looked after by the mistress herself1 who should also take care that fresh ink1 pens that will write1 a blotting-book1 and wastepaper basket are in every room in the house that is used1 including the spare bedroom4 ,seeing to this often saves a good deal of time and temper too2 for ,i know of nothing more irritating than to have to write a note in a hurry and have nothing handy to do it with4 ,the dining-room1 or1 indeed1 any room1 would not be complete without a few words on the subject of the mantelpiece1 which is always rather a difficult matter to arrange2 for one must have a clock there1 and that means expense1 unless we are content with a very charming specimen ,oetzmann1 of the ,hampstead ,road1 used to sell for #bes4 ,i have had one three1 nay1 four1 years in my drawing-room1 and it still goes excellently4 ,it is blue1 and in a tall slender black case4 ,it is called the ,chippendale clock4 ,i dare say he keeps them still4 ,then there should be candles in blue and white china candlesticks1 and any pretty ornaments ,angelina may have1 and1 if none are given her1 why1 #al4 judiciously laid out at ,liberty's or the ,baker ,street ,bazaar will furnish more than one mantelshelf delightfully4 ,i could make my readers smile over my hunt sixteen years ago for some nice candlesticks if ,i had the time1 and could contrast my difficulties then with the embarras de richesse now4 ,but space does not allow of these digressions4 ,still1 whatever else is done without1 let us be sure to have a couple of well-filled spillcases1 and a matchbox with matches in it fixed to the wall2 though1 if we have the ordinary marble incubus of the orthodox suburban residence to deal with1 we shall have to think over the mantelpiece question most seriously1 for this is indeed a burning question1 and one that would daunt the stoutest heart to answer satisfactorily1 and ,i look forward hopefully to a time when builders will eschew the expensive and ugly marble in favour of wooden mantelpieces1 which are1 to my mind1 all they ought to be4 ,in the first place1 a wooden mantelpiece continues1 as it were1 the scheme of decoration of the room1 and1 without being unduly prominent1 makes the necessary unobtrusive frame for the fireplace that a staring white marble erection can never be4 ,and1 in the second1 any stain from smoke can be washed off the painted mantelpiece1 while a few days' carelessness1 a smoky chimney1 or a housemaid's unclean paws can ruin a marble mantelpiece beyond the hope of redemption2 therefore on all accounts ,i think a wooden one is to be preferred4 ,of course1 some people1 even in a small house1 regard the possession of the marble in the light of a patent of nobility--it is so handsome 7odious word71 so genteel2 but these belong to the hopeless class1 for whom little or nothing can be done4 ,as an illustration of what ,i mean1 ,i may tell you ,i once was asked by one of these individuals to come down to her country house and give my opinion on the subject of some wall-papers she was hesitating between2 and when ,i entered her drawing-room1 where my lady was not1 but was heard scouring about upstairs1 hastily changing her dress to be fit to be seen at four o'clock in the afternoon1 ,i saw just such a gorgeous marble erection1 and1 in a species of compromise between the taste of the day and the sense of proud possession given by the marble1 there was a valance hung round the edge of the shelf1 supported1 or rather tied on1 with tapes1 so that the fact of the material of which the shelf was made was visible to the eye of the visitor4 ,i could not take my eyes off it1 and on learning that my opinion was asked in reference to the room in which ,i was1 ,i asked about the valance1 suggesting how ridiculous it looked suspended1 poor thing1 in mid-air1 and hinting that a board would give it a reason for its existence2 but this was received with so much surprise that ,i could not recognise how beautiful the marble was1 that ,i got out of the room as soon as ,i could1 knowing that here any advice ,i could give would be utterly thrown away4 ,in a great house where gorgeousness1 not prettiness1 reigns1 marble is1 of course1 more in place than it is with us1 but ,i do not like it at all in our cold native land1 where our grey skies and dark atmosphere cry out for colour1 and ,i would relegate it to ,italy1 where it contrasts charmingly with the ardent skies and glowing air inseparable from that land of sun and flowers4 ,i do hope some builder1 who is intent on building houses for the ,edwins and ,angelinas of the day1 may read my humble words1 and1 turning his back on the marble1 may put up in the pretty residences that are now the rule and not the exception the simple wooden mantelpiece that lends itself so kindly to decoration1 and does not assert itself like the #8handsomer' one does in a small house--in a manner that resembles a rich relation come to call1 and reduce the poor connection to a sense of his position and utter lowliness4 ,the mantelpiece of wood can have one or two little shelves in the comers under the shelf itself2 here can be placed cups or vases for flowers4 ,then comes the shelf itself1 and finally the over-mantel4 ,in one of my rooms where the slate mantelpiece is hopeless1 ,i have covered the top with a plain board1 painted turquoise blue1 the colour of the room4 ,this is edged by a goffered frill of cretonne1 like the curtains1 about a foot deep4 ,it is nailed on the front of the board1 and the nails hidden by a moulding1 also painted blue4 ,over this ,i have a glass about two feet wide with a bevelled edge1 and framed in plain deal1 painted blue1 and surmounted by a shelf about four inches wide1 supported by two small blue brackets4 ,of course the frame of the fireplace ought to be blue too1 and it is a sore subject1 ,i can tell you1 that it is not2 but being of black slate it is not so trying as it might be--not so trying1 for example1 as another room would have been had ,i not boldly painted its odious yellow and white marble mantelpiece black1 to match my paint1 and so removed an eyesore that looked like nothing so much as poached eggs very badly cooked and sent to table4 ,i did go through the farce of asking my good and indulgent landlord1 who1 fortunately for me1 was artistic1 and gave his consent freely2 but ,i am afraid1 even if he had not1 ,i should have painted it quite as boldly1 and trusted to #8luck' to have escaped any fearful penalty when my lease was up1 and ,i left my decorations behind me for some one else--decorations that include another painted mantelpiece1 this time a dull grey stone thing1 that is quite lovely in a terra-cotta coat of paint1 and its top covered1 as ,i have just described the blue covering1 with a terra-cotta painted board1 and a frill of blue and white ,mysore chintz4 ,i am always being reminded of how much a fireplace is in a room by going into quite charming chambers where nothing is wanting save and excepting a nice arrangement there4 ,the whole room is spoiled1 and the ugliness there contrasts so forcibly with the rest of the room that ,i can never avoid mentioning it1 and begging the owner to call at ,shuffery's1 in ,welbeck ,street1 whose cheap wooden mantelpieces and tiled hearths cannot possibly be too widely known1 and are cheaper than those of any other firm3 though1 of course1 a clever draughtsman can make his own designs1 and a wooden mantelpiece could be made by an ordinary carpenter1 but the #8stuff' must be well seasoned and carefully put up1 so us to have no risk of fire4 ,always1 if possible1 have a tiled hearth and a very simple fender4 ,a gorgeous fender is a mistake2 if a tiled hearth is provided all one requires is a black frame to enclose the hearth1 with two brass knobs just to brighten it up2 then get some brass fire-irons and two standards at ,maple's or else at ,hampton's1 where brass things are very good and cheap1 and1 if in any way obtainable1 see your grates are ,barnard's4 ,they save their cost in coal in a very short time1 and are very pretty and simple4 ,i have one that cost a little over #dl42 it has a simple black frame1 enclosing some pretty blue and white tiles1 and has firebrick sides and bottom1 and is as low as the hearthstone4 ,the fire in this grate keeps alight from about #aa ,a4,m4 until #b ,p4,m4 in the coldest winter weather1 and ,i have never once during that time to ring for coals4 ,another ordinary stove during the same hours has to be continually watched and replenished1 and while the blue and white room is always hot1 the other room1 possessed of the all-devouring grate1 is never even warm1 and sometimes one end thereof is hardly above freezing point4 ,i have an equally good grate in the drawing-room1 and here a fire made up at eight burns steadily until eleven at night1 and often is quite a gorgeous fire at bedtime4 ,i believe these grates are made at ,norwich1 but ,shuffery sends them or similar grates equally satisfactory with his wooden mantelpieces2 which1 by the way1 are supplied with ,doulton ware fenders like the tiled hearths4 ,these save needless trouble to the servants1 as they only require dusting and an occasional wash-over to be always clean4 ,while we are on the subject of fires1 ,i can tell my readers of a comfortable manner to keep in a fire in a bedroom or drawing-room1 when a fire is wanted1 but not a #8regular blazer4' ,to insure there being a fire1 line the bottom and front of the grate with a newspaper1 then fill it up1 nearly to the top of the fireplace1 with quite small coal1 on the top of this lay an ordinary fire1 with nice lumps of bright coal1 wood1 c41 and set light to it2 this fire will burn downwards steadily1 and can be left to take care of itself2 and then1 when the room is required for use1 all that is wanted is a judicious poke1 and a pretty cheerful blaze rewards you1 while you have the satisfaction of knowing your fire is in1 and no waste of fuel to any appreciable extent is going on1 should the room not be in occupation4 ,before ,i end this chapter ,i may just give some few hints as to what to do with our fireplaces when a fire is not necessary though1 in my own case1 an open ,japanese umbrella suffices1 because the temperature in ,england changes so quickly and so often that ,i scarcely can feel fires are an impossibility2 but quite a pretty change in the room can be made by placing the sofa or the grand piano straight across the fireplace1 of course removing fender1 c41 and so making it appear as if it had vanished2 while another nice effect is made with putting a fender made of virgin cork instead of the ordinary one1 and filling up the grate with great ferns and flowering plants or cut flowers1 frequently changed1 for nothing save the ubiquitous aspidistra lives comfortably in this lowly and draughty situation4 ,the cork fender should be filled with moss1 and then jam pots sunk in it full of water2 in these arrange your flowers3 put a hand-basin in the grate itself1 and bend large leaves of the ,filix mas4 fern over the edges2 these completely cover the bars of the grate2 then large peonies can be arranged in the basin1 and the whole looks like a bank of flowers4 ,this can only be managed in a country room1 where flowers are plentiful2 but not a bad fire-screen is made from a wire frame with a deep flower trough in front2 ivy should be trained all over the frame1 and then flowers and ferns can be arranged in the trough at it small cost4 ,let this1 however1 be done only in one room in the house4 ,never put it out of your power to have a fire whenever you feel cold4 ,no one knows how much illness is saved by this small precaution4 ,one or two things must also be remembered before we leave the dining-room altogether4 ,footstools must be provided1 and by the side of the grate should hang a bass brush to keep the hearth tidy1 a pair of bellows to coax a lazy fire1 and a fan to screen any one who should dislike the blaze in their eyes2 and the wall-paper will last all the longer if a ,japanese paper fan is nailed in such a manner that the bristles of the brush rest on it and not on the wall2 just as the carpet will last longer if the coalscuttle stands on its own small linoleum mat1 which can be painted any colour with ,aspinall's paint1 and will always wash clean1 cheerfully every day4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,morning-,,room4 ,even in a small house ,i very strongly advise the third room to be set aside emphatically for the mistress's own room--sacred to her own pursuits1 and far too sacred to be smoked in on any occasion whatever4 ,and this room can hardly be made too pretty in my eyes1 for undoubtedly here will be struck the key-note of the house1 for the chamber set aside for the mistress of the house is unconsciously a great revealer of secrets4 ,is she dreamy1 lazy1 and untidy8--her room tells of her4 ,is she careful1 neat1 energetic8--her room brightens up and bears witness to her own character4 ,does she write8--these are her pens1 and her dirty little inkstand1 looking like business2 or work1 or paint8 ,well1 ask the room sacred to her use2 it will tell you of her much better than ,i can1 and if she be only an honest ,english girl1 anxious to rule her house well1 and to really make it #8home1' her room will disclose all this1 and will be always ready for her1 and for any one else who will come to her there for the help1 pleasure1 or counsel she in her turn will be so happy to give once she has bought her own little experience4 ,or should it happen that ,angelina has no pronounced tastes1 and does not intend to plunge head-first among the bread-winners with pen or pencil1 she will have all the easier task in arranging her tiny room4 ,on the walls we may hang a pretty sage-green paper1 taking great care there is no arsenic in it4 ,in the recesses of the walls beside the fireplace ,i should put shelves1 painted sage-green1 the colour of the paint1 and edged with narrow frills of cretonne similar to that used on the mantel-board2 these are sewn on tapes1 and the tapes nailed to the shelves1 and hidden by a moulding similar to the one on the board4 ,and should ,angelina desire a cheap1 useful species of cupboard1 one of these shelf-fitted recesses can be draped by a cretonne curtain1 which would look pretty1 the while it hid any baskets or boxes or odds and ends wished out of sight yet close at hand at the same time4 ,these shelves are put in to the height of the mantelpiece1 and1 the tops being wide1 hold a nice quantity of decorative china1 and1 being backed by fans or large blue and white plates1 bought very cheaply at almost any glass and china warehouse1 add immensely to the artistic appearance of the room1 the walls of which will1 ,i hope1 be hung with pretty photographs or engravings1 or sketches of home friends1 or places1 done by friends or even by our bride herself4 ,if she can paint1 or has any girl friend who can do so1 she should now embellish her door panels with graceful pale pink flowers1 remembering never to fall into that fatal and ugly mistake of drawing or representing flowers in the colours that nature herself never uses for them4 ,there is my favourite pink flower1 the flowering rush1 to be remembered1 and this pictured among its own surroundings1 marguerite daisies and long grasses1 would be admirable on the sage-green paint1 and doing this will occupy ,angelina nicely during those long hours that are hers when the honeymoon is over1 and ,edwin has once more to put his neck into the collar and set to work to keep the little house going4 ,i should also like ,angelina to keep round her in this her own room as many reminiscences as she can procure of her old home4 ,if she have a prudent1 loving mother1 ,i think many a little imprudence may be avoided1 if a photograph of the dear face is always looking down upon her2 and if she have an honoured father1 his precepts will be recalled in a similar manner1 and insensibly she will be helped on her way1 as she was in her girlhood1 by the loving counsel she can never be too old to require1 live as long as ever she may4 ,then there should always be something here in the shape of a desk1 for ,angelina will have to write letters1 if only to answer invitations1 though ,i trust sincerely she may have something better to do with her time than that4 ,and if she can copy ,edwin's writing table1 she will find it a great comfort to her1 for the deep drawers will hold paper1 envelopes1 and the thousand and one things she should never be without2 such as string1 untied1 not cut off parcels1 and neatly rolled up in lengths1 half-sheets of letters to be used for notes to familiar friends or for tradesmen's orders1 paid bills--no unpaid ones1 please--and brown papers also saved from parcels1 elastic bands1 and answered and unanswered letters2 which1 if important or private1 should never be left on a desk in a letter-rack1 for #8maidens' are but mortals1 and an open epistle is too tempting a thing for most servants to leave untouched and unread4 ,be sure and have a wastepaper basket1 and somewhere in a cupboard the sack ,i mentioned before1 in which to put the contents of the basket at once1 as soon as it is full2 and do not keep any letters about in your possession once they are replied to1 especially if they are chatty letters about people and their sayings and doings1 but destroy them at once4 ,they are safe in the wastepaper bag2 but a letter is like a ghost1 and turns up when least expected1 often working irreparable mischief2 in fact1 in these days of penny postage1 a letter is only written for the moment1 and should be put beyond the power of doing harm by any honourable person the moment it has answered its purpose4 ,remember how often one's opinion changes4 ,one makes friends or quarrels with an acquaintance1 and writes to one's intimates about these tiny circumstances1 and no harm is done if the letter be immediately destroyed1 besides which there is always the chance that death may pounce upon one1 and leave one's hoards defenceless1 and our friend's confidences at the mercy of our successors4 ,who re-reads old letters8 ,life is too rapid now for this4 ,once answered1 tear up these amusing1 compromising epistles1 and beg your correspondents to do the same1 and then not very much harm will be done by them after all4 ,in ,angelina's room there should always be some sort of a sofa4 ,maple has beautiful deep sofas1 ,i think for #hl4 #hs42 these can be covered with serge1 or else velveteen or corduroy velvet1 in a good sage-green colour or peacock blue1 and finished at either end with a square pillow or cushion covered with the same2 the velveteen is #bs4 #f;d4 a yard1 and wears beautifully2 it is preserved too1 when not in use1 by throwing over it a large cover made of either guipure and muslin1 costing #cjs4--rather a large item--or by two or three of the striped curtains1 joined4 ,these cost #as4 #f;d4 each at ,liberty's1 but ,i personally prefer the guipure1 or else a large square of ,madras muslin1 edged with a goffered frill1 or else a cheap lace4 ,this should be folded back1 should you require to lie down much on the sofa1 as otherwise it soon crushes and becomes dirty and untidy4 ,remember1 young people1 ,i am no advocate for lying about on sofas1 and ,i abhor idleness1 but a proper amount of rest and care often saves a long illness1 and there will be times in all your lives when a sofa is not a luxury but a positive necessity4 ,a book can always be read1 or work be done1 for1 properly pushed down at the back1 the cushions support the shoulders1 the while the legs are supported too1 and so proper rest is obtained2 and if the sofa be in ,angelina's own room1 she will use it when she would think twice before going solemnly into the drawing-room1 where she may be disturbed by visitors1 or be1 perhaps1 fireless1 to take the repose she may possibly have been ordered4 ,there should be two firm little tables1 or even three1 according to space4 ,the floor should be stained about two feet all the way round1 and the square of carpet should be as pretty as possible4 ,flowers and pot-ferns should be as much used us the money will permit1 as nothing makes a room look so nice4 ,the curtains should be cretonne and muslin underneath1 arranged as ,i shall describe in the chapter set apart for curtains4 ,there should be a work-table1 a stand for newspapers with a paper-knife attached--tied on1 in fact1 and re-tied when not in use1 for no possession takes quicker to its heel than does a paper-knife--and plenty of books and magazines1 obtainable from a library2 or by judicious exchanges among friends or acquaintances made by advertising2 for it is astonishing how many papers can be seen by a clever person1 who can manage to exchange the one or two she takes in for one or two more1 that in their turn go on again in exchange for others2 and this is neither extravagance nor waste of time1 for every one should be as well read in the events of the day1 as most people are in the events of bygone years2 for one's own times are1 ,i think1 quite as amusing and far more instructive than even the events of those days when there were no newspapers and nothing very much happened4 ,let me beg of you all to remember two things3 one is1 that on no account is this little room to have gas1 or to be smoked in under any pretext whatever1 and that here all must be to hand that ,angelina is likely to want2 she must have her own duster1 her sticking-plaster1 her little remedies for tiny hurts1 her cotton1 needles1 thimble1 her string1 her stamps1 her pins1 her gum1 her glue1 and be able to put her hand on brandy1 the one spirit that ,i would allow inside the house1 and which is a most invaluable necessary medicine2 and if she be wise and her servants are tired1 she will be able to give a sister or very intimate friend her cup of afternoon tea without ringing1 should they come in on a busy day and require refreshment1 when it would be unkind to take ,jane off her work to provide it4 ,no lady was ever the worse for making her own tea1 or even washing her own teacups1 and a little thought for ,jane will insure ,jane thinking of and for you1 in a time when you may be very dependent on her for this care and thought4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ad4 ,the tea-things can be kept #8handy' behind one of the curtained recesses1 and a small brass kettle can also be concealed there2 but there are some rooms1 alas6 so evilly constructed as to be positively without recesses for the shelves1 and in this case the books that ,angelina will require in her own room must have a bookcase made especially for them1 and the recess for the teacups must be made as in the drawing of the bookcase on this page4 ,the best bookcases are undoubtedly the revolving ,american bookcases1 first introduced by ,messrs4 ,trbner1 the well-known publishers1 of ,ludgate ,hill4 ,these hold a great many volumes1 take up small room1 and on the top of them china can also be placed2 but they are expensive1 a good-sized one costing #el4 #es41 and so1 if this be out of the question1 ,i recommend a long plain oak bookcase that ,i have had made for me from the design of a relative1 for they hold a vast quantity of literature1 and only cost the comparatively small sum of #al4 #ahs4 #f;d4 ,this bookcase is about eight or nine feet long1 and consists of two rows of shelves1 each wide enough to hold books the size of a bound volume of #8,good ,words4' ,the top of the last shelf has a narrow battlement of oak just cut out in scallops to relieve the plainness and to serve as a rail to support the china that stands on the top of the bookcase2 and the shelves are all edged with a two-inch frill of velveteen or cretonne to harmonise with the rest of the room4 ,the shelves are divided into three parts1 and the centre part looks very well with a velveteen curtain over it1 nailed to the top shelf1 and hanging in a straight line from top to bottom4 ,behind this curtain can be placed all sorts and conditions of things1 from paper-backed shilling books1 that are not in the least bit decorative1 to string or gum1 or the cups and saucers spoken of above1 if we have no other place to use as a cupboard in the room4 ,the shelves are hung on the wall1 just resting on the dado rail1 and are supported with nails driven into the wall and by the dado rail itself4 ,on the top the big blue jugs and coarse rod pottery ,rebecca jars sold by ,mr4 ,elliot1 in the ,queen's ,road1 ,bayswater1 should be placed1 as then the bookcase is not only useful but remarkably ornamental4 ,to supplement the ordinary lack of cupboard room1 it is occasionally better to have one or two low square black cupboards about4 ,against the wall1 where a table may be put sometimes1 they look very nice1 and are of incalculable use4 ,they cost very little1 and if the panels are filled in1 either with ,japanese paper or imitation tapestry1 and the top covered with a cloth and used for books1 plants1 or pieces of china1 scarcely any one would see they were cupboards1 and so you have a useful piece of furniture doing double duty1 as cupboard and table1 for the expense of one4 ,i have in one corner of my especial room a most beautiful cabinet which holds all my odds and ends comfortably1 and is such a success that ,i cannot help describing it here1 although ,angelina may not of course care to go to the expense1 but it is so pretty and withal so inexpensive1 as compared to the usual run of cabinets1 that ,i think ,i may venture to recommend it to her4 ,it fits into one corner1 and is of deal1 painted sparrow's-egg-blue to match the room4 ,it stands about five feet eight4 ,the under part is a cupboard4 ,then come three deep drawers1 flanked by two little shelves--two each side of the drawers4 ,the top shelf is hidden by a small curtain of old-gold coloured velveteen1 and in the under shelf stands a blue pot that cost sixpence4 ,there is a flat shelf forming the top of the cabinet with china on1 and at the back1 which goes into an angle to fit the corner1 is another shelf about three inches wide on which more china stands4 ,the drawers and cupboard have brass handles and locks1 and the whole thing complete1 made to order and measure by ,mr4 ,smee1 cost me #hl4 #hs41 and ,i often look at it and wonder how ,i existed1 or where ,i put all my papers and things generally1 before ,i saved up money enough to buy it for myself4 ,the chairs here can be all the deep1 low1 basket-work chairs1 and these need not cost much1 but these chairs must be bought with great care and circumspection1 they are all such different shapes1 and should never be purchased in a hurry--that fatal hurry that is at the bottom of so much waste and extravagance in the world2 for1 remember this1 a thing obtained quickly and hastily seldom is the thing one really requires1 and then a double outlay is necessary1 or else perpetual discomfort is our portion1 just because we were not judicious enough in our behaviour to take enough time over our purchases2 and nowhere is hurry more fatal than in choosing one's chairs4 ,you young people are apt to think only for the day1 and do not care to remember that a time will come when legs and backs will ache2 but ,i know this1 and this is why ,i want you to be quite sure that you do not get the basket-chairs that go back too far1 or are too low1 or too high1 but that the medium chairs are chosen1 in which you can rest thoroughly when they are cushioned2 and furthermore supplied with an extra cushion to fill up the gap in the back1 and that are not high enough to require a footstool1 but yet are not low enough to send one's feet to sleep1 because of the manner in which they leave no room for the length of limb possessed by the unfortunate person who sinks into their comfortable-looking depths to rest1 and cannot understand why he is so very uncomfortable when he has been there so short a time4 ,cretonne makes pretty covers for the cushions1 which should be stuffed with wool and a little flock--all wool would make these cushions too expensive2 but cretonne is not heavy enough for a man's wear1 and either tapestry or woollen brocade or serge should be used for cushions for ,edwin's accommodation4 ,if a sofa be afforded1 three of these chairs1 or four at the outside1 will amply furnish the little room2 and they can have over their backs1 as a finishing touch1 an embroidered ,oriental antimacassar1 arranged to show both embroidered ends one above the other1 and not tied in bows--a most inartistic and ugly arrangement in my eyes1 and one quite useless and untidy too2 for there is no doubt that a properly arranged antimacassar saves the chair cushion a great deal of the wear and tear and the rub of dusty shoulders1 and need not be any trouble if a little thought is given to their arrangement1 both in sitting down and rising from the chair4 ,if other chairs are required1 higher and squarer1 although ,i cannot think they are necessary myself in this small room1 those painted blue1 red1 or black1 and with cane seats1 costing about #abs41 are the best4 ,the cane seat should be provided with a square cushion1 covered in any odd pieces of damask or cretonne1 and trimmed with a frill1 and tied to the chair by four pairs of stout black tape strings1 so that the cushion cannot slip about1 as it otherwise would4 ,these chairs would also do for the extra chairs in the drawing-room1 if even the rush-seated ,beaconsfield chairs at #cs4 #f;d4 each are not pronounced quite good enough4 ,a very good1 useful table1 called the ,queen ,anne table1 can be obtained from ,oetzmann or ,maple for about #bes4 ,it is square1 with square legs1 and has two useful shelves1 and the whole is covered in art-coloured velveteens4 ,i have had one in very hard wear for seven or eight years1 and it is now as good as the day when ,i bought it4 ,i had some charming square stools made on the same plan for #gs4 #f;d4 each1 to hold large blue and yellow pots purchased at ,whiteley's for #bs4 #aa;d4 each1 and filled with palms1 and these standing about in odd corners or in the centre of a bow-window add very much to the appearance of any room1 for nothing gives so ,oriental or artistic an appearance as plenty of plants1 ferns1 and palms2 and these need not be out of the reach of any one who cares for pretty things1 because with care they last and flourish for years2 while cut flowers and flowering plants are out of the reach of any of those for whom ,i am especially writing these papers--that is to say1 unless they keep their eyes very wide open1 and utilise every morsel they can beg1 or pick from the hedges and fields2 that even in the suburbs are not swept quite clear of daisies1 grasses1 and even occasionally primroses and anemones4 ,footstools must be a sine qu non in each room1 and more than one or two should1 if possible1 be provided4 ,the square ,oriental-looking ones1 at #ds4 #f;d41 purchasable at ,shoolbred's1 are very nice1 but big1 square1 old-fashioned ones1 made by the carpenter1 or1 better still1 by ,edwin1 are the best of all2 they do not run away from you when you put your feet on them1 and their wear is everlasting4 ,they are square frames of wood1 rather heavy1 and stuffed a little with flock on the top1 and covered with a good stout woollen tapestry2 they are quite half a yard across each way1 and serve for two people if necessary4 ,then there are the ordinary round hassocks for #as4 #f;d41 covered in odds and ends of old carpets4 ,these are soon made artistic by covering them over the carpet with artistic serges embroidered in crewels2 white narcissus1 or oranges and the blossoms looking very nice indeed on a terra-cotta serge2 and yellow daisies or pomegranates on a peacock-blue serge being also quite charming to behold4 ,brackets are very useful for corners1 and ,i especially recommend the bamboo brackets to be bought at the ,baker ,street ,bazaar and at ,liberty's4 ,they are so cheap and light-looking1 and hold odds and ends of china so nicely1 and if many pictures or photographs do not adorn ,angelina's walls1 quite a grand effect can be obtained by making a bracket the centre of a scheme of decoration2 elaborated from ,japanese fans1 that can surround the bracket like a halo1 sending out branches or beams of colour from such a centre in all directions1 in a manner invaluable to those who have no other means of decorating their walls4 ,were ,i ,angelina ,i should sit here in this tiny room1 and do my work here all the morning1 having every meal in the dining-room1 and resolutely spending my evenings in the drawing-room4 ,there is1 of course1 rather more firing required1 but not more than is necessary to warm the house thoroughly1 and this will save in health and spirits far more than the house coal costs4 ,quite a different current to one's thoughts is given by a change of room1 and a really dull feeling often disappears when one's surroundings are changed1 and one goes into a fresh pure atmosphere2 for whatever the weather is1 ,i do hope ,angelina has her windows open top and bottom1 and1 in fact1 sleeps with them open too2 but this ,i shall say more about when ,i reach the bedrooms1 and talk about health1 which will be later on2 though before ,i describe the papering c4 of this little room ,i must beg ,angelina not to fall into the habit of so many young wives1 of having nothing between breakfast and dinner save perhaps cake or a cup of tea1 but to have a properly cooked chop or morsel of meat at the orthodox hour for luncheon4 ,for while ,i know how difficult it is to do this because eating by oneself is so dull1 and it does not appear worth while to have cooking done for oneself alone1 ,i cannot too much impress upon my bride that she must remember health is the first consideration1 and that very bad effects are often caused by the manner in which proper food is forgotten or gone without in the middle of the day1 a matter far too many girls never think about at all4 ,it is almost impossible to lay down any hard-and-fast rules for the decoration of a morning-room without seeing the room itself1 but ,i am sure no colour is so entirely satisfactory as the blue which is the exact shade of a sparrow's egg or an old turquoise4 ,mr4 ,smee1 at my express desire1 keeps this blue paper1 at #ds4 a piece1 always in stock1 and a perfect room can be made by using this paper1 ,aspinall's enamel paint1 the exact shade of the ground of the paper1 and a frieze of dead gold ,japanese paper at #cs4 #f;d4 the piece of nine yards2 a frieze or picture rail painted blue unites the frieze to the #8filling1' and the panels of the doors1 shutters1 c41 should be panelled with red and gold ,japanese leather paper4 ,the painter must not be allowed to pick out or embellish the paint at all 7,i cannot repeat this too often71 and the cornice must be one uniform cream colour4 ,the ceiling of this room should be papered yellow and white1 and curtains could be made from the yellow printed linen sold by ,mr4 ,pither1 #ch ,mortimer ,street1 ,regent ,street1 at #as4 a yard1 and edged by ball fringe sold by ,mr4 ,smee at #f;d4 a yard4 ,another arrangement for a room which had much sun could be from a sage-green paper1 with a broad frieze of one of the many beautiful floral papers to be purchased nowadays1 with a good deal of pink in2 or better still would it be to go to ,mrs4 ,mc,clelland1 of #cc ,warwick ,road1 ,maida ,hill1 ,w41 and get her to paint a frieze of pale pink and dark red roses on ,american cloth2 this is put up with drawing pins and taken down like a picture1 and would make a most admirable wedding present2 it would certainly be a joy to any bride for all her life long1 and should therefore be considered by those who are about to make a marriage gift4 ,in this case all the paint must be sage-green1 and we must get as much pink--really pink--and peacock blue with it as we can muster4 ,therefore1 on the mantelpiece we can have a cretonne with pale pink flowers2 our over-mantel and board being painted sage-green1 with1 if possible1 sprays of pale pink chrysanthemums or roses on4 ,and then place on the mantelshelf first a candlestick1 choosing the pretty small embossed brass ones that ,maple used to have at #bs4 #f;d4 each2 then a spill-case in blue and white china1 always remembering to keep them full of spills--they save a great deal of waste in winter both of matches and temper2 then a photograph frame1 holding a home photograph of mother1 father1 or sisters in an oak frame 7the plush and leather ones soon soil and look tawdry72 then a vase for flowers--a low shape2 then one of the tall sixpenny ,baker ,street vases1 that look beautiful with a single rose or two2 marguerites or fuchsias in summer2 and with grasses and ferns in winter2 and then the clock1 continuing the same arrangement the other side2 and1 despite the sneers levelled at them1 use ,japanese fans as a background as often as you can2 the colour is so invaluable a help1 and1 being excellently managed1 goes with anything4 ,the doors should be painted to match the frieze1 and the over-mantel should also be decorated in a similar manner1 and the ceiling should be papered with a good terra-cotta and white paper4 ,some terra-cotta or pink should be introduced into the chair coverings1 c41 but the exact shades must be carefully chosen by some one whose eye for colour can be trusted emphatically4 ,this room should be under the care of the housemaid1 who should dust and sweep it before breakfast1 and should also see to the hall4 ,the cook will have quite enough to do with the dining-room and her own kitchen1 while the drawing-room can be left to be looked after1 when the bedrooms are done and the breakfast things washed up2 though the ornaments and flowers must be entirely looked after by the mistress1 should she only be able to begin life with two servants4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the ,,drawing-,,room4 ,it is quite useless to attempt to have a pretty drawing-room1 unless the owner really means to have it in constant use1 and intends to sit in it regularly4 ,i am quite convinced that rooms resent neglect like human beings do1 and that they become morose and sulky-looking if they are kept closed1 or only opened when strangers are expected4 ,it is no use then to bustle about to arrange this antimacassar1 or to put yonder chair just a little bit out of its constrained position1 to put flowers in the vases and books on the tables1 in a spasmodic attempt to give an air of life to the dead chamber4 ,something will betray you1 the chill atmosphere will inevitably chill your friends1 your constraint in an unaccustomed room will communicate itself to them1 and you will infallibly all be as stiff and unhappy as you can be1 without perhaps being able to define the cause4 ,therefore1 as your room is to be lived in1 let me beg of you to buy nothing for it that you cannot replace easily1 to have nothing gorgeous1 or that will not stand a certain amount of careful wear and tear1 for as sure as your room is too grand to be lived in every day1 so sure will your acquaintances find you out1 and put you down at once upon the list of dull folks to be avoided1 that we all of us keep somewhere mentally or otherwise4 ,a light hue for a drawing-room has been found to be a necessity ever since the days--those awful days--of white papers covered with gilt stars4 ,there is always something a little depressing about the evening4 ,one is tired with the day's work1 worried by domestic duties1 or disappointed at the very little fruit the long twelve hours have given us2 and therefore we should be careful to arrange our evening-room with the intention of having cheerful surroundings1 if we can have nothing else1 and that is why ,i should like to have our drawing-room in blue1 or else in yellows and whites4 ,i must say ,i still hanker after a dado1 because in the drawing-room ,i like to hang all sorts of odds and ends upon it1 which give an original air to the room1 and also insures favourite photographs1 fans1 or pretty hanging baskets with flowers in being close to one's chair1 or near one's eyes1 should we wish to look at them4 ,a very pretty effect is obtained by stretching a cretonne material round the base of the wall for a dado1 hiding the nails with a dado rail of bamboo4 ,liberty's blue and white cretonnes are invaluable for this1 but then it is rather difficult to ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ae4--;,drawing-room at ,gable-end1 ,shortlands4 obtain a blue paper to match4 ,still it is to be done and we are repaid for the trouble1 ,i think1 by the effect when it is up4 ,a yellow-and-white paper looks charming with a blue dado1 also a terra-cotta paper and paint are not amiss1 though ,i confess myself rather disappointed with this effect in a drawing-room ,i once had2 but then the paint was put on in my absence1 and ,i feel convinced it was not the shade ordered4 ,if people are really tired of dados1 and will have none of them1 the walls can be papered blue to within about two feet of the top2 then a frieze of pale yellow and white can be put on either of paper or cretonne1 the join hidden by a rail1 on which are placed hooks which hold pictures4 ,these then are brought down to the proper level for light1 and are not suspended out of vision1 as are so many paintings and engravings in houses of people who are artistic enough by birth and education to know better2 then1 too1 by using these hooks the great expense of picture-rods going all round the rooms is saved1 without damaging the walls either by hammering in brass-headed nails4 ,i think a panelled room painted blue for a drawing-room is perfect2 but unless the house that ,angelina takes is panelled already1 this is no use for her1 as panelling is expensive work1 and would be the landlord's property1 too1 when the lease is up1 so that is out of the question4 ,still1 ,i know of panelled rooms yet existent whose owners look at their grained walls and wonder how they can make them less hideous1 and perhaps some of them may see this book1 and may resolve to do away with that terrible eyesore1 a grained device1 and set to work to paint the walls a delicate sparrow's-egg-blue1 furthermore embellished by long designs of rushes and grasses1 either stencilled or painted on by some one of the many girls who can paint1 and who can be found always at ,mrs4 ,mc,clelland's studio1 should we number not one of those useful damsels among our acquaintances4 ,whatever style of decoration is adopted1 ,i hope we may have a blue wooden mantelpiece and over-mantel2 brass bells1 brass locks and handles to the doors1 and finger-plates must replace the china abominations provided by the landlord2 but these must be carefully marked down as belonging to the tenant1 and the china ones must be put away carefully too1 to replace the brass ones again when ,angelina's lease is up1 or she will have to feel that her money has gone into the landlord's pocket1 which is never a cheerful subject for contemplation4 ,now for the carpet1 the style and price of which can range from #ces4 #f;d4 to almost any amount that you like to spend4 ,the cheapest ones are the ,kidderminster squares1 which can be purchased at ,mr4 ,treloar's1 on ,ludgate ,hill1 or at ,shoolbred's or ,maple's4 ,in fact1 at the risk of being vituperated by these gentlemen1 ,i say1 in low tones of caution1 go to all of these establishments1 and1 taking as usual plenty of time over your choice1 see all the blue carpets they have3 at one or other of the shops you will be sure to see exactly what you want4 ,i do not think the cheap squares are ever really artistic2 but they are inoffensive1 and most wonderfully inexpensive1 and wear beautifully4 ,still1 the colours and patterns are not quite my beau-ideal of a carpet design1 but beggars cannot1 alas6 be choosers1 and if we must really be very economical we can but be thankful for these carpets1 because they replace the hideous ,dutch carpeting and frightful #8,kidderminsters' that used to be the portion of such of our ancestors as could not afford ,turkey or ,axminster1 and had to fall back on these1 and on the #8best ,brussels1' the crude and frightful greens and reds of which haunt my dreams sometimes1 when ,i am meditating on furniture and remember the days that are no more2 being duly and sincerely thankful that they are no more1 as far as carpets and furniture in general are concerned4 ,rising above the #8squares1' we ascend to the delightful blue carpets1 also in ,kidderminster1 that are sold by the yard4 ,i once possessed one which was the joy of my heart1 which ,i bought at ,shoolbred's4 ,but ,i took a friend there the other day1 having roused her to enthusiasm over mine1 to find no more were made2 #8for customers1' said the polite man who served us1 #8will insist on novelties1 and grumble frightfully do they see the same goods on show as they saw some years ago1 whether or not that they were as pretty as they can be4 ,no1 the cry is always for some new thing4' ,and so we could not buy any more of my blue carpet1 and ,i look at the one ,i have apprehensively1 and cannot bear any one to walk upon it1 because ,i know1 once gone1 ,i can never replace it4 ,it was about #ds4 #f;d4 a yard1 and wears beautifully4 ,however1 we were shown another that quite put my poor carpet out of court1 both in colour and design2 but then it was #es4 #f;d4 a yard1 and though that did not matter to my friend1 fortunately1 it mattered to me2 and so ,i was left carpetless1 until ,i saw some beautiful self-coloured felt1 which looks very well with rugs on1 but shows dirt1 and what housemaids call #8bits1' in rather a depressing manner4 ,however1 blue carpets are to be bought1 ,i feel convinced1 and they are certainly worth the search4#a ,if money is forthcoming for a really good carpet1 ,i should propose1 first1 the blue ,kidderminster1 at #es4 #f;d4 a yard1 made into a square1 and edged with woollen fringe1 put down over1 first of all1 brown paper1 and then a carpet-felt4 ,this insures warmth1 and trebles the chances of wear4 ,secondly1 a really good ,oriental carpet with a good deal of white in it4 ,mr4 ,smee has a charming one1 that harmonises beautifully with blue1 and that costs about #ajl4 for rather a small room4 ,thirdly1 one could have a nice matting 7putting this down over the brown paper7 at about #as4 #f;d4 to #bs4 a yard1 with good rugs scattered about4 ,these are expensive items1 and would cost #hl4 or #il4 to provide enough1 and of the right sort2 but the wear of really good rugs is marvellous4 ,i have two large ones ,i bought at ,treloar's nearly ten years ago2 they are in the dining-room1 where there is a great deal of wear and tear1 and they are as good now in appearance as the day ,i bought them1 but ,i think they cost me a little over #bl4 #ajs4 each4 #a ,since writing the above ,i have found my blue carpet at ,messrs4 ,colbourne's1 #hb ,regent ,street1 where it can always be procured4 ,of course1 if we spend on our carpets we must be prepared to save elsewhere2 our curtains need not cost us much4 ,they can be either yellow and white1 or blue and white ,liberty cretonne1 made to the height of the dado rail1 just to draw along the windows from top to bottom to exclude light and to hide the room from outsiders when it is lighted up1 thus saving the great and useless expense of blinds1 and they can be lined with some cheap material1 or made double1 and then1 white ones being fixed as described later on1 last a long time without washing1 and can be either made of figured ,madras1 with a good deal of colour in it1 at #ds4 #f;d4 a yard1 double width1 or of fine muslin and guipure1 which washes beautifully--a quality ,i have never discovered in the many ,madras muslins that ,i have bought1 because ,i could not resist their decorative qualities1 though ,i was angry at my own weakness all the time4 ,naturally ,i can lay down no really hard-and-fast lines for decorating a drawing-room1 for so much depends on the style and shape of the chamber2 and what ,i said of the morning-room applies here equally well4 ,still1 a yellow and white room1 made by using ,pither's yellow and white #8berry' paper1 with a dado of ,collinson and ,lock's #8#dg' cretonne1 with ivory paint1 and yellow and white ceiling paper1 and a blue carpet1 makes a charming room2 while one of the flowery1 expensive papers1 with a cretonne dado1 is also safe to be charming too4 ,in this case pink must be used in the ceiling1 and the carpet should be either ,maple's #8golden pine' or a very carefully chosen carpet in shades of sage-green4 ,as to the furniture of the drawing-room1 that must be determined on and regulated simply by the amount of money we have to spend4 ,if we have plenty we can purchase as many nice deep arm-chairs and small occasional chairs as we like--then it will only be a matter of taste2 but if we are limited and have little to spend1 we must go about our work circumspectly1 and must not mind going into a great many shops before we finally obtain what will furnish our room nicely4 ,here1 again1 the useful wicker chairs will come in1 covered with pretty cretonnes1 made in such a manner that they can have their coverings removed to be washed2 and ,i should also once more advise one of the charming square sofas already described4 ,i think ,i should adhere to velveteen for the covering1 unless we can procure a gold thread tapestry sufficiently light and inexpensive for our purpose4 ,messrs4 ,maple were the best people to apply to for these goods1 but lately they have not had the pretty ones of old days1 change of fashion and need for novelty accounting for the absence of some of the best designs ,i have ever seen2 but ,liberty has some excellent tapestries now4 ,if the room have a bow-window1 a cosy summer corner can be made by putting the sofa there1 with a table in front or at the side1 capable of holding books and plants2 and these tables are1 again1 things that we must undoubtedly choose with a great deal of care1 for there is nothing more annoying than a rickety table1 or one that is knocked over easily1 should the room be fuller than usual1 or should we number an awkward friend among the members of our acquaintances4 ,i remember some years ago having to entertain such an individual in the days when ,i did not know as much as ,i do now about the fitness of things1 and ,i really believe that unhappy man's sufferings gave me a lesson about tables ,i have never forgotten4 ,i was always very fond of pretty things1 and then had the mistaken idea that one could not have too many of them2 so ,i fear that when we used to go in to dinner from the drawing-room1 our walk resembled nothing so much as ,mr4 ,dickens's celebrated description of the family whose rooms were so full that they had to #8take a walk among furniture' before they could get out of the room4 ,we were taking our walk among the furniture when the contretemps happened4 ,my unfortunate acquaintance had fidgeted unhappily for some time1 and he finally made a dart towards the lady he had to take in to dinner1 knocking over the chair next him1 and arriving at his destination with a fringed antimacassar neatly fastened to one of his coat-buttons4 ,he then backed into a small table1 on which stood some books and photographs1 and only saved this1 to send another spinning2 this time smashing the whole concern1 and depriving me of one of my pet flower-holders1 the demolition of which ,i have never ceased to regret4 ,but worse was to come3 in one heroic effort to get away from the scene of the disaster he backed once more into a #8whatnot' full of china1 and ,i draw a veil over my feelings and his1 as the most merciful thing ,i can do4 ,still1 when next morning ,i stood among the ruins1 like ,marius among the ruins of ,rome1 ,i was honest enough to say1 #8,this is certainly my own fault1' and #8turning to1' as the maids say1 ,i so rearranged that long and ugly room that when next ,i had a dinner party ,i was repaid a thousandfold for my exertions and sacrifices by the expression of relief on the countenances of the guests1 who now saw themselves saved from the usual dangerous promenade among my belongings that had used to be their portion4 ,now fortunately we can purchase tables that are small and safe1 and ,i think those which are made with double trays1 or rather with one tray under the top1 are perfectly safe4 ,they are to be bought covered with stamped velveteen1 or with the pretty stuffs that imitate ,turkish saddle-bags1 or with plush1 but ,i prefer them made of plain dark wood1 and either polished or else painted ivory1 and the top covered with an ordinary cloth made from tapestry1 or one of ,burnett's charming serges edged with ball fringe2 as1 if plants in pots are placed upon them1 drops of water are apt soon to spoil the covering1 whereas serge will stand a good deal of water2 although ,i am of opinion that plants should always be watered outside the room1 on a balcony or in a garden if possible1 as a little carelessness soon spoils one's things1 and ,i have1 alas6 spoilt much by not enforcing this rule both on myself and others4 ,another very good and useful table is the square ivory ,queen ,anne table1 that has four square rails as an extra support to the legs4 ,these are about #cl41 and can be procured in different sizes1 when1 of course1 the price alters too1 and are extremely handy to hold the lamp for reading books1 work1 c41 and are large enough to write a note upon comfortably4 ,i am a great advocate for corners--that is to say1 for giving the corners of the room an artistic look1 and ,i also like to have my favourite winter corner close to the fireplace4 ,naturally1 it would be intensely foolish if we all hankered after a corner4 ,still even then we could be accommodated1 if we do not mind screening ourselves off from our fellows in a manner ,i must say ,i consider extremely ugly and silly4 ,it will hardly be believed that in a house ,i have heard of the mistress has erected a series of screens in her drawing-room1 which resembles now nothing so much as a restaurant fitted up with boxes4 ,rather than suggest such a fearful idea ,i would abolish screens altogether2 yet one round the back of the sofa is often a great comfort1 and1 judiciously arranged1 makes the background for a very pretty corner4 ,but the mistress's corner can be arranged like this3 put straight across the corner of the wall a small black table1 made safe with the under-tray1 and covered at the top with a ,turkish antimacassar2 this holds a plant in the daytime and the lamp at night1 and is large enough to hold all the month's magazines1 half on each side of the centrepiece2 above this a black corner bracket for china1 crowned by a big pot to hold grasses or bulrushes1 can be hung on the wall2 and in front of the table should stand a square stool1 holding a large plant and pot1 heavy enough to hold its own should any one come near enough to knock it over1 were it too light4 ,then to the left of this1 next the fireplace1 put your own particular chair1 leaving room for a stool of some kind1 that is broad and low1 and can hold your work-basket if you work1 your favourite book1 or your newspaper-stand with the paper-knife attached2 and on the desk above and at the side of your chair hang a sabot for flowers1 your favourite photographs1 and any pet piece of china or ornaments you may fancy4 ,one of mine consists of a mandarin's fan and case2 the case is embroidered in silk1 and gives a very pretty bit of colour1 and the fan serves as a fire-screen should any one object to the cheerful blaze4 ,needless to add1 ,i never use this screen myself4 ,on the other side of the fireplace ,i have a pair of brass bellows and a brass-handled brush1 for ,i think an untidy hearth disturbs me more than anything else2 and another ,japanese fan1 tied to a nail by a riband1 which some of my friends find most useful when the fire is hot4 ,here1 too1 ,i have a really charming chair ,i bought at ,liberty's4 ,i think it was #ads4 #f;d41 not more4 ,it has rather a high back1 and a rush seat1 and as the front legs are taller than the other two1 it just tilts back1 and is most comfortable4 ,i added a padded back cushion1 tied on with tapes1 which adds much to the effect1 but none is required on the seat1 as rushes make a very comfortable and easy support1 and this chair is preferred by what is rudely called #8the master of the house1' my pet cat1 to any other1 and he is a gentleman who really knows what comfort is4 ,he has made it his study1 during a long and honourable life1 so ,i think ,i am not wrong in quoting him as an authority4 ,while not emulating a good friend of mine1 in whose house the putting on of coals partakes of the character of a protracted and arduous ceremony1 ,i must say ,i dislike to see coals standing in a room1 but the receptacles made for them in brass are so pretty now that they may almost be forgiven1 though ,i would rather not see them in a drawing-room4 ,however1 if one is required1 the brass baskets1 without covers1 are the best1 and hold quite enough coals for the evening1 indeed more than enough if the grate is as ,i described before1 and moreover judiciously laid and managed4 ,brass fire-irons and dogs are a necessity1 but then a little black poker1 price #as4 #f;d41 called a #8pokerette' in the shops1 and #8the curate' in the drawing-room1 must supplement the brass one1 or that will very soon be black and spoiled4 ,i do not like a rug laid down in front of the fire1 for more reasons than one4 ,i have known a little foot catch in it1 and the owner precipitated with his poor little head on the hard fender2 and it always is an assistance to a careless or dirty housemaid1 who is thus served with a screen should she break one of the rules that should be enforced in every household1 and proceed to clean her grate without first putting down the rough piece of material with which she should be furnished4 ,she is obliged to do this should there be no rug1 for then every mark would show1 and she would not dare to put down black-lead in a cracked saucer1 fire-irons1 brushes1 and a thin newspaper full of ashes1 as ,i once discovered a girl doing in an apartment furnished with a wide rug1 that hid this1 as well as a multitude of other sins4 ,while being lived in and used1 a drawing-room is and must be essentially a best room1 and is invaluable as a teacher to the untidy or unmethodical mistress or servant4 ,fine manners are a necessity1 and a certain amount of fine manners is maintained by use of a room that holds our dearest treasures1 and sees little of the seamy side of life4 ,it is on little things that our lives depend for comfort1 and small habits1 such as a changed dress for evening wear with a long skirt1 to give the proper drawing-room air1 the enforcement of the rule that slippers and cigars must never enter there1 and a certain politeness maintained to each other in the best room1 almost insensibly enforced by the very atmosphere of the chamber1 will go a long way towards keeping up the mutual respect that husband and wife should have for each other1 and which is a surer means of happiness than anything ,i know--than any amount of foolish terms of endearment1 that are apt to be forgotten when the gloss of the honeymoon is rubbed off1 and life becomes too full of anxieties and hurry for the old pet names4 ,remember1 please1 ,i am not writing for votaries of fashion or for rich people1 who could tell me doubtless a great many things ,i do not know1 but for the ordinary educated middle-class girl who may never leave her country home until she is married1 or may have had few opportunities of seeing the world1 even in ,london2 and she does require1 ,i know full well1 to be reminded that home should not excuse faded finery1 down-at-heel shoes1 or slovenliness of mind or body in either husband or wife1 for nothing grows so easily as untidy habits or slovenly manners1 and it is worth a little struggle to prevent oneself or one's friends deteriorating ever such a little bit4 ,the drawing-room would not be complete without a piano1 and this is all too often a very ugly piece of furniture4 ,i am glad to say white frames painted with beautiful flowers and designs are now being made1 and these are easy to treat1 but in ordinary rooms the usual cottage piano has to be thought of1 and another corner can be made by placing the instrument across one side of the room in such a manner that the performer could see her audience4 ,this naturally leaves the back of the piano exposed to view1 and1 as piano manufacturers still adhere to the red flannel or baize back1 this is not a pretty object to contemplate4 ,however1 it is one that is easily changed1 as it can be replaced by either a crewel-worked piece of art coloured serge1 the useful and cheap ,japanese leather paper1 or else by a square of cretonne similar to that used for the curtains2 but ,i prefer either the serge or paper to this4 ,if the serge be worked with bulrushes and iris and grasses1 or with long sprays of honeysuckle1 the effect is charming4 ,then along the top can be placed a piece of serge1 or felt or damask1 worked too1 and edged with an appropriate fringe1 which thus makes an excellent shelf for odds and ends of china and bowls of flowers1 as the top of the piano is seldom1 if ever1 opened by the ordinary piano player4 ,if a more careless arrangement be desired1 a large square of drapery can be arranged gracefully over the back1 securing it with small tintacks on the inside of the lid1 or a large ,japanese screen can be placed before it2 but ,i think the best thing to do is to replace the baize back as suggested1 not omitting to take out the crude red or green silk or elaborate carved wood front1 and treat that as you treat the back4 ,i have seen a very pretty front to a piano made out of sage-green silk worked with rosebuds1 or of turquoise-blue material worked in pale yellow campanulas1 or yellow ,scotch roses with their brown foliage4 ,i have also seen a painted front put in1 with dancing figures depicted on it2 and1 of course1 all these arrangements are much to be preferred to the one supplied by the piano manufacturer1 who is the only man1 it seems to me1 who resolutely refuses to march with the times1 and makes no effort to improve the appearance of his manufactures4 ,the chair by the piano can be any pretty chair fancied by the owner4 ,i have a very nice one in white wood1 with the seat covered in ,indian tapestry1 which ,i gave a guinea for at ,liberty's4 ,a very good plan is to have an extra cushion1 attached by ribbon to the side of the chair1 for the use of any one who may prefer a higher seat than we may happen to care for4 ,this should1 of course1 be made square1 and be covered with the same material that is used for the chair1 and does away with the necessity for a music stool with an adjustable seat--an article ,i cannot endure1 as it always shakes1 is most unsteady1 and squeaks appallingly whenever there is to be a change in the weather4 ,another idea for a seat by the piano is to have a square ottoman1 made to open4 ,two people can sit upon this to play duets2 but ,i do not care for this very much1 as there is no back1 but in a small room it is of great use1 as it holds a great deal of music1 is cheap1 and does not look badly if properly covered with a pretty material1 nailed on1 and adorned with a frill that serves a double purpose1 being highly ornamental and hiding the opening of the box at the same time4 ,another receptacle for music can be made out of one of the small square black cupboards which ,i have spoken of before1 and which serve as tables besides1 if the top be covered with some sort of a cloth1 and books and ornaments be scattered about too4 ,the grand piano1 coffin-like as it undoubtedly is1 is far more easily made into a decorative article of furniture1 and while the bend in the structure makes a capital #8corner1' the whole thing can be admirably arranged if we commence by draping the entire end with some square of material1 or1 if we possess it1 with a length of old brocade or an ,indian shawl4 ,the drapery is placed so that it hangs over the end and sides1 and is secured in place by1 first of all1 a nice plant in a good pot1 which keeps the cloth in place1 and has no effect whatever on the tone of the piano4 ,at the end ,i place ,leech's collection of sketches1 which we always call the #8long ,punches1' in contradistinction to the bound volumes1 and then any small things that ,i think look picturesque--not too many1 nor any that cannot easily and comfortably be moved1 should ,i have to entertain a pianist who wishes to imitate thunder1 and cannot do so without having the lid opened widely4 ,a good arrangement in the bend is a big palm in a brass pot on a black stand4 ,these brass pots are to be procured at ,hampton's1 in ,pall ,mall ,east1 but ,i fear they are very expensive4 ,i have often looked and longed for one1 but never dared purchase it1 much as ,i hanker after such a possession--they are extremely decorative1 and have a style of their own4 ,failing that1 a nice square table with more plants and books1 and a couple of low chairs1 placed in a #8conversational' manner1 are suitable1 with another plant on a square stool placed in front of the table4 ,this gives a very finished look to the piano1 and ,i venture to state that when this is done the piano is not the first thing visitors see when they enter the room3 indeed1 ,i have once or twice been asked if ,i have a piano1 so little in evidence is this instrument to any one who merely comes to make an ordinary call4 ,talking of calls reminds me1 before we leave the drawing-room1 to make a small protest about one of the most idiotic customs that still linger among us--that of making morning calls2 and ,i should like to see a good deal of reform in this matter4 ,formal visiting ,i never will or can go in for2 and ,i have come to the conclusion that1 if people are only known casually and in such a manner that to call on them is an effort1 to make which we are braced up by the idea1 and cherished with the hope1 that the person one calls on1 card-case in hand1 will be out1 life is too short for such nonsense1 and that calling as per fashion ordained is more honoured in the breach than in the observance1 and that for us ordinary folk1 who have work to do in life1 this fantastic waste of time can quite well be given up4 ,i should much like to see1 at the same time1 more co-operation in our lives4 ,i should like more freedom among us1 less of the idea that an ,englishman's house is his castle1 and therefore ,i am always glad to note any step in the right direction1 which is not followed when we set out in our best garments to make a round of calls4 ,of course1 people will say1 #8,if we do not make calls1 we can neither extend our circle nor keep up our friendships1' but ,i really cannot see how cards conduce to either4 ,that delightful institution of five-o'clock tea has done more for us1 who cannot afford to give big entertainments1 than a bushel of pasteboard2 and ,i am convinced the idea of calls could be done away with altogether with very little trouble1 and one way of doing this1 especially in a small community1 is to have one day1 or even one evening1 a week1 or even a fortnight1 when we are known to be at home and ready to see our friends4 ,i know some people scoff at the notion of an ordinary middle-class woman #8aping her betters1' and having her day at home2 but the scoffers should reflect before they scoff1 then1 perhaps1 they would alter their ideas4 ,first of all1 in a small household the servants can so manage their work that visitors on the day being expected1 are no trouble at all4 ,the fire would always be burning brightly in winter1 the flowers and plants would be at their best in summer1 and the mistress and her room together would be ready to see any one4 ,i can speak from experience that my friends always turned up in shoals in dear hospitable ,shortlands when ,i had my ,thursdays1 and came week after week to see me1 secure of a cup of tea and a chat after a walk or drive2 and ,i know how the winter sped along when ,i felt confident that ,so-and-so would be in any day of the week1 and that ,i can #8turn into' this or that pleasant room any hour between #d and #e4cj1 and find a welcome and a cup of tea ready for me1 neither being in the least less warm because the previous ,monday1 and the ,monday before that too maybe1 my feet took me in precisely the same direction4 ,in winter these informal gatherings are particularly pleasant1 because ,i think the hours between the end of your drive or walk and dinner are occasionally a little depressing1 and are not good preparation for the evening1 which goes off much better if we have had a chat in the afternoon with a friend or two1 which takes us out of our grooves and gives us something to talk about over the meal2 while in summer1 the fact that one is at home for certain on one day in the week brings friends from a distance to see us1 and often causes impromptu tennis parties and little gatherings1 all the pleasanter because they are informal and almost unexpected2 while in these days of ostentation and glitter it is an excellent thing to know how to entertain well and cheaply1 and see one's friends1 without feeling each time we do so that we are so many steps nearer the ,bankruptcy ,court4 ,if we contemplate seeing society in the way ,i have indicated above1 a tea-table is a sine qu non in our drawing-room4 ,a very good sort of table is the rush and bamboo table1 with little trays for cakes1 that open and close1 and therefore take up very little room in a chamber2 there is a second tray under the top one where spare cups can be placed4 ,and still another table is the useful little ,sutherland table1 that shuts up and stands modestly and unseen in a corner when not in use1 and that is brought out in a moment1 without fuss or trouble1 and can be used for whist1 chess1 or any ordinary game2 while a small nest of four narrow tables1 adapted from an old ,chippendale design1 is an invaluable possession4 ,closed1 the #8nest' takes up a very small space1 and1 opened out1 the owner has four little tables to put about beside her guests1 who thus are provided with places to put down their cups and plates upon1 and are thus relieved of what is sometimes an intolerable nuisance4 ,the best five-o'clock teacloth is a fine white damask edged with torchon lace1 and with a torchon lace insertion which washes beautifully1 and this should be marked with a large monogram in scarlet thread4 ,a really large1 good monogram has an excellent effect4 ,i purchased my cloths at ,shoolbred's1 who also procured me some one to work the monograms1 as ,i am unfortunately no #8stitchist1' as ,artemus ,ward would say1 and cannot sew one bit4 ,but they are a little expensive4 ,still1 if any one can work themselves1 the cloths are only #es4 #f;d42 the lace comes to about #cs4 more2 and then there is the monogram1 which of course could be saved to any one who possesses cleverer fingers than have been given to me1 but which are now worked for me at #as4 and #as4 #f;d4 each by a lady who thus is enabled to make a perceptible addition to her income1 and who may be heard of at the ,workers' ,guild1 #aa ,kensington ,square1 ,w4 ,other tablecloths have red and blue borders2 but ,i prefer the plain white with the monogram to any other4 ,a nice bright copper kettle and a trivet should be always brought in with the tea1 and a cosey should never be forgotten1 while buns 7home-made buns and scones are most excellent71 biscuits1 and bread and butter suffice for quite a large party of friends1 and there is neither extra trouble nor fuss of any kind4 ,of course1 teacups and saucers are of all sorts and conditions1 but ,i think small blue and white ones on a china tray are the prettiest of all1 and can generally be replaced should a misfortune happen to them2 while ,liberty's ornamental china cups and saucers are always pretty1 and can invariably be matched4 ,no room is bearable without1 or looks ugly with1 plants and flowers1 so ,i hope that these may always be found in the drawing-rooms1 at least1 of any of those who do me the favor to read1 mark1 and inwardly digest the pages of this little book4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,curtains1 ,,carpets1 ,,and ,,lighting4 ,of course1 in writing on the subject of curtains1 we must begin first by saying that a great deal depends upon the shape and size of the windows1 for all these particulars have to be carefully considered before we start on any expedition to inspect and buy our material for our draperies2 for if a window be small or high up it requires far less management than the large bow-windows that take so much thought1 and1 alas6 so much material too4 ,then1 as there are ,french windows to be arranged for1 and1 in fact1 square windows as well1 we have to spend much time and thought over how we shall arrange1 so as to suit all1 before we cast our eyes over cretonnes1 damasks1 plushes1 and the thousand and one materials1 all more or less suited to the purpose for which they were designed4 ,the ordinary window1 with the two sashes and the square frame1 is very easily managed1 even supposing that one has to keep out the neighbours' eyes as well as a certain amount of sunshine4 ,the muslin curtains should be put up on rods like small stair-rods1 fastened against the window frame top and bottom in such a way that they do not interfere with the free raising of the sash1 which must open top and bottom2 this arrangement--illustrated in my chapter on the dining-room--insures the curtains remaining in their place1 and prevents them floating in and out on every dust-laden breeze that blows1 while it leaves no long tail of draggled muslin to sweep the floor1 and get torn and dirty almost before they have been up a week4 ,the best white curtains are undoubtedly made of soft clear muslin1 edged and furthermore embellished by insertions of guipure lace--the insertion is put in a slip close to the edge1 and washes beautifully--but those curtains1 unless made at home1 are undoubtedly expensive4 ,still1 nothing looks like them1 and if they are arranged on the rods in such a manner that the edges of the outside lace just touch1 they form a complete screen1 and yet hide nothing from the owner of the house1 who can see from her windows comfortably without being spied over1 and1 being fixed1 last clean really a very long time indeed4 ,and then1 if the thicker curtains are placed on a straight brass rod1 as narrow as the weight they have to support will allow1 no blinds are required1 for the warm drapery draws straight over them1 and either serves as a blind to keep out the light or a screen to keep out the draughts1 and so does away with the expensive blind with its rollers1 its cord eternally out of order1 and its ugly effect from both inside and outside the house4 ,a good #8book' or ,swiss #8mull' muslin costs about #aj;d4 a yard1 the guipure edging and insertion about #as4 #f;d42 therefore the cost of these curtains is easily calculated by any one who measures her own windows and sees what length and quantity of material is required for them4 ,bedroom windows look extremely nice if treated in a similar manner in the ,french checked muslin1 such as the bonnes use for their caps and aprons1 and of which our ,sunday summer frocks used to be made in our young days1 and which costs #aj;d4 a yard4 ,if this be used1 the curtains must be edged with a two-inch goffered frill1 which must invariably edge all the curtains that are not treated with lace edgings1 for nothing looks worse than the hard line of a curtain that is neither frilled nor lace-trimmed4 ,of the popularity of the soft and beautiful ,madras muslins there is scarcely any necessity to speak1 as it is now familiar to most of us2 but despite its beauty and 7in some cases7 its cheapness1 ,i must add a word of warning on the subject of ,madras1 especially addressed to our young friends with limited means1 for the cheap sort of ,madras does not wash satisfactorily1 and should1 therefore1 be avoided by all those who have to study economy1 and have not only to buy things1 but to select them in such a manner that they shall last after their first visit to the wash-tub at the very least4 ,the cheap ,madras washes into holes1 and all the pretty colours vanish1 and a limp rag returns to us instead of the charming curtains that gave such a style to the appearance of the outside of our house2 and the expensive ones1 too1 are apt to #8run' in the washing1 and are out of the purchasing power of any one whose means are really limited2 for these cost from #fs4 #i;d4 to #hs4 #i;d4 a yard1 and therefore become expensive items in our expenditure at once1 although they contrast favourably with the fine lace and embroidered curtains sold ready to put up at #el4 or #fl4 a pair1 or at times even more than that4 ,but ready-made curtains designed with large and marvellous patterns must not even enter a really artistic home4 ,they mean nothing1 can never be anything save vulgar and pretentious1 and are therefore to be avoided2 for if we are rich we can have the best ,madras1 the finest guipure and muslin2 and if we are poor we can yet have our white muslin1 either frilled or edged with guipure1 as rich as our modest means will allow2 or the valuable ,mysore and artistic muslins at #i;d4 and #c;d4 a yard1 which wash excellently if done at home--in water without soda and with a few drops of vinegar in to #8set the colours1' as the washerwomen say4 ,a bow-window1 the orthodox suburban villa bow-window1 is1 ,i own1 a very difficult subject to treat1 but ,i have circumvented even that by an arrangement of curtains on rods managed as described above1 and in the first-named window have two narrow white curtains meeting at the top of the window1 and gradually sloping away until they are about five inches apart at the bottom2 the wider centre sash is treated in the same manner with wider curtains1 the plain edge of which meets the edge of the curtain that fits the narrow sash on both sides of the broader window2 for the usual bow is made of a flat sash in the middle1 between two narrow sashes that bow slightly2 the muslin is #8taut'1 as sailors would say1 and is always tidy1 and by using these narrow very cheap rods all expensive fitted and formed poles and valances are done away with1 and a most expensive and vexatious item in our expenditure completely swept off our schedule of payments to be made4 ,the muslin curtains neatly up1 a thicker rod can be fixed in three portions1 each portion separate and distinct1 for the heavier curtains4 ,those in any dining-room can be made of several materials4 ,shoolbred had a beautiful gold figured damask1 double width1 at #ds4 #i;d41 which looks like silk1 though naturally it is nothing of the kind2 this drapes beautifully and looks charming1 as it falls into folds and never fades2 it can be edged with a ball fringe to match1 which adds a good deal to the expense1 but looks better than anything else1 or else by a frill1 but this is a little heavy1 as the material is thick4 ,this material can be had in a beautiful pale blue and a good terra-cotta as well as in the yellow1 but ,i have no experience of the wear of the two former colours1 and therefore cannot tell whether they last as well and as satisfactorily as the yellow does4 ,to make the window look really nice1 you require one breadth hung down straight at the end of the first slip of window against the wall1 edged all round the sides and bottom with ball fringe or the frill2 then another breadth on the other side of the slip to pull halfway across the wider window to meet a third curtain hanging straight in the middle of the other division1 and being met in its turn by a fourth1 which1 when undrawn1 should hang straight against the wall in the same way that curtain number one does4 ,the artistic serges sold by ,colbourne ,co41 #hb ,regent ,street1 at #as4 #aa;d4 a yard1 and ,stephen's ,sicilienne damasks at #gs4 #i;d4 a yard1 are excellent curtain materials also1 as are the stamped jutes and corduroy serges sold for this purpose by ,mr4 ,smee4 ,but1 whatever the material1 in no case should the curtains be draped1 or tied up or chained as if they were wild beasts1 with great gold or brass chains 7truly the very #8foolishest' things that were ever invented for the purpose71 and they should never come below the window sill or the dado line1 save and except in the case of a ,french window opening to a garden or conservatory1 when the white drapery should be fixed on rods to the frame of the door1 and the warmer curtains should be draped so as to keep out the draughts and be drawn readily2 and this is done by sewing them to large rings that run easily on a brass pole1 which must be as small and unobtrusive as possible2 and when not in use the curtains must be drawn close to the wall and tied back1 if wished1 with ,liberty soft silk handkerchiefs--the #cs4 #f;d4 size makes two of these ties--in a colour to harmonise or contrast with that employed in the new curtains themselves4 ,these curtains must be about an inch longer than the length from the pole to the floor1 and must rather more than touch the floor1 because a ,french window means a draught to one's toes1 that can only be circumvented by longish curtains1 and a thick mat1 so placed as to be easily moved1 should the window open into the room itself4 ,roman sheetings are also excellent for curtains1 and plush is the king of materials1 if we could afford it2 the shades of colour in the folds are perfect1 and the tints in which plush is made are always lovely2 but as we cannot afford that1 we must turn our eyes away from such enchanting visions1 and look out for a nice ,mysore chintz for the drawing-room1 which must be lined1 to make it warmer and more durable1 and trimmed with the goffered frill that always looks well in all washing materials2 the frill need not be lined4 ,for bedrooms1 there is nothing better than the dark blue and white cretonne1 the same both sides2 or ,burnett's excellent #8marguerite' cretonnes1 in different colours1 at #i;d4 a yard2 the dark blue and white need not be lined unless the bedroom receive the very early sun1 when a lining is necessary if blinds be done without2 but ,i should make the curtains double1 as the material is as cheap as any lining procurable1 and looks far better than any self-colour could possibly look4 ,these cretonnes wash most beautifully1 and begin at #i;d4 a yard4 ,the chairs1 frill to the mantel-board1 eider-down1 and any bookcase edges should all be finished with the same style of cretonne1 though1 of course1 any other harmonious colour can be introduced to avoid too much sameness4 ,the chair covers should be loose1 and edged with a frill1 as also should be the eider-down cover2 this spoils any room if kept in its ,turkey-patterned material1 and should always be put into a cretonne washable cover1 as much for beauty as for health4 ,but these details must be kept for another chapter1 as they do not enter into the great subject of curtains4 ,it may sound ridiculous1 but ,i here state boldly that ,i can invariably make a more than shrewd guess of the character of the folks who inhabit a house by noticing what sort of ideas they have on the subject of draperies2 and ,i may safely say that ,i have never been mistaken4 ,the carefully and prettily and tidily arranged curtains tell me at once of the pleasant folk ,i shall find inside2 just as surely as the dirty1 untidy muslin or the gorgeously patterned1 expensive1 and pretentious curtains warn me against the slattern1 or the vulgarian with whom ,i have nothing in common1 should ,i ever have the bad fortune to have to enter behind those warning marks2 while the soft ,madras or delicate lace indicate an artistic mistress with whom ,i shall1 ,i know1 spend many pleasant hours4 ,this being the case1 do not wonder1 dear readers1 that ,i lay much stress and write at great length on this momentous subject1 for it is one on which almost volumes could be written2 for while the inside of your houses only speak to your friends and relations1 the outside tells a great deal to strangers1 and either repels or attracts1 according to the manner in which you arrange your windows4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #af4 ,unless your windows are very small1 as in sketch #af1 never be without white curtains of some kind1 for if you are the house resembles some one who has forgotten her cuffs and collar or white frillings1 but if they are like the sketch1 you cannot do better than use ,pither's old-gold-coloured1 printed linen edged with ball fringe2 this serves all purposes of blinds and curtains alike1 and always looks artistic1 while the windows are not obscured and stuffed up1 as are those in most of our ,english houses4 ,and here let me say most emphatically that ordinary blinds are not necessary1 and are never useful2 if the house has very much sun1 inside blinds are no use at all2 the heat that makes most town houses unendurable is caused by the sun striking down on the glass of the window1 and to obviate this the glass itself must be covered outside4 ,our summer is but a short one at best1 but if we cannot bear the sun we must put up outside blinds1 or hang grass mats over the glass outside2 these are the only really necessary blinds2 to say the least the others are unhealthy4 ,the sun is the life-giver1 after all1 and he had better fade our curtains and our carpets than that the lack of his beams should fade our own and our children's cheeks6 ,this1 too1 is another reason why we should never buy very expensive curtains or carpets2 fortunately hardly any of the materials ,i have spoken of cost much1 while ,kidderminster squares--my favourite matting and rugs--or even stained floors and rugs1 are all within the powers of the humblest of us4 ,i myself prefer matting for a dining-room at #as4 #f;d4 a yard1 and covered here and there with rugs1 put down where the greatest amount of traffic may be expected2 but this is expensive1 if set against the pretty carpets in art colours1 made at ,kidderminster1 and sold by the yard at about #cs4 #f;d4 a yard1 the colours of which are extremely good4 ,and if we cannot afford matting in the dining-room1 a carpet that would go very well with the room would be shades of very faint sage-green1 with dashes of terra-cotta in4 ,but ,i much prefer the matting1 and should always advise this for any one who could afford it1 and yet could not afford the ,oriental carpet that is1 of course1 the carpet for a dining-room4 ,the rugs range from #gs4 #f;d41 but these are ,scinde rugs1 and do not wear very well4 ,liberty1 ,maple1 and ,shoolbred have all an excellent choice1 but ,i think ,maple's rugs are the best for people with a small amount of money to spend2 and there is this to consider about rugs1 they can be shaken at least once a week and continually turned about1 and when too shabby for downstairs they can be taken upstairs1 finally dying an honourable death before the kitchen fire or by the bedsides of the maids4 ,still1 much as ,i like matting1 ,i must confess the total cost is more than three times the cost of a ,kidderminster square1 which in its turn can be taken up1 shaken1 and moved about1 as1 being square1 there are no corners to consider1 and no back and front and sides to think about either4 ,but we must put carpet felt or paper-felt under our squares if we wish them to wear and to feel soft and pleasant under our feet2 and it is as well to put down large sheets of brown paper before even the felt goes down4 ,all this adds considerably to the wear of the carpet4 ,there is a curious habit in some parts of ,canada of making a species of bed of hay under the carpet1 and it gives a very pleasant feeling to any one walking thereon2 of course soft1 fine hay is chosen1 and it is most carefully laid down1 and evenly and tightly packed2 and in a room on the basement floor1 as so often rooms are situated in small suburban houses1 it is a great comfort2 it is very warm in winter and cool in summer1 and if the hay-bed is made about twice a year1 ,i believe it requires no further attention4 ,an old friend of mine who lived in poor circumstances in a stone-floor cottage in ,dorsetshire1 who had passed some years of her life in ,canada1 always stretched her carpet over such a bed1 and ,i well remember how delightful her floor felt1 and how she never suffered1 as so many of her neighbours did1 from rheumatism and other evils inseparable from the ordinary covering to a stone or brick floor4 ,i have more than once recommended this in a basement kitchen or servants' sitting-room1 and never without hearing that it was pronounced a great and unfailing success and source of comfort to the domestics4 ,if1 however1 a ,kidderminster square is chosen1 the boards for about two feet from the wainscot must be stained a good brown shade3 if the boards are pretty good1 and do not require stopping with putty to keep out the draughts1 as so many of our suburban houses require #8stopping1' owing to the shrinking of the green wood used1 alas6 for the purposes of floors1 doors1 and windows1 ,edwin or ,angelina can well manage this themselves4 ,whiteley keeps ,ryland's stain ready prepared in a big tin jar1 and with the right sort of brush this is soon put on2 when dry it should be well and thoroughly polished with beeswax and turpentine1 and if this is done weekly ,i am sure the floor will never require staining for many years2 but if #8stopping' is necessary1 the workmen employed can stain the floors too2 for the extra charge will be but small1 and it will save a back-ache1 and insure the work being thoroughly and properly done4 ,these hints about carpets are perhaps a trifle prolix1 but they will do for the whole of the house--of course varying the colours to suit the rooms1 and being very careful in the selection of patterns4 ,mr4 ,morris has some of his very best designs manufactured in ,kidderminster1 so the cheap make of the mere carpet need not be sneered at2 but we cannot afford ,morris1 much as we should like to do so1 for his ,kidderminsters are as costly as most people's ,brussels2 and if we are careful1 we can get nearly as pretty patterns elsewhere at one fourth the cost1 but we must be very careful1 for there are some red carpets1 some blue1 and some a fearful nondescript hue1 suggestive of the workhouse--,i know not why--that would irretrievably and utterly spoil any room in which they were put2 but there is a royal blue with paler blue flowers1 or rather #8fan-like things1' that is perfect2 this is1 however1 sold by the yard1 and has to be made into a square1 without a border1 and just trimmed with a woollen fringe1 which is procurable at ,colbourne's1 #hb ,regent ,street1 and which wears magnificently3 ,i have had one down now for three years in a room that experiences a great deal of traffic1 and it is at the moment of writing as good as ever it was1 and is admired by every one who comes in2 and the sage-green carpet mentioned before is also quite safe to suit almost any room4 ,this is also sold by the yard1 and has to have a woollen fringe too4 ,if the house have bow-windows1 an extra square of carpet1 or else a ,scinde rug at #gs4 #f;d41 can be laid down there2 there is not much #8traffic' in a bow-window1 and the rugs look nicer than anything1 and wear quite a reasonable time in such a locality1 and these can be easily replaced4 ,a piece of the carpet itself always looks out of place somehow1 and spoils any room4 ,for a really good carpet1 ,i like a fine ,oriental carpet1 with a good deal of white in it1 or a ,wilton1 or velvet pile2 but ,i always like something cheaper myself1 as ,i do not like old carpets or old curtains4 ,they must retain a certain amount of dust and dirt1 and ,i therefore infinitely prefer either a good ,kidderminster1 or else the matting and rugs spoken of at first1 which can be replaced when shabby without too great an effort for a moderate income4 ,there are just one or two trifles that ,i should like to speak of here4 ,matting should be swept one way regularly1 and by a proper matting brush4 ,it can be washed with soap and a little water1 and it has a wonderful way of never collecting dust that is marvellous4 ,oriental rugs and carpets should be swept one way only also2 and the ,kidderminster squares should be shaken often1 but not continually swept2 the shaking gets rid of the dirt1 while sweeping wears them out much quicker than need be4 ,in connection with the carpets and curtains1 we may just as well speak of the lighting of the sitting-rooms before passing away from them to the bedchambers4 ,and here ,i must impress upon my readers never to have gas anywhere where they can avoid using it1 and to pray heartily for that bright day to dawn when the electric light shall be within the reach of all1 and when ,mr4 ,swan tells us how to light our houses as perfectly as he has done his own2 and ,i confess that when ,i recollect that charming abode1 where fairies seem to superintend the lighting1 so wonderfully is it managed1 ,i feel consumed with rage and anger1 to think that ,i was not born in a time when the electric light will be as much a matter of course as the present odious system of lighting by gas is2 but as we are still unemancipated from the thraldom of gas1 we must try to make the best of a bad job1 and confine the enemy to where it can do least harm1 and be of the most good at the same time4 ,an oil lamp in the hall is apt to give a gloomy impression to guests1 and also is rather a difficult matter to manage4 ,it is expensive1 and is apt to get out of order at a critical moment2 so ,i think gas must be adhered to here4 ,a cathedral glass hanging lamp1 square shape1 and framed in brass1 and fitted with an ,argand burner1 is as good a thing as one can possibly procure for gas1 unless we select the more artistic beaten iron lamps sold by ,strode and ,co41 of #dh ,osnaburgh ,street1 ,w4 ,the prices are about equal1 ,i think1 and quite a beautiful one can be bought for about #dl4 ,it requires no cleaning beyond the ordinary cleaning1 and gives a strong1 steady light1 the glass sides of the lantern or lamp presenting any flickering when the hall door is opened suddenly4 ,i have occasionally seen a hall lighted from the sides1 but ,i do not care for this1 as it does not have the genial effect of the lighting from the top2 but should this be preferred1 a man at ,whitechapel makes very charming side lanterns1 of cathedral glass1 that go round and almost cover in the gas bracket1 thus preventing any danger of fire1 and keeping away a very great deal of the heat and burnt atmosphere that make gas always so trying to any sensitive person4 ,i think these lanterns are from #es4 to #ajs4 each1 and they are1 at all events1 very artistic to look at4 ,then there are beaten shields of brass1 with the owner's initials on1 from whence protrude the gas bracket1 also in brass1 and there are1 furthermore1 those delightful revivals of the old hammered iron trade that were to be seen in the ,old ,london street at the ,inventions1 and the use of which would almost reconcile me to burning gas4 ,these iron brackets and lamps are expensive1 quite small brackets costing #al4 #abs42 but they are well worth the money if we have it to spend1 because they are so nice to look at4 ,in our sitting-rooms we should never for one moment allow ourselves to have gas4 ,i always burn in a very large drawing-room two of ,mortlock's blue and white china lamps fitted with duplex burners4 ,at first1 when the fiat went forth that gas was tabooed1 those lamps were the bane of my life4 ,i had a most excellent housemaid in those days1 who did her work most beautifully1 but only in her own way and in none other4 ,true to my principles of non-interference1 ,i had allowed her this way of hers1 because it was as good a one as could be wished for2 but when it came to suddenly cutting off her precious privilege of lighting up the gas and drawing the curtains1 ,i soon saw that war was before me1 and felt that now or never was ,i to maintain my right to my lamps1 did ,i prefer them to what the gas company of the tiny town ,i then lived in facetiously called gas2 but that was an awful smelling compound1 which burned with a feeble and ghastly blue flame on weekdays1 and which generally failed us altogether when ,sunday meant gas in the church4 ,of course then we had comparatively to go without1 as that gas would not be in church and our houses at the same time1 and our lives bid fair to be misery to us in the long ,december afternoons and evenings2 when my good genius said #8,lamps1' and ,i then invested in those ,i still have1 rejoiced to think we could see to read now1 whether the gracious gas company deigned to allow us any gas 787 or no4 ,i had received full directions with the lamps1 and knew exactly what to do with them4 ,they were guaranteed not to smell1 my one dread1 and ,i was accordingly armed at every point to meet ,emily's objections4 ,she had work enough4 ,well1 beyond cutting the wicks and refilling the brass cups1 there was no addition2 so she took them off with a flounce and a bang into her own particular sanctum1 and looked like a walking volcano for the rest of the day4 ,however1 to make a long story short1 those lamps were made to behave as if they were possessed by the very spirit of mischief4 ,they smelt1 they flared1 they smoked1 they sang a blood-curdling little song ,i feared meant explosions2 but insisting on their being taken out of the room night after night and brought back until they did burn finally conquered ,emily1 and as she saw ,i meant to have my lamps she gave in1 and they now never smell1 and never give me a moment's trouble4 ,i mention all this to guide those young people who are apt to be treated as ,i was1 and who1 knowing paraffin does smell1 may perhaps be inclined to give in and return to gas1 because their servant declares she cannot manage the #8dratted thing4' ,the smell comes from some of the oil having been dropped on the brass part of the lamp1 which gets heated1 and1 of course1 smells abominably1 and if the lamp be dull it is because the poor thing is clogged with oil and literally cannot manage to breathe2 then drop the brass parts of the lamp1 minus the wick1 of course1 into some clean water1 and boil them as you would an egg over the fire4 ,this loosens and gets away all the stale oil1 which need never be there if the housemaid is really careful1 and your lamp once more burns as brightly as ever it did4 ,i use no screens over my lamps1 as ,i put them behind me in such a manner that the light falls only on my book1 and1 of course1 on the books and work of those who may also be in the room2 but charming screens can be made by taking a sheet of tissue paper in such a manner in the centre that you can pass it rapidly up and down through your hands until it is a mass of crinkles and waves2 then tear off the piece you have been holding and you have a pale pink wavy-looking screen that is charming1 and costs the fraction of a farthing4 ,the ,germans also make beautiful lamp screens by cutting out scalloped pieces of tissue paper1 on which are placed real leaves and coloured grasses4 ,these are covered by another piece of tissue paper gummed lightly round the edges1 and the effect of these when nicely arranged is really positively beautiful4 ,about five of these scalloped pieces of tissue paper make one shade1 and they are tied together with very narrow ribbon bows at the top1 which allows of their being regulated to the size of the lamp4 ,and yet another still more beautiful shade can be made by buying a wire frame made on purpose at ,whiteley's1 and covering all the divisions with thin blue silk1 the palest shade possible4 ,each division should be covered in such a way that the stitches do not show4 ,round the edge sew a two-inch silk fringe1 and arrange fluffy ruches of the silk down each rib and round the edge of the lamp-shade4 ,this is not very expensive1 and is the best shade possible4 ,by the way1 red and yellow shades should always be avoided2 the first makes every one look like apoplectic fits1 and the second as if jaundice were imminent2 and don't ever buy the abominations of shades that are meant for owls' heads2 they are monstrosities to be classed with the ,mahdi notepaper and other vulgarisms of the day4 ,other nice occasional lamps are the very cheap brass lamps sold at #gs4 #f;d4 and #ajs4 #f;d4 each4 ,i do not think these good enough to read by1 but they are most useful for ordinary use at dinner or to write a note by1 and are also useful to put back on the buffets that do duty for sideboards in my dining-room1 to give a little more light when we have extra folk to dinner1 and ,i use my candelabra for lighting the larger table1 but for all everyday use at table those brass lamps are quite enough1 and1 being easily lighted and kept clean1 are really invaluable4 ,one is obliged to have gas in rooms where there are children1 because candles and lamps are so easily knocked over1 and it is useful1 too1 in bedrooms where a sudden light may be required1 but it is a most unhealthy1 destructive thing1 and1 as ,i said before1 ,i look forward to ,mr4 ,swan doing as much for us as he has done for himself4 ,if my readers--any of them--should doubt for one moment the truth of what ,i have said about the relative values of lamps and gas1 let them for the next six months give the two things a fair trial in two separate rooms in the same house2 let them look at the ceilings in those rooms1 examine the picture-cords1 and the relative cleanliness of the blinds and draperies1 and let them--no2 they1 poor things1 will need no examination4 ,i was going to add1 let them examine1 too1 their plants2 but in one of those rooms there will be none left to examine1 for they will be dead as surely as ever they were plants at all4 ,half the weary headaches and lassitude we have all felt at times come from this pernicious enemy2 and there are few doctors whose first directions to an invalid's nurse do not contain emphatic orders to lower the gas and1 in fact1 to substitute candles for it as soon as possible2 but if bedroom candles are used1 they should never be allowed without a glass shield--sold1 ,i think1 by ,messrs4 ,field and ,co41 the nightlight people4 ,this insures that the carpets are free from being dropped upon by the wax or composite1 and furthermore insures a certain amount of safety from fire1 which is a vast consideration1 for a draught1 a floating curtain1 and a bare unguarded candle may often result in a serious calamity1 for1 even if much damage by fire is not done1 a serious fright may be given to some who are ill able to bear anything of the kind4 ,gas should never be in servants' bedrooms--the best of them cannot help burning it to waste2 neither should they be allowed candles--they are careless1 the very best of them2 and ,i always provide my maidens with tiny paraffin lamps1 costing #f;d41 which ,i can only buy in a ,dorsetshire town 7,messrs4 ,a4 and ,a4 ,drew1 ,wareham1 ,dorset1 is the correct address7--even ,whiteley doesn't keep them4 ,these have a tiny brass cap that puts out the light1 and are not in any way dangerous1 because there is nothing to spill1 the sponge and wick inside absorbing all the oil1 and if they are knocked over they are so small the light pops out at once2 yet there is light enough to dress by1 if not to read novels in bed by1 and the maids themselves prefer these small lamps to anything else4 ,in conclusion1 remember that crystal ,a #a oil1 at #aj;d4 the gallon1 is the best1 most economical oil to burn4 ,it should be had in in a five-gallon tin1 which fills up the small tins from whence the lamps are filled in their turn1 which must be filled by daylight1 and recollect also that china lamps are much the cleanest1 and least likely to smell with the most careless housemaid1 who must always be made to take her lamps out of the room over and over again2 the mistress never once overlooking a smoking1 dirty1 or odoriferous lamp1 until perfection is attained4 ,that this is possible--ay1 and easy--to obtain ,i have1 ,i hope1 demonstrated to all of my readers by the before-mentioned anecdote4 ,if1 however1 the housemaid is really a good one1 ,i should prefer to use ,strode's beautiful copper and beaten iron lamps1 with tinted glasses for shades2 or else with pale blue silk shades1 stretched between copper ribs that give a wonderfully artistic look to any room4 ,benson1 who sells his wares at ,smee's and ,liberty's1 designs perfect lamps also1 and all these should be seen by the intending purchaser before finally deciding which to buy4 ,again ,i say1 never do your shopping in a hurry3 if you do1 you are sure to see something you like better--in the next street may be1 and1 oh6 agony1 at half the price6 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,bedrooms4 ,at first the only upstairs rooms that will have to be furnished are ,angelina's bedroom1 ,edwin's dressing-room1 one spare room1 and a room for the maid or maids1 leaving any others until a nursery be required2 for if our young people have only one servant it is quite impossible that they will be able to have a constant succession of folks staying in the house1 and1 therefore1 one bedroom besides their own is all that should be prudently ready for occupation4 ,i say #8prudently1' for few young housekeepers can resist at first the delights of showing off their houses and their presents to their less fortunate relations1 and1 in consequence1 a stream of visitors is invited to pour into the house1 to the detriment of anything like order1 and to the dismay of the servant1 who is most certainly right to grumble at all the extra work2 and1 by the way1 ,i may mention here that to this same stream is due more than half the worry brides have at first with their domestics4 ,also1 the bedrooms should be kept very nice4 ,this no one servant can do1 unless she is considered and helped1 and ,i should strongly advise ,angelina not to be above making her own bed1 even if she have a housemaid as well as a cook1 for she and the housemaid together can shake it up and fold the blankets and sheets nicely and neatly1 while the cook is clearing away breakfast1 and interviewing the tradespeople downstairs1 whose orders should be ready written out for them by the mistress1 so that there should be no loitering at the back door1 wasting time for both the cook and the men too4 ,but before ,i go into the divers methods of bed-making1 and speak of the beds themselves1 ,i should like to describe one or two rooms1 as far as paper and paint go1 and give some idea of the colours ,i consider fittest for a bedroom4 ,formerly1 anything in that way did for a room1 where no one then seemed to remember we had to spend a good part of our lives1 and where we had occasionally to be ill and miserable1 and wanted as much help over our troubles as we could obtain from our surroundings2 and who does not recollect the orthodox bedroom of her youth--the fearful paper1 all blue roses and yellow lilies1 or1 what was worse still1 the dreary drab and orange1 or green upon green scrolls and foliage1 that we used to contemplate with horror1 wondering why such frightful papers were made6 ,then came the carpet1 a threadbare monstrosity1 with great sprawling green leaves and red blotches1 #8made over1' as the ,yankees say1 from a first appearance in a drawing-room1 where it had spent a long and honoured existence1 and where its enormous design was not quite as much out of place as it was in the upper chambers4 ,indeed1 the bedrooms1 as a whole1 seemed to be furnished1 as regards a good many items1 out of the cast-off raiment of the downstairs rooms2 and curtains that had seen better days1 and chairs too decrepit to be honourable company in the downstairs apartments1 all crept up into the bedrooms1 anything being good enough for a room where #8company' would not be expected to enter4 ,i myself remember a carpet that began life quite forty years ago1 for it was over ten years old when ,i made its acquaintance in a country dining-room2 it was drab1 and was #8enlivened' with spots of brown1 like enlarged ladybirds4 ,it lived for twenty years in that room1 covered in holland in the summer1 and preserved from winter wear by the most appallingly frightful printed red and green #8felt square' ,i ever saw2 it then was altered for the schoolroom1 then went up into #8the girl#8s' bedroom1 and still exists in strips beside the servants' beds1 although the original owner of that fearful possession has been dead over twenty of those forty years2 and when ,i consider the dirt and dust that has become a part and parcel of it1 ,i am only thankful that our pretty cheap carpets do not last as carpets used to do1 for ,i am sure such a possession cannot be healthy2 though the present proud possessor points to the strips1 as a proof of how much better things used to wear in her mother's days1 than they do now1 in these iconoclastic ones of ours4 ,i am afraid ,i am not an orthodox housekeeper1 for ,i confess most frankly ,i do not want my things to wear for ever1 certainly not my carpets and curtains1 and that is one reason why ,i am so thankful for the present style of pretty light cretonnes1 mattings1 and ,kidderminster carpets4 ,they are so clean and bright1 and enable us to have our bedrooms fresh1 pleasant1 and new1 instead of making them up out of things that have seen their best days in another sphere2 and as ,i want ,angelina to recollect she may have to spend some little time in the bedroom occasionally1 as years go by1 ,i wish to impress upon her to remember all this in the arrangement of the house1 and to be sure and buy only those colours that give her pleasure1 and to have no jarring ugliness to fret her1 and add in any measure to her time of illness and convalescence2 for1 as ,i have said before1 no one knows how much we are affected insensibly by our surroundings1 and how much our spirits are affected too by what we have to look at6 ,the first thing to recollect in choosing one's paper is that there should be nothing aggravating in it--no turns and twists that shall bother us as we lie in bed2 no squares or triangles that flatly refuse to join2 in fact1 nothing special that can possibly worry us4 ,i had once on one of my walls a ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ag4--;,a corner in a bedroom1 ,gable-end1 ,shortlands4 charming paper of ,japanese chrysanthemum design4 ,it had little colour about it--only a faint pink flush1 that just gave the idea of warmth without a glare4 ,to give body to this1 the dado was of ,indian matting with a dado rail and wainscot paint of a good terra-cotta2 the pink shade1 not the brown4 ,the ceiling was papered with a pale diaper-patterned terra-cotta paper1 which was most pleasant to look at1 and ,i had matting and rugs on the floor4 ,a slight idea of this room can be obtained from the illustration on the previous page4 ,the doors1 mantelpiece1 c4 were all painted to match1 and the doors were panelled with terra-cotta chintz at #i;d4 a yard at ,burnett's1 and had brass fittings1 which ,i bought at ,maple's eleven years ago1 and which have done service in two houses1 and will go with me to a third1 ,i hope1 before long4 ,on the mantelpiece ,i had a full flounce of blue and white ,lahore cretonne1 which is also used for covering the eider-down1 and gave the necessary piece of blue colour there1 which was repeated in the tiles at the back of the washing-stand1 and on a big settee in one of the windows1 which is a most useful possession1 as it serves for a sofa1 and opens wide to hold the dresses in4 ,maple keeps these box ottomans at about #bl4 #ajs41 covered with odds and ends of cretonnes2 to cover them with anything pretty costs a few shillings more1 though1 of course1 occasionally the original covering may be pretty enough for use4 ,mine was hideous--great pink roses and green leaves1 on a black ground2 but for #ajs4 ,i made it quite a thing of beauty with blue and white cretonne1 properly frilled1 and ,i also added a big square frilled pillow1 and a large drapery of gold thread tapestry1 the same pattern ,i use for toilet-covers and tablecloths1 over my two square cupboard-tables that serve to hold boots and odds and ends inside1 and books1 c41 on the top1 thus answering a double purpose4 ,i think these small cupboards are really the most useful things ,i have ever invented1 and so ,i will describe them fully1 hoping other people may find them as satisfactory as ,i have done4 ,when ,i was in ,dorsetshire1 ,i think ,i lived in the very awkwardest house in the whole county2 and it was so badly arranged that to have a morning-room at all ,i was obliged to copy our ,french friends1 and make what was a bedroom by night a charming sitting-room by day4 ,but perhaps ,i ought not to grumble1 as it was entirely due to this inconvenient house that ,i turned my mind more especially to making the most of every room ,i had2 and as ,i had to stow away my belongings in pretty odds and ends1 ,i thought of these small cupboards1 and they have proved the greatest success4 ,they are made of deal1 are about three feet high1 and are quite square2 they are painted some self-colour to match the room1 and panelled with ,japanese leather paper1 and have one shelf inside2 the handle is brass and so is the lock1 and the hinges might be brass too if further decoration were required4 ,they hold quite a quantity of things1 and ,i cover them with a tapestry tablecloth1 place a fern in a pot in the middle1 and dot books and photographs about them just as one would on a table4 ,i had them made by our own man1 and ,i think they cost about #ajs4 or #abs41 not more1 and they are most useful1 for they can be put anywhere1 and are never in the way2 and this obviates any necessity of the unsightly appearance of boots and shoes lying about the floor1 while it allows of keeping some in reserve1 for boots and shoes should never be bought and put on1 but should be kept quite four months before taking them into wear1 as they wear twice as long if this very simple precaution be taken4 ,the curtains to this room are short1 as so often described1 and are of the terra-cotta cretonne used to panel the doors1 while loose muslin curtains that draw1 of ,liberty's yellow and white printed muslin1 hang over the glass to keep off the eyes of #8over the way'2 and as ,i had no blinds ,i supplemented these in summer by large dark blue serge curtains1 at #as4 #aa;d4 a yard1 which hang flat against the wall1 and depend from very narrow brass rods at the top of the windows1 the other curtains being only below the cathedral glass top windows 7which are never shut winter or summer71 and which1 being opaque1 require no permanent shading4 ,i may mention1 by the way1 that even in the bedrooms ,i should always remove the hideous china handles provided by the landlord and replace them with brass fittings4 ,these are undoubtedly cheaper at ,maple's than elsewhere1 and cost1 the brass finger-plates #as4 #aj;d4 each1 and handles #as4 #aa;d4 for two2 brass bell-handles cost about #es4 #f;d4 each for downstairs1 while very pretty brass rings are sold for about #bs4 #f;d4 at ,maple's1 to be sewn on flat straps of plush1 cretonne1 or serge worked in some conventional design for bell-pulls2 these are the nicest bell-pulls possible1 and last years with care4 ,all these fittings can be removed when the tenant leaves the house1 only remember to carefully put away the china door-fittings yourself1 or they will be mysteriously lost when you wish to replace them--a wasteful item that can be guarded against with just a little care4 ,especially also would ,i paper the bedroom ceilings with some cheap and pretty paper4 ,maple has an ideal bedroom ceiling at #d;d4 the piece in a peculiarly charming shade of blue1 which is always pleasant to look at2 and furthermore would ,i insist on a real dado1 either of cretonne or matting1 as this always keeps a room tidy and prevents the wall being spoiled1 by the energetic manner in which the bed is always pushed into the wall1 which is the housemaid's idea of placing it in position4 ,all ,mr4 ,pither's papers are excellent for bedrooms1 in either the #8berry' or the #8blossom' pattern2 and the sage-green #8blossom1' with sage-green paint1 a dado of sage-green marguerite cretonne1 and terra-cotta ceiling papers and cretonnes1 and ash furniture make an excellent bedroom2 while the darkest blue #8berry1' with yellow and white cretonne dado and curtains1 blue carpet and ceiling paper1 and white1 or rather cream1 paint and furniture make another charming room2 the flowery papers like old-fashioned chintzes in subdued colours1 with either a chintz or matting dado1 and ivory paint can furthermore be relied on to make a beautiful room4 ,none of these decorations1 by the way1 is expensive really1 and as the dados wear as long as the walls themselves they cannot be called a ruinous addition1 and one is repaid for the outlay over and over again by knowing that nothing can harm one's walls2 and as ,i have the walls sized behind the dado material1 and have more than once taken down the dado to see if any dirt had crept behind1 and found the wall as clean as the day when the dado was put up1 ,i find the last objection to these dados done away with2 for there are only two that have ever been made to me--viz4 expense1 and possible culture of dirt and creeping things4 ,and here1 reminded of the enemies spoken of above1 let me impress upon my readers never to buy bedroom furniture at least in sale-rooms4 ,how can we know we are not buying infection1 or how can we guarantee that we shall not become possessors of more than we have paid for8 ,therefore avoid sales1 and go to some respectable firm and buy one or two good things1 supplementing them later as money allows1 and making shift for extras1 as far as one can1 until one can afford good solid furniture4 ,in any case let the grate be seen to1 and1 if possible1 buy one of ,mr4 ,shuffery's slow-combustion stoves and pretty over-mantels1 or at least have the stove4 ,a bedroom fire is not waste or extravagance4 ,i never believe firing is extravagance anywhere1 and the slow-combustion stove will save its own cost in one month's consumption of coal2 while a narrow strip of looking-glass about a foot wide1 and enclosed in a painted deal frame1 makes a pretty bedroom shelf2 this can be supplemented by fans1 brackets1 and the ever-useful cheap and pretty chinas to be had of ,gorringe4 ,expensive as it doubtless is1 ,i cannot see how ,angelina is to do without something in the shape of a wardrobe1 unless she is lucky enough to come across a little house already provided with cupboards4 ,some of the new houses1 both at ,bush ,hill ,park and at a queer1 pretty little corner of the world called ,brookgreen1 ,hammersmith 7that ,i stumbled upon the other day1 and was delighted with71 have great receptacles that reminded me of the good days of old1 when recesses in bedrooms were part of the house1 and room-like cupboards were a portion of the structure2 but ,i am compelled to confess that such conveniences are few and far between4 ,for example1 most of the modern houses1 and certainly one in which ,i once lived1 have not one single attempt at one1 and have not even deep recesses in which hooks and a curtain on a rod could be a substitute for a cupboard1 and in consequence we were compelled to spend a small fortune on wardrobes4 ,i purchased some very nice cheap ones at ,maple's made out of deal1 and painted a revolting drab colour1 and also grained to imitate maple--bird's-eye maple4 ,i only wish you could have heard the chorus of anger when these arrived home1 you would all have been amused2 but ,i said nothing1 sent for my friend the painter1 and gave them into his hands1 and in a short time they returned1 one painted a lovely sparrow's-egg blue1 further embellished with ,japanese leather panels and brass locks2 the other an equally pretty shade of terra-cotta #8treated' very much in the same way4 ,i am almost afraid to say how little these cost4 ,one has a long glass in1 and ,i think was #dl4 #ajs41 and the other #dl42 but they have ample accommodation1 and are extremely pretty pieces of furniture1 and match the dressing-tables1 washing-stands1 and chairs1 of which more anon4 ,these painted wardrobes can be embellished at home1 if we use ,aspinall's invaluable enamel paints1 remembering that two coats of this make any old grained thing beautiful2 all one has to do is to scrub the old paint well with strong soda-water1 rubbing it down afterwards with glass-paper4 ,all graining1 by the way1 can be treated like this1 though naturally painters much prefer to add up a bill and insist on burning off all old paint4 ,should the graining be very thick1 an application of #8,carson's detergent' is advisable2 this costs #es4 at ,la ,belle ,sauvage ,yard1 ,london1 ,e4,c41 and removes the old paint in flakes immediately--a much cheaper and far less offensive proceeding than the burning off of the paint so dear to the soul of the ordinary workman4 ,in my own room ,i must confess to greater extravagance1 for ,i had a large dressing-table in light wood1 and so fancied ,i must have all the rest to match1 and in consequence ,i had to give #abl4 or #adl4 for my wardrobe4 ,this ,i bought of ,messrs4 ,hampton1 in ,pall ,mall ,east1 and better tradesmen ,i for one do not know4 ,after ,i had had that wardrobe a few months the glass suddenly cracked straight across from no reason that ,i could discover1 save from pure #8cussedness1' as the ,yankees say4 ,however1 ,i wrote to the firm1 telling them what had occurred1 and they at once sent down an employ1 who discovered a warp in the wood1 and without a word or an atom of expense to me they removed the spoiled glass and door1 and sent me a brand-new one--a perfectly fair thing to do1 of course1 as the fault was in the manufacture1 but one very few people would have done1 ,i venture to state1 without acrimonious correspondence1 and an attempt to charge at any rate4 ,why1 only the other day ,i bought an umbrella at a shop ,i should love to #8name1' as they do in the ,house1 and when it went into holes1 real holes1 in less than a month they declined altogether even to re-cover it1 saying it had not had fair wear4 ,it was not worth a fight1 but that shop will now lose my custom1 and ,i most certainly will never recommend it to any one4 ,if tradesmen knew how far a little civility and courtesy went1 some of them would1 ,i am sure1 imitate the noble conduct of the ,messrs4 ,hampton4 ,my wardrobe has a deep drawer for hats1 a place for hanging jackets1 and plenty of shelves and other drawers for linen and dresses1 and ,i could not do without it in the least1 though1 of course1 it may be too dear for ,angelina1 in which case ,i must strongly recommend her to buy a cheap deal one and have it painted to match her room1 putting on brass handles--the drop handles are the best and most decorative--and filling up any panels that there may be with ,japanese paper1 or tightly stretched cretonne1 like that used for the hangings4 ,if ,edwin be a clever carpenter1 he can easily make a frame to simulate a wardrobe4 ,the top can be formed of very tightly stretched holland 7it does not show1 and the glaze resists dirt and damp1 ,i think1 better than anything else71 and the front can be hidden by a nice curtain--serge lined with holland would be best4 ,the sides of the frame should have rings on1 like picture rings1 to fasten them to the flat surface of the wall1 and can be painted4 ,edwin could put in some wide shelves1 but these make-believe cupboards are best for hanging one's dresses and jackets in1 as they will not stand much weight4 ,a less costly thing even than this can be made with an arrangement of curtains1 rods1 and brackets1 but the one suggested above should not cost #cjs41 curtain and all1 would last years1 and be removable from house to house1 as no cupboard is4 ,the most valuable things ,i know1 too1 are ,maple's box ottomans4 ,no one makes them quite so cheaply as he does1 and they are invaluable for ball-dresses1 spare blankets1 ordinary dresses--in fact1 for anything2 and1 with a judicious arrangement of cushions1 form sometimes an excellent substitute for a sofa4 ,though1 if the room be large enough1 ,i recommend ,angelina to possess herself of what ,i always used to call #8a long chair1' which was originally a camp bedstead1 is made of iron and sacking1 lets down to a bed or rises up to an arm-chair1 possesses an extra leg for a sofa1 and finally has a long cushion1 covered with cretonne or serge1 that can be made to serve as a mattress if a spare bed is wanted in a hurry4 ,i think this curious article of furniture costs #cjs41 and there is nothing like it for comfort4 ,the sacking gives with one's weight1 and never fatigues one1 and it is even superior to a deck cane chair1 which is very nice1 but will creak and groan under one1 and is apt to feel hard and ridgy after lying there for some time4 ,i do hope my readers will not think ,i am given to #8lying ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ah4--;,draped alcove for a bed4 down'2 it is an action ,i scorn when ,i am well2 but ,i know1 alas6 too well how necessary it is to be ready for an #8emergency1' and to know one has a place of refuge and rest if life grows too much for one1 and one's headache is just a little too bad to bear without retiring into private life for a while4 ,at first1 of course1 ,angelina will have the house to herself1 but that will not last--at least ,i hope for her sake it will not--and she will then be glad to have opportunities of resting for five or ten minutes1 secure of safety from interruptions1 and servants1 and children1 or visitors4 ,besides1 when she is recovering after any illness there would be her sofa ready1 and she would not be perpetually fretted and worried by seeing the room disorganised by the sudden introduction of a strange piece of furniture2 the bringing in of which1 and the bumping and banging inseparable from this same movement1 often brings on a nervous attack1 and fidgets her so much that she would rather be without it than witness the commotion caused by the moving4 ,if one's home has these little conveniences it adds immeasurably to one's comfort1 and they are not costly2 and here ,i may mention that ,i consider a screen indispensable too1 for this can be moved to circumvent draughts or too much light1 and can also be used to protect the patient from worry when the bed is made1 c42 things that always drive me distracted to witness1 and that screened off cease to be1 as far as ,i am concerned4 ,in most houses1 too1 the door opens confidingly on the only place where the bed can stand1 and then a screen is invaluable2 it hides the bed itself1 and does not leave it exposed as it would were curtains used as a substitute4 ,curtains1 too1 are things ,i always disapprove of4 ,i do not even like ,mr4 ,arthur ,smee's most excellent arrangement of wing-like brackets1 to which curtains are attached1 as ,i think people should have as much air as possible1 and ,i see no more reason for curtaining a bed than there would be for curtaining one's chair or sofa4 ,a screen insures privacy2 curtains hide one's head only1 and cannot possibly avoid being stuffy2 if1 however1 the bare appearance of an uncurtained bed is objected to1 the draped alcove sketched on the previous page will be found easy to arrange and very pretty indeed4 ,this alcove is one of ,messrs4 ,collinson and ,lock's designs4 ,i have been very sorry to notice a very strong attempt made by those who ought to know better to revive that truly unhealthy and impossible thing in a properly managed house--the wooden bedstead4 ,i hear that these detestable things are considered artistic--that to have a heap of feathers sunk into a carved oak box in the height of luxuriance and stheticism1 so ,i must beg my readers to carefully consider what a wooden bedstead means and used to mean4 ,it meant immense trouble with certain small animals that came there mysteriously with the clothes4 ,it meant a taking to pieces1 a scrubbing1 and a putting together again continually2 and1 above all1 it meant a bonfire were any person with an infectious disease to sleep upon it2 and1 in fact1 ,i do not know one single thing in its favour1 and yet folks in their craving after a false sensation of antiquity are actually thinking of going back to the wooden bedstead4 ,one of the worst and silliest things ,i know is to go back into the middle ages for those very articles that used to make our foremothers--,i don't think our forefathers troubled much about their houses--miserable1 and when ,i see tiny diamond panes of glass1 for example1 when invention has given us large sheets of glass through which light comes1 and by throwing open which we can admit as much air as possible2 or when ,i hear of the wooden bedsteads1 ,i feel like a ,philistine entirely1 and long to uplift my testimony on the great superiority of this present nineteenth century of ours1 when we are nothing if we are not sensible1 and ought to know enough to make use of all the beauty of past days1 while we reject unconditionally the futile1 unhealthy nonsense that clings to them4 ,still1 after this no one will be surprised to hear that ,i consider a brass or iron and brass bedstead a sine qu non4 ,nothing is so clean1 so cheerful-looking1 and so healthy4 ,there are no draperies to catch dust or to give the sleeper a headache1 and1 moreover1 ,i never have a valance--never will allow one4 ,why should there be one8 ,not one single thing of any sort or description should be put under the bed1 which1 in a servant's room1 or the room of an untidy person1 serves as a regular hiding-place for boots1 boxes1 even soiled linen1 and if there be nothing to hide there is no necessity that ,i can see for a valance4 ,a brass and iron bedstead can be bought1 full size1 at ,maple's for #cl4 #ajs41 and1 of course1 very much handsomer ones can be procured2 but plain beds are much the best1 for they can be rubbed free from dust in a very few moments1 and always look clean because they are so4 ,i do not think any one who has ever tried it can for one moment doubt that a spring mattress made entirely of finely woven chains is the very best and healthiest sort of bed that one can have1 it never seems to get out of order1 it is quickly made softer or harder by being wound up tighter or unwound1 and1 above all1 it is easily kept clean1 and is as easily disinfected1 should any fever or other infectious disease attack the owner thereof4 ,i have had1 and still possess1 one of the old-fashioned spring beds that resemble very large mattresses1 and1 though this is extremely comfortable1 it is not to be as highly recommended as a bed one can brush and know is quite clean1 for it is covered with a tick1 and has a mysterious internal arrangement of spiral springs that is apt at times to get out of order1 and invariably groans and squeaks in an agonising way whenever one turns in bed1 while the noise and motion are both very trying when one's nerves are a little unstrung and one is restless and cannot sleep4 ,it is expensive to have it taken to pieces and cleaned1 and the tick washed1 which is not done half as often as it ought to be1 because it is costly and tiresome4 ,there are several sorts of chain-spring mattresses1 and the #8,excelsior1' which is inexpensive1 answers every purpose2 but ,i personally much prefer a very fine woven chain1 almost like chain-armour1 which is expensive1 but wears splendidly1 and only requires a nice hair mattress over it to be complete4 ,i always put over the chains themselves a square of brown holland1 tied to each of the four corners of the bedstead4 ,this should be washed twice1 or even oftener1 during the year1 and it is also an excellent plan to put the nice new hair mattresses and pillows into neat brown holland pinafores1 or cases2 which can also be frequently washed in order to keep the ticks themselves clean as long as we possibly can4 ,unless this is done1 the ticks become soiled and nasty-looking and shabby1 because housemaids are but mortal1 and will not remember to wash their hands and put on spotlessly clean aprons when they go up to make the beds4 ,if brown holland is too dear1 #8crash' serves every purpose1 but the glaze on the holland resists dust better than anything1 and insures cleanliness4 ,if people suffer very much from cold1 ,i am luxurious enough to allow them a feather bed on the mattress4 ,i always feel ,i am doing very wrong1 and that it is a most unhealthy practice1 though ,i have one myself1 for in the winter1 and indeed during most of the year1 ,i hardly know what it is like to be even moderately warm in bed2 but ,i still think ,i should be doing well were ,i to put away my feathers entirely1 and only use the springs and the hair mattress1 but ,i am not strong-minded enough1 so1 though ,i know feathers are unhealthy in every way1 ,i still use them1 believing that now ,i am too old to change my undoubtedly evil ways4 ,a brass and iron bedstead furnished with the spring mattress1 nice hair mattress and bolster1 and four pillows if a double1 two if a single1 bedstead1 is the beau-ideal of a sleeping place for health1 and should furthermore be provided with two under blankets--one in use1 one in store in case of illness--and two good pairs of nice ,witney blankets1 and these should be marked in red wool with the date of purchase1 initials1 and number of the room to which they belong4 ,if the four blankets are too much1 those not in use should be very neatly folded under the mattress1 thus insuring that they are always aired and ready for use4 ,an eider-down quilt is also nice in winter1 and should have an extra covering made from cretonne like the window curtains1 or in a pretty contrast1 edged all round with a two-inch goffered frill1 and furnished with buttons and buttonholes1 in order that it can be easily removed and sent to the wash4 ,three pairs of sheets are the least that can be allowed to each bed2 the top sheet of each pair should be frilled with ,cash's patent frilling two inches and a half wide1 and should have a large red monogram in the centre to look really well2 these can be worked by ,angelina1 if she has clever fingers2 and as it adds so very much to the appearance of the linen1 ,i do hope where she can she will embellish her house-linen with nicely embroidered initials1 repeating the same in the centre of the pillow-cases2 which should be frilled and placed outside the bed during the day to look nice1 the frilled cases being removed at night and replaced by plain ones1 from motives of economy4 ,four plain pillow-cases for each pillow1 and two or three frilled and embroidered ones for the top pillows1 are the least that can be allowed when the linen is bought2 for if ,angelina have to stay in bed--and no doubt she will--a change from the plain pillow-case of night to the frilled one for day1 and a removal of the plain counterpane for a pretty one1 is as good almost as a change of room1 and makes far more difference in one's feelings than can readily be believed4 ,now one especial word in ,angelina's ear3 ,i have never yet found in all my experience a servant who can really and truly be trusted to properly air the bed4 ,her first idea is to cover it up and get it made1 and unless ,angelina copies me ,i am quite certain she will find the bed stuffy and disagreeable1 because it has not had time to get properly aired1 and because it has been made up as soon almost as ,angelina got out of it4 ,now there is not one single thing that should be left on the bed once one is out of it4 ,do not be content with turning all the bed-clothes over the rail2 see they are all pulled out from under the mattress1 separated1 and hung up1 if possible4 ,then remove the pillows1 and dot them about on chairs and sofas2 hang up separately the under sheet and blanket where they will receive a current of air from the open window wet or dry2 and then pull off the mattress1 placing it as close to the window as it will go1 which only takes about five minutes1 as1 of course1 ,edwin will help with the mattress1 and then1 when dressed1 open all the windows possible4 ,leave the door wide open too1 unless there are torrents of rain and a windy tempest going on2 and ,i venture to remark that the bed will be all right and properly aired1 even if ,mary ,jane rushes wildly upstairs from the breakfast table and sets to work at once4 ,may ,i also add3 don't fold up your night attire6 ,i used to be informed by my governess that no lady ever left her towels on the floor--as if any one wanted to--or went downstairs without neatly folding up her night-garment4 ,now this ,i will not do4 ,it should be left to air with the beds1 and should then be folded up1 with the soft1 woolly slippers in attendance1 and put neatly into an embroidered case provided for it4 ,how fussy and old-maidish all this seems1 yet on these trifles depend so very much that ,i feel ,i really cannot say too much about them4 ,it may seem silly of me here to tell most of my readers of things they may all do daily1 just as they have their meals1 but ,i know a great many women who never think of these items1 and of course there may be a very great many others who just want to be given the same sort of little hints too2 and as for the servants1 ,i do not believe one exists who out of her own head would air a bed daily1 and who does not regard such airing as a useless fad4 ,while we are on the subject of beds1 ,i may mention that a matchbox1 the boxes of ,bryant and ,may's1 painted with enamel paint1 and embellished with a tiny picture1 nailed to the wall just above one's head1 is an excellent thing2 and so is a bracket provided with either one of ,mr4 ,drew's small paraffin lamps with a chimney1 or else one of ,field's candle-lamps1 also with a glass shade2 and that a bed pocket made out of a ,japanese fan1 covered with soft silk1 and the pocket itself made of plush1 and nailed within easy reach1 is also very useful to hold a handkerchief or one's watch2 and1 furthermore1 that great comfort is to be had from a table at one's bedside1 on which can stand one's book or anything one may be likely to want in the night4 ,the counterpane of the bed should be one of these nice honeycomb quilts with a deep cotton fringe2 in winter and summer both1 the eider-down should be always on the bed ready for use1 for some of our ,english summer nights are as cold and chilly as many of the autumn and winter ones2 and very charming-looking day coverings for the beds can be bought for one guinea at ,marshall and ,snelgrove's1 and are called ,madras quilts4 ,they have more substance than ,madras muslin itself1 and are ready trimmed with a neat fringe4 ,guipure and lace strips make nice quilts too1 and very nice covers can be made of cretonne like the curtains edged by the pretty nine-inch goffered frill of which ,i am so fond2 but if ,angelina works1 beautiful ones can be made from crash or workhouse sheeting1 embroidered in scrolls and pomegranates in red chain stitch1 a deep border of thicker work1 also in a pomegranate pattern1 forming an appropriate and very handsome finish to it4 ,these quilts can be bought ready traced and begun at ,francis's1 ,hanway ,street1 ,oxford ,street1 ,w41 at #cjs42 they should be lined with sateen1 and finished off by a wide border of furniture lace1 turned over a band of sateen of any colour that will harmonise with the room itself4 ,a careful servant should brush under the bed daily to pick up any little bits of fluff or dust1 and once a week1 without fail1 all the corners should be turned out and the room thoroughly cleaned4 ,the floor1 to be perfect1 should be stained all over1 polished and rubbed bright1 and be furnished with nice rugs1 which can be shaken daily1 for nothing keeps so clean1 and it is undoubtedly healthy1 for1 much as ,i like matting1 and largely as ,i use it1 it must fill up the corners entirely1 and dust cannot help accumulating there1 in a bedroom4 ,furniture for the room itself could be had cheaply1 did we know of any man willing to work under our orders1 but this seems impossible4 ,i do not know if there are any trades-union rules among carpenters that prevent them working for themselves2 but1 if not1 ,i am quite sure an honest mechanic could make a large fortune if only he set himself seriously to work1 and would keep to reasonable prices4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ai4 ,of course1 skilled cabinet-making is one thing1 and the sort of work ,i mean is another2 but ,i am constrained to remark on this1 because ordinary shops1 even the very cheapest1 charge such terrible prices for furniture1 and ,i have had such useful things made from my own descriptions by a man in our own employ1 that ,i am sure such a man near ,london would soon be of almost world-wide fame1 and we should all have useful furniture1 even if it were not of polished ash and oak1 elegantly finished1 and in exquisite style4 ,we should1 of course1 all prefer the very best furniture possible1 if we could afford it2 but1 as we cannot1 ,i should like to find a carpenter as good as my old one1 who would work for himself and really give us honest work at honest prices4 ,there are some dressing-tables which ,i possess which this man made for #bl4 #ajs4 out of strong1 good deal4 ,they have three very deep drawers each side and one in the middle1 and underneath the top drawer in one case there is a rod to hold a curtain1 and in the other there is a species of cupboard for boots4 ,the curtain also hides boots1 but ,i prefer the cupboard1 as it is the tidiest1 and has two divisions1 one for shoes and one for boots4 ,these were stained deal1 but ,i soon had them painted1 one turquoise blue1 one terra-cotta1 and added brass handles1 and they are now not only useful but extremely pretty4 ,the frames of the looking-glasses were painted to match1 so that all was en suite4 ,there are1 of course1 many different sorts of dressing-tables1 but ,i like mine at #bl4 #ajs4 as much as any for use4 ,my own happens to be much more expensive1 because ,i had it1 in the room ,i spoke of before1 to serve for both a toilet-table and washing-stand in a confined space2 but this came to about #il41 which is not so very much when one considers it was instead of two things4 ,this has a very large glass in the centre1 and drawers and recesses1 which hold china odds and ends1 and is very pretty too4 ,the part that was used as a washing-stand is tiled1 but now the tiles are covered1 as ,i have at present plenty of room for another stand1 and it no longer does double duty4 ,mr4 ,smee has designed a charming table1 and has given me the drawing1 which is produced here4 ,this is without exception the very best style of table for a small room1 as the drawers are extremely deep1 and would hold an immense quantity of things4 ,the looking-glass is in the centre1 the drawers extending as far back as they are in front1 and the table is provided with two brackets to hold either china or flowers4 ,this is painted any colour1 and the handles are brass4 ,in the very best quality the price is #fl4 #ahs41 but it can be made cheaper1 and ,mr4 ,smee would no doubt tell any one who wrote to him how much cheaper it could be made4 ,he has not told me exactly the lowest price1 but it is an extremely charming piece of furniture1 and it is as decorative as it is undoubtedly useful4 ,then there are those truly abominable dressing-tables1 the deal frame covered with muslin and lace and glazed calico1 like the frock of a ballet-dancer1 or else with some serge material that resembles nothing so much as a church altar2 and that should never be used except in cases where the others really cannot be managed on the score of expense2 but1 as there are many nice sets of furniture to be bought for about #abl4 #abs41 ,i think1 somehow1 a dressing-table can be managed by ,angelina that shall not serve as a dust-trap1 a hiding hole for all sorts of dbris1 or an attraction for fire2 for many a death has been caused by these flimsy petticoated things catching alight and flaring up in one moment4 ,i had one once which was rather a good possession1 as it was in reality a deep square box4 ,i believe it had once been an old wooden crib1 retired from active service and covered with a lid2 and although it was very useful1 and held all my spare blankets1 ,i never could bear the look of it1 and it was finally shorn of its legs and turned into an ottoman with a chintz cover4 ,but it is desperately heavy1 and ,i never see it without feeling cross at its unalterable ugliness4 ,i never use the ordinary white toilet-cover2 this is another of my pet detestations4 ,i invariably have neat tapestry covers made to fit the tables c41 and edged with a ball fringe to match4 ,i use1 moreover1 self-coloured felt and velveteen1 also edged with furniture lace or fringe1 and this ,i use also to cover the box pincushions that are in every room1 and are invaluable for holding odds and ends1 the gloves one has in wear1 shoestrings1 and so on4 ,for these1 a large-sized cigar box is an excellent foundation4 ,this should be lined with wadding and glazed lining1 the top carefully wadded too1 and all the outside covered with lining2 then cover it tightly with either plush1 velveteen1 or tapestry1 and put fringe round in such a way that the opening is hidden4 ,very tidy folks tie these boxes together with ribbons4 ,i do not2 life is too short1 and ,i find the fringe hides any gaps1 and looks very nice too4 ,the top part does for pins or one's brooches1 though ,i prefer to keep my pins in a china ,japanese dish1 shaped like a fish1 because ,i can't bear the pin-stuck look of a cushion2 and ,i put my brooches away in their boxes1 because they are apt to be knocked off and lost or bent1 unless you are possessed of a maid or housemaid who is as careful as she ought to be1 and yet somehow never is6 ,the brushes and combs live in a middle drawer1 the paper in which should be changed once a week1 when the room is properly cleaned4 ,they should never be placed on the toilet-cover1 and1 if there be no centre drawer1 two cedar-wood trays covered with tapestry covers over pieces of washing stuff should be provided1 to insure that they are not left on the toilet-covers1 and that cleanliness is duly respected4 ,in front of the toilet-table1 however the room is covered1 there should be an extra rug4 ,of course1 if the carpet be new the first beauty of the carpet may be used if you like1 but this ,i do not advise3 first1 because you may like to change your furniture--,i love changing mine--and in this case you could not1 because the carpet would be marked2 and1 secondly1 because it is a pity to wear it out more in one place than another1 which you could not avoid doing if you do not put a rug down in the place you use most4 ,in the case of matting or staining a rug would be imperative1 and ,i strongly recommend one for a carpet for the reasons mentioned above4 ,before we leave the dressing-table for the washing-stand1 ,i should like to say a few words about the way to light it4 ,careful survey should be made of the room before the gas-brackets are put in1 and1 if possible1 one should be so arranged as to bring the light over the centre of the glass4 ,in a big room a bracket each side is advisable4 ,long brass brackets should be used1 which should be able to be moved either to the side or to the middle of the glass1 bringing the light well over the top whenever it is possible1 thus doing away at once with any necessity for candles and the attendant dangers4 ,if candles are used they should be invariably protected with ,price's candle guards2 but once more ,i say1 have one of ,messrs4 ,a4 and ,a4 ,drew's perfect little #as4 #f;d4 lamps in every room4 ,they are quite safe1 and can be carried from room to room without the very smallest danger4 ,they never smell1 are lighted and put out in a moment1 and are invaluable to any mother who pays domiciliary visits to her children1 and puts down her light to tuck up or kiss the little sleepers1 for she can place this lamp even in a draught and at the same time need not consider if a curtain is blowing close by1 for if it did it could do no harm4 ,they are useful even to the reader in bed1 as they give sufficient light for that1 although they do not come up to the excellent candle lamps recently invented1 but which cost a guinea1 as contrasted with our modest #as4 #f;d41 and have no protection for the flame1 which1 however1 is far back in the lamp1 and not easily reached4 ,another item must also be mentioned before we leave the toilet-table subject4 ,every scrap of hair should be collected by ,angelina herself before she leaves the toilet-table1 and be placed somewhere out of sight1 to be burned by herself in the nearest fire4 ,avoid those terrible things called toilet-tidies1 which make me shudder whenever ,i see them hanging up2 but do not leave this item near a servant's hands3 they cannot resist combing out the brush either into the washing basin or the toilet-pail4 ,the drains become clogged--no one knows why1 until that miserable creature the plumber has to be called in1 when1 after spoiling all that comes within his reach1 he discovers the cause1 and sends in a tremendous bill1 all of which need never have happened had ,angelina looked after this item herself4 ,if the nursery fire be handy it can be disposed of every morning2 if not1 a little box could be kept in one corner of the dressing-table drawer1 and the contents burned when the room is cleaned1 which should be done with the very greatest regularity once a week1 on a stated day1 which should always be rigorously adhered to1 and which1 if properly done1 minimises in a remarkable manner the discomfort and disagreeables of that abomination to the male mind1 and to some female minds too--the spring clean4 ,whatever ,angelina is1 ,i do hope and trust she will duly appreciate her table-drawers1 and not look upon them as a store-place for rubbish4 ,she will1 of course1 have a store of gloves1 handkerchiefs1 and ribbons at first in her trousseau2 and ,i most strongly advise her to keep in the toilet drawers the things she has in use1 not her whole store4 ,she should never allow herself more than three pairs of gloves in wear1 one of which should be for evening wear1 nor more than a dozen handkerchiefs in use2 and she should never put away her gloves unmended or lacking buttons1 nor allow a fortnight to pass without putting every drawer she possesses tidy1 and seeing her handkerchiefs are correct in number4 ,tidiness and tidy habits are great helps to economy of time and money1 and are therefore highly to be recommended for ,angelina's consideration4 ,there is nothing so expensive as a muddle2 nothing so sure to unhinge the servants and make them cross1 captious1 and anxious to move on elsewhere4 ,keep straight and work is easy1 because it is expected and looked out for2 allow arrears to accumulate1 and nothing is done4 ,and this also applies to the drawers in ,angelina's own wardrobe4 ,unmended gloves1 linen1 or stockings should never for one moment be allowed1 neither should one set of linen be taken into wear until the previous one is worn entirely out4 ,this should be kept religiously1 old linen being invaluable for burns 7if it be linen1 not cotton7 or wounds1 and to give away to the deserving poor who may be ill4 ,even in one's own illnesses old nightdresses are invaluable2 as medicine1 poultices1 and constant and daily washing soon ruins one's nice new things4 ,i am no advocate for hoarding1 but ,i do know the value of old worn-out things1 if only to have something to fall back upon if a friend comes in1 to beg for ,kitty ,jones's ninth baby2 or for old ,mrs4 ,harris1 in bed and suffering agonies from rheumatic fever1 when rags and old flannel petticoats come in like a godsend for her use4 ,if one's servants have good wages they do not need these things1 and ,i do not think1 in any case1 they should be given old clothes3 they come to look upon them as a right1 and often enough one is prevented giving a far more deserving object some cast-off garments because one fancies that so-and-so will be offended2 therefore ,i strongly advise ,angelina to keep one especial ottoman or drawer to go to for her charities4 ,i am sure she will find it a great help to her if she does so4 ,one of the palm-leafed baskets for soiled linen should be in every room2 they are a little more expensive than the ordinary soiled linen baskets1 but they stand three times the wear1 and always look nice4 ,albeit this is an article ,i always put as much as possible in very humble retirement behind my cheval-glass1 there is no choice in my mind between the palm-leaf and the wicker-work for wear1 and ,i strongly recommend both the dark brown and the light-coloured ones2 they are about #es4 #aa;d4 each4 ,if ,angelina can possibly afford it she should buy a cheval-glass2 of course the long glass in the wardrobe shows one's dresses pretty well1 but it cannot be moved about to suit the light like the cheval-glass can1 neither does it ever somehow act quite in its place4 ,i dress very hurriedly1 for ,i have so little time generally for this operation4 ,i am always doing something up to the last moment before ,i go out either for a drive or in the evening1 so that ,i could not do without mine1 and ,i have often been saved quite fearful contretemps by this faithful friend1 which truthfully points out strings and skirts out of place1 and has an unpleasant habit of suggesting that one's hair must be done again1 by reflecting the back of one's head in a crude1 and startling way1 in the ordinary glass4 ,then it is of great use to visitors too1 who may not have a long glass at all in the spare-room wardrobe1 and are doubly thankful to find a cheval-glass there1 lent of course out of ,angelina's own room for the time being4 ,another thing that ,i should like to speak of is the necessity of always having a clean brush and comb in the toilet drawer4 ,a friend comes in unexpectedly to luncheon or dinner1 and we are struck with dismay to find that it is the day before our own particular brushes are to be washed1 and we have none fit to give her4 ,if we always keep a #8company brush and comb' we need never be put to confusion as we otherwise should1 for often1 in dusty weather particularly1 and especially if we drive much1 our brushes look black almost after once using1 and are not suitable to give a friend1 without being really dirty4 ,this said washing of brushes is a vexed question4 ,i have a friend who is so particular about hers that she never uses them more than once1 and then has them washed rapidly in hot soapsuds4 ,by holding the backs in her hand so that they do not touch the water1 and thus only immersing the bristles1 she gets them clean without spoiling them2 they are dried in the fender1 and she always has six brushes in use4 ,now1 ,i think if we have three in use1 and have them washed in routine1 one a day1 so as always to have one clean one ready for a friend1 we shall do very well4 ,and ,i think #es4 or #fs4 ample to give for a brush2 ,i have had some excellent ones from ,whiteley's at #ds4 #aa;d4 and #ds4 #f;d4 ,if we buy extravagantly dear brushes1 we grudge their wear and tear and their numerous washings2 but inexpensive ones can be kept cleaner1 because we can more easily afford to buy new ones if we do not give too much at first4 ,the old silver brushes at #el41 and beautiful ivory-backed ones at almost any price we like to give1 are delightful to possess2 but unless we can constantly renew the bristles1 they soon get useless1 and as we can't do that we must be content with ordinary ones2 which same remark applies to combs4 ,i like a black vulcanite at #as4 #i;d4 or #bs4 better than any1 for a comb is difficult to keep really nice1 and one does not mind throwing a soiled or broken one away if one can easily and cheaply replace it4 ,still1 if ,angelina should have beautiful brushes given to her in her collection of wedding gifts1 ,i strongly counsel her to keep them by her for visiting and travelling1 and to get other cheaper ones for every day2 and this same remark applies to tortoiseshell combs4 ,i like better things for visiting myself1 and ,i am sure ,angelina should keep her best brushes for this purpose4 ,if the toilet-table is chosen with brackets1 cut and scented flowers should never be allowed there4 ,a few ferns and immortelles look nice1 especially the pretty pink everlastings one can buy in the summer1 but scented flowers are bad for a bedroom1 though ,i much recommend a growing plant or two2 they look nice1 and are very healthy2 but no flowers here even2 a fern1 a small palm1 or the ubiquitous aspidistra being all to be preferred1 because the leaves give out a healthy atmosphere1 and are therefore useful as well as ornamental1 while strongly scented blossoms poison the air and render it heavy and unfit for a sleeper to breathe4 ,without going to the outrageous lengths some lovers of fresh air consider necessary1 ,i strongly advise every one to try and sleep with some little bit of window open4 ,i always do in summer with all that ,i can1 in winter with one or two at the top only4 ,the sudden change in temperature that makes this dangerous is guarded against by having an extra wrap handy on a chair1 or thrown over the foot of the bed1 which can be drawn up if the change becomes perceptible2 but ,i am certain that two people in one room should never sleep with all the windows and doors shut1 and ,i have never slept with mine closed1 since ,i can recollect1 without waking with a headache and a feeling of lassitude1 though1 of course1 when ,i lived in ,london itself the noise was very trying1 yet ,i became accustomed even to that2 and ,i put down my singular immunity from colds to this habit of mine1 and also to the open windows and doors that ,i always insist upon1 and that for some part of the day always remain open1 winter and summer1 though the moment the sun goes1 or rather begins to go1 down1 all windows1 in the winter and autumn1 should be rigorously closed1 with the exception of about a quarter of an inch at the top4 ,but then1 in connection with my open-air fad1 ,i am a great advocate for good1 jolly fires1 and ,i do believe bedroom fires save a great amount of doctors' bills4 ,open your window a little1 and have a fire1 if you can possibly manage it1 and ,i am sure you will all find a great difference in the expense4 ,of course this adds to the servant's work2 but if she objects1 equalise matters by helping her with the beds1 and in dusting1 and in a thousand-and-one little ways4 ,i am sure you will not repent it4 ,fires warm the whole house1 take off the damp1 raw feeling that is so trying in our ,english atmosphere1 and give a cheerful feel and look that cannot be too highly esteemed4 ,i would rather do without anything than a fire1 and even in the height of summer the instant it rains ,i have my fires set going1 with the windows open1 not so much for the mere warmth of course1 but to dry the atmosphere and prevent the house-walls from becoming chilled and damp and dangerous to health2 while for three parts of the year they are emphatically a necessity1 unless we want the doctor's gig or brougham to be always turning in at our front gate4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bj4 ,i could write pages about fires1 ,i am so certain that in ,england nothing is saved by scrimping the coal1 but ,i must not dwell upon this subject4 ,i must pass on to the washing-stands1 of which here are two drawings from ,mr4 ,smee's designs1 and which ,i consider the very perfection of stands4 ,i prefer the larger one of the two1 not because ,i could for one moment contemplate the odious notion of a double washing apparatus1 but because the smaller one does not seem to me to have room for sponge-dish and all the etceteras one requires2 but1 of course1 if the room were a small one1 the single washing-stand would be best1 because in that case space would be an object1 and by placing a long painted shelf1 or one of those nice little hanging sets of shelves1 half cupboard1 half bookcase1 over it1 we could obtain a place to put extra articles on4 ,these washing-stands in the best materials come to #el4 #es4 each4 ,the drawing1 ,i think1 will need but small explanation from me1 as it will show exactly the proper style for a washing-stand2 but ,i should like my readers to notice that the high-tiled back prevents the wall being spoiled1 and does away with the idea of a #8splasher' being required1 that the towels are to be hung on the round rails provided for them1 and that the deep cupboards are especially to be commended1 doing away as they do with any necessity for an extra piece of furniture1 and they can also be used for bottles of medicine1 ,angelina's private duster1 which she should keep in every room1 cardboard boxes1 and other trifles that are too useful to throw away and yet require to be hidden from sight4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ba4 ,there is no doubt in my mind that the ,beaufort ware sold by ,maple is the nicest and prettiest for bedroom use4 ,it is pure white1 and a most charming shape4 ,the jug has a double lip1 and the handles are in the centre1 like a basket1 simulating a twisted rope4 ,the basin c4 have all handles and embellishments of the same rope-like design1 and the cost is #ags4 #f;d4 ,the ware is most excellent1 and though much cheaper ware is1 of course1 to be procured1 pretty blue and white sets being purchasable at #cs4 #aa;d41 my white set exists triumphantly1 after eleven years' wear and two moves1 while ,i have bought more cheap sets for those all-devouring locusts the boys and the maids than ,i care to think about4 ,i am convinced1 therefore1 that very cheap china for bedroom use is a mistake1 for good ware stands rough usage much better1 and therefore is cheaper in the end4 ,it is well1 too1 to buy the ware as much alike as possible for two or even three rooms1 as nothing is so difficult to match as this4 ,before ,i became in the least au fait at these small contrivances that save so much1 ,i had quite a regiment of ewerless basins and basinless ewers that had accumulated because ,i found it impossible to get them matched1 and having them made was almost1 nay quite1 as costly as a new set4 ,of course1 these were gradually used up1 and not very gradually either1 alas6 by the servants2 but they were ever so much too good for their heedless clutches1 and ,i should have been saved a great deal had ,i had the sense to buy two sets alike1 instead of exercising my taste by seeing how many different ones ,i could possess myself of4 ,ware now is so extremely cheap that it is perhaps not of such vital consequence as it used to be to do this2 still1 as ,i had the other day to give #ds4 for a jug to match a basin belonging to a set the whole of which cost only #es41 ,i think it is still worth mentioning1 as it may save ,angelina something1 and every shilling is often a consideration to young beginners4 ,the blue and white ware at about #es4 a set is good enough for any room1 but1 of course1 ,maple's white ,beaufort ware is much prettier2 and ,mortlock1 of ,oxford ,street1 has or had some artistic pale blue1 yellow1 and red sets that would be lovely in a room that was furnished entirely in one of these colours4 ,the soap-dish c4 are included in the cheap prices1 but not a sponge dish4 ,this should always be bought4 ,not only does it save the sponge from becoming sticky and unpleasant1 but it saves the wall and floor from those detestable continuous dribbles of water that are the outcome of a sponge-basket1 that may be all very well in theory1 but is worse than useless in practice4 ,a sponge-dish has all proper drainage1 and may be more expensive at first1 but1 like a great many other expensive things1 saves the whole of its cost in the long run4 ,the covers of the soap and toothbrush dishes should never be left on2 the soap lasts ever so much longer than when it is shut up1 and1 of course1 the veriest ignoramus knows the effect on one's toothbrush if it is kept covered over4 ,i infinitely prefer to have a tall species of spill-holder or a rack for tooth and nail brushes1 as this allows them to drain2 and for servants' bedrooms one can buy iron things at #f;d4 to hold the soap and two toothbrushes as well4 ,these are not bad for schoolboys' rooms1 as they are not ugly1 but are not suitable for grown-up people's rooms1 who are supposed reasonably to take care of their things2 but with the ,beaufort ware the ordinary dish for toothbrushes is sent1 and is therefore used1 but without the cover4 ,i always keep on my washing-stand one of ,perry's invaluable sixpenny sticks of ink-eraser4 ,i sometimes ink my fingers dreadfully1 but nothing is too bad for ,perry1 whose delightful stick comes into use1 and cleans away the stains directly4 ,this1 too1 must not be put into confinement1 as it becomes soft and melts away rapidly if it is4 ,for the tooth-water and glass1 ,i most thoroughly recommend the charming little sets we buy at ,douglas's glass-shop in ,piccadilly4 ,for #as4 #f;d41 #bs41 and even less 7,i have bought a green set there for #i;d471 one buys the prettiest possible glass jugs and glasses1 and they are ever so much nicer than the old-fashioned glass water-bottles and tumblers2 they are charming to look at1 and far more easily kept clean4 ,there are blue1 red1 green1 and shades of opal2 and the gas-globes should match4 ,the best gas-globes are the tinted green globes1 pinched in here and there in folds1 which are #as4 #d;d4 at ,whiteley's1 and #cs4 and #ds4 at any other shop--why1 ,i don't know4 ,the opal glasses are prettier1 but then they are dearer4 ,a dozen towels should be allowed to each washing-stand3 four a week1 or even three1 are enough for most people4 ,one big ,turkish towel is indispensable for the bath1 and a clean towel should be always on the second rail ready for the visitor1 for whom we have already provided the hairbrush4 ,to every room should be apportioned a hot-water jug or can4 ,there are none so good as the charming brass cans at #gs4 #f;d4 ,the painted ones soon become shabby1 and always smell of paint directly the hot water is put in2 and not at all a bad plan is to have a brass label chained to the handle of the can1 with the room's name on to which the can belongs4 ,cheaper brass cans can be had1 but they hold less water1 and as they have no cover the water very soon becomes cold4 ,a larger oak-painted can should be provided for the housemaid4 ,this she should use for refilling the ewers1 and to bring larger quantities of water if a foot-bath is required in one's own room2 but the foot-bath and also the slop-pails should be all of white china1 and intense cleanliness should be insisted on1 especially for the last-named articles1 which never1 even in the smallest establishment1 should be made of anything save earthenware4 ,these china ones cost #ds4 #i;d41 and have a basket-work handle and a china cover4 ,they should be scalded out every day with hot water and a little chloride of lime1 chloride of lime being kept in any separate place1 ready for use where there are any drains4 ,before passing to the dressing-room1 which should open1 if possible1 out of the bedroom1 there are still one or two more trifles that can be mentioned in connection with it1 as on trifles after all depend a great deal of our comfort1 more especially in the upstairs department1 and a sleepless night might often be prevented were some of the commonest precautions taken to insure rest4 ,one thing no dweller in the ordinary suburban residence should be without1 and that is a wedge of wood attached to a brass chain to each window1 ready to wedge the window closely together should a storm suddenly arise in the night4 ,who has not risen irate at the dismal rattling1 and crammed in anything--toothbrush1 comb1 or what not--sacrificing often enough one or the other in one's rage at not being able in a moment to put a stop to this intolerable nuisance8 ,now a wedge ready to hand1 nailed to the window by its chain1 so that it cannot be lost or mislaid1 obviates all this1 and the window is secured at once and rest is insured simply by a little precaution and forethought4 ,i believe that ,whiteley keeps these wedges1 but ,i used to buy mine of a clergyman in ,dorset1 who made them beautifully1 and sold them in bunches in aid of the fund for restoring his church1 and so popular were they that he made quite a nice little sum by their sale2 but then ,dorset is a very windy county1 and ,i think the windows there rattle more than anywhere else4 ,another thing should be secured1 and that is a matchbox nailed to the wall1 close by the bed1 and the servant should be strictly forbidden ever to take the matches from one room to another2 there should be a match-box nailed on in each room and in the passages1 and ,angelina should see herself that matches are never lacking there4 ,i buy ,bryant and ,may's boxes1 but not their matches1 as they are expensive1 but ,i always have tiny boxes of ,swedish matches at #es4 the gross1 a gross lasting me considerably over a year2 naturally ,i keep them locked in a store cupboard1 in a room where there is sufficient warmth to keep them dry1 and the maids have to ask me for them when they are required4 ,when ,i used ,bryant and ,may's matches and had them in as wanted from the grocer1 ,i never spent less than #f;d4 and sometimes #as4 a week upon them1 so ,i consider my present plan worth mentioning1 for the save is really great1 and in these small items much can be economised1 if only one has a little knowledge and keeps one's eyes open4 ,but the matchboxes and wedges must be nailed on1 or else they will disappear in the same extraordinary way pins and hair-pins always contrive to do4 ,then1 in bedrooms and sitting-rooms alike1 ,i have the most delightful tiny brass hooks on which ,i hang a hearth-brush1 for ,i have an immense dislike to an untidy and dirty hearth4 ,as my old nurse used to say1 #8,these sort of things don't eat anything1' and a brush lasts five times as long if it have not to migrate from one room to another1 and can instead have its own especial hook4 ,you can buy ugly black hearth-brushes at #as4 #c;d41 but ,i always buy brass ones at #ds4 #aa;d4 ,they last for years and years1 and then can have new bristles added at the cost of #as42 they look nice too1 and are always to hand when wanted4 ,one of the principal things to remember all through these household arrangements surely is this3 a place for everything1 and everything in its place2 time1 temper1 wear and tear of nerves1 and servants being saved a thousand times over by this simple remedy4 ,if the brush be in its place there is no need for ,angelina to ring up tired ,mary ,jane to make a tidy hearth4 ,the hot-water cans on their shelves in the bath-room1 or in the pantry if there be no bath-room1 allow of ,angelina getting her own hot water if the maid be busy or out of the way1 and so on through all the details of domesticity1 which will only dovetail in a little house if this principle of tidiness and thought animates the mistress4 ,and here let me beg that ,angelina will resist with her might getting into the bad habit of putting her boots on and buttoning them on her nice cretonne chair covers4 ,i mean the habit of putting the foot up on the chairs while she fastens the buttons4 ,i once had a visitor staying with me who cut out a whole set of chair cushions in the month or six weeks she was with me2 and ,i discovered she had brass tips to her heels1 and these had cut out tiny holes all over the cushions1 spoiling them utterly2 all because she had acquired this very bad habit4 ,if ,angelina cannot button her boots without this action1 she should take care never to put her heel on the chair2 to keep to one for the process2 and1 if possible1 to put down something1 if only a scrap of paper1 under the toe of the boot1 which must soil the cushion1 even if it do nothing worse4 ,i have in my time suffered so much from careless and inconsiderate visitors that ,i cannot help giving these little hints on which any newly married girl can act if she will4 ,example speaks louder than precept1 and if ,angelina scouts such actions herself1 she influences her servants1 and suggests to her visitors tidy habits1 that may benefit her later on1 if not on the first visit4 ,i shall never forget one dreadful visitor ,i had--a visitor who was possessed of the damp1 unpleasant hobby of searching in ditches and hedge-bottoms for clammy and awful things which she insisted on bringing home and investigating by the aid of a microscope4 ,i should not have minded this one bit1 if she had done it in a room we had1 where the boys made messes1 and that nothing could hurt2 but ,i had just had my spare room done up1 and the effect was so terrible ,i have never forgotten it to this day4 ,it was such a pretty flowery room1 too1 that it deserves a word of description4 ,the effect was purple and green1 and the paper was guelder-roses and heliotrope--not at all a bad mixture of colour1 remember1 and one that lights up well2 the paint was all the dull ,japanese green varnished that is not arsenical2 and that is very artistic1 and by great good luck ,i found a charming ,french cretonne of the same style and almost the same pattern as the paper1 and this ,i used as dado fixed with a dull green rail of #8scantling1' and as panels in the shutters and doors4 ,i had a nice little brass bedstead1 with a gold and white embroidered ,liberty quilt trimmed round with ball fringe1 and furniture1 with gold1 green1 and blue and red tapestry covers on toilet1 chest of drawers1 and a new pincushion box covered with the same1 and all trimmed with ball fringe4 ,there was a nice new box-ottoman for hats and bonnets1 a most useful possession for any one1 especially if it be divided in two layers with a cheap tray1 also covered with cretonne1 new matting1 and nice ,liberty rugs on the floor1 and several newly framed photographs on the walls2 besides this there was a pretty table covered with plush1 for a writing-table1 duly furnished with blotter1 inkstand1 and wastepaper basket1 c42 a charming basket-chair1 and two other chairs in pretty cretonnes1 and odds and ends in the shape of ornaments4 ,there were two gas brackets1 so ,i did not have any candles in the room4 ,i never have if ,i can help it2 the servants are apt to light them and drop the grease about1 so unless specially desired ,i never put candles anywhere1 and ,i am more than thankful that in this case of which ,i am writing ,i did nothing of the kind1 for my excellent housemaid came to me one morning when my friend was out #8bog-trotting'--or whatever the word for the occupation is--and1 with a face of horror1 begged me to come into the spare room before ,mrs4 ,w4 returned1 as she really did not know how she was going to get it straight again4 ,shall ,i ever forget my anguish6 ,on the bed1 on the top of the new quilt1 were spread specimens of all the nastinesses she had collected2 on the brass rail and hanging on the dado1 on nails stuck in for the purpose1 and from most of the picture-nails1 were mounted ghastlinesses on sheets of paper that were drying in a fine breeze coming straight into the room1 laden with any amount of ,september damp and mist2 the oil from the microscope lamp was on every chair and every table1 and a perfect regiment of muddy boots and bedraggled skirts1 cast about everywhere1 spoke volumes of the extent of ,mrs4 ,w4's wardrobe1 and her ingenuity in filling up every hole and corner of that new and once pretty room4 ,and all this was caused just by a little lack of thought and care for other people's things1 for1 as ,i said before1 we had1 and generally have1 a large unfurnished room1 sacred to boys1 where she could have done her worst and injured no one1 for she might have nailed her nails and hung up specimens to her heart's content1 and only pleased the legitimate owners of that chamber4 ,i also forgot to mention that on the newly painted mantelpiece was a row of bottles full of dirty water1 all of which either leaked or else had been put down there1 wet from the ditches from which they had been filled1 and to find room for them all my ornaments had been dislodged and were missing4 ,we found them afterwards in bits1 more or less1 at the bottom of the ottoman1 the top of which was spoiled by being used as a #8boot-rest' for ,mrs4 ,w4 when she either wished to button or unbutton those articles of attire4 ,when she had left me ,i simply had to do that room at the cost of #el4 or #fl41 which ,i did not want1 naturally1 to spend1 but my friend has never been to stay with me again1 and she never will4 ,i have told this long story1 which ,i did not mean to go in for when ,i began my chapter1 to point out to ,angelina another caution4 ,when #8things' are once nice and in order they require incessant care1 if ,angelina has been carelessly brought up1 and if she has not acquired really nice habits2 but if she avoids messing and is duly careful1 her possessions will last her years1 and give very little trouble4 ,one more thing to remember is that1 unless the door be provided with a curtain suspended from one of ,maple's invaluable #gs4 #i;d4 rods1 nothing should induce ,angelina to depend her dresses from crooks fixed into the doors4 ,it spoils them1 as they are exposed both to sun and dust1 and the look of it is so unpleasantly suggestive of ,bluebeard's wives that this is a habit that cannot1 ,i think1 be too strongly condemned4 ,besides1 ,i remember dresses being torn and spoiled by being shut into doors and then taken down without seeing they are shut in2 which is an argument against hanging them there at all1 even covered with a curtain4 ,still1 in a small house and with a large amount of clothing1 a door is sometimes very #8handy' as an overflow wardrobe1 and then a curtain arranged as suggested above is a sine qu non4 ,one need not go to very much expense about bedroom chairs4 ,old worn-out drawing-room occasional chairs can be made beautiful for bedroom use by painting them blue to match the suite with ,aspinall's hedge-sparrow's-egg blue enamel paint2 particularly if one buys cushions1 which are sold1 ,i believe1 both at ,maple's and ,whiteley's very cheaply1 for about #as4 #b;d4 ,these should be re-covered with odds and ends of ,liberty's ,mysore cretonne2 the yellow and white1 blue and white1 and terra-cotta and white being all admirable--with the particular shade of blue paint1 ,i mean4 ,the best bedroom chairs are these painted chairs1 or else the black-framed ,beaconsfield chairs1 rush-seated1 and also supplied with cushions in frilled cases1 the cases being buttoned on so as to be easily removed for the wash1 and the cushions supplied with tapes1 so that they are fixed to the chairs1 and neither move about when one is sitting upon them nor drop on when least expected4 ,there is no doubt that pictures should always be on a bedroom wall4 ,pictures and picture-frames are so cheap nowadays that some can generally be afforded even at first4 ,of course these gradually accumulate1 and in years to come the walla will doubtless be decorated with photographs of the children at different stages2 but ,angelina's wedding photographs will be useful at first1 and ,i cannot imagine a nicer wedding present than some of the exquisite photographs from the old masters that one buys ready framed at a shop close to ,regent ,circus1 the name of which ,i have forgotten1 but which is between the ,circus and the meeting hall of the ,salvation ,army4 ,these are not at all expensive2 for #ajs4 and #aes4 each quite large and most beautiful photographs can be obtained1 and ,angelina would have a vast amount of pleasure out of #ajl4 spent judiciously on these lovely photographs for the adornment of her house1 especially of her bedroom4 ,these make admirable presents for young girls1 who can none of them be taught too early to take a great pride in their bedrooms1 and to accumulate there their own belongings in the way of pictures1 books1 and ornaments4 ,i love to see a girl #8house-proud1' as the ,germans say2 and my own house1 when ,i married first1 was made habitable only because of the judicious manner in which my dear mother had impressed on me to take care of1 and pride in1 the many little sketches1 engravings1 and photographs ,i used to have given me4 ,we were exceptionally lucky in that way1 as of course we had a great many artistic friends2 but still1 all girls should remember they may have houses of their own1 and always must have one room of their own1 and should be taught to pride themselves on having pretty and artistic chambers sacred to their own use4 ,naturally two sisters often have to occupy one room1 but this need not alter the idea1 and ,i would rather a girl cared for her room1 and collected pictures1 books1 and china for that1 than see her crave for ornaments and jewellery1 which can give but very little pleasure as contrasted with pretty and delightfully artistic surroundings4 ,angelina's task of making her bedroom pretty will be so much lightened if she has begun collecting treasures as soon as she was promoted to a room to herself1 that ,i may1 perhaps1 be forgiven if ,i impress this fad of mine on all my readers1 young and old2 for mothers of growing daughters can perhaps benefit by an idea that may be useful to them1 and of which it is just possible they may not have thought themselves2 and ,i should let 7as ,i do let7 my daughter begin her collection as soon as she is old enough to value having her very own things1 even to the sheets1 pillow-cases1 and towels1 which she can embroider herself1 and to a small collection of silver and china and pictures1 added to1 on birthdays and at ,christmas1 with an eye to a house of her own some day2 or even a couple of rooms1 when she may end an honoured career of #8old maidism1' made all the lighter and pleasanter by the store of pleasant memories secured to her by her possessions1 which thus serve a double duty1 and are both artistic and useful too4 ,if ,angelina cannot afford pictures in any way1 she can1 no doubt1 afford brackets4 ,these are very cheap indeed in carved wood 7which can be painted to match the room71 would hold a scrap of blue and white china1 and can be made even more decorative if surrounded by a #8trophy' or artistic arrangement of the ever-useful ,japanese fans1 one of which should be covered with silk and plush1 and made into a bed-pocket for handkerchief1 watch1 or keys1 although ,i like my watch in evidence1 as then one sees exactly what time it is1 and if it is the hour to rise1 or to put out the gas1 if one indulges1 as ,i do1 in the fascinating but wrong habit of reading in bed4 ,i have a long bookcase in my room1 as shown in the drawing on page #gb1 and this is full of bound magazines to fall back upon1 should my own book be exhausted before ,i feel inclined to go to sleep4 ,even if the windows are open the serge curtains should be drawn1 ,i think1 unless one requires to get up very early1 as ,i do not believe the brain ever really rests if there be much light in the room4 ,that is another objection to blinds2 they are never dark enough4 ,the serge curtains are cheaper1 and keep out the strongest sunlight there is4 ,i do not think what are generically known as #8short blinds' ever look nice in any bedroom4 ,i can remember1 however1 when to have white curtains there to match1 or in some measure go with those in the rest of the house1 was considered the height of reckless extravagance1 and a sure index of the bad financial position of the person who was sinful enough to indulge in them6 ,of course if we live with opposite neighbours' eyes straight upon us we must cover our windows1 or run the risk of being seen at our toilet2 but even then we can curtain them by using the frequently advised double fixed rods1 either covering the lower sash entirely with a full fluted blind of coloured ,liberty muslin1 or by draping the entire window--always the prettiest way of setting to work--with frilled muslin curtains meeting down the centre and almost covering the glass1 at all events covering it completely if it be necessary to do so 7see page #fj74 ,and now opinion on this subject has changed so much1 we can afford to have our windows all look alike without exciting dismal prophecies from people who really know nothing at all about us4 ,remember no house can possibly look pretty where white curtains are conspicuous by their absence1 any more than a girl can look pretty if she has neither nice frilling or spotless collar and cuffs as a finish to her costume4 ,and by white curtains ,i mean muslin curtains of almost any colour1 with some white in them4 ,dark thin curtains are an abomination1 ,i think4 ,i once lived opposite some dark green muslin ones that made me always feel the owners were dirty people1 although ,i knew quite well they were not4 ,muslin and guipure curtains1 nicely made and fixed1 are my pet curtains1 and next to these come ,liberty's printed muslins and cheap artistic muslins1 though ,i have seen soft-hued silks used to great advantage in town houses2 but this is1 ,i should think1 far too expensive for us1 modest beginners as we are4 ,white ,madras muslin is not economical1 as it cannot be said to wash well4 ,it shrinks1 pulls crooked1 and generally loses all its colour in a most distressing manner the first1 and always the second1 time it pays a visit to the laundress1 and if we cannot have guipure and muslin we must fall back on plain or printed muslin only4 ,cretonne curtains for a bedroom must invariably be lined if no blinds are used2 and a very good thing to do in a very sunny room is to put an inner lining of very dark green twill inside the cretonne lining1 so that it shall not show1 thus insuring the darkness that ,i consider so necessary in a sleeping-room1 the brain1 as ,i said before1 refusing absolutely to rest if much light comes across the eyes1 and this is why a bed should never face the window1 as this insures light of some sort falling on the face of the sleeper4 ,to sum up briefly1 one's bedroom should be pretty1 tasteful1 and quiet1 and should be as much thought about and kept as carefully as the grandest sitting-room we possess2 and ,i may further mention1 for those who cannot purchase ,aspinall's enamel in hedge-sparrow's-egg blue1 that a very decent substitute can be made from ,prussian blue1 middle ,brunswick green1 white lead1 oil1 and varnish1 and just a little black paint or ochre to tone it all down4 ,this must be mixed until the colour is precisely that of a hedge-sparrow's egg or very old turquoise1 and is very troublesome to get right2 therefore the above receipt will only be really of use to those of my colonial readers who may not be able to obtain ,mr4 ,aspinall's invaluable enamels for home-decoration4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,dressing-,,room4 ,there is no doubt in my mind that the proper furniture for ,edwin's dressing-room has not yet been evolved out of the inner consciousness of some enterprising and clever designer of dressing-tables and wardrobes4 ,of course there are plenty of so-called gentlemen's wardrobes1 but ,i have never yet found one that was perfectly satisfactory1 and if any one knows of one ,i should be very glad to hear from that happy creature4 ,i am quite sure gentlemen's coats should never be suspended from hooks1 for if they are hung up there is always an unpleasant bulge in the collar1 and it is impossible to keep the wretched things in shape2 almost as impossible as it is to make a man look nice unless he has a valet to look after his clothes1 brush them1 fold them1 and1 in fact1 turn him out respectably1 with a neatly folded1 clean umbrella and decent hat--that is to say1 the ordinary male1 who has business occupations1 and gets up at the very last moment he can1 to be able to snatch his breakfast and then catch his train4 ,i have1 personally1 no very expensive yearnings1 but when ,i see one who shall be nameless in a coat that looks as if it had voyaged up the chimney and back1 nether garments that1 to put it mildly1 have seen better days1 and a hat that would disgrace the ,sunday get-up of his own coachman1 and hear that no one is to touch the venerable accumulation in a wardrobe upstairs1 ,i do long for a good1 strong-minded man-servant indoors who would see to his master's clothes1 and insist on their being worn properly and treated decently4 ,this sounds like straying from the subject1 but it really is not1 for one unanswerable argument which puts a stop to a great deal of my eloquence is1 #8,if ,i had a decent place to keep my clothes in ,i should always look respectable4' ,now1 my readers shall give me their opinion as to the decency1 or otherwise1 of the accommodation afforded to this nameless individual4 ,in the first place1 there is a charming-looking wardrobe in ash4 ,the top is embellished by a ledge1 on which artistic pottery is meant to stand1 but where at this present moment repose a microscope1 a lamp1 very grimy and full of dreadful-looking oil that no one may touch1 several dusty piles of lectures and reports of divers societies1 and on the plain space below are at least five paper bandboxes1 containing old and dilapidated hats1 all more or less suggestive of ,noah's ark and scarecrows2 yet one and all far too precious to give away1 and which no one dare touch1 on pain of instant death4 ,one half of this wardrobe is lined with striped calico1 against the dust1 and is used for hanging up coats1 dressing-gowns1 c41 and where there is quite a crowd of the most hideous old coats1 all too precious to part with--,i can't think why--and then on the other side there is a deep space sacred to trousers1 and three deep drawers besides1 for shirts and under-garments of all kinds4 ,now this is actually not sufficient accommodation1 and ,i have other drawers in the bedroom itself1 where stores of summer or winter raiment1 as the case may be1 repose2 and the dress things are also in yet another place2 but ,i do think it is rather a mistake to have so much space for spoiling coats by hanging them up1 and ,i am thinking of having shelves put in in that division1 and seeing if that will be any good at all1 though1 as it is so much easier to hang up a coat than to fold it up1 ,i much fear there will be strenuous opposition to that plan--at least at the first4 ,a wardrobe is a necessity in a dressing-room--unless one is lucky enough to find a good deep cupboard there already--and they can be bought at all prices4 ,the one described above was about #ajl41 and is certainly very pretty1 but ,i am sure it is nothing like as useful or as well arranged as it ought to be1 and ,i have one in the nursery1 which is all drawers and shelves1 that cost #dl4 #ajs41 and is hideous1 which ,i am thinking of having painted turquoise blue1 and adding brass handles and substituting this for the ash one1 which can go nicely into the spare room1 where it will no longer be desecrated with all sorts of dbris being placed where pretty china is meant to go4 ,there is one piece of furniture1 invented by ,mr4 ,watts1 of ,grafton ,street1 ,tottenham ,court ,road1 ,w41 which is1 however1 perfect for a dressing-room1 and therefore deserves more than a word of mention4 ,it is a combination of dressing-table and washing-stand that is simply invaluable4 ,a long glass starts on the right-hand side from three drawers1 with a place for brushes and combs1 while on the left is ample space for washing1 with a high tiled back1 and a species of shelf to hold bottles1 glasses1 c4 ,there is also a deep space under the marble shelf on which the jug and basin stand1 meant for boots1 and covered in with a cretonne curtain on a brass rod1 and is altogether as charming1 artistic-looking1 and useful a piece of furniture as any one would wish2 it costs #fl4 #ajs4 in stained deal1 is beautifully made1 and would not only be useful in a dressing-room1 but in a young girl's room or any small place where there really is not sufficient accommodation for both washing-stand and toilet-table4 ,i have narrow tapestry mats trimmed with ball fringe on the shelves1 but ,i should not like to say how many have been wanted there1 for men never can remember that wet sponges should be put in the sponge-dish and not on the new covers1 or that brushes are best in the drawers intended for them1 and not for sundry bits and scraps of paper1 old soiled gloves1 spoiled white ties1 cartridges1 fly-books1 bits of gut1 string1 #8objects' for microscopes1 and other nastinesses #8too numerous to mention1' as the auctioneers say when they have come to the end of their descriptive resources4 ,and1 apropos of this1 let me beg ,angelina never to allow accumulations in either small or big drawers if she can possibly help it2 nothing breeds moths or harbours dust like this1 and ,i should advise her occasionally to brave ,edwin's wrath1 and turn out on her own account1 if he is obdurate1 and will keep every scrap and shred of rubbish that has ever come into his possession1 because he cannot believe a time will not come when the possession of a few inches of paper1 string1 or catgut will be of paramount importance to him1 and when a store of old clothes will stand between him and utter and entire destitution of raiment4 ,now1 without emulating a silly little friend of mine1 who was only saved by the difference of a pot of snowdrops from bartering her bridegroom's best coat for a supply of flowers1 with one of those engaging gentlemen who frequent the suburbs with a supply of blossoms1 warranted to fade and die utterly within the space of twenty-four hours1 ,i would strongly suggest a little dissimulation to ,angelina1 should ,edwin prove the orthodox hoarder of old clothes that it appears to me1 from judicious questioning1 most men are4 ,angelina should make a point of remembering the date of ,edwin's coats1 and should mark them in an invisible place 7on the lining of the inside of the sleeve is the best7 with the date of the purchase2 and with this triumphant proof of her accuracy should she face and utterly confound ,edwin when he meets her request for the coat to be given away1 with the remark1 #8,that coat6 ,what can you be thinking of8 ,i only bought it a month or two ago6' ,he is often so flabbergasted at learning the treasure is at least eighteen months old that he says no more1 and allows ,angelina to bear it off to gladden the heart of some old pensioner1 on whose back it somehow looks so extremely well that ,edwin cannot believe ,angelina was right in her dates1 and at every opportunity points out its excellent appearance on ,jones or ,styles as a proof of her reckless extravagance4 ,a little careful stealing from a husband who is an inveterate hoarder1 and will not even succumb to the uncontradictable date1 can be practised to advantage1 and at the risk of exposing my own wickedness1 and believing that a male eye rarely1 if ever1 falls upon my words of wisdom1 ,i may tell ,angelina in the very strictest confidence how ,i have sometimes been driven to circumvent the nameless one spoken of before4 ,i have watched the gradual overflow of the wardrobe--ay1 even on to the floor and the three chairs1 and1 biding my time1 have neatly arranged the drawers1 being quite sure ,i shall be asked immediately what ,i have done with all the precious things1 missed the moment the dressing-room is entered4 ,i disclose them arranged elsewhere1 and after a week or two1 when the gardener and the coachman's children have been scanned surreptitiously but eagerly to see if ,i have already given these valuable relics away1 they become forgotten1 or are only asked after occasionally2 then1 as time goes on1 they are quite forgotten1 and if asked for after three months cannot be found1 as they are already doing duty elsewhere1 under new and altered circumstances4 ,old boots it is almost impossible to get rid of without a positive battle1 though how a man's happiness or welfare depends on knowing he has fourteen pairs of dreadful old boots under the kitchen dresser1 to say nothing of as many more concealed in his own room and his dressing-room1 is really more than ,i can understand1 and must be one of those problems of life we are compelled to take as such1 and leave for time to solve1 if it possibly can4 ,i do not think it is of the very smallest use to give ,edwin anything pretty of his #8very own1' as the children say1 in his dressing-room4 ,it is always a narrow1 circumscribed spot1 and brackets are apt to be knocked askew and their contents smashed1 picture-glasses also coming in for similar hard treatment1 while extra shelves for books are soon overloaded1 and come rattling down in the dead of night1 taking at least ten years off one's life with the awful fright received4 ,therefore1 if ,edwin have a really nice wardrobe1 a chair1 and a dressing-table and washing-stand combined1 as described previously1 it is really all he wants1 unless1 of course1 the room be a good size1 when the walls can be decorated at will4 ,equally1 of course1 the wall-paper and the dado should match the bedroom1 and here more than anywhere else should be the substantial dado of either cretonne or matting1 as here the walls get mysterious knocks and indentations even more than they do in the passages and bedrooms4 ,if the bath has to be taken in the dressing-room--and sometimes even now old houses have not bath-rooms--the bath should stand on a large square of oilcloth1 covered by a #8bath blanket4' ,this should be taken up and dried1 and the oilcloth wiped carefully1 as soon as the bath is emptied1 or both will soon rot and be spoiled4 ,very nice #8bath blankets' are made by taking the old-gold and dark brown blankets one buys of ,mansergh and ,sons1 ,lancaster1 from #cs4 to #aas4 #f;d4 a pair1 according to size1 though those at #gs4 a pair are the best size4 ,a piece should be cut from one end to make the blanket square2 and one of ,francis's conventional designs should be ironed off in each corner1 which is then worked over in either outline or a thick #8rope' or twisted chain-stitch1 in double crewels1 in about two or three colours4 ,for instance1 old gold looks well with the work in two shades of brown crewels1 with a dash of dull blue2 the brown blankets with golden crewels with1 perhaps1 a dash of red4 ,but as it is rather difficult to get the design clearly on the rough1 fuzzy blanket1 an easier style is in cross-stitch4 ,the canvas must be very coarse1 and tacked to the blanket4 ,an edging1 as well as corners1 looks nice1 and the canvas threads must be pulled out afterwards4 ,i think a big cross-stitch1 monogram1 or cypher looks nice4 ,the edges of the blanket can be either button-holed over or hemmed with a line of cross-stitch defining the hem4 ,these blankets are a great ornament to a bath or dressing-room1 and are invaluable in any room where the bath must be taken in the room itself4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,spare ,,rooms4 ,i think it is a most excellent plan to have the bedrooms on one floor of a house furnished as much as possible alike2 that is to say1 if economy be an object1 and also if1 as in several houses ,i know1 the rooms open out either on a square landing or into a corridor that leads past them all4 ,of course1 the papers need not be alike1 neither need they all have cretonne dados2 but the paint should harmonise1 and so should the wall-coverings1 while the curtains and carpets should be identically the same2 as if one have to move1 or the cretonnes shrink in the wash1 and the carpets become worn in patches1 one thing can be made to supplement the other1 and so a large outlay to replace old things--always the most worrying kind of outlay1 ,i think--is avoided4 ,i have been constantly much entertained at seeing the shifts people have been put to to prevent things wearing out1 but perhaps quite the most hideous thing seen in this way was a succession of extra bits of carpet edged all round with woolly black fringe to simulate mats1 which were arranged on every spot on the carpet where especial wear could be expected1 and these monstrosities were carefully put by each side of the bed1 and in front of the looking-glass1 washing-stand1 and fireplace1 with an especial tiny dab by the door4 ,the consequence was that1 when one was dressed for dinner in a long garment1 all these mats were neatly rolled up in different corners of the room1 and not only looked hideous1 but were positively useless4 ,now ,i see no use in preparing these species of save-alls in a room that is not always in use4 ,if a thing be worn1 then cover it2 but ,i can't bear anything to be covered over to be saved4 ,better let all fade decently together1 and do your patching out of a second carpet or a second material that has already done duty in another room4 ,it is useless1 ,i think1 to cover handsome things2 much better rub down the gorgeousness and subdue the splendour altogether1 for nothing looks worse or1 in my eyes1 more atrociously vulgar than a room utterly unlike one's usual chamber1 grandly prepared for the reception of #8company4' ,once one's acquaintances and friends are given satin chairs to sit on1 instead of the usual cretonne1 they become bores to me at least1 and1 unless they can be satisfied to see me as ,i always am1 ,i would rather they stayed away4 ,there is always a stiffness and uncomfortableness in any gathering to entertain which we have felt it necessary to uncover our chairs4 ,in the same way let us in our upper chambers wear our things out equally4 ,splashers have become almost unknown since the invention of the high tiled-backed washing-stands1 and so in another way mats have ceased to exist because bath-rooms are now almost universal possessions1 and as most people--,i will not say all--know how to behave themselves in one's house1 there is no need even to put down the conventional square by the washing-stand that really was necessary when a washing-stand was one's only chance of properly performing one's ablutions4 ,now most people have bath-rooms2 but1 if they have not1 the bath can be prepared in the same way in the bedroom as described in our last chapter for the dressing-room4 ,i think every one who possibly can should possess something in the shape of a spare room1 although1 as ,i remarked in one of my former chapters1 ,i have suffered so much from my visitors that ,i approach the subject feeling as if ,i at least could not have very much sympathy with it4 ,and in no case will ,i advise any one to set apart for the use of the occasional visitor one of the best rooms in the house1 as is far too often the case in those houses where the spare room should be either the nursery itself or a room for some of the children of the house6 ,i have once or twice been literally so horrified at finding the room ,i should have at once given for the children set apart for visitors as a matter of course1 and quite without a second thought1 that ,i am compelled to speak rather more emphatically1 perhaps1 on this subject than ,i otherwise should do2 but1 after all1 the house is the children's home1 and for their sake ,i must beg attention from those who1 as a matter of course1 take the best rooms themselves1 the second and third best for visitors1 and then any rooms that may be over for the little ones1 keeping the worst of all for #8the boys1' as if boys were raging beasts1 to be put out of sight and hearing as far as ever the limits of the house would allow4 ,whilst recognising that a spare room is a necessary and pleasant thing1 at once1 so as to disarm criticism1 ,i must ask my kind1 good readers to ponder for a moment on what putting aside the very best room for one's friends means in an ordinary building where there are at the most three or four rooms on the floor above the #8reception' rooms1 to use a house-agent's term1 which said term means a great deal more than perhaps meets the eye at first4 ,it means keeping empty1 perhaps1 three parts of the year the brightest and most cheerful apartments1 and it means relegating the children to inferior rooms1 which1 with a little taste and common-sense1 can be made pretty1 comfortable1 and charming for your friends1 who come presumably to see you1 and not to spend the best part of their time in their bedrooms1 for if they do they may just as well have stopped at home4 ,now there is a great deal1 to my mind1 that can be written about the ethics of visiting that insensibly calls for attention1 when we ponder over that problem of a spare room1 and that may perhaps not be out of place1 so ,i dwell for a few moments upon them before going into the decorative details of this particular chamber4 ,one of the latest fads of social life is to do away with introductions at parties1 and another is to ask people to stay with us1 and1 from the moment they enter our doors to the moment they leave them1 to go on with our own occupations and engagements1 exactly as if we had no friends staying with us2 or rather as if we kept an hotel1 and the comings in and goings out of our guests had no more to do with us than have those of the people staying in an inn to the people who keep it4 ,perhaps the position and the luxurious comfort of the chamber prepared for their reception--half sitting-room1 half bedroom as it is--suggests to the guest more than it is meant to do1 and therefore should be altered before hospitality has ceased from the face of the earth and become a mere empty mockery4 ,i have often enough seen all sorts and descriptions of ideas for writing tables and other conveniences in a spare room1 but of this ,i will have none2 if ,i ask people to come and see me ,i want them to be with me1 and not in their own rooms half the time2 and letters can surely be written either in my company1 or in the dining-room1 should ,i be occupied in my own sanctum3 while work of all sorts can be brought down after breakfast1 when the members of the male sex have gone off to business1 and there need be no reason for secluding oneself in one's bedroom to do one's mending4 ,i maintain that guests staying in one's house should be treated to what servants call company manners1 and that we should make a difference for them1 and try and make their visits pleasant to them1 considering that they have come to us for a holiday2 that leaving them to themselves1 and going our own way while they go theirs1 is distinctly averse to all the laws of old-fashioned and true hospitality2 and that by making the spare room into a species of boudoir we appear to hint to them that we do not want them with us1 except after dinner or for the afternoon drive1 or really on any occasion when we can possibly do without them4 ,i should take as nice a room as ,i could for my guests after my children's convenience has been thought of--,i like mine as near me as possible1 and if possible on the same floor1 with a schoolroom upstairs1 a most invaluable possession in childish ailments1 when change of room is wanted without any risks of draughts run by going downstairs--and though1 of course1 our proverbial bride and bridegroom will not have to think of all this for some years to come1 ,i find ,i have had so many readers beside the bride for whom ,i meant to write this book that ,i cannot help being a little discursive for their sakes1 the while ,i beg ,angelina not to take the best room in the house for her guests1 because she will hesitate so very much more1 if she does1 over dismantling the pretty room when the #8king comes' to his kingdom1 and ,miss or ,master ,baby arrives to rule the household with an iron rod4 ,some of the charming painted suites of furniture are as nice as anything for the spare room1 and take a great deal of raiment1 and ,i strongly advise ,angelina always to ask her guests if the boxes may be removed from the room4 ,as soon as they are unpacked they can be put in the box-room until required1 even if the visit is only for a few days1 for a dirty travelling trunk can do a great deal of mischief1 and1 if put against the wall1 has often enough ruined the paper1 and dug holes in the plaster by being continually opened and shut as things were taken in and out4 ,the paper and paint of the spare room should be a matter for great and careful consideration1 too1 and here ,i very strongly advise a dado of some kind or other4 ,i always advise a dado in a bedroom of cretonne or matting1 however the bed is placed1 as nothing saves the walls so long from the tender mercies of the housemaid1 and so keeps the room looking nice4 ,i heard of a bedroom in the country the other day that seemed to me the very ideal bedroom for a guest4 ,the paint was white1 and the paper was the very faintest possible shade of eau-de-,nil4 ,there was a dado of eau-de-,nil and white chintz1 with1 ,i believe1 a pattern of lilies-of-the-valley on1 and the curtains were of the same4 ,the bed had an eider-down quilt in green silk--rather extravagant this--and the furniture was all in white wood1 with green and white mats c4 about4 ,the effect in summer was simply perfect4 ,i am1 however1 afraid in winter the effect would be too cold2 but to be equally pleasant then1 however1 the cold effect could be obviated by putting pink cretonne curtains instead of the green chintz1 and putting pink mats and a pink cover to the eider-down2 but the pink must be very carefully chosen1 and be either very faint or else almost terra-cotta1 or it would look tawdry1 ,i am sure4 ,the eider-down should always have a cover made of cretonne1 like that used for the curtains1 or else of a contrasting hue4 ,the usual cover for an eider-down in turkey red would spoil any room1 and as a motive of economy1 if not of beauty1 an extra cover is a very good thing2 it makes the eider-down wear twice as long1 and is able to be washed1 a great advantage to anything that has to do with a bed4 ,there should always be four pillows and four or five good blankets to the spare-room bed1 three pairs of sheets1 the top one edged with ,cash's patent frilling two inches wide1 and a large red monogram on the centre of the top sheet1 and at least twelve pillow-cases1 with four extra ones frilled1 and with monograms in the centre1 which should be removed at bedtime and folded up4 ,the counterpane should be a honeycomb one1 with a deep fringe all round1 and these are the only counterpanes that should be bought for real use4 ,they always look very much better than any others1 and look as well after they are washed as they do before4 ,a ,madras muslin quilt thrown over the bed in summer looks very nice2 in winter the eider-down is all that is required1 though ,i dare say ,i shall shock my readers by telling them that ,i never put away my eider-downs anywhere through the house in summer4 ,i rarely find it warm enough at night1 sleeping as ,i do with my windows open1 to do without them4 ,if we can only afford one spare room1 that room should have a double bed in1 as often married folk would like to come to us for a night or two1 and ,i have found it very awkward myself1 never being able to take in any one1 save a girl or a young man1 because ,i personally have in my present house no such accommodation1 and a small room does not matter for one night1 if the bed be comfortable and large enough4 ,maple's brass or black and brass bedsteads and #8,excelsior' mattresses are the most inexpensive bedsteads ,i know2 a brass one should be chosen if one can afford this possibly1 but a very nice black and brass one can be bought for #bl4 #es42 mattress 7#8,excelsior'7 at #bl4 #is42 hair mattress at #cl4 #ajs42 bolster at #ags4 #f;d41 and good pillows at #es4 each4 ,a room can be nicely and entirely furnished for #cdl4 #is4 #h;d4 in good furniture that will wear1 though1 of course1 cheaper and less reliable furniture may be purchased4 ,i actually hear that at ,cardiff excellent suites of furniture in walnut can be bought for #abl41 but ,i must believe these are simply veneered1 and will fall to pieces at the least move or the smallest amount possible of wear and tear4 ,there is no doubt that a great deal of thought has to be expended on a spare room1 but there is not the smallest doubt that it ought to look as nice without 7please forgive me for being insistent on this7 suggesting a sitting-room1 that our guests should feel at home in it at once4 ,a flowery paper1 like the old-fashioned chintzes1 is bright and pleasant1 but must not be too scrawly1 or it will not be nice should sickness overtake our guest2 but it should be lively and charming1 and suggestive of pleasant thoughts1 and then ,i am sure we shall be repaid by hearing our friends exclaim1 #8,oh1 what a sweet room6 ,why1 ,i feel rested already4' ,and now let me whisper one or two little sentences in ,angelina's ear1 suggested by what ,i have let slip above about possible sickness overtaking a guest1 for very few people ever contemplate this side of the guest-chamber question4 ,it may be terribly bad for such a thing to happen in our new sweet room1 but1 however horrid it is for us1 let us all recollect it is just one thousand times worse for the unfortunate #8sick and ill1' as the children say2 for1 in addition to his or her own pain and sufferings1 he has the mental agony of knowing he has committed the one unpardonable sin1 and that he has dared to fall sick in some one else's house1 that he is some miles from his own doctor 7and who believes1 ,i should like to know1 in any one's doctor except one's very own871 and that servants1 hostess1 and host are all vowing vengeance on him for his untoward behaviour4 ,but it is on such occasions as this that the hostess rises to the occasion1 shows her real self1 and demonstrates the true lengths to which a hospitable soul will go4 ,she laughs his apologies to scorn1 declares she loves nursing1 and so manages that the convalescent blesses the hour when he fell ill under such tender handling1 and in consequence improves twice as soon as he otherwise would have done1 had he fretted and worried over the bother he was giving1 and had he been shown plainly he was as great a nuisance as he undoubtedly is4 ,i am not writing on this subject #8without book1' as the saying is4 ,naturally we should all exclaim indignantly1 ,we should all do our very best for any one who falls ill under our care2 and you1 most of you1 smile at me1 doubtless1 for daring to insinuate you would not2 but ,i know cases where1 especially to relatives1 the hostess's conduct was so chillingly all it ought to be1 so freezingly polite1 so intent on perpetually telling the unfortunate he was no trouble at all1 in a martyr's voice1 that disclosed all her words sought to conceal1 that ,i must be forgiven if ,i say it needs real ,christian charity1 and the heart and temper of a saint1 to show real hospitality when sickness happens2 and it will not do any harm for any of us to contemplate circumstances in which we may all of us some day be placed4 ,one other special thing to remember as regards the spare room is that it must always be in such order that1 if necessary1 it can be ready for occupation in half an hour4 ,i knew a most excellent housekeeper who1 scarcely before the last box of her friend had been carried downstairs1 had put her room into #8curl-papers' as it were1 carefully banishing everything from the light of day until such times as it was necessary to prepare the chamber once more1 with much ceremony1 for a new-comer4 ,now ,i much object to this sort of thing4 ,when ,i have brought a pleasant visit to an end in a friend's house1 it gives me a positive pang to see the pillows bereft of their cases and the bed of its sheets1 and all covered over with a species of holland pinafore4 ,i hate to see the toilet-covers taken off and folded up2 and though this may be done when ,i am not there to see1 it gives me such an unpleasant feeling that ,i never have the courage to put my spare room to bed2 a room shrouded1 gloomy1 and unoccupied in a house always seeming to me like the unpleasant corpse of bygone pleasure1 and as such to be strenuously avoided4 ,then another reason1 besides the mere sentimental one of disliking to see that one's visit is really over and done with1 is that such a dismantling of the room often puts it out of one's power to entertain a sudden or unexpected guest1 who comes down perhaps to dinner1 and would be glad to spend the night1 that may have turned out wet or cold1 or that pleasantest of all pleasant visits1 the ,saturday to ,monday sojourn1 becomes impossible too1 for it is not worth while to get the room ready for such a short time1 when so much of ,saturday would be taken up in airing the beds1 and unpinning and putting up curtains1 and shaking out toilet-covers1 c4 ,now if the room be always straight1 and requires nothing but the sheets on the bed1 there is no trouble in the matter1 and we are neither flurried ourselves nor allow our guests to be uncomfortably conscious that their arrival has made any difference to our domestic arrangements at all4 ,i am quite sure1 too1 that it is a most excellent thing for most people to have some one staying in the house with them occasionally2 much1 secretly1 as ,i dislike it myself1 excusing myself to myself for my boorishness by saying my work prevents me being really able to entertain my visitors1 still ,i never part with a guest without quite as secretly acknowledging that it has done us all an immense amount of good to be shaken out of our grooves--ay1 even if our own special chair has been taken1 and the newspapers read and the magazines cut before ,i have looked at them1 another fad of mine1 for1 entre nous1 nothing tries my otherwise angelic temper more than for some one to read out choice bits of news before ,i have seen them myself1 or to read all the magazines before ,i have carefully gone over them1 peeping at the pictures1 and reading here and there a scrap1 before settling down to them regularly one after the other4 ,one cannot help recognising these evil habits even in one's own self1 and knowing that nothing makes a person more selfish1 and therefore more unendurable1 than to have no one to interfere with one's puerile little fancies and equally puerile little rules and regulations6 ,in a small household rules and regulations that touch the servants1 of course1 must be simply #8,median and ,persian1' or the house would never get along at all2 but it puts no one out except ourselves1 should we have to take the left side of the fireplace instead of the right1 and it does us more good than ,i can say to have to control our small irritations at having our routine of life broken into1 and to be shown that the world will not stop if we do go out in the morning instead of the afternoon1 and that nothing appalling will happen should we be obliged to talk at breakfast1 instead of1 as usual1 burying ourselves in our letters and our papers generally4 ,a constant supply of guests for the night1 or on the ,saturday-to-,monday principle1 insures a constant change in our ideas and thoughts1 and does away with that #8,englishman's house is his castle' notion that is so very pernicious1 and that puts a stop to so much inexpensive and common-sense hospitality2 while a new1 cheerful face at the dinner-table relieves the strain of domesticity between husband and wife1 and often insures a game of chess1 or music1 instead of the books and silence which would otherwise1 perhaps1 have been the order of the day4 ,another thing also to recollect about the spare room1 too1 is1 not to get into the habit of using the shelves and drawers in the wardrobe as a species of store-place4 ,i know nothing more enraging than to be shown into a charming-looking room1 with a beautiful great cupboard1 and a gallant chest of drawers1 that seem to promise us ample breathing-room for one's things1 and to discover half the space we were so very gleefully looking forward to appropriating is already taken up by all sorts and conditions of household plenishing1 or of last year's garments1 or even the garments of the year before4 ,i remember quite well once having such a receptacle turned out for me2 and ,i saw carried away1 the hostess's wedding dress and veil of some ten years back1 all the long clothes and short clothes of the babies1 small and great1 several venerable opera-cloaks and fans1 and1 finally1 a store of old linen put by against emergencies4 ,you can all of you imagine what ,i endured4 ,not that ,i should have asked for this to be done1 by the way1 but the maid came in to take my boxes1 and ,i was obliged to say ,i could not part with them1 because if ,i did ,i should have nowhere to put my belongings4 ,of course this insured the shelves being cleared1 with the uncomfortable result to me described above4 ,i never dared ask what had become of all ,i had turned out1 but ,i cut my visit short and went on somewhere else1 ,i felt so unhappy at thinking of all the unfortunate garments bereft of their usual resting-place4 ,the spare room should be a cheerful1 flowery-looking room1 as1 indeed1 should all bedrooms if possible1 and1 if a sofa cannot be squeezed in1 one of ,maple's charming sofa-ottomans should be put there1 and also an arm-chair and small table for books c41 for one's guests sometimes have headaches1 and1 especially if we live in town and have up our country cousins1 require occasionally half an hour's rest after a long day's sight-seeing2 or after the drive in the sleepy country air1 if the cases are reversed1 and we1 in our turn1 are country cousins entertaining our ,london friends with our own special sights and sounds4 ,no matter where the house is situated1 every bedroom window should open at the top4 ,this in ,london obviates a great many blacks flying in1 as they do when the sash is thrown wide open at the bottom2 an inch at the top seems to do more good than a yard anywhere else1 and in the country prevents the deluges and spoiled paint and carpets caused by a sudden storm in the night1 or1 indeed1 in the daytime1 when the open window allows the tempest to enter bodily1 as it were--unrecognised in the night1 of course1 unless one is awakened by any specially violent gust2 and unseen by the housemaid in the day1 who1 whoever she may be1 never seems to remember that such weather means that the windows should be immediately closed4 ,every single thing belonging to the spare room should be religiously kept for its own use3 the brass can for hot water1 the palm-leaf soiled-linen basket1 the little black cupboard for boots1 which also serves as a table1 the pin-trays1 and the pincushion--all should never be allowed to stray away1 and matches in a box nailed to the wall should also never be forgotten any more than the candles in their fixed stands1 and the various little ornaments upon the mantelpiece1 which should include a very regularly wound and most trustworthy clock4 ,if possible1 ,i should have some pretty framed photographs on the wall1 and1 above all1 a small bookcase1 with a cupboard below for medicine and toilet bottles4 ,i cannot bear the look of bottles standing about1 and1 besides that1 medicine bottles are apt to be put down after the medicine is poured out1 and sundry drops run down1 and a sticky ring is left on the new toilet-cover as a reminder of one's guest1 which is not as nice as one could wish4 ,the medicine cupboard conveys a hint the most obtuse must take1 and1 as they only cost about #fs4 #i;d41 are within the reach of almost every one4 ,a few judiciously chosen amusing novels and good poetry can well be spared for the spare room1 and often are of considerable service to guests who may not go about provided with their own literature4 ,reading often will lure back sleep1 or pass away an hour profitably2 and should we breakfast later or go to bed earlier than our guest is accustomed to at home1 he takes a book and forgets he is waiting1 and blesses instead of #8cusses' the difference in our household routine4 ,it seems to me even now that ,i have not said half as much on the mere relation of guest to host and hostess as ,i could have done1 though ,i have hardly yet mentioned the word #8furniture1' so a few more hints may be dropped here4 ,never should any one be allowed to come to stay without the hostess herself seeing that a new nice square of soap is in the newly-washed soap-dish2 that the towels are folded right1 the water fresh and pure in the ewer1 and also in the artistic jug1 bought1 if she be wise1 at ,douglas's1 in ,piccadilly1 in tints to match the ewer2 and making sure all is perfectly clean and in order4 ,a small glass of flowers should stand on the toilet-table as a special greeting to one's friend1 and all should suggest that personal thought and care has been given to the special shrine set apart for his or her reception4 ,i wonder who ever forgets their first visit from home1 or who can cease to remember the sense of importance given to us1 who once were brides1 when our first guest arrived to stay with us1 and inspect our new home1 which we were then perfectly convinced was far prettier1 neater1 brighter1 and more redolent of love and perfection than any place had ever been before1 or could possibly be in the future4 ,ah6 thank ,heaven for memory6 ,tout lasse1 tout passe1 tout casse1 but memory never dies2 and if we in our first start in life have charming surroundings and pleasant homes1 even if they only are of the simplest nature1 as long as we live they are ours1 and none can ever take them away from us4 ,then another thing in the spare room to be particularly looked to is the arrangement for lighting it4 ,here gas is a sine qu non4 ,candles are most dangerous2 a careless guest drops the grease about1 or maids cannot resist taking them about too1 and more harm is done by candles in a house than almost anything else4 ,at the same time1 if gas be not laid on anywhere1 the useful brass fixed brackets for candles are necessary2 but they should be fixed one or two above the looking-glass1 one above the bed1 and one above the washing-stand1 all the candles guarded by glass shields1 and none loose1 able to be carried about in a careless or heedless way4 ,if there be no gas1 a nightlight should always be provided1 with a bracket for its reception1 for there are some people who cannot sleep without a light1 and nothing is so disagreeable as to have to ask for these little things1 and to find that by making such a request we have upset the whole house2 though1 if a guest be thoughtful1 and has these little fads1 she should take nightlights c4 about with her4 ,a quite model guest of mine the other day arrived with her own hot-water bottle4 ,could thoughtfulness go further than this8 ,if gas be in the house1 there should always be a bracket as near the bed as possible4 ,it cannot hurt any one to read in bed if there be no danger of setting the house on fire2 and ,i am so fond of this pernicious habit1 and feel so unhappy myself if ,i cannot indulge in it1 that ,i always1 if possible1 make provision for my guests to read too1 if they are #8so minded1' as the people in ,dorsetshire always say4 ,so1 before ,i describe one or two other arrangements of colours that might be tried in the spare room1 ,i may mention two things that should never be lacking there4 ,one is a clock2 the other a list of the hours of the household and the postal arrangements--two things that will go some way to insure punctuality4 ,i could at once sit down and write a chapter all to itself on the inestimable blessings of punctuality1 and the extreme rudeness of being unpunctual in the house of a friend4 ,in a small1 or indeed in any ordinary1 house1 unpunctuality means disorder and waste of time1 and1 in consequence1 of money4 ,it means loss of temper both for mistress and servants1 and it means throwing out all the little rules and routine on which so much depends4 ,if a clock be provided in the spare room the two pet excuses1 #8,oh6 ,i forgot to wind my watch1' or #8,my watch lost an hour in the night1' are done away with2 while the hours of breakfast c4 contain a hint that cannot well be lost on the most obtuse person possible4 ,what does being late for breakfast mean8 ,let all lie-a-beds think over that problem1 and if they cannot solve it for themselves1 if they apply to me ,i will do so for them4 ,after all is said and done1 ,i think blue and some shades of green 7not arsenical shades--pray remember that7 are the most restful colours for bedrooms1 though terra-cotta can be used to great advantage in rooms where there is not much sun1 and1 while ,i like ivory paint if judiciously used with a brilliant paper1 ,i cannot imagine anything more wretched than the little white bedroom old-time heroines used to rush up to1 and cast themselves down in1 when their lovers proved faithless and they wished to be alone4 ,nothing is colder-looking and more unrestful than white1 and ,i do not like for a bedroom these white-enamelled suites of furniture that one can buy4 ,i much prefer them enamelled turquoise blue4 ,nothing is so pretty as this for a spare room1 or the room set apart for the daughter of the house1 except1 of course1 good ash furniture with brass fittings4 ,this ,i should always have1 were ,i able to afford it1 in all my rooms1 for ,i do not1 and never shall1 like dark woods or dark furniture in a bedroom1 or indeed1 as far as that goes1 in any room1 but a really good light wood is always pleasant to look at1 and in consequence is to be preferred to enamelled furniture1 which shines terribly somehow1 and rather annoys me on the whole4 ,i am now speaking about bedroom furniture not about drawing-room furniture1 where the enamelled chairs and cabinets look charming and are all that they ought to be1 but simply of the bedroom furniture ,i would have if one could afford it2 but if one cannot afford really beautiful wood1 ,i then much prefer to paint the things a charming colour1 than to see common wood or the grained and stained horrors one used to be obliged to put up with1 before ,aspinall's came to our aid and suggested blue or white1 instead of the yellow streaks that were our portion in those unhappy days4 ,now here is1 ,i consider1 one of the prettiest rooms ,i have yet succeeded in doing4 ,it has ,maple's floral paper1 a design that is just as pretty as ever it can be2 the paint is all cream-coloured and #8flatted1' so that it washes just as a boarded floor does2 there is a red and white matting dado1 a dado rail painted cream-colour1 and the cretonne1 also ,maple's1 at #as4 #d;d4 a yard1 almost matches the paper1 and looks really charming4 ,the floral paper has a sort of flowery scroll all over it1 and at first ,i was rather afraid it would turn out to be fidgety4 ,i feared the flowers would run after each other over the walls1 and refuse to be peaceable and quiet1 but they are just what they ought to be1 and never seem to move at all1 while the cheerful effect of the blues1 reds1 and creams1 that appear to make up the design without interfering with each other in the least1 is really wonderful4 ,i have had the ceiling papered with a very pretty blue and white paper1 and on the walls ,i have a great many pictures1 and have surrounded the dark over-mantel with ,japanese fans and brackets1 while the stove and mantelpiece came from ,mr4 ,shuffery1 and are1 in consequence1 all that they ought to be4 ,i have matting and rugs about the floor1 and have light ash furniture1 which ,i think looks better in a bedroom than anything else1 and is to be preferred to all enamelled or painted suites1 on which ,i fall back as a pis aller1 when ,i cannot afford really good light wood1 as ,i remarked before4 ,this would make a charming room for the best spare room1 particularly if quilt and toilet-cover and pincushion box were covered with ,russian embroideries in red and blue2 in this case1 the towels and sheets and pillow-cases should be worked with red and blue monograms too2 in all cases should the towels be worked to match the pillow-cases4 ,this does not take long1 and at once gives an air of culture that nothing else does4 ,perhaps a few words on the subject of a spare room set apart for bachelors would not be out of place2 for young men1 as a rule1 are so careless that they require special legislating for4 ,a quite charming and very cheap room can be made by using a delightful little blue and white paper sold by ,messrs4 ,chappell and ,payne1 #aa ,queen ,street1 ,cheapside1 at #aj;d4 a piece--it is #a1jdd2 with this a dado of the willow-pattern cretonne could be used1 and the paint could be all cream1 or the grey-blue of the paper2 the ceiling should be terra-cotta1 and the floor should be stained1 and some dhurries put about2 the curtains could be dhurries too1 or else terra-cotta #8,queen ,anne' cretonne1 sold by ,burnett1 and the furniture simply enamelled grey or terra-cotta4 ,the hours of the household should be prominently displayed over the mantelpiece1 while the gas should be placed near the bed to allow of reading1 and no candles allowed1 else may we run the risk of being burned in our beds2 one of ,drew's handy little #as4 #f;d4 lamps with shades being quite enough light should anything be forgotten downstairs1 and it should be thought necessary to keep a light in a room1 that we can carry about4 ,candles do an immense amount of damage1 and are very costly3 two excellent reasons why we should impress upon ourselves and our readers never to use them unless we cannot positively avoid doing so4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,servants' ,,rooms4 ,before ,i proceed to touch on the most important question of all1 that of the nurseries1 ,i will say a few words on the subject of the servants' bedrooms1 for these are far too seldom seen by the mistress1 who ought to have a regular time for visiting them1 and for seeing that all the bedding and furniture generally is in a proper hygienic condition2 for1 notwithstanding the ,school ,board and the amount of education given nowadays to the poorer classes1 ,i am continually astonished at the careless disregard of the simplest rules of health and cleanliness shown by girls who ought to know a great deal better1 and who will keep their kitchens c4 beautifully1 yet will heedlessly allow their bedrooms to remain in a state that ought to disgrace a resident1 nowadays1 in ,seven ,dials4 ,in the first place1 the ceilings of all servants' rooms should be whitewashed once a year1 and the walls colour-washed1 unless these are papered with the washable sanitary wall-papers that are really hygienic1 and which would look well1 and are rather nicer than the colour-wash1 which is apt to come off on one's clothes2 and the floor should be bare of all covering1 and should simply have dhurries laid down by each bed1 and by the washing-stands c4 ,those wash splendidly1 and always keep clean and nice1 while the curtains at the window should be some cheap cretonne that would wash nicely1 and draw and undraw easily1 or else they will soon be rendered too shabby for use4 ,each servant should have a separate bed1 if possible1 and that bed should be as comfortable as can be1 without being unduly luxurious4 ,the perfection of a bed for a servant1 as for any one else1 is the chain or wooden-lath mattress arrangement1 with a good mattress on it1 a pillow or two1 and a bolster4 ,no valances or curtains of any kind should be allowed1 neither should their own boxes be kept in their rooms4 ,one can give them locks and keys to their chests of drawers and wardrobes2 but if their boxes are retained in the room1 they cannot refrain somehow from hoarding all sorts of rubbish in them4 ,i should like myself to give each maid a really pretty room1 but at present they are a little hopeless on this subject--as witness the smashed china and battered furniture that greets our alarmed sight at the inspection that should take place at least twice a year--but1 alas6 it is impossible4 ,no sooner is the room put nice than something happens to destroy its beauty2 and ,i really believe servants only feel happy if their rooms are allowed in some measure to resemble the homes of their youth1 and to be merely places where they lie down to sleep as heavily as they can4 ,the simpler1 therefore1 a servant's room is furnished the better1 and1 if possible1 a cupboard of some kind should be provided for them where they can hang up their dresses2 this will enable them to keep them nice longer than they otherwise would were chairs or a hook on the door the only resting-place provided for the gowns4 ,but1 if this be impossible1 a few hooks must supplement the chest of drawers1 washing-stand1 bedchair1 and toilet-table with glass1 which is all that is required in the room of a maid-servant1 whose sheets1 pillows1 blankets1 and other #8portable property' should all be marked with her name1 and should be in her individual care as long as she is in your service--that is to say1 that the property should be marked #8,cook1' #8,housemaid1' #8,parlourmaid1' c42 this individualises each single thing1 and makes the temporary owner responsible for it1 and her alone4 ,the sheets should be changed once in three weeks1 also the pillow-cases1 while three towels to each maid a week are none too much to allow them to use1 do we desire them to be clean4 ,if two or more servants share one room1 the washstands and chests of drawers must be as many in number as the inmates of the room2 this will save endless discussions and disagreeables1 for after all maids are but mortal1 and squabbles will arise out of small matters like these1 which1 ridiculous as they sound1 are very often at the bottom of the troubles of those who are constantly changing their servants4 ,and1 while we are on the subject of servants' rooms1 ,i will just make a few remarks on this most intricate subject of domestic management1 and will whisper what ,i really think is at the bottom of a good many of the troubles anent servants that undoubtedly exist4 ,in the first place1 mistresses are all too often like the parents of grown-up sons and daughters1 who cannot remember that the curled and frilled darlings of the nurseries have become young men and women1 and are exchanging the control of the schoolroom for the kindly advice that should never be out of place between parent and children1 who1 grow as tall as they will1 can never be as old as those to whom they owe their existence4 ,and inasmuch as parents all too often exercise this control when advice would be so much more in place1 so do mistresses control and fret the maids1 who would not fret at all were the silk chain1 #8,don't you think8' used instead of the arbitrary command1 #8,i insist on the work being done as ,i order it4' ,then1 too1 we are all apt to forget how dull the ordinary routine of a servant's life is4 ,true1 she has the joy of her morning gossip with the tradesman1 and her few hours on ,sunday2 but that is not much for a young healthy girl1 who appreciates pleasure as well as do our tennis-playing1 ball-going daughters1 and it is much better to try and give her some amusement oneself1 instead of winking at the #8evenings out' and furtively stolen absences which most mistresses allow1 because1 otherwise1 their maids would not stay4 ,this can easily be done in these days by any one who lives in or near town2 while even in the country there are always excursions to be made1 or the county town to be visited1 even if there are no picture-galleries or exhibitions as there are in ,london4 ,besides which1 servants like to know what is going on1 even if they cannot go to things themselves4 ,they fully appreciate being told of what one has seen oneself1 and a cheerful account of a visit to ,london or to the theatre1 c41 is as much appreciated by a maid as by the friends we regale with our experiences1 who no doubt do not care for the account at all1 and only wonder at our foolishness in wasting our time and money4 ,we have to face a great fact1 also3 in olden days our mothers as well as their maids were content with very much less than we are4 ,they may have been1 and no doubt were1 much happier1 but that is beside the question1 more especially as we cannot return to the #8good old days' even if we would2 but the fact remains the same4 ,we have advanced1 so have our servants2 and when they can beat us at sums and geography1 stand too much on our level to be thought of merely as the servants1 who are to be content with anything we may choose to give them1 and therefore must be treated in an entirely different manner to the old style4 ,realise this1 and domestic management is much simplified1 because if we treat our maids just as we treat ourselves we shall find our trouble almost disappear4 ,i invariably leave my maids a good deal to themselves about their work2 and once they know what has to be done1 ,i find it is done without my constantly being after them to see whether they have finished what ,i have told them to do or not2 and it is well also to carefully consider what one's housekeeping bills ought to be once and for all1 and if the books are less than that1 praise the cook2 if more1 at once and firmly demonstrate that this is not right2 but be prepared with your facts1 and let her see that you really do understand your business1 which is to carefully administer your income1 and to see that no waste is allowed4 ,it is impossible for one person to tell another what sum she ought to spend per week on her household1 as one can only make a guess2 individual tastes must be consulted1 and people do not eat alike--for example1 two or three people in my household never touch butter1 one or two never use sugar or tea1 and therefore what does for us does not do for the world at large2 but for a household of ten persons1 including washing1 and allowing for a constant flow of visitors1 the bills should never exceed #fl41 and can very often be very much less4 ,it is not well to #8allowance' servants1 it is not a nice way of managing1 and is no real save2 honest servants do not require allowancing1 and dishonest ones will not refrain from taking your property because they are only supposed to use just so much1 on themselves4 ,to insure good servants1 it is imperative that we should make real friends of those who live under our roof4 ,we may be deceived once now and then2 we may even be tricked and cheated1 and be tempted to say in our haste that #8the poor in a loomp is bad'2 but we must take courage and go on again1 being quite sure that sooner or later we shall be rewarded by the love and care of one1 if not more1 of those who1 while dwelling in our midst1 too often are quite strangers to us1 and are no more to us than the chairs on which we sit1 and the tables at which we write4 ,how often1 for example1 do we understand the feelings with which a servant enters a new place8 ,do we recollect that she comes a stranger to strangers2 that we have no idea of the hopes and fears1 the thoughts and dreads1 with which she enters our portals2 that she is wondering whether we shall be distrustful or unkind or fairly sympathetic2 and that she may spend her first night in tears by the side of a girl who was a complete stranger to her a few hours before1 but with whom she will be obliged to spend most of her days and nights1 whether she be nice or nasty1 clean or the reverse8 ,we may not be able to save our new maid from this1 but we can help her over a very #8tight place' if1 when she arrives1 we are at home to welcome her1 to point out her place in the domestic routine1 and to give her a few hints about those with whom she will have to live for the future4 ,if we had a guest coming among us on equal terms1 free of all our pleasures and amusements1 would not this be done8 ,much more1 then1 should we hold out a welcoming hand to those on whom so very much of our pleasure and comfort depend4 ,to know how much this is1 we must1 once now and then1 be left without one of our staff--which is1 of course1 not a very extensive one1 or those remarks would not apply4 ,in an extensive staff the relations between mistress and maid are only represented by a housekeeper1 who has all on her shoulders1 and who must replace the missing maid in the household or do the necessary work herself4 ,let1 for example1 our housemaid be laid aside by illness1 or go home for one of her well-earned holidays1 and straightway we are miserable4 ,a thousand and one small omissions show us how much she remembered for us4 ,and as we gaze at our dusty writing-table1 our chair put in exactly the angle that most offends our eye1 our breakfast-table laid in an unaccustomed manner1 our letters put just where they never are in ordinary1 we feel inclined to count the days that stretch unendingly1 it seems to us1 between now and her return to work1 and we wonder what is before us when that #8young man' claims his bride1 who1 we are certain1 cannot be half as much wanted by him as by us4 ,or our cook may suddenly fall out of the ranks1 and we get in temporary help4 ,oh dear6 chaos then has most certainly come again4 ,butter flees1 and is conspicuous for its vanishing powers2 things have to be told in detail1 and we have not succeeded in getting the #8help' into our ways before our own domestic comes back1 to show us on what trifles depends the easy-going roll of the chariot wheels of life1 that never seem to go so easily as after the jar occasioned by a temporary change of charioteer4 ,looking back over a long stretch of life covered by many years of domestic duties1 and calmly and dispassionately thinking over the mistakes--how many6--and the successes that have characterised it1 ,i freely confess that when ,i have failed with our servants 7and thankful am ,i to chronicle only two failures and one of these has since been redeemed by an early marriage71 it has been entirely my own fault4 ,a keener insight into character than ,i possess would have prevented our engaging a girl spoiled for us by a too careless mistress and a wicked master2 and more judicious watchfulness would have saved a false step that1 as it happened1 was discovered in time1 but not before the consequences were too apparent to be passed over1 and which said false step was entirely due to the evil influence of a fellow-servant1 from which we of course should have shielded her4 ,we may accept it as an axiom that we cannot have nice1 good servants unless we take the trouble of either training them ourselves1 or get them from a mistress who has had an eye over the well-being of her maidens4 ,it is impossible to obtain nice service from those who have never been taught how to serve1 who come to us from careless or bad mistresses1 and of whom we know no more than they do of us1 and our likes and dislikes4 ,if we1 when requiring a servant1 take the first1 or even the second1 that applies to us1 not heeding where she was born1 what her parents are1 and knowing still less of her disposition1 how can we expect success8 ,we may be lucky enough to hit upon a good servant like this1 but we very much doubt that it is likely we should4 ,if mistresses have a large acquaintance it is possible to have a continual supply of good servants without applying to the registry offices2 but they themselves must have as good a character as the required domestic1 or else they will not be easily suited4 #8,as good a character1 indeed6 ,what is the world coming to8' says one indignant reader4 ,it is coming1 we reply1 to a better state of things--ay1 even returning to the time when servants were of the household1 and in consequence remained years in one place1 when nowadays as many months are irksome to them4 ,why8 ,because they like change4 ,and so do we4 ,do we not go about from place to place1 entertaining and being entertained1 when the presence of a friend in the kitchen results in a reprimand and a pointing out of some duty1 neglected1 say we1 that the friend may be entertained8 ,are we never dull--we who have our music and our books8 ,and are they never to be dull1 whose work is always going on1 and who have no relaxation unless we provide it for them8 ,we are no advocates for spoiling servants1 any more than we should be for spoiling children1 yet we are anxious that they should be happy2 and that they may be happy it is necessary that we have a set of rules that must be kept1 and that they should gradually learn that we wish to stand in the same relation to them1 while they are in our house1 as their parents would were they still in their care4 ,rule the first is1 that no young servant should be out alone after dark1 giving reasons for this rule that are easily understood4 ,rule the second1 that no one comes to the back door after a certain hour1 because their friends are quite welcome to come to the front door1 and once it is dark bad characters are about1 and young girls are easily frightened2 and rule the third1 in which all the rest are comprehended1 is that they must learn that we are always ready to hear all their hopes and fears1 to help them choose their hats and dresses1 to assist them in every way they wish1 and to give them sympathy and kindness1 which we will take from them in our turn should we be ill or in trouble4 ,how much more cheerfully will the cook help you to retrench if1 instead of scolding about the waste1 you ask her to help you to save what would otherwise be given or thrown away4 ,and much more pleasantly will your housemaids help you when #8company comes1' if you tell them to look out for this or that celebrity1 to listen if ,miss ,smith sings or if ,mr4 ,brown plays2 and how much they will do should you leave one or two of the pleasanter parts of preparing in their hands1 preferring rather an ill-arranged flower vase than the idea that all the rough and none of the smooth falls to their share of the work4 ,it will not hurt us to do a little dusting for once1 or even to wash the china1 and indeed it will do us good1 for it will teach us how monotonous and wearisome is the work by which our #8maidens1' the dear old ,dorset expression for our servants1 earn their daily bread1 but that ceases to have half its monotony and irksomeness should we help occasionally1 when work is pressing1 and there is more than usual to do4 ,to have good and loving servants1 then1 it is necessary to have them tolerably young1 to be firm1 kind1 and1 above all1 sympathetic1 to know as much about their home life as is possible2 and without telling them much1 yet1 when it is advisable1 to take them into our confidence1 secure in our turn of receiving sympathy1 which is always precious1 no matter from whom it is received4 ,of course1 this is not such an amusing life as the one lived by a mistress who is always enjoying herself1 and thinking of little save her own garments1 and the arrangement of the menu and that of the dinner-table1 but it is a far more satisfactory one4 ,we all have duties2 it rests with ourselves whether or not we shall neglect them or do them4 ,still1 if they are not done1 if our servants turn out #8thieves1 liars1 and wretches1' as they were characterised by one female writer the other day1 it were well to pause1 and ask who should be blamed for such a dreadful state of things4 ,surely not those who come to us for training and care1 but rather those who do nothing to earn the right to live1 and who1 taking but a low view of life1 look upon it as a playground instead of regarding it as a field for work--a place where we can do as much good as in us lies4 ,sympathy is the bond that binds men together--sympathy is the bond that should unite mistress and maid2 on the lowest ground it is politic1 on the highest it is ordained in a code of life given to all2 and we shall none of us regret treating our servants well1 for1 speaking from experience1 ,i can boldly state that1 in trouble1 sickness1 and sorrow1 one can rely implicitly for help on the maids whom we have trained ourselves1 and whom we have treated exactly as we should wish them to treat us1 and that ,i have found in a time when ,fortune appeared to have turned her back on us1 owing to matters on which we need not touch1 that the servants stuck manfully to the ship1 and did their best to help us weather a storm that1 though sharp1 was short1 yet that might have stranded us hopelessly on a lee shore4 ,the only fault ,i cannot overcome at present is this bedroom question1 and the breaking of the china c4 provided for their use1 hence my advice about the simple furniture given to them2 but ,i find daily improvement here1 and ,i hope that the next generation will be able to give their servants pretty rooms as safely as they can at present give them healthy ones4 ,there is just one other point to touch upon1 that of the meals of the kitchen4 ,it is quite enough to allow an ordinary middle-class household good bread and butter1 oatmeal porridge1 and tea1 coffee1 or cocoa for breakfast2 the kitchen dinner should be the same as the dining-room luncheon2 tea might be supplemented by jam or an occasional home-made cake2 and supper should be presumably bread and cheese1 but any soup made from the receipts in the chapter on #8entertaining1' or odds and ends left at the late dinner1 can be consumed if you can trust your cook2 if you cannot1 you must lay down a hard-and-fast rule of bread and cheese1 and insist on its being kept1 otherwise you will find yourselves in the case of a friend of mine1 who went into her larder after an enormous dinner-party1 expecting to find herself free from the necessity of ordering more food for at least a week1 and discovered it empty1 swept1 and garnished1 because1 the cook informed her1 they always had for their suppers any little thing #8as was' left over4 ,never be afraid to praise your servants1 as one lady is ,i know of1 for fear they may think she cannot do without them3 we can't do without them--why should we pretend we can8 ,they are far more likely to remain where they are appreciated and cared for than where they know they are only looked upon as so much necessary furniture2 and do not be afraid to blame them1 emulating another friend of mine1 who saw her servant reading her letters at her desk1 and stepped out of the room unobserved because she shrank from the disagreeable but emphatically necessary task of telling the maid of her odious and dishonourable fault2 but say straight out to the delinquent servant herself what you have in your mind against her1 never sending the message by another servant1 nor nagging1 but remarking firmly what you have to say yourself in such a way that she cannot avoid perceiving you mean emphatically what you say4 ,let your maids have good books to read1 and let them see newspapers1 but do not keep a kitchen bookshelf4 ,this they distrust at once1 and look out for their own literature1 which is generally pernicious2 but if you yourself have read a good story1 recommend it to them1 and talk to them about it4 ,you can always get a servant to read proper books by taking care to read them yourself1 and by letting them see you are sharing your literature with them2 even if they spoil or soil the book1 books are cheap1 and they had better do this than soil their minds by the rubbish they might buy1 revolting naturally against #8,lizzy1 or a ,parlourmaid's ,duties1 described in a story1' or #8,grace1 or ,how to ,clean ,silver1' or the similar charming works which one generally finds in the houses of those who keep #8kitchen bookshelves1' regardless of the fact that ,ouida and other exquisite feminine novelists are the favourite food of the drawing-room1 and that they could not read one page of the #8books' themselves provided for the maid's entertainment4 ,if you have a garden1 encourage the servants to walk and sit and work in it2 and1 above all1 take interest in their clothes1 lend them patterns1 and1 in fact1 do all in your power to raise them to your station4 ,the lower classes1 thanks to education1 are rapidly climbing2 they will rise whether we like it or not1 and we had better1 on the lowest grounds1 assist them to share the place they will take and push us from1 should they find we are antagonistic and jealous instead of helpful and sympathising4 ,i have had twenty years' experience of household management4 ,i have had three cooks in the time1 and have never had a maid give me #8warning'2 and though1 no doubt1 some day ,i shall find servants a #8bother1' because they will get married1 and ,i cannot expect to keep mine all their lives1 ,i think my twenty years of success entitle me to lay down the law on the subject of the management of one's maids just a little4 ,but1 lest my readers should tire of the subject1 ,i will pass on to the nurseries1 which1 after all1 are much more interesting to the young housekeeper4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,nurseries4 ,there are several things of course to be considered in the first choice of a nursery1 and1 unfortunately1 in far too many cases economy has to be considered even before what is really and actually good for a child's health4 #8,economy3 how ,i dislike that word6' remarked a plaintive friend1 actually of the sterner sex1 and how ,i agree with him only my own soul knows2 but economy is a stern1 a hard fact1 and above all has it to be considered when expenses begin to advance by #8leaps and bounds1' and ,edwin regards the future1 across the berceaunette1 most dolefully2 and thinking over school bills and doctors' bills1 much in the distance yet1 but steadily advancing towards him1 begins to wonder how two hands are to do it all1 and whether he had not better at once look up all the papers he can possess himself of that relate to ,state emigration4 ,it is hard for me to keep the #8juste milieu1' for ,i am really possessed by the idea of good nurseries2 and when ,i recollect how much money is wasted on keeping up appearances1 and also in retaining that #8spare room1' ,i almost feel inclined to throw prudence to the winds1 and declare that two good nurseries are as imperative for one child as ,i believe in my heart they are4 ,and1 really1 even in the orthodox suburban villa1 with its four or five bedrooms1 this accommodation can be found1 if only ,angelina uses her senses1 and really desires to do her best for her little ones4 ,but this is not always the case1 ,i am sorry to say1 and there is no doubt that in most houses the position of the nurseries is a subject of very small interest4 ,so long as it is tolerably out of the way1 and1 in fact1 #8far from humanity's reach1' most parents are quite satisfied1 and ask little else than that their ears may not be assaulted by cries1 and their china shaken to its very foundations by little feet rushing and jumping overhead in a way that is undoubtedly trying to the nerves1 but is very delightful to those who see in such noises ample evidence of the health and good spirits of the small folk who are making them4 ,perhaps1 however1 the #8demon builder1' the cause of so very many of our domestic woes and worries1 is as much to blame as the people who take the houses he runs up for us4 ,still1 demand creates supply1 and ,i cannot help thinking that1 if the ,british matron insisted on nurseries as well as the regulation #8three reception-rooms' of the house-agents' lists1 in time we should be provided with large airy chambers1 as much a matter of course as the bath-room of recent years1 that1 once conspicuous by its absence1 in now a sine qu non in even tiny houses built for clerks1 and rented at about #cjl4 a year4 ,i am very much divided in in my mind as to the manner in which to write this chapter1 as ,i cannot determine whether to describe an ideal nursery--the nursery in which we were all brought up--or the orthodox nursery1 made out of the worst bedroom in the house1 the one farthest away from the sitting-rooms1 and where nothing is considered save how to prevent any visitors' ears being assailed with shouts1 and their nerves tried by sudden bangs immediately overhead4 ,i am not in the least exaggerating when ,i say that1 especially in ,london1 the very top rooms in a tall house are those set aside for the little ones1 ,pass along any of our most fashionable squares and thoroughfares1 and look up at the windows4 ,where are the necessary bars placed that denote the nurseries8 ,why1 at the highest windows of all4 ,my readers can notice this for themselves1 and can say whether ,i am right or wrong4 ,and how often do we not find an excellent spare room in a house where two1 or perhaps even more1 children are stuffed into one room that is day and night nursery combined1 while half the year the best chamber is kept empty1 sacred to an occasional guest1 whose presence should never be courted at all in a house not large enough to allow of there being two nurseries for the children's own use4 ,i am the very last person in the world to make children into miniature tyrants2 ,i do not allow mine to engross the conversation or to be in evidence at all hours of the day4 ,they do not behave as if they were grown up at an early age1 neither do they go out to luncheon or tea perpetually1 thus becoming blas before their time4 ,they are frankly children1 and are treated as such1 and ,i feel it rather necessary to say this at the outset1 for fear my readers may feel constrained to write and tell me 7after what ,i have said above7 ,i have fallen into the prevailing error of the day1 and make my children a nuisance to themselves and every one else by spoiling them2 for1 despite the usual position of the nursery1 there is no doubt that children will soon cease to exist at all1 and will become grown-up men and women before they have changed their teeth4 ,despite the position of the nurseries1 did ,i say8 ,nay1 surely rather should ,i write because of the position of the nurseries1 which are so far off that the mother scarcely ever climbs up to them1 and in consequence has her children downstairs with her in and out of season1 until they gradually absorb the grown-up atmosphere and become little prigs who care nothing for a romp1 and object to going into the country for the summer because the country is so very dull1 and have their own opinions1 pretty freely expressed too1 about their clothes and the cooking at their own or their friends' houses4 ,i feel ,i may perhaps be accused of being hard on the child of the period1 but ,i confess openly the child of the period is my pet detestation--poor little soul6--not because of its personality as a child1 but because it is such a painful subject for contemplation4 ,i cannot bear to see poor innocent babies dressed out to imitate old pictures1 with long skirts sweeping the ground1 because they are picturesque1 with bare arms and wide lace collars1 and manners to match2 who go out perpetually to luncheon and tea-parties1 and who1 do they happen to be passably good-looking1 are worshipped by a crowd of foolish women until the conversation is engrossed by the child1 who very soon becomes an intolerable nuisance2 who cannot play because of its absurd skirt1 and will grow up the useless1 affected1 selfish1 ball-loving girl that is the terror of every mother who recognises that life has duties as well as pleasures1 and hopes that her daughters will do some good work in a world where the harvest is indeed plenteous and the labourers few4 ,to have good and healthy children it is positively necessary to have good and healthy nurseries1 and as soon as ,angelina becomes the proud possessor of her first baby she should seriously and soberly consider the great nursery question4 ,of course she will have thought of it before the tyrant arrives1 but so much depends on different small things that she will not seriously and definitely determine what to do until she sees what her nurse is like1 and whether she is to have the baby at night or to hand it over to somebody else4 ,i could write pages about people's first babies1 poor little things6 ,what experiments are tried on them in the way of hygienic and stupid clothes1 the patent foods1 the ghastly tins of milk1 and the fearful medicines6 ,i do not believe one young mother exists who has not her own special theories about babies1 and who does not scorn proudly the experience so freely offered her by her mother1 who has brought up a family1 and may therefore be supposed to know something of children1 or by her numerous friends who have all made a more or less successful effort in the same direction4 ,and1 between ourselves1 ,i have often wondered how any first child ever grows up1 so wonderful are the trials it goes through1 so marvellous are the plans tried1 to insure that perfection that each ,angelina in turn thinks lies latent in the small red squalling person that makes such a remarkable change in all the household arrangements all at once4 ,the first danger that assails ,angelina when baby arrives is that ,edwin's life shall be made a burden to him because all his little comforts are forgotten1 the hours of meals altered1 and ,angelina herself is off upstairs every two minutes1 because the dear infant is howling1 or because she fancies he is howling4 ,even so1 the nurse should be capable of quelling the rage1 unassisted by her mistress1 or she is not worth her wages1 and had better go4 ,i hope ,i shall not be considered hard-hearted if ,i tell ,angelina quite in confidence1 that1 if she can depend upon her cow1 baby becomes a pleasure instead of a nuisance1 if he or she and the cow are introduced at a very early stage of his or her career4 ,in these days of ours few women are strong enough or have sufficient leisure to give themselves up entirely to the infant's convenience2 and ,i maintain that a woman has as much right to consider herself and her health1 and her duties to her husband1 society at large1 and her own house1 as to give herself up body and soul to a baby1 who thrives as well on the bottle1 if properly looked after1 as on anything else4 ,i know quite well that by saying this ,i may lay myself open to all sorts of medical opinions1 and ,i am sure to be told ,i am disgracing my sex4 ,but1 as ,i have done all through my book1 ,i am speaking from experience1 and only on subjects of which ,i have personal knowledge4 ,for had ,i not beautiful theories too when my eldest daughter arrived on the scene8 ,we were living in one of the dullest1 stupidest1 nastiest little country towns in the world in those days1 and there were few claims of society on me then4 ,i had no particular occupations1 and ,i was going to devote my energies to that poor child4 ,i did4 ,she howled remorselessly morning1 noon1 and night4 ,the doctor1 my dear old doctor1 old-fashioned1 too1 in his notions1 said my ways were correct1 and he could not make out her shrieks at all4 ,i confess ,i have struggled with her until ,i have wept with exhaustion1 and at last a blessing in the shape of a good nurse arrived1 and solved the mystery4 ,the unfortunate infant was starved1 and her shrieks were shrieks of hunger4 ,she was introduced to a particularly nice ,alderney cow2 and from that day to this her cries ceased1 and she has grown and thrived1 and become an almost grown-up member of society1 and a decidedly healthy one4 ,despite my experience with ,muriel1 ,i honestly attempted to #8do my duty' with the two next2 there were no shrieks this time1 but there were all sorts of other things1 and the cow had soon to be called into requisition2 and my two youngest children1 who are stronger and far less liable to small ailments and colds than the other three1 never had anything else1 and were as good and prosperous a pair of babies and children as one may wish to see1 for after ,no4 #c had proved to me my theories were very beautiful as theories1 but rather unworkable in practice1 ,i gave them up1 trusted a great deal to my good nurse1 and clung to the cow4 ,naturally1 ,londoners are at the mercy of their milkman1 but the ,alderney ,dairy1 for example1 possesses a conscience and good milk2 and no one will ever convince me that milk out of tins can ever come up to the fresh1 nice1 clean milk given by a properly managed and constituted cow2 and1 of course1 in the country one has one's own cows and sees exactly what is going on1 and knows one has the same milk1 until the child is old enough to bear the change4 ,the great things for young children are quiet and regularity1 and these are insured by having good nurseries and a good nurse4 ,the nurse chosen for a first baby should never be less than twenty-five4 ,your young nurses are the most fearful mistakes for young mothers2 they do not understand handling or dressing a baby1 and they send off for the doctor at every moment1 when an older woman would have the sense to know what to do1 thus spending on the physician what would have paid good wages over and over again4 ,they think of nothing save their own pleasure and amusement1 and have no real love either for the child1 who wearies them1 or for the mistress1 who1 tired of their incapacity1 is continually scolding without making any real change in the conduct1 that is bad because the girl lacks what can only be given her by age1 and a much longer experience than she can ever possibly possess4 ,a perfect nurse is often obtained from a friend's nursery where she has lived for some time as second nurse in a good establishment4 ,she should have some four or five years' character1 and when found should be clung to1 until ,angelina's nursery is transformed into the #8girls'' sitting-room1 when nurse has often become so precious she stays on and on until transferred to the nursery of the first girl who is married and requires her help4 ,what a comfort such a woman is to all in the house no one save the happy mistress can ever know6 ,she is delightful in sickness and trouble1 #8her' children are her first thought1 their trials and joys are hers1 and she helps1 as only a good nurse can1 the overworked mother should any special trials come1 that are made bearable only because some one else shares them too4 ,but the perfect nurse presupposes the perfect nursery1 and1 as all young mothers should strive for the first at all events1 so ,i do not see why ,i should not take it for granted that the baby is considered more than an occasional visitor1 and describe at once how a nursery ought to be furnished and decorated1 because ,i do not believe any child ought to be in the room in the day in which he and his nurse have slept all night2 nor that a child should sleep all night in a room where his nurse has had her meals all day1 and where he has been most of the twelve waking hours2 any more than ,i consider a child's day nursery should be his mother's sitting-room1 where visitors come1 and all sorts of irregularities are practised in the way of draughts1 heat1 light1 c41 that should never be allowed4 ,the day nursery should be as roomy a room as can be had1 and the window should be able to be opened top and bottom2 no blinds should be allowed1 but the nice muslin and serge1 or rather cretonne1 curtains should be arranged here as elsewhere1 to temper the light and make the room look cheerful and pretty4 ,cheerfulness and prettiness should be the twin guardian angels of ,angelina's nurseries2 a bright paper of either a faint pink or blue should be on the walls with a scarcely perceptible pattern2 there should be a cretonne dado with a painted rail2 and all the paint should be varnished to allow of its being frequently washed4 ,that the cretonne dado cannot be washed does not matter one bit2 it can be brushed frequently1 and it always looks tidy1 and defies the kickings of little feet and the pickings of small fingers1 that so soon make chaos in the very smart rooms1 unless particular care is taken that the children shall respect these rooms in a way they can easily be taught to do with very little trouble4 ,i most successfully cured a young person of five1 whose depredations were something awful1 by making him pay up all his available cash towards a new paper4 ,i never had to complain again1 for he seemed to realise very quickly that if mischief cost money it was not worth the candle1 and had better be given up4 ,but with a cretonne dado half the temptation to tear tempting morsels off corners is done away with1 and the rail keeps off chairs from the paper1 and gives a reason for the short-frilled curtains1 that are in no one's way and are never trailing on the ground1 a trap for the unwary and a regular home for dust4 ,the ceiling should be whitewashed1 and should be done at least once every two years 7it should really be done every spring72 and if a little blue is put into the wash one gets a hint of colour1 and does away with the utter ugliness and glare of the orthodox ceiling1 which is always trying1 and1 in my eyes1 spoils any house4 ,the floor should be stained two feet from the wall1 wiped every day with a damp cloth to take up all the dust and fluff1 and polished every ,saturday regularly with beeswax and turpentine1 the clean smell of which is always so nice and wholesome1 ,i think1 and makes a house pleasant at once2 but before the staining is done great care should be taken1 to see that the boards are planed1 and that no splinters are in evidence1 and that any gaps that there may be are properly stopped to keep out the draughts1 then the staining may safely be done4 ,a nice square of ,kidderminster can then be chosen1 and put down over the warm carpet felt1 without which a thin carpet does not do for a nursery1 because of itself it is not warm enough4 ,the walls and paint being of a pink1 like the pink1 say1 of the inside of a rose1 or of the lighter shade of coral1 with no distinct and distracting pattern on the wall1 a pretty flowery cretonne could be chosen for the dado and window curtains4 ,i have seen one in a pale green shade1 with fluffy balls of guelder-roses on1 and groups of pinks which would be perfect2 but this was so long ago that ,i fear it could not be had now1 though1 of course1 others equally pretty are sure to be easily procurable4 ,the doors where this cretonne was used were painted with the same flowers1 which were also to be found on the cupboard doors1 with small bright ,english birds poised here and there among them4 ,it had a most cheerful effect1 and a baby who lived there used to be contented for a long time by himself if he could only lie and #8talk' to the birds and flowers in a curious language all his very own4 ,but1 if a blue room is preferred to the pink1 that can be managed very cheaply1 for ,i have lately discovered an almost perfect blue and white paper1 sold by ,pither and ,co41 of ,mortimer ,street1 that is all it should be for a day nursery4 ,the colour is clear and clean1 and the pattern cheerful without fussily calling attention to itself1 while its cheapness1 #as4 a piece1 would allow of its being renewed every now and then should it become shabby1 and the paint can be blue1 and a blue and white cretonne to harmonise with it can be had at ,burnett's for #i;d4 a yard4 ,it has a sort of pattern of daisies overlapping each other on it1 and is very pretty indeed4 ,the rail should be painted blue1 and no little fingers can do any harm to this1 while it would take years to make the cretonne dirty1 if it be brushed now and then and occasionally cleaned with dry bread4 ,the curtains to the windows can be made of the same cretonne lined and frilled1 and would do away with the necessity of blinds if made as ,i so often recommend2 and this would be really a great economy in any nursery1 for ,i know well how often tassels are torn off and spoiled1 the blind-cords broken1 and the springs rendered quite unworkable1 not only by the children1 but by the under-nurses1 who can never learn that a blind does not require the putting forth of immense strength to make it move2 and will not realise that both bells and blinds answer to gentle handling as well as to the fiercer tug1 which often enough brings the blind down on one's head1 and leaves the bell hanging out with its neck broken4 ,if we use the blue arrangement we could panel the doors and cupboards with cretonne1 which always looks nice1 and makes a wonderful difference at once in the look of a room4 ,if there are proper recesses by the fireplaces these should at once be utilised for cupboards1 flush to the wall1 so that no little heads can be banged against those cruel corners4 ,these cupboards are most useful4 ,the lower shelves can be used for rubbish--the delicious rubbish that is so much nicer than expensive toys2 and the upper shelves can be used for the work in hand and better toys1 kept for ,sundays and holidays and those grand occasions when nursery company comes1 and visitors may arrive who have no imaginativeness1 or only see old bits of wood once sacred to cotton1 shankless buttons1 fir-cones1 and scraps of silk and paper1 where other bolder folk perceive strings of diamonds and pearls1 and libraries of fairies1 and wardrobes sacred to unknown but much-beloved friends2 whose houses are the fir-cones1 and who dress themselves magnificently in sweepings begged from the maid1 or even from that proud lady1 the dressmaker1 whose occasional visits1 with her #8own machine1' are something to look forward to by any small mother who has an army of dolls1 and very little indeed to clothe them in4 ,who amongst us cannot remember the intense bliss of our nursery cupboard1 the delicious joy of having one place all our own1 where we could hoard unchecked those thousand and one trifles that no drawing-room could be expected to give house-room to--where even nurse did not interfere1 because our rubbish 7rubbish1 indeed67 kept us so delightfully quiet8 ,ay1 and who amongst us who does recollect this can grudge a day nursery to even one child who requires it--all the more because it is a solitary little girl1 and can make its own companions out of trifles1 when otherwise its mother would be making it grown-up before its time1 by never leaving it alone for a moment to those devices and play that keep it a child1 and don't allow it to grow up an #8old person' almost before it can stand steadily on its fat legs8 ,given the blessed refuge of a nursery1 with its appealing cupboard1 and very little other furniture is required4 ,a nice solid round table1 with 7please don't faint1 all ye sthetic folk7 oilcloth sewn strongly over it as a cover1 because then no tablecloth is needed1 save at meals1 and there are no draperies to be caught hold of2 and because this rubs clean every morning1 because nothing stains it1 and even milk can be washed off2 a comfortable deep chair for nurse1 low enough for her to hold baby comfortably and easily2 a chair for each child1 and one for company2 and a delightful sofa1 and nothing more is really required4 ,why a sofa1 say you8 ,because no one who has not one in a nursery can know how invaluable such a possession is4 ,children have often tiny ailments that are not bad enough for bed1 and bed should never be resorted to in the daytime unless positively necessary4 ,an aching head1 a #8stuffy' cold1 all these are much more bearable if a broad cosy sofa is available1 while an occasional rest for a growing child is a great thing always to be able to secure2 a child1 recollect1 who ever complains of being #8so tired' being a child that requires watching1 not coddling1 and to whom that sofa may prove little else but salvation4 ,this need not cost much either1 for the beau-ideal of a nursery sofa is one that no fashionable person would look at now2 it stands square on its feet1 has a high square back and arms1 no springs1 only two big square cushions1 and has some pillows of soft feathers1 to mitigate the severity of the details1 which--,o shades of all my long-lost youth6--were the best things ,i ever had in all my life for ammunition1 either at the sacking of a town or the defence of some ,scottish castle2 when1 arrayed in a broad plaid sash brought back from ,scotland by some one who knew how ,i adored the #8,days of ,bruce1' and other works of the kind1 the very names of which ,i have forgotten1 ,i became in a moment ,sir ,william ,wallace himself1 and was happier then1 ,i dare say1 than ,i have ever been since4 ,for there is another aspect to the nursery sofa that is not to be despised1 besides its great use in illness or fatigue2 it is a never-failing source of inspiration for regularly good games--it is a fortress1 a whole city1 a ship at sea1 an elephant--in fact1 anything any one likes to imagine it is4 ,the broad square cushions are rafts to put off to sea in when the ship itself is destroyed2 they are fire-escapes or desert islands1 or icebergs at will2 while no one who has not had them can possibly tell the joy it is to throw the soft pillows about1 when nurse has put away the ornaments on the chimneypiece1 and retired with her chair and her baby into the next room1 where she is near enough to check unseemly revels1 and yet not too near to come in for a share of the fray1 which waxes fast and furious when the sofa and all its capabilities are fully appreciated1 and where the coverings are warranted not to hurt4 ,i could write pages both about the nursery cupboards and the sofa1 but will mercifully refrain1 because ,i have other things to say about the furnishing of the walls1 and the emphatic necessity of a high guard for the fire fastened into the wall1 so that it cannot be taken1 as we took ours once1 for the gratings before a lion in an imaginary #8,zoo1' also furnished by the sofa2 while we have also to consider the night apartment1 for naturally the perfect nursery of which ,i would like to think we were all possessed has its night apartment leading out of it4 ,this should be painted and papered en suite with the day room1 and have very dark serge curtains to draw over the windows1 so that all light may be excluded1 thus enabling the sense of darkness and quiet to be obtained that is so very necessary for a small child4 ,i do not think ,i have mentioned what ,i should like to impress very much on my readers1 that on no account1 on no pretext whatever1 should that most pernicious gas be allowed in any nursery1 either day or night4 ,there is nothing more harmful for small lungs than the vitiated atmosphere caused by gas1 nothing worse for small brains and eyes than the glitter and harsh glare of the gas1 that a servant invariably turns up to its height1 and very often drags down1 regardless that an escape of gas is pouring out of the top of the outraged chandelier or bracket4 ,there is no reason1 either1 why gas should be allowed2 a good duplex lamp gives quite sufficient light to work by1 and must be kept clean1 or it will smell and also give out no light at all1 and all danger is done away with if it be set well in the centre of the nursery table1 which has1 remember1 no cloth to drag off suddenly1 and which should stand square against the wall1 or in a recess by the fire when not actually in use for nursery meals4 ,or a really strong1 good bracket1 painted the colour of the wall1 just high enough to be out of the reach of little hands1 might be provided on purpose for the lamp1 and the nurse could either have a wicker-work table provided for her1 or could put her wicker-work covered basket on a chair by her side1 and sit close under her lamp to work2 or it might even stand on the mantelpiece on a broad shelf1 where also it would be equally well out of the little folks' way4 ,you have nothing to do1 as ,i said in one of my former chapters1 but to notice the effect gas has on plants1 and then notice how these same plants live on and flourish without gas1 to understand that my theory about the unhealthiness of gas is a right one2 and ,i think all will agree with me in saying that directly one is ill one recognises for oneself how disturbing gas is1 and the first demand of a restless invalid is to have the gas put out1 and a candle given instead4 ,i shall never forget one case of illness ,i once had the unpleasantness of seeing4 ,the wife1 who had constituted herself nurse1 and who knew about as much of nursing as an ordinary cat would1 asked me to look in on the invalid and see what ,i thought of him4 ,i went into the dressing-room1 and even there the evil was apparent4 ,a hot gust of air met me1 and1 to my horror1 ,i saw no less than three gas jets1 in a small room1 flaring away1 because the lady wanted plenty of light1 and thought it would cheer the restless1 fevered creature whose uneasy head was tossing on the pillow1 and whose wild eyes looked in vain for relief2 so out went all that gas1 the windows were opened at the top1 two wax candles1 provided with shades1 were lighted1 and in less than an hour the room became cool1 and the poor man was asleep for the first time for--,i had almost written days2 and it was certainly days since he had had any deep or restful sleep at all4 ,i do not think1 even1 when we are grown up1 we at all realise the necessity or even the possibility of complete rest2 but a baby does1 poor little thing1 and is very often never allowed to have it4 ,there is no sense of peace in most houses1 and ,i want dreadfully to impress upon all my readers that they must #8seek peace and ensue it' for their children1 if they utterly refuse to do it for themselves1 and1 therefore1 the nursery should be quiet1 and should even be a haven of rest to the mother herself1 when she is overdone with her unpaid-for1 never-ceasing work2 and where she has her especial chair and footstool1 and where she comes not only to see the babies1 but to have the quiet1 confidential talk with nurse1 who should be able to have confidence reposed in her2 or she is most certainly not fit for her place1 which1 if it be not a confidential one in the very highest sense of the word1 is positively nothing at all4 ,the night nursery should1 of course1 have a fireplace and a ventilator4 ,the fire should not be a matter of course1 unless the room is far from the day nursery1 when a fire should be lighted in cold weather as a matter of course4 ,a room for children should never be overheated in any way2 but no one should fall into the foolish idea that a fireless bedroom is hardening1 and a fire makes people tender1 for it does nothing of the sort2 it simply makes life bearable to the chilly1 and prevents all those dreadful lung troubles that used to be the scourge of so many ,english families1 but that since the almost entire disappearance of those foolish1 wicked low frocks and short sleeves in our nurseries1 and the appearance of more fires1 have well nigh been stamped out2 and will be stamped out entirely when the ,queen1 so sensible in all other ways1 puts a stop to the order she has given about low dresses1 and recognises that people can be quite as full dressed with their clothes on as they are almost stripped to the waist and exposed1 in the most delicate part of the human frame1 to the bitter winds from which we ,english people are never entirely free4 ,i hope ,i shall not be considered a hopeless faddist with my theories2 but at all events ,i have common-sense on my side1 and most people who think at all will1 ,i am sure1 see that ,i am right in all ,i say1 and that ,i speak from experience2 and as a baby's education begins quite as soon as the mite is washed and dressed for the first time1 ,i may be forgiven1 perhaps1 if ,i insist on peace1 quiet1 rest1 proper clothes1 and absence of gas1 even as soon as a nursery is required at all4 ,of course for the first few weeks the baby does not require a room all to itself1 but it should be ready for it1 for sometimes it is just as well that it should go into its own premises1 thus giving its mother time and quiet to be restored to her proper state of health again1 which ,i do not think she is allowed to do when she is wearied by hearing the infant howl when it is dressed1 and when she may be aroused any moment1 even from most necessary sleep1 by the small tyrant1 who cannot be relied on for anything in certainty--at all events1 at that early stage4 ,if the nursery has been properly aired and got ready for the baby1 and a nurse engaged to come on after the monthly nurse leaves1 there is no reason why the baby should not go there whenever his mother wants to get rid of him2 and ,i maintain that often far too much is sacrificed for the infant1 who1 in his turn1 suffers from too much kindness and consideration1 and who does not require half the fuss and trouble he causes in a house where he is a first arrival1 and1 in consequence1 is something too precious and amusing--and1 in fact1 is almost treated like a phenomenon1 or at least like a very precious fragile new toy4 ,now1 a baby is nothing of the kind1 and here1 then1 common-sense must act as a supplementary nurse1 and come to the rescue4 ,she must firmly insist on the small person becoming used from the very first to take his rest in his own berceaunette4 ,she may look aside should the frilled pillow be warmed1 because1 despite the flannel on the head1 a cold pillow is always an unpleasant surprise1 and one promptly resented by a baby2 but she must insist on his neither being cuddled up by his mother nor allowed to sleep with the nurse1 just as much as she must frown on his going to sleep with a full bottle 7like a drunkard7 by his side1 because if he does he will wake a little and suck1 and then sleep a little more1 and so on1 getting neither sleep nor food in a manner that can possibly be of the smallest use to him4 ,and now ,i should like to say a few words--for ladies only1 please--about the great necessity of having everything down to the nurseries1 or nursery1 ready before the young person expected makes his dbut in a troublesome world4 ,i have been astounded often by the manner in which young matrons put off making the most necessary preparations1 until often enough1 just at the last1 the expectant mother sets to all in a hurry to do what should have been done ages before--wearies and agitates herself to death almost in her endeavours to make up for lost time1 and very often causes such a state of things that danger to herself ensues2 and at the best great trouble is caused1 simply because she would not listen to other people1 and be a little beforehand with the world4 ,do you know1 ,i quite secretly think some of these young ladies believe1 that if no encouragement is given to the baby in the way of having a pretty room and nice wardrobe ready for it1 it may not1 after all1 arrive in the world at all1 and that this is the reason why so much is left to do until very much too late2 but though ,i dare say it is very hard to realise that an infant can really and truly come to the small1 perfect house1 where such an event has never happened before1 ,i can assure you all that1 once it has given a hint of its intentions1 its arrival is only a matter of time1 and that come it most undoubtedly and certainly will1 and therefore1 under these circumstances1 it is much better to be ready for its arrival1 and not have to distract yourself and others at a critical time1 by telling a strange nurse fetched in a hurry where she may be able to borrow clothes that should have been ready months before2 or to know things are not aired1 or that there is not a room where nurse and baby can retire safely when you want to be quite quiet2 or to have half an hour's talk either with your husband or your familiar friends who are admitted to your room1 where thus you can have the freedom from supervision for a short time2 or the perfect rest ,i for one can never have with a nurse and baby perpetually in evidence4 ,but all too often one is compelled to have the infant in one's room because of the absurd way in which our houses are arranged1 and ,i do wish architects and builders 7to return to another old grievance1 like the gas subject7 would consult a jury of matrons1 even if they will not consult their wives alone1 before they set to work to give us any more houses1 for really they are one and all ignorant of the commonest principles of their art as regarded from a purely feminine point of view4 ,why won't they recollect that one or two rooms should lead out of each other8 ,why won't they remember nurseries are wanted in most houses8 and why will they not arrange their plans with a memory of some of the most common events of domestic life8 ,if they did1 the first floors of most habitations would be very different to what they are now1 and domestic life would be much easier4 ,i can only hope that the conscientious male1 whose eye of course ceased to fall on this page when he read the warning words ,for ladies only1 will take up the thread of my discourse where it ceased to be private1 and will read1 mark1 and inwardly digest as much of this last paragraph of mine as he possibly can4 ,of course1 one of the first things to be provided is a bed for the small infant1 as from the very earliest dawn of its existence there is no doubt in my mind that it ought to be taught to sleep in its own cot1 and that without any of the pernicious petting1 patting1 and putting to sleep that mothers and nurses are so fond of1 and that brings about its own revenges in the forming speedily of a most unruly tyrant1 who promptly makes their lives a burden to them1 refusing to go to his slumbers without an attendant nymph4 ,people fondly imagine that babies do not know in the least what their caretakers do until they are1 at the smallest computation1 three months old1 and have begun1 in nursery parlance1 to #8take notice4' ,now1 let any one who has ever seen an infant taken by some one who is ignorant of its ways contrast the picture with that of this same baby taken by a #8past mistress' of the art1 and they will at once understand what ,i mean when ,i declare solemnly that a child is never too small1 too tiny1 to feel and know whether it has to deal with some one who knows its ways1 and means it to be brought up decently and properly1 or with a well-meaning idiot1 who allows herself to be conquered and enslaved by a long-clothes slobberer1 who the more it is given in to the more it immediately exacts from its worshippers4 ,to hear some people with a baby is really quite enough to make one forswear a nursery for ever2 the talk1 the abject drivel1 that is poured out like incense before it1 the foolish petting1 and the silly humouring1 all being as vexatious to listen to as it is bad for the child itself1 the #8pigeon ,english' provided for its entertainment often resulting in the baby talk that makes the ordinary two-year-old a perfect terror to any one who entertains it with conversation2 while the sense of super-importance given to it in its cradle makes it a tyrant for the rest of its young life1 until it goes to school or mixes with other people1 and is intensely miserable because then1 and then only1 is it taught its real worth in the world4 ,therefore1 on every ground1 it is better to begin at the very beginning and continue as one means to go on1 and so ,i strongly advise the berceaunette to be ready with the nursery1 and that the first sleep be taken in that sheltered spot4 ,there are a variety of these articles1 but to my mind only one to be recommended1 and that is the delightful hammock berceaunette to be obtained of ,mrs4 ,s4 ,b4 ,garrard1 in ,westbourne ,grove1 and these have such a world-wide reputation now that ,i suppose all the world knows of them1 and therefore no description is necessary2 but for fear there may be folks who have not seen them1 ,i may mention that the bed portion is quilted and hung on four strong legs1 exactly like a hammock is hung1 and that curtains are arranged in such a way that the light can be excluded without at the same time unduly excluding a proper amount of fresh air4 ,there are innumerable ways of trimming and making these berceaunettes4 ,i have seen the hammock portion of quilted satin and silk and sateens of all colours1 covered with fine muslins and trimmed real lace2 but1 honestly1 even if we could afford such vanities as these1 ,i do not consider them suitable for a small baby1 who should never have any garments that cannot be properly washed constantly1 and should not have any belongings that cannot share the same fate2 and ,i have discovered that nothing looks1 wears1 and washes so well as plain white or figured cambric1 edged with torchon lace2 the hammock part made of cambric too1 washable by any good nurse2 and curtains tied back with old-gold-coloured ribbons1 bows of which can be used as decorations1 whenever this may be considered necessary4 ,terra-cotta ribbons look nice too1 but ,i prefer the old gold to anything else1 and it is newer than the everlasting pink or blue1 which was all our foremothers ever halted between2 though a sweet arrangement of palest pink1 palest blue1 and butter colour looks very ,french and uncommon4 ,the only objection ,i have ever had made to me about these hammock berceaunettes is that they are easily knocked over4 ,well1 all ,i can say is that ,i have never known them to be knocked over1 while ,i have seen a #8good old-fashioned' wicker-work cradle1 with the deep hood and flowery chintz1 daisy-fringed flounces1 of our own infancy1 prostrated by some one knocking against and displacing one of the chairs1 on two of which it was always necessary to place it1 and this catastrophe has occurred to my certain knowledge more than once4 ,the basket1 which is such a necessary addition to baby's trousseau1 should match the berceaunette2 and these too can be purchased of the hammock kind1 and fold flat in a box for travelling4 ,but before we describe this and speak of the contents we must complete our sketch of the bed1 which would be incomplete without just a word about the necessary bedding4 ,one light hair mattress goes into the hammock part with a nice piece of blanket1 and then1 instead of the universal mackintosh sheet1 we always have a thick piece of what country people call #8blanket sheeting'2 it is not a blanket nor yet a sheet1 but something between the two1 and invaluable for nursery use1 as it can be washed daily--of course three or four pieces should be in use--and is quite as useful as mackintosh without being in the least bit unhealthy4 ,small pillows1 very soft1 and shaped in to the neck1 are sold with the berceaunettes1 and these should be provided with very fine cotton pillow-cases1 edged with a tiny cambric frill--linen is too cold--and the cotton1 if fine enough1 gives no chill1 and yet does not scrub the tender skin2 the sheet should be for appearance only at first1 and should be simply a piece of cotton or longcloth frilled1 and tacked on the blanket1 and folded over to look nice1 but only1 as ,i said before1 for appearance' sake1 for the warmth of the blankets is most important for the infant1 and should be supplemented by a miniature eider-down quilt in a washing cover of figured cambric edged with torchon1 and1 if fancied1 embellished in its turn with some pretty bows4 ,another thing3 though ,i would always have an infant kept as quiet as possible1 utterly and strenuously forbidding long railway journeys1 much changing of nurseries1 much seeing of company1 ,i yet do say that to some noises the baby must be early accustomed4 ,i have been in young married people's households where the magic words1 #8,oh1 if you please1 mum1 nurse says baby is asleep1 have brought about a state of things that reminds one of the ,sleeping ,beauty's palace4 ,the canary bird is hustled under an antimacassar1 the piano is closed1 and conversation is carried on in whispers1 until a shrill cry sets us free from bondage and the spell is removed4 ,in such a household ,edwin's song has been brought to an abrupt conclusion1 his cheery whistle announcing his home-coming received with chill reprimand1 and we have gone about the passages on tiptoe1 echoing in our souls ,edwin's hasty but understandable mutter of #8,confound baby6' which is a sentiment which should be on no one's lips for one moment1 of course4 ,now if1 when the young person first arrives1 he is taught his proper place in the economy of the household1 we shall have none of this4 ,precious1 perfect1 and beautiful as no doubt he is1 the world is full of others just exactly like him1 and while we all of us1 ,i hope1 recognise and believe in the serious and solemn side of maternity1 while we know and feel that here is an immortal soul committed to our charge to train in the best way possible--for time and for eternity too1 if we can--,i do maintain that the lives of the parents are to be considered too1 and that ,edwin and ,angelina have no right to sink themselves and their identity in that terrible middle-class #8pa' and #8ma' which seems to swallow1 like some all-devouring serpent1 the prettinesses and good taste of so many of our young married people1 and that causes more unhappiness1 ,i venture to state1 than almost anything else4 ,the cry of an infant is soon interpreted by his nurse1 who easily discriminates between hunger and temper1 and the shrieks of temper must be stopped at once1 or else our lives will be made a burden to us4 ,how often have the untamed shrieks of children embittered my existence6 and ,i am sure hundreds of people have suffered as ,i do4 ,now1 unless something really has happened1 ,i go so far as to say children can fall and hurt themselves without announcing the fact to the neighbours4 ,i always make my own children try and exercise self-control1 and the small troubles that are the fate of all cease to be the terror of the household when little ones bear them manfully1 and have their wounds dressed without roaring all the time1 and the wounds cease to be terrible to the children themselves1 and pain becomes bearable1 if the sufferer sees that there is nothing so serious after all1 and that nothing terrible results from it2 but this training must begin at the very beginning--it cannot begin too early4 ,children must learn that they can help their elders1 who have so much an their shoulders already1 and babies must be taught to be decent members of society1 so will their coming be a pleasure1 and not the torment and upsetting it all too often is in a household4 ,with a first baby the danger of this is always immense1 and ,angelina requires almost superhuman courage to prevent it being otherwise4 ,it is a temptation to her to give herself airs to her friends1 and to snub her own and ,edwin's mothers1 who1 having brought up children1 may be presumed to know something about the subject1 and to make ,edwin's life a burden to him too2 while some ,edwins are worse than their wives1 and insist on dragging the poor child out of its bed at all seasons of the day and night to exhibit it1 being1 of course1 bitterly indignant when the infant resents such treatment1 and becomes crabbed and puny and miserable in consequence4 ,therefore ,i consider ,i can hardly say too much or repeat too often the axiom that both bed and nursery should be ready for the baby1 and that from the first he should be accustomed to both in that perfect house which shall be built some day when my ship comes home1 and ,i have time to learn to draw4 ,the nurseries shall lead past dressing-room and bath-room from the mother's bedroom itself--that is to say1 that the bedroom shall have all this leading out of it1 and that the night nursery shall be so close to the mother's room that she can reach it at once should she desire to do so1 while the children1 when old enough1 should run in and out when they like--a bolt being shot1 of course1 when dressing goes on--and shall feel that they and their parents are always within touch of each other4 ,here would1 of course1 come in once more the need of training1 but why should children rise at early dawn1 and make grown-up people's lives a burden to them8 ,they will not if properly trained1 and this training becomes possible when the nurseries are on the same floor as their mother's room1 though a good big room can and should be had in our perfect house for tournaments1 steeplechases1 and theatrical performances when the elders begin to grow up and learn duly how to amuse themselves1 while it is not necessary for ,angelina to be always in and out of her nurseries1 worrying her nurse to death1 when our prize arrangement is possible1 because she will be near enough to know nothing goes wrong2 which1 if she be sharp and acute1 she will discover quite quickly enough for herself from the looks of the children and the general atmosphere without always #8poking about1' as the servants call it1 to see how matters are4 ,but all this must be begun at the beginning1 and with ,no4 #a1 if she wishes to be really happy2 therefore she should be quite sure of her monthly nurse1 and be ready with her facts at her fingers' ends for this worthy1 who1 like every one else nowadays1 has so improved in her ways and manners as to be a real comfort and pleasure1 and can teach ,angelina lessons of patience1 neatness1 and excellent management that will be worth a ,jew's eye if she is lucky enough to get a good nurse2 but forewarned is forearmed1 and so let the berceaunette be ready1 and let ,angelina insist on this being used if she wishes to have peace in her nursery after the monthly nurse has departed1 and the ordinary routine of life begins once more4 ,but1 before ,i touch upon the subject of the monthly nurse1 ,i want to impress upon my readers that1 though the nursery is undoubtedly a kingdom1 where the children can do pretty much as they like providing they do not get into mischief1 and that they remember that1 being ladies and gentlemen in embryo1 they must behave as #8sich1' they yet must look upon the nursery as a lesson-ground1 where good seed can be sown1 and one of the first lessons to teach any one1 child or small maid1 is to be gentle and quiet4 ,i never could understand why children cannot be happy without yelling at the top of their voices1 and servants without stamping about in heavy boots1 slamming doors1 and shouting to each other2 and one of the first things ,i always impress on all my household is that loud shrieks and strident voices are not allowed from any one4 ,i have actually had my life rendered a burden to me sometimes by neighbours' offspring1 whose one end and aim in life seemed to me to see who could scream loudest 7,i don't mean cry1 by the way1 but simply yell at the top of their voices1 for the pleasure of hearing them1 ,i suppose72 and remembering that we as children never were allowed to indulge in a pastime that would have seriously impaired our father's powers of working--that we were perfectly happy1 although we were not permitted to shriek--,i have had none of this elegant amusement in my nursery1 and we have found ourselves extremely comfortable without it2 and this same discipline of gentleness and quiet is also valuable in keeping a room nice and being able to have pretty things in it4 ,why should children be destructive and untidy8 ,a good nurse soon sees they are not1 and by giving the dear things nice surroundings you do your best to insure nice tastes1 though1 of course1 some untidy1 tasteless ancestor may crop out suddenly and utterly confound all one's theories1 by giving us a child who will not learn the proper colours to harmonise with each other1 the while he or she puts boots on the beds1 and leaves a room looking as if hay had just been made therein4 ,but with children1 as with everything else1 one can but do one's best and utmost for them1 never relaxing one's care and trouble--and one can do no more4 ,they are sure to come right in the end somehow1 although we cannot quite see how4 ,and so1 regardless of the ravages of boys and small maids1 ,i go on making my house pretty1 and hope by silent example to do yet more than ,i have already done towards humanising both of these riotous elements in one's household2 for boys should not be the tyrants they undoubtedly are1 and should learn easily that things have a right to respect as well as people4 ,i am a great advocate for the silent teaching1 too1 of really good pictures on the nursery walls4 ,i do not like the idea of any rubbish being good enough for there1 any crudely coloured1 badly designed ,christmas number atrocity being pinned up with pins or small nails1 and called #8pretty1 pretty' to some baby1 who1 ,i am thankful to say1 not unseldom pulls it down and soon reduces it to the end it so richly deserves4 ,often a good picture is full of teaching to a thoughtful child4 ,excellent photographs can now be bought very cheaply1 and some etchings are not too dear1 but all should be carefully selected1 either for the lesson or pleasant story they tell1 for no one knows how much early impressions do for children1 save those who vividly remember the small things that influenced themselves in their extreme youth1 and are thus enabled to use their experience for their own or other people's children2 a lovely photograph of moonlight on the sea1 for example1 having given me personally more pleasure as a child1 than any amount of dolls ever did1 although ,i was heartily attached to them1 and loved them as few children do now in these highly educated days of ours4 ,why1 ,i remember we had quite a serious revolt in our schoolroom once1 over this very picture subject4 ,we as children were exceptionally lucky in our surroundings1 and our schoolroom was hung with really good engravings of excellent pictures1 many of them proofs of ,sir ,edwin ,landseer's1 while many of our father's works were there too1 at which we were never tired of looking4 ,i don't think any one1 save an artist's children1 could ever feel towards these said engravings quite as we did1 for1 being in a good many of them at all sorts of stages1 we felt really the proprietorship in them that only the author is supposed to feel1 while we were never tired of remembering the odds and ends of stories connected with the progress of each picture2 and made other histories1 too1 for ourselves out of the motionless creatures that we were once1 but out of whose knowledge we had so quickly grown3 and then to hear that all these sources of our inspiration were to be torn from us1 and what for8 why1 because in an educational frenzy maps were supposed to be better for us1 and more in keeping in the schoolroom2 and therefore our beloved pictures were to be put elsewhere to give place1 forsooth1 to glazed monstrosities1 the very colours of which1 crude greens and pinks and yellows1 were enough to cause an sthetic fever2 although in those days stheticism was a thing unknown1 undescribed too1 in any dictionary6 ,but an appeal to a higher power brought the pictures back1 and the maps were rolled up above them1 and only allowed to fall over them at such times as they were required to show their ugly faces to us in a geography lesson2 a subject ,i have detested1 ,i am sorry to say1 simply because1 ,i verily believe1 of the rage we were in when we heard our dear pictures were to be taken from us6 ,i cannot help digressing1 dear readers1 when ,i think how happy children may be1 and how miserable they are too often made by their over-kind1 very foolish parents4 ,we were let alone a great deal as children1 mercifully1 and taught that if we wanted amusement we must find it in ourselves2 and ,i can never be too thankful for an education that has enabled me1 with only a small cessation1 to be happy always in my own company1 without the everlasting craving for information as to #8,what shall ,i do8' ,if we used to make this most aggravating inquiry1 we did not do it twice1 and soon discovered that we could make occupations for ourselves without driving our elders nearly mad in the process4 ,children cannot too early learn to amuse themselves1 and therefore great care should be taken by parents that they have the means for this1 the while the children do not know much care is taken1 and are shown--what children are so seldom shown nowadays--that they are not the head and front of the household1 and that something is due to the bread-winners and managers of the establishment1 as well as to themselves4 ,i am sure good pictures are1 therefore1 or ought to be1 indispensable in all nurseries1 while the moment a child is old enough to inhabit a separate room1 he or she should be encouraged to the utmost to begin to care for the surroundings1 and to carefully collect pretty things around them1 for in after life each thing so collected will be as a link to a precious past1 and serve to remind them of happy times1 that may influence their whole life if properly remembered and looked back upon4 ,this is another hint for parents1 especially for young parents4 ,a child's mind is a curious thing 7or at least mine was1 and ,i am speaking1 as ,i always speak1 from actual experience71 and receives certain memories in the shape of pictures4 ,my memory always seems to me like a room hung round with paintings1 and ,i recollect each incident of my life as one remembers a picture one has once seen and never forgotten4 ,i have but to think for a moment1 and ,i see--don't faint1 please1 ,i was only three2 ,i am not quite a ,methuselah1 though it will sound like it--,i see the ,duke of ,wellington riding along with bowed shoulders1 and putting his hand1 or rather his fingers1 up to his hat every few seconds in answer to every one's respectful bows4 ,i see flash by from our play-place on #8the leads'--the best play-place in the world2 now1 alas6 no more--the royal carriage with four grey horses and the scarlet-jacketed riders1 and ,i see the ,queen in a hideous plaid-flounced frock and large bonnet1 and the ,prince ,consort1 and two big boys1 drive by to look at some one's pictures in our neighbourhood2 and ,i remember seeing two #8,bloomers1' followed by jeering boys1 turn round the corner by our house1 and remember quite well how sorry ,i felt for the stupid women1 although ,i had profound contempt for their louder assertions of women's rights4 ,now ,i remember a great deal more than this1 of course1 but ,i mention these three things to illustrate what ,i mean about the pictures memory can paint2 and to show that it is a parent's duty to provide the children with such mental pictures as shall always be a pleasure and1 if possible1 a profit to contemplate4 ,let the children see in reason all they possibly can4 ,you can influence a child's present1 but1 once it is grown up1 you cannot touch its future4 ,you can see your children have a pleasant series of pictures connected with their childhood at any rate1 and by making your child observe1 and by showing it pleasant things1 you will give it a richer store of wealth than anything else could do4 ,whenever we went out with our mother she always did this4 #8,remember1' she said to me1 #8that you have seen the ,duke of ,wellington1' and1 though ,i was three only1 ,i have never forgotten him4 ,look at that beautiful colour2 see yonder field of wheat2 look at the sea4 ,no preaching here--but somehow the words stay by one1 and insensibly one learns to notice1 and from this pass to the possession of mental treasures nothing takes from us4 ,but we must have a certain amount of enterprise1 and never1 never neglect an opportunity1 and we must see all we can1 either as children or grown-up people4 ,why1 ,i have known people go to the seaside for six weeks1 and sit on the beach1 morning after morning1 because every one else did1 regardless of the fact that all round the place itself lay lovely scenery and marvellously interesting country1 into which they actually had not the energy to penetrate4 ,think of the opportunities wasted by them--the opportunities we all waste if we allow a day to pass by while we shut our eyes and will not see for ourselves the new things that come every morning for the observant ones among us6 ,and do not let your children exist ignorant of the thousand and one throbbing historical events by which they are surrounded4 ,better spend your money on showing them good pictures1 beautiful scenery1 celebrated men and places1 than on aimless gaiety1 idiotic balls1 and smart clothes and expensive food2 and above all let them have a bright1 happy childhood among charming surroundings4 ,believe me1 you will give them a better inheritance than if you had fed them and dressed them luxuriously1 and had laid up a large fortune for them4 ,let beauty and simplicity1 honesty and frankness1 be your guide in your nurseries1 and then you will not have very much trouble with your children4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,in ,,retirement4 ,there comes a time in most households when the mistress has perforce to contemplate an enforced retirement from public life2 and ,i wish to impress upon all those who may be in a similar plight that the time will pass much more quickly and agreeably if the room selected for the temporary prison is made as pretty1 convenient1 and as unlike the orthodox sick-room as can be managed4 ,naturally these times are looked forward to with dread by all young wives4 ,they are fully convinced that they must die1 and in fact make themselves perfectly wretched and miserable because of their ignorance1 and of their not unnatural dislike to speak of their dreads and fears2 and though1 of course1 ,i can only lightly touch on these matters in a book which ,i trust may be widely used and read1 ,i want to whisper a few words to reassure all those who may be contemplating the arrival of ,no4 #a4 ,if girls are brought up in a proper1 healthy manner1 if they do not rush about from ball to party or from one excitement to the other1 if they realise their condition1 and dress and rest themselves properly beforehand1 in nine cases out of ten the illness1 being a natural one1 has no attendant dangers1 and should therefore be looked upon in an entirely different manner than it is at present4 ,there is a most excellent little book published by ,messrs4 ,churchill1 and written by ,dr4 ,chevasse1 which all young wives should procure4 ,it is called #8,advice to a ,wife1' and is a really necessary possession4 ,this can be supplemented later by #8,advice to a ,mother' 7same author and publisher72 and1 possessed of these books1 any young matron can manage herself most successfully without the constant harassment of continually seeing the doctor4 ,but1 besides the purely medical aspect of the case1 there are matters that can and must be arranged early1 and by the expectant mother herself alone2 and one of these1 and the most important of all1 is undoubtedly the choice of the nurse1 who should be engaged as early as possible1 for most good nurses are secured as soon as it is probable their services will be required later on4 ,and as1 to my mind1 a good nurse is #8all the battle1' this once secured the worst is over1 and ,angelina may contemplate the future1 if not with absolute calmness1 at all events with a brave and trustful heart4 ,i do not think too much stress can be laid upon this looking after a nurse4 ,and though girls may indeed congratulate themselves on their position to-day as regards the orthodox monthly nurse1 as contrasted with their mothers' and grandmothers' accounts of all they suffered at the hands of the old-time ,mrs4 ,gamp1 with whose vagaries we are all so familiar1 still great care must be exercised in the choice1 as nothing is so important1 especially for ,no4 #a1 as to have a really good1 kind woman in the nurse1 and one who will neither unduly coddle the patient nor allow her to do rash things1 of which she will most certainly repent unto her dying day2 and ,i should like to implore any one who is contemplating the arrival of ,king ,baby not to trust entirely to the doctor's recommendation1 but to rely for once1 at least1 on her mother's advice1 and to employ some one who is personally known to some member of the family4 ,i have known1 and still know1 a nurse who is simply perfect4 ,she is of no use to the general public1 as #8her ladies' keep her well employed among themselves and their friends1 but ,i shall write a little about her here1 as a guide to those who may be likely to require some one in a similar capacity4 ,but before ,i do this let me say a few words about the extreme folly1 from my point of view1 of engaging what is called a lady-nurse4 #8,she is so companionable1 so delightful1 so much nicer than any mere working woman can possibly be1' say those who have friends they wish to find places for2 but ,i must declare ,i have never1 in all my large experience1 found them in the very least bit satisfactory or of the very least use practically4 ,as a theory they are all they ought to be2 but in practice they are a most dismal failure6 ,they will keep the room pretty with flowers1 and will forget to remove them at night2 and they will do what ,i may term the decorative parts of nursing1 leaving all the more practical ones to any of the already overworked servants who can be pressed into the service1 and who of course resent this immensely1 and generally give warning at a most inconvenient time2 but ,i have really found them do very little besides this6 ,thinking of my good nurse causes me to remember other things in connection with these events1 on which ,i will touch for one moment2 the while ,i maintain strenuously that1 as a rule1 not half enough loving thought is bestowed upon the mother1 who1 ,i insist1 should be the first object of every one's care until she has been for at least a fortnight over her trouble2 and ,i trace a good deal of my own nervous irritability and ill-health to the fact that after my last baby arrived ,i had an enormous quantity of small worries that the presence in the house of a careful guard would have obviated1 and to the fact that wearisome details of an illness of a relative were carried to me as usual1 and ,i had to see to matters that should never have been even whispered about before me1 but the arrangement of all of which was left entirely to me2 and the only rest ,i obtained during all that weary time was literally snatched for me1 from the jaws of all those who are accustomed to depend on me1 by nurse1 who was my one bright gleam of hope1 and to whose never-failing energy and thoughtfulness ,i always look back most gratefully and thankfully4 ,speaking as ,i do from experience only1 perhaps ,i may be forgiven if ,i repeat myself1 and beg for far more consideration for the mother than she ever gets4 ,i hope ,i shall not be considered a monster if ,i whisper quite low that ,i do not believe a new baby is anything but a profound nuisance to its relations at the very first4 ,it howls when peace is required1 it demands unceasing attention1 and it is thrust into ,angelina's arms1 and she has to admire it and adore it at the risk of being thought most unnatural1 when she really is rather resenting the intrusion1 and requires at least a week to reconcile herself to her new fate4 ,my nurse never allows her baby to be a torment4 ,somehow she has such a pleasant way with her that babies cannot be a trouble where she is4 ,she turns them out always as if they had just come out of a band-box1 and one never realises a baby can be unpleasant so long as she has the dressing of them1 and the seeing to them generally2 but then she is so very methodical1 so clean1 so bright1 so cheerful1 that somehow ,i find1 when ,i come to write down her method1 ,i cannot remember so much what she did as how she did it1 and that ,i cannot recall her routine of work half as easily as ,i can each detail of her neat form and jolly face1 and the perfect joy it was to me to have about me a woman who never fussed1 never kept me waiting1 always did to-day what she did yesterday at the same time1 and1 above all1 presented me with a nice bright-looking baby to look at just when that infant was wanted1 and not at inopportune moments1 or just at the special moment when she would have been a worry4 ,and oh1 what a contrast she was to the good old-fashioned nurse who came to me with ,no4 #a6 who had a routine and who kept to it1 and who regarded all new ideas and thoughts as dangerous and #8flying in the face of ,providence1' yet who was goodness and trustworthiness itself2 but she was too old to learn that people differ1 and what is one man's meat is another man's poison1 and so made my life a burden to me because she could not understand that ,i was really and truly different in my tastes and likings to most of her other ladies1 who loved to be fed constantly and be as constantly #8waited on' and looked after1 while all ,i required was to be let alone in peace and quiet and fed rather less than most people4 ,still she was a dragon of watchfulness1 and kept away all those small bothers which men can never refrain from bringing to their wives1 regardless that at such times the smallest worry becomes gigantic1 and assumes proportions that would be ludicrous1 were they not really and truly very real2 and have real effects too on the nerves and temper of the unfortunate invalid4 ,and here let me say sternly1 and as forcibly as ,i can1 that the life of the ordinary house-mother has never been properly appreciated by the male sex2 and1 if at no other time can we obtain consideration and thought1 it is imperative that for at least three weeks after the arrival of a baby the wife should have mental as well as bodily rest1 and that she should be absolutely shielded from all domestic cares and worries4 ,and every husband should be taught by the doctor and nurse combined that there is real and great need for the wife to be carefully kept from little worries and bothers1 until she has regained her usual balance of health1 and is able to hear with more equanimity of the death of some dear friend1 maybe1 than she was a few weeks before2 to simply be told that cook had had a soldier to tea2 and that there had been so much butter used in the kitchen that the ,bankruptcy ,court is in the near future4 ,husbands are far too apt to say and think that the life of a woman is a mere giddy whirl of frocks and gaiety1 that all the time he is #8toiling in the ,city1' or doing the equivalent of that in some other walk in life1 she is airily fluttering from flower to flower1 extracting all the sweetness she can out of it1 and bitterly resents it should she be tired in the evening1 or require a little lively talk1 instead of hours of contemplation of a sleeping countenance1 at which perchance she looks sadly1 and wonders if she ever really did think it so good-looking1 as she seems to remember she once did1 in some far-off existence long since dead4 ,but have men the smallest idea of what a never-ceasing1 uninteresting work a woman's far too often is8 ,men never can be acquainted with or realise--bless them6--the thousand worries a woman knows all too well2 the abject fears for her children that always haunt her1 the dread that ,tommy's whine may mean scarlet fever1 or that ,trixy's temper indicates measles2 the impatience with which she would fain greet the daily details of food and drink1 and which she has to smother2 the sordid arrangements with butcher and baker1 and the endless trouble she has to keep the house nice1 the children well1 and the expenses down to the lowest sum she can possibly manage with1 and all this is done within the walls of one house4 ,a man's work takes him far afield2 he rubs his intellect against those of hundreds of other people daily4 ,he goes to his #8toil' through amusing streets which always vary1 and he has the grand excitement of being paid for his #8toil1' while the ordinary woman works on and on ceaselessly without pay1 sometimes without thanks2 and handicapped by indifferent health and nervous dread for her babies that no man--no man1 ,i repeat1 with a fine accent of scorn on the noun--can ever comprehend1 much less appreciate in the least2 gets through an amount of real positive labour1 an account of which might astonish the husband1 but which he would most certainly not believe in were it written out in plain words for his perusal1 and placed before him4 ,of course1 ,i am not writing about the #8upper ten1' about whose domestic arrangements ,i know nothing1 and which1 judging from the papers1 are not always as successful as they might be4 ,here1 no doubt1 ladies spend their days in the #8fluttering' spoken of above1 and may not earn their keep--to put the matter a little coarsely--but we ordinary folk cannot do much fluttering1 even if we would2 and ,i can but hope that men will realise what a woman's work means for the future1 and will take care she is really nursed and guarded1 in a manner the husband alone can see is done1 at a time when the brain should be allowed to rest1 as well as the rest of the body4 ,a man cannot realise that a woman ever can have ambition--that she can sicken at the dusters and pudding-cloths that are supposed to be her proper occupation1 that she does sometimes feel even a little bit better educated or cleverer than the clever creature who makes the money2 and if only ,i can get one of the male sex to believe that we do sometimes want a little of his freedom1 a little of his powers of money-making1 a little of his ability to take a holiday unhaunted by never-ceasing dreads and fears of what awful ends the children are coming to at home in our absence1 ,i shall not have lived in vain1 particularly if at the same time he takes the double burden on his own shoulders1 when his wife has presented him with a small son or daughter1 and takes care that not even a whisper of the cook's wickedness passes the bedroom door1 until ,materfamilias is able to bring her mind to bear upon a matter that can1 no doubt1 be explained as soon as the feminine intellect grapples with it4 ,and one more very serious word for the last on this subject3 let ,edwin bear in mind that much more care is needed with ,no4 #e or ,no4 #f than was ever bestowed at the time when ,no4 #a put the house in a stir1 and altered all the domestic arrangements4 ,angelina is not so young as she was1 dear soul2 she is very tired4 ,she is quite sure such a numerous family must bring her to the workhouse1 and unless ,edwin is goodness itself he may so depress and harass his wife by his depression that she may slip out of his fingers altogether1 and leave him to himself1 that most utterly to be pitied person on earth1 a widower with young children1 to find out what he has lost1 and to realise all too late what he might have saved1 had he remembered how desperately hard women do work1 and how unending and never-ceasing is their toil2 which has dulness as a background and utter sameness as a rule1 as a drawback to its being satisfactorily performed4 ,once let the nurse be secured for as early a date as one can conveniently do with her1 there are the small garments to be seen to4 ,these consist of very fine lawn shirts 7#ab71 long flannels 7#f for day1 of fine ,welsh flannel2 #d for night1 of rather a thicker quality71 fine long-cloth petticoats 7#f71 monthly gowns of cambric and trimmed with muslin embroideries on the bodices only 7#h71 and nightgowns 7#h72 besides this #d head-flannels will be required1 and a large flannel shawl to wrap the child in as it is taken from room to room2 about six dozen large ,russian diapers and six good flannel pilches4 ,three or four pairs of tiny woollen shoes complete the outfit1 which may furthermore have added to it four good robes2 but these ,i strongly advise no one to buy until it is time to talk about the christening1 for relatives often present the baby with smart frocks2 and as they are really worn very little1 and cost a great deal of money1 are not necessary1 especially in the country1 where really nice monthly gowns are good enough for any baby2 and the smart robes tempt young mothers to adopt the pernicious custom of low necks and short sleeves1 making these even shorter by tying them up on the small shoulders with gay ribbons1 that soon find their way into the little mouths4 ,even in smart low-necked frocks ,i always had a species of long-sleeved1 extra high bodice tacked2 for1 apart from the appearance of the small skinny arms and necks of most young babies1 ,i consider it suicidal of any mother to condemn her children to a style of dress that is about as unsuitable to our climate as anything well can be4 ,i should put even a tiny baby into a high fine flannel vest4 ,i always make the long flannel barra-coats with three pleats in the bodices back and front1 and line the stay bodices with flannel1 thus reducing the chance of colds greatly2 and ,i live in hopes of seeing in a very short time the total disappearance of low dresses everywhere2 for to my mind this is a custom as foolish and indecent as any we still retain from our savage ancestors4 ,besides the clothes enumerated above1 four or five strips of flannel about six inches wide1 herring-boned each side1 and about eighteen inches long1 will be required1 and six swathes to roll round the infant and give support to the back2 this1 new-fashioned doctors try to dispense with1 but from long experience ,i am convinced these binders are a most important portion of a young baby's attire4 ,the basket should contain a complete set of baby's things ready aired1 and furthermore a skein of whitey-brown thread1 a new pair of scissors1 a pot of cold cream1 pins1 safety pins1 and some old pieces of linen2 and the young mother will do wisely if she has the long pieces of ,russian diaper used as hand-towels for some three or four months before taking them for the baby1 as this softens them and makes them much better for the nurse's use4 ,all these things should be in readiness quite two months before they are required1 and should be placed1 with a large mackintosh sheet1 two old blankets1 and three coarse #8blanket-sheets1' where1 should they be required in a hurry1 they can be found at once4 ,attention to these particulars and directions saves fuss and worry and often prevents danger4 ,these matters seen to1 the young wife may now turn her mind to the arrangement of her own chamber1 which she should do her very best to make as pretty as she can2 or she should carefully look at the rooms at her disposal and see which will be the nicest and most cheerful for her to occupy2 for there is really no need1 unless we like1 for the event to take place in the room usually occupied1 and1 if preferred1 a pretty room might be got ready beforehand2 but1 if this be impossible1 at least all the washing and toilet apparatus might depart1 and some tables and low pretty chairs and a sofa1 books and plants1 replace the washing-stand and toilet-table1 that can be relegated to another room until ,angelina is herself again4 ,taking into consideration that1 as an enterprising advertiser remarks1 one half one's time is spent in one's bedroom1 we cannot possibly take too much care about them to have them nice and pretty2 for ,i am convinced one comes down to one#8s day's work far better tempered from a pretty and convenient room1 than one does from an ugly1 inconvenient place1 where we have worn ourselves out in hunting for our properties1 or been worried by contemplating hideous papers and draperies1 and ugly conventional walls without pictures or decoration of any kind2 while if one has to be ill1 and1 what is more1 has to contemplate a long period of convalescence in one spot1 one cannot too carefully select one's surroundings1 for there is no doubt that one's mind acts insensibly on one's body1 and that one's convalescence is a great deal more advanced or retarded1 as the case may be1 than we think for by our surroundings2 therefore1 ,i am sure we shall not be wasting our time if we think a good deal about the arrangement of a room where the young mother will have to spend at least three weeks1 and where she will remain a much more willing prisoner1 if she is not harassed and worried by a bedroom where she cannot have any of her usual surroundings1 and where the bedroom aspect of the chamber predominates over everything else1 so preventing any visitors to her1 save of the most intimate and personal kind possible4 ,i do hope that the queer notion that nurse ought to sleep in the room with her patient has almost1 if not quite1 died out4 ,i never could make out why this was considered necessary1 unless in very severe cases1 where sitting up is thought of consequence2 and even then 7though it sounds ,irish ,i can't help saying it7 the nurse could take her rest in another room1 leaving some one else to sit up in turn2 for ,i know nothing more truly irritating than to see a second bed in the room1 and to feel the eternal presence of a stranger1 who might just as well be snugly resting in the adjacent dressing-room1 where she could be reached quite as well by ringing a small bell1 that could stand on the table by the side of the bed1 as she is by a call from the patient1 whose voice is sure to be none of the strongest4 ,i have often marvelled at the way people bear these small worries1 and never turn their minds towards relieving themselves of them4 ,i suppose we are most of us too conventional1 and cannot get out of our grooves easily1 but ,i am quite sure from experience that no one requires a nurse during the night in an ordinary case1 and that one's comfort is mightily increased by seeing her depart into the dressing-room1 with or without the baby1 as fires or other matters are arranged1 and to know she will not return until the next morning unless she has been rung for2 and then her departure leaves room for far more decoration than would otherwise be possible1 for1 if the house is conveniently built1 and the dressing-rooms or nurseries are near enough to be available1 ,i should turn out all the bedroomy furniture into other rooms1 and replace this with some of the sitting-room furniture1 only retaining the bed1 which in its turn can retire behind a screen when the sofa1 is taken to1 and convalescence has really and truly begun4 ,to do this satisfactorily1 the bed must be specially thought about1 and should be provided with an extra lot of frilled and monogramed pillow-cases2 these are removed at night1 and their presence1 and that of a nice piece of linen1 frilled and worked too1 and fashioned in such a way that it appears like a frilled sheet1 in the morning1 is almost as good as a complete change of linen1 without any bustle4 ,the eider-down should be removed1 and placed in another room to be aired1 and the bed should be covered with one of the beautiful embroidered quilts which should be in every one's possession4 ,these quilts are copies of old work done by our grandmothers2 or else are embroidered in the red and blue #8,russian-work1' and are lined with a coloured sateen or ,bolton sheeting2 they can be edged with lace1 worked with coloured threads to match1 or by a band of the sateen over which a coarse lace is turned2 these quilts make any couch ornamental at once4 ,of course the toilet-covers must correspond1 and the towels should be marked in similar colours1 and should in some measure repeat the prevailing tints of the bedroom itself1 which is not complete without both books and growing plants in pots1 nor without some convenient light4 ,a good lamp can be placed on a bracket1 if gas is disliked2 or a good bracket lamp in beaten iron can be fixed in the wall just above the bed1 or to one side thereof2 and great comfort is found from either a wall-pocket made from a ,japanese fan and plush1 or a big bag of plush strung from the brass end of the bed1 to contain one's handkerchief1 keys1 pencil1 letters from the post1 and the odds and ends that will accumulate1 and1 furthermore1 will lose themselves in a most peculiar and aggravating manner1 unless one has a distinct place to put them in from whence they cannot possibly stray2 while ,i again repeat that no #8bedroomy' atmosphere must be allowed1 and that every medicine bottle1 towel1 basin1 sponge1 c41 must be taken away out of the room the moment they are done with1 and that the sick-room must be looked upon for the time being as much as possible in the light of a sitting-room1 where friends can come1 and where life can go on smoothly and pleasantly1 without being reminded every five minutes that one is laid aside1 and unable to feel or look pleasant and like oneself4 ,i wonder1 too1 if other people know how useful a good heliotrope shade is for one's dressing-gown1 and the short flannel jacket that should be one's day attire until the dressing-gown can be put on and one can lie on the sofa8 ,these dressing-jackets1 or more properly #8bed-gowns1' are simply invaluable--in winter especially1 when one's arms do get so cold in the ordinary nightdress1 and when the dressing-gown proper is a distinct nuisance2 and they should be wadded1 and of fine heliotrope cashmere with a soft fall1 and frill of either torchon or yak lace1 and are most becoming to any one4 ,the arms should be lined with wadding too2 and1 in fact1 they are just what one requires before one gets up1 as they save the dressing-gown from the inevitable crushing that is its portion if we wear it in bed1 while we have the required warmth over the chest1 which would not otherwise be ours1 for reading or writing or using one's arms at all always disturbs the bedclothes in a most tiresome manner1 which does not trouble us when we are possessed of the proper short jacket4 ,the bother ,i have had1 too1 to find a really comfortable way of reading in bed4 ,how one's book does flop over just when one doesn't wish it to1 and how tired one does get of holding it6 ,and ,i have now discovered that the only way is to have a couple of cushions or pillows1 and to shake them into a good position oneself1 finally resting the volume luxuriously upon them4 ,then1 too1 remember always to have some fresh sweet flowers in your room all day1 and if your dinner leaves an odour of food behind it1 burn two of the joss-sticks sold at the ,baker ,street ,bazaar at #f;d4 a packet--those make your room at once like an ,eastern palace1 and are simply delightful2 and insist mildly but forcibly on your windows being opened whenever the sun shines1 and in the dressing-room when it doesn't2 for there is1 ,i am convinced after long experience1 nothing like fresh air for any and every one2 and though ,i have been perpetually told ,i should catch my death of cold at such times1 ,i have never had a suspicion of one1 and am remarkably free from this tiresome ailment4 ,summer babies must be legislated for rather differently to winter ones2 they must be washed and dressed out of their mother's room for one thing1 as they always require the fire1 that would be cruelty itself in the bedroom4 ,they can often be taken out earlier1 and are much easier to manage4 ,still1 ,i think all these details can be safely left to the nurse1 who should always be engaged for two months certain1 and for three if you know your woman and can afford it2 for until a baby is three months old it flourishes far better in the care of the monthly nurse than in that of even one's own nurse1 who has grown a little #8rusty' in her knowledge of infants most likely1 and who can never be as au fait with them as is any one who has a constant succession of these tiny creatures always under her care4 ,it is imperative in the case of a first baby that the monthly nurse remains until the stationary nurse arrives1 so that she can find out if she has really been trained in nice ways1 and can really handle a baby4 ,she can tell at once if she knows what she is about1 and1 if she does not1 can at once put her right1 and tell her the #8ways' the child has been used to4 ,a general rule should be the daily bath in tepid water1 using a high standing bath in a wooden case2 the child is washed all over quickly on the nurse's lap2 protected by a large flannel apron1 with a soft sponge1 and the best soap to be found2 it is then floated gently into the bath1 and the water merrily and quickly dashed over the limbs1 while the nurse talks brightly and cheerfully to it2 after about three or four minutes of this it is taken out1 and dried rapidly with an extremely soft towel1 powdered all over in every tiny crease and fold of fat1 its flannel binder is sewn on again1 and its garments arranged with the flannel petticoat and shirt tacked together1 put on very swiftly2 it should then be fed and put into its bed warm1 and there it should stop until time for feeding again1 when it can be taken out for an airing in the garden1 or in some sheltered spot according to the time of year and the means at command4 ,regularity1 quiet1 and its own nurseries and nurse are the things to keep a baby well and make it grow up strong2 and for this one must depend partly on one's nurse1 who should be a superior woman1 possessed of the real religion which caused the little maid who was converted to sweep under the door-mats1 a duty she had not fulfilled before she saw the error of her ways1 and not a humbug1 who would insist on leaving an ailing or sick infant because it was her night for church or chapel2 but she must be a real friend too1 and be treated as such1 if we wish to have peace and a well-ordered household1 for in these hurrying days of ours we must depend a good deal on our nurses if we are to keep bright and strong1 and be companions to our husbands1 and later on to the boys and girls1 who will require so much more from us than the mere infant1 whose well-being we must1 of course1 superintend and legislate for ceaselessly1 but for whom we need not turn ourselves into domestic animals merely1 incapable of aught1 because of our slavedom to the baby1 who in nine cases out of ten does far better with a really good nurse than it can with us4 ,i may1 of course1 have been exceptionally lucky with my nurse1 and1 judging from what ,i hear of other people's experiences1 ,i suppose ,i must have been2 but during all my many years of being dependent on them ,i have never had one selfish woman in my house1 nor one who would not at any moment sacrifice her own interests and comforts to mine4 ,i cannot account for this any more than ,i can account for other people's miseries2 but ,i honestly say here that ,i never cease to wonder at the cries that rend the air about the wickedness of domestics1 for ,i have never found one who has not honestly and according to her lights done her best to help me on my way2 and ,i owe more than ,i can say now to my friends in the kitchen1 who will do anything to save me trouble1 and will when ,i am busy1 as ,i generally am1 do all in their power to assist me2 while no words of mine could express the unselfish care given by my nurses both to me and the children during years that are past now1 ,i hope for ever1 but that1 while they lasted1 would have driven a bad or selfish woman away from us4 ,real1 true1 good friends are1 ,i am sure1 far more often found among what we call the #8lower classes' than in those ranks from whence we generally take our acquaintances6 ,of course1 this is all digression1 but yet it really does relate to the nursery after all1 for there1 if anywhere in her household1 must our bride look for her helpmate2 and this should be all arranged and thought out with the help of the monthly nurse in the time of retirement1 for this first arrival changes all the household arrangements entirely1 and in such a manner that the greatest tact and care is necessary to readjust the establishment1 or else misery and discomfort will be rampant1 in the once happy and well-managed home4 ,above all1 let the young wife remember that her baby and her experience are not either wonderful or unique2 that she only possesses what millions of women possess and know of2 and let her rely just a little on her own mother1 who may have old-fashioned notions1 but who has brought her up successfully1 and so doubtless has that best of all gifts1 experience1 to hand on to her daughter1 who cannot do better than listen to her2 the while she recovers her strength1 keeps calm1 and does her best to get well1 and looks out for all the assistance she can obtain from her nurse1 and further on from her own experience of what her children are4 ,just one other thing3 it is absolutely necessary in legislating for our children to remember what they are likely to inherit in the way of tendencies4 ,we have long ceased to regard either the souls or the brains of our children as strictly new and original compositions1 as clean white paper over which we and time can write exactly what we wish2 for science has taught us all about #8heredity1' and convinced us that we are all of us bundles of odds and ends1 or scraps of this grandparent1 with curious #8sports' of that uncle or aunt suddenly cropping up2 and so1 if we remember tendencies to consumption1 or fevers1 or gout1 or1 in fact1 anything that we or our forefathers have shown a tendency for1 we shall be able to manage our children much better than we otherwise should2 for those children who are constantly #8catching' things1 or meeting with accidents because of the brittleness of bone1 or careless heedlessness inherited from some ancestor1 must be more carefully watched and looked after than those who1 coming of a healthy1 splendidly constituted stock1 are rarely ill1 and only require water1 air1 and a pure1 good diet to grow up splendid specimens of humanity1 enjoying their lives thoroughly1 and fully appreciating every day they live4 ,heredity is a great1 a most important fact2 and if only this could be taught in schools1 if young men and women would recognise the wickedness of cousins marrying1 and of passing on sickly or vicious tendencies to their children1 we should look forward more and more hopefully to a future1 when health should be demonstrated as the best possession a man can have--the best inheritance he can demand of his parents2 for health means happiness and beauty and pleasure1 and without health we cannot be either happy1 good-tempered1 or prosperous1 or succeed in a world where life is one constant procession of beauty and surpassing interest1 to those whose hearts are in the right place1 and whose pure1 wholesome blood courses vigorously through the veins and arteries of the whole body4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,schoolroom4 ,in the selection of the schoolroom there are several things to be thought of2 but if the nursery be done away with1 and there should be no upstairs sitting-room1 ,i strongly advise the schoolroom being on the bedroom floor4 ,this is often a most useful institution1 for sometimes it serves as a refuge to invalids who are well enough to leave their bedrooms1 but not well enough to run the risks of draught on the stairs1 while the children are out of the way of visitors1 and are not always running up and down the passages in a distracting and untidy manner4 ,let me urge on all mothers of families to cling to either a day nursery or a schoolroom until the children are really too old to be glad of some place where they can do actually and positively as they like2 that is to say1 of course1 unless they like to behave like savages1 but this rarely happens in a household where the little ones have been accustomed to nice surroundings1 and to be treated like human beings from their cradles4 ,it is most important that children should be let a great deal alone1 and to insure this it is perfectly necessary that some room should be set apart for their use entirely1 furnished in such a way that one is not constantly obliged to be saying #8,don't do this' and #8,don't do that1' and yet in a manner that shall foster every nice taste and encourage every good habit possible2 and great care should be also taken to insure sufficient sunshine1 for sunshine is life and health1 and a dark and sunless room often fosters a dark and sunless nature4 ,i should strongly advise the floor of the schoolroom to be covered with ,indian matting1 if expense be no object1 with rugs about at intervals3 this is always clean and fresh1 and can be changed often4 ,next to ,indian matting comes the stained edge to the floor so often recommended1 with the nice square of ,kidderminster carpet laid down over carpet felt1 and edged with a woollen fringe2 the best carpets of this particular make are called #8three-ply1' and are sold by the yard1 and are infinitely superior in every way to the #8squares' sold ready made in different sizes1 and edged by a border1 which is generally far too large a pattern to look nice4 ,the carpets sold by the yard are much better designs and colours1 and wear three times as long as the cheaper makes2 but under no circumstances should the schoolroom be the refuge for half-worn costly carpets1 which want wearing out1 and yet are too shabby for the downstairs apartments4 ,these had far better be got rid of in some sale2 for an old carpet is nothing but a dust-bin on a small scale1 and can never be fresh enough to pat in a room where there are children4 ,the walls could be covered with one of the washable sanitary papers1 if one can be procured in a sufficiently pretty pattern2 but it is emphatically necessary that the walls should have a real dado1 either of oilcloth painted some good artistic shade--four coats are necessary to eliminate the pattern--of cretonne1 or matting1 which would be best of all4 ,this keeps the lower part of the wall tidy always2 and if the sanitary paper can be obtained in a self-colour1 the plainness of this can be done away with by a good selection of pictures1 than which nothing is more necessary in a schoolroom2 and the children had far better be plainly dressed and fed than have bad pictures provided for them1 or ugly drawings only relating to their work4 ,in these days of cheap art there is no reason why we should be without pictures of some kind everywhere1 and they should be chosen carefully1 either for their beauty or for the lesson they teach4 ,having a positive horror of gambling1 horse-racing1 or betting in any shape or form myself1 ,i cannot regard any house satisfactorily furnished without autotypes of my father's pictures of #8,the ,road to ,ruin4' ,these admirable pictures have pointed a moral over and over again in my house1 and will1 ,i hope1 point many another2 for the children are always ready to look at them and make out for themselves the dismal o'er-true tale4 ,if1 however1 these pictures should be objected to1 ,i should advise autotypes of some of ,sir ,joshua's lovely child-pictures1 ,leader's #8,at evening time it shall be light1' #8,chill ,october1' any of the etchings after ,burton ,barber's amusing dog-pictures1 and those equally entertaining fox-terrier sketches of ,mr4 ,yates ,carrington1 ,waller's #8,the ,day of ,reckoning1' and1 in fact1 any of the beautiful etchings done of late years1 and that average #el4 each2 these purchases being infinitely more necessary in a house where there are children than diamonds or plate or smart furniture and expensive decorations1 and should be bought1 as soon as ever they can be afforded1 by any householder who really has the welfare of his family at heart4 ,the ceiling should be papered in some bright blue and white paper1 and should have a good ventilator somewhere in the centre4 ,no gas should be allowed1 and light should be furnished by two good hanging lamps conveniently placed2 while each child who is old enough to do its work after tea in the winter should have its own shaded ,queen's reading lamp1 and should be taught to keep it clean and bright for itself2 thus the servants would not be troubled on this subject unduly1 though1 should there be a schoolroom maid1 she could take the lamps under her charge with the rest of the schoolroom belongings4 ,there should be two good cupboards in the room1 which could be placed in the recesses on each side of the fireplace1 should there be any2 these could be simply made with shelves in the recesses and with wooden doors to fasten over them2 these could be painted some self-colour to match the prevailing colour of the room1 and the panels could be filled in either with the ever-useful ,japanese leather paper1 or be embellished by ,mrs4 ,mc,clelland's clever brush with studies of some lovely flowers2 brass handles should be added1 and while one cupboard should be set apart for the governess and the schoolroom books1 the other should be so arranged that1 if possible1 each child should have its own shelf4 ,the top of these cupboards could form an excellent receptacle for toys and games1 while some of the hanging bookshelves spoken of before could supplement the shelves should there not be room for the extra books4 ,the windows must open top and bottom1 and should have short muslin and cretonne curtains2 no blinds1 of course1 but1 should the situation be as sunny as it ought to be1 outside blinds should be provided1 and1 furthermore1 window-boxes for flowers should never be wanting2 the children learn a great deal looking after them1 and lessons are far less trying on a hot day if the room is kept cool by sun-blinds1 while what air there is blows in over a sweet scent caused perhaps by that best of all mixtures1 mignonette and ten-week stocks4 ,great care must be taken in selecting the proper tables and chairs2 these latter must be wide and comfortable1 and the table must be solid and stand on good strong legs while lessons go on4 ,i strongly advise the tablecloth to be removed for fear of accidents with ink1 and if oilcloth is sewn over the top this is not as tiresome to write on as is a deal surface1 and though it may not look petty it is decidedly clean and remarkably useful1 and can be covered with the cloth when lessons are over4 ,footstools should never be wanting1 and a good broad window-seat1 that could be made to open and hold books c41 is very useful also1 as it will contain a great many odds and ends2 while no schoolroom could be complete in my eyes without kittens and puppies1 the training and care of which are often of the greatest service to the young masters and mistresses1 who1 teaching their pets obedience and good behaviour1 insensibly learn quite as much as they are themselves teaching4 ,though ,i maintain that education of a certain kind is begun the moment a baby learns to cry for what it wants1 and that1 no matter how small a child is1 it is never too small to be taught obedience1 of course its real education begins when it learns its letters4 ,i could read at two1 and have read ever since1 never being able to be happy without a book or paper2 and ,i am of opinion that the sooner a child can pick up its letters the better1 for the moment it can read it is independent1 and can amuse itself without always hankering after companionship and entertainment4 ,the best way to teach a child to read is to give it a small wooden frame1 made in compartments1 and a box of red and black letters2 these it picks up one by one1 and soon learns to slip them into the frame1 making small words4 ,from this it passes easily to a book1 and becomes master of a store of amusement that will last all its life2 while the governess should be asked to read aloud as much as she can to the children1 taking care1 of course1 to select good and amusing stories1 the while she does not bore them with a too forcibly impressed moral tag at the end4 ,one cannot1 of course1 lay down any hard-and-fast rules for other people's children1 and can only1 after all1 give very general hints as to schoolroom arrangements and management1 for each household is so different that what suits one family is not of much use to another4 ,still there are general hints on education that may be of assistance to those who may be about to set up a schoolroom1 and1 though ,i feel rather diffident about speaking as much about myself as ,i must1 ,i think ,i must tell just a little more of the way in which ,i have managed that most important part of the establishment4 ,to begin with3 great cleanliness1 order1 regularity1 and punctuality must be insisted on and maintained by the dining-room example4 ,the children's breakfast should be at eight1 and should consist1 if possible1 of oatmeal porridge every other day1 followed by either an egg1 bacon1 or some fish4 ,i say advisedly #8if possible1' for some children cannot touch porridge2 and though ,i am no advocate for pampering appetite1 and scorn rich and elaborate cooking1 which in ,england all too often engulfs the money that would buy pictures or allow of excursions and travel1 ,i do protest most solemnly against the petty tyranny of making children eat food that is actually and positively nauseous to them3 and1 furthermore1 without consulting the child1 and so making him unduly of consequence in his own eyes1 it is imperative that a judicious parent should notice likes and dislikes1 and so legislate that something should be provided that all the children can eat2 and no breakfast should pass without fruit of some kind being provided4 ,children crave for fruit and sweet things1 and a careful parent gives enough1 without allowing the excess that is so harmful1 and that only occurs in families1 as a rule1 where sweets are ignored1 and fruit handed round as a rarity after the conclusion of a large and expensive meal4 ,in winter lessons could be from nine until twelve1 when the walk should be taken1 or some games indulged in4 ,luncheon should be at one1 and should far oftener include fish or chicken than it usually does4 ,tea1 with jam or cake1 should be at five1 and each child should be encouraged to have milk and a biscuit before it goes to bed4 ,a few pure sweets should be given always after luncheon1 and no punishment should ever be inflicted through the appetite4 ,this makes food too prominent a matter in the small mind1 and ,i have always found a few stern and forcible words of more effect than any punishment could be after the first struggle for authority1 which invariably occurs once in the lifetime of every child4 ,in two or three cases in my own schoolroom one whipping has been found quite sufficient2 while two of the children have never required anything more serious than an early retirement for reflection in bed1 and a few serious sentences that were to the purpose1 and did not go beyond it4 ,i am quite aware that in these days it is considered abominable even to suggest a child shall be #8smacked1' but in the case of deliberate obstinacy or unbridled howling there is nothing else for it1 and1 this once done1 trouble ceases--the child has found its master1 and then there is peace4 ,i am so convinced that if one has a happy childhood one's whole life is sweetened by it1 no matter whatever happens afterwards1 that ,i cannot impress too much upon my readers the absolute necessity of securing this1 at any rate1 for their boys and girls4 ,this1 however1 is not to be had by dressing them finely1 and dragging them about from drawing-room to drawing-room1 from late party to late party1 or by pampering them and considering them until one cannot call the house one's own1 neither does it consist in leaving them to themselves altogether4 ,apparently1 children should be left greatly to themselves1 but much in the same manner that--,i speak in all sincerity--a higher ,power manages us and our affairs4 ,let the free-will be there1 but let the guiding hand1 unseen though it should be1 never be lacking1 and we shall find the children happy and good1 because they are surrounded with clean good air1 and are brought up in an atmosphere absolutely free from taint of any kind4 ,the instant the schoolroom is started1 that instant both mothers and fathers should become in a measure omniscient and omnipresent2 and1 above all1 they should remember the clear sight and hearing of the children1 and should1 furthermore1 recollect that what they say and do means a great deal more now than it ever did4 ,let them see their own lives are full of interest1 and are of good aim and intent1 and they will find example is greater than precept1 and that they have succeeded by unconscious example where everything else would have failed4 ,of course1 it is absolutely necessary that all girls should learn to sew1 to cook1 and to play the piano2 and all boys should have some way of employing their fingers1 and no household should be complete without its hospital box2 into this the girls can collect all the frocks and petticoats they can make1 while the boys can make scrapbooks1 paint pictures with water-colours over prints from #8,punch' or the #8,illustrated ,london ,news1' or cut out ships or wooden dolls2 and while they are doing this they could be read to from ,scott1 ,dickens1 ,thackeray1 or ,miss ,yonge--a strange mixture1 may be1 but to those four writers the world can never be grateful enough1 try hard as it may1 while the schoolroom contingent brought up on these splendid people's brains will be worth a hundred of the present-day children1 fostered on such idle rubbish as ,rider ,haggard produces1 and others that shall be nameless4 ,and here let me beg and pray the parents to make a stand for ,dickens and ,thackeray1 even if they will not for the other two authors of whom ,i have spoken4 ,dickens has become neglected1 ,i know1 and ,oxford undergraduates1 taking to ,thackeray late1 fall asleep over #8,esmond' and #8,the ,virginians'2 but let these books be in the schoolroom1 and boys and girls take to them naturally1 like ducks take to water1 and are at once made happier by them than they can be by anything else4 ,sewing must be learned by girls1 because they never know how they may be placed2 but1 once learnt1 ,i trust no girl may be condemned to sew because it is feminine1 for unless she really and truly likes the occupation--and most women do--there is no greater cruelty possible to inflict on a young girl than to make her sew when her fingers are itching to draw1 practise1 or even write a book4 ,never prevent her doing this2 the greatest happiness ,i have ever had is when ,i can get perfect peace and quiet and take my pen in hand1 and1 even if ,i never succeed in making a name for myself and startling a world that is over-full of writers already1 ,i can never feel ,i have lost the time ,i have spent in writing1 for then ,i have been perfectly contented1 and then for me the world has ceased to be--outside ,nature--beloved ,nature6--and my desk4 ,and then1 harming no one1 ,i trust1 and helping just a few1 ,i have passed away entirely from all worries incidental to the life of any woman who marries1 and has children and a household always on her mind1 and have ceased to think of anything save the work on hand at the moment4 ,girls must learn also to cook1 because thus they become mistress of all the details of the household expenditure2 and they must learn music1 because they can be useful either to accompany songs and glees1 or to play dance-music to the little ones2 but if no distinct taste is shown1 hours should not be wasted on an accomplishment that is most useless1 save and except as a mere background1 unless decided talent is displayed1 when1 of course1 music should be encouraged as much as possible1 for nothing keeps a household more together than does music1 and if the boys and girls can only play and sing together there is small difficulty about finding them occupation and keeping them happy at home4 ,i am always sorry that the power to make music and the capacity for enjoying games were left out of my composition1 and in consequence are conspicuous by their absence from our household2 but reading has taken their place1 and not one of us is unhappy as long as books are to be had2 but one tires sometimes of this1 and ,i could wish heartily we all loved games or went in for music1 for these tastes are most excellent safeguards against ennui and the craving for excitement and going about that all modern folks seem to possess4 ,now one word about ,sunday in the schoolroom1 and we will pass on to other matters4 ,whatever you do1 never let ,sunday be a day of dulness and penance1 but make it as bright and happy as you can4 ,let the household rise as early as on a weekday1 be regular at some bright1 good service1 and make it altogether a bright and pleasant day2 let the children see the #8,graphic' and #8,illustrated ,london ,news1' and read their ordinary books4 ,if a book is fit for a weekday it is fit for ,sunday4 ,dine early1 because the servants want a little rest1 and as a culminating treat have a nice supper about eight1 and let the children share it4 ,don't tease them with strict rules and sad faces1 but let them learn on this day to appreciate rest and to learn something of a higher life1 that need not be kept for ,sunday alone1 but that one has more time to think of on ,sunday than on any other day of the week4 ,i do not myself like to see tennis played or boating or driving for pleasure indulged in1 simply1 ,i think1 because of old-time prejudice1 and because of the noise made or the work given to one's coachman and horses2 but logically there is not half as much harm in these pursuits as there is in the spiteful gossip so many people indulge in after church1 or the wasted hours spent in sleep after a heavy dinner eaten under protest and grumbled at everlastingly2 and ,i would much rather my boys played tennis than that they lounged about smoking and sleeping1 or wasted their time reading the #8,sporting ,times1' and longing after their far less harmful rackets4 ,but ,i at present can manage without this1 and prefer to do so1 for at present inspecting the animals and wandering about the garden with them seems to suffice1 while newspapers and books come in on wet days2 while we are all so busy during the week1 that the holiday comes as a blessed oasis for which we are all truly thankful4 ,and the children love the illustrated papers--a storehouse of knowledge no parent should be without2 and the money spent on them is never wasted1 though an ,englishman1 as a rule1 will grudge a few shillings a week for papers1 while he never hesitates for a moment to spend double the amount on his dinner1 or on that ,moloch of ,english households1 the tobacconist4 ,above all encourage your own and your children's friends to come in to tea and talk on ,sunday afternoons4 ,this gives no work to the servants1 and always makes a nice break4 ,the tea can be set ready before the maids go out1 and if many cups are wanted they can be washed up early2 and any guest should be made welcome1 and sometimes asked to remain for the early supper1 which1 being cold1 and prepared on ,saturday1 is again of no trouble to the maids4 ,i am very fond of ,sunday visitors1 and as few ,english houses open their doors1 especially in the country and more distant suburbs1 on that day1 visitors are often glad to drop in when they can be sure of a welcome and a cup of tea4 ,tea in the schoolroom is often1 too1 a very good institution1 for thus the governess sees a little more of life1 and acts as hostess2 and each child should have its own cup and saucer and plate4 ,this is a great safeguard against breakages1 for if one is smashed it must be spoken of at once1 and extra cups can be kept for the visitors2 but all should be different1 so that any breakage may be seen at once1 as generally the schoolroom-maid is but young1 and apt to conceal any small depredations among the crockery4 ,now the two great difficulties in a schoolroom are the governess and the schoolroom-maid1 and infinite care must be taken in the selection of both4 ,of course the governess is the first care1 and1 though she should be mistress in the schoolroom1 she yet must only be a viceroy1 and must act for the mother entirely1 and not at all on her own responsibility unless she is expressly desired to do so4 ,no governess should be engaged who cannot be in some measure a companion to the mother1 to whom and with whom she should be in perfect accord2 for there are endless ways in which the governess can save a mother of a household1 does she make herself really pleasant1 if only in conveying the children to the dentist--a necessary business1 but one that need not harrow the mother's feelings if the governess is as good and useful as she ought to be2 for the governess does not feel1 as a mother does1 that all her teeth are being taken out bodily the moment ,tommy opens his mouth for inspection1 and endures none of the vicarious pangs that make any fanciful mother's life a burden to her1 even though nothing happens4 ,the governess must be healthy1 strong-minded1 good-tempered1 and1 above all1 must have some nice hobbies1 and be fond of teaching them2 then the schoolroom will indeed be the heart of the house1 and will send out a series of healthy1 happy children into the great world4 ,make the governess one with the household2 let your interests be hers1 the children for the time being a mutual possession4 ,take any amount of trouble to procure a really nice girl of a good family1 and then you may breathe freely2 while if the schoolroom-maid comes young too1 and is carefully trained1 you will then have a perfectly managed schoolroom1 and feel you can rest awhile should you desire it1 secure that your place is well filled by a competent minister1 who will rule in your place until you return both well and wisely4 ,never discuss your governess either with or before the children1 and take care that her life is as much as possible a fac-simile of yours4 ,let her have books and papers and share in any gaiety that is going2 and above all try and make her think that she becomes part of the family1 should she really stay some time with you1 and that your interest in her will last as long as life itself4 ,i can imagine nothing more wicked than to cast off old governesses or servants1 and to decline to keep those who have helped us so much1 and in a manner no amount of money will repay4 ,the schoolroom would not be complete in my eyes without just a few sentences on the subject of the children's dress4 ,this would1 in the case of the girls1 consist of good warm underclothing2 in two sets of combination garments1 one in wool1 the other in long-cloth2 a stay-bodice--never stays on any pretext whatever--made of ribbed material1 on which a flannel skirt should be sewn in winter2 then another skirt1 also sewn on a bodice2 and finally that invaluable costume1 the #8smock-frock1' the skirt trimmed with three rows of tucks1 the sleeves full1 and the full bodice drawn in with either a loose band or a soft sash of ,liberty silk4 ,from the day a baby is put into short clothes until the girl of fifteen becomes too lanky for such a plain dress1 there is no other costume as suitable for all times of the year4 ,in summer very thin cashmere is enough1 with perhaps a soft silk handkerchief underneath for outdoor wear2 in winter a long coat of cashmere and soft cap make admirable outdoor garments1 and are put on in a very few moments1 while all ,liberty's soft silks and cashmeres are warm without an undue amount of weight1 and are all of such lovely colours that no one thinks of the plainness of the material used for a moment4 ,until girls are fifteen they should always wear pinafores of some kind4 ,i use a very large white diaper pinafore tied with ,liberty sashes1 and they should furthermore have shoes with straps and low wide heels2 while for boys nothing is so sensible as the much-copied ,jack ,tar suit1 with its serge trousers and wide loose shirts1 though ,i personally prefer the ,scotch kilt2 the sailor suits are soon shabby and generally untidy1 while the kilts always look well1 wear for ever almost1 and there are no knees either of stockings or trousers always giving out and requiring to be mended every moment or so4 ,after the kilts boys can take to jackets and trousers1 which in perfection can only be bought of ,swears and ,wells1 ,regent ,street1 ,w41 whose charges are1 of course1 rather awful to contemplate1 but whose clothes undoubtedly outwear three suits of any one else's2 and ,i speak from the experience of my three boys1 for whom ,i have often tried to go elsewhere1 but have always had to return to ,swears1 for nowhere else can ,i buy things that to a certain extent will defy the rough usage given to them4 ,the sailor suits can be bought best of ,redfern1 at ,cowes1 in the ,isle of ,wight2 the kilts of ,swears also4 ,to conclude3 the eye of the mother should really never be taken from the children1 as long as they are growing4 ,weak backs should be detected at once1 and allowed to rest on a proper sofa and carefully bathed with salt water2 weak ankles should be treated the same2 cuts should be dressed with calendula and soft rags2 a supply of both and of sticking-plaster should be in every schoolroom cupboard4 ,camphor is also a good thing to keep ready2 it stops many an incipient cold4 ,a good supply of fruit and jam and fresh air and regular exercise stop many an illness and save many a doctor's bill1 and1 in fact1 a doctor should indeed rarely be required nowadays in a house where mother1 governess1 and nurse really know their business and really look after the children2 for1 unless in real illness1 doctors seldom are of any use in a schoolroom1 and only add up accounts that are really accounts of the mother's ignorance or selfishness or neglect4 ,naturally1 when children inherit disease--and that people who inherit diseases or are related should marry is nothing more or less than a crime in my eyes1 and should be to the world at large--or are susceptible by inheritance to colds1 fevers1 c41 the above does not apply2 then skilled attention is necessary1 and in real cases of need a doctor should be consulted as early as possible2 but all girls1 and indeed boys1 should be taught always something about themselves and their formation1 and they should learn early those marvellous1 unchangeable laws of health which1 once broken1 render not only themselves but future generations miserable and wretched for ever2 but1 of course1 great care must be taken here1 as indeed everywhere else1 to keep the via media1 else will the children become self-conscious prigs1 always anxious about themselves and their well-being4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,boys ,,and ,,girls4 ,there is yet a more critical time for the parents1 ,i think1 than even the schoolroom time1 and that is1 first of all1 when the boys go off to school2 and1 secondly1 when we have to realise that the small nursery toddlers are grown up1 and really as capable of taking care of themselves as we are ourselves4 ,let me speak of the boys first1 as1 after all1 that terrible wrench is the worst experience of all1 and one1 ,i hope most truly and sincerely1 which will be saved for future mothers1 and that before many years have passed2 for ,i maintain1 and always shall maintain most strenuously1 that there never was a worse system of education than the general education that present-day lads must go through1 or be entirely different to the rest of the male sex1 though even that would be a good thing in my eyes1 for ,i cannot allow that the male half of the world is so good or so perfect at present that it cannot be improved1 neither can ,i allow that the result of education as at present given is in any way as perfect as it might be2 and as an example of what ,i mean it would be well to consider1 ,i think1 why the return of the boys from school is as the letting loose of a horde of barbarians on a peaceful land2 and why1 after the first week at all events1 the urchins cease to be regarded as returned angels1 and one and all are spoken of as #8those dreadful boys4' ,as an example of what ,i mean1 ,i may speak of one household where the girls are gently ruled and delicately brought up by their dead mother's bridesmaid1 who gave up her own one chance of wedded happiness because of her most romantic attachment to her girlhood friend1 and who1 when father and mother died within a few years of each other1 leaving a young and turbulent household to #8,aunt ,mary and ,providence1' came to live among the children1 loving them all1 but instinctively looking upon the boys as just one remove from wild animals4 ,at least the preparations for their return from ,rugby would suggest as much1 for in the big country-house drawing-room the beautiful ,indian carpet is rolled up and replaced by a time-worn drugget1 the little brother's best hat and coat are relegated from the hall to ,aunt ,mary's own room1 covers are put on everything that can be covered1 and lace curtains are moved2 and1 in fact1 when prepared for the holidays1 the whole house appears as if ready to stand a heavy and protracted siege4 ,even the garden and greenhouses are rigorously locked2 wire shades and iron hurdles protect tender seedlings and grass edges2 the head gardener wears a countenance of mingled dread and determination2 and in the stables nothing is left get-at-able save the boys' own ponies1 a venerable #8four-wheel1' and sundry odds and ends of ancient harness1 which no one could hurt because its condition is quite hopeless already4 ,and in a town house1 when the holidays are within appreciable distance1 over and over again have ,i not seen similar preparations1 though on a smaller scale8 ,have ,i not noted how nurse puts away the children's best toys2 how the girls in the schoolroom1 aided by their agitated governess1 conceal all their beloved possessions1 and train their pets to #8lie low1' as #8,brer ,fox' would say8 ,does not ,paterfamilias rehearse a long code of laws1 all to be enforced1 he says1 the moment the boys come home8 ,and is not ,materfamilias1 after all1 the only creature in the whole establishment who has not one arrire pense1 and who finds nothing in the least to spoil the rapture of the return of those who have never for one moment been out of her thoughts since the last time she saw them off1 through her tears1 on their return to ,dr4 ,swishey's academy for young gentlemen8 ,ah1 the boys little know what they cause that tender soul to suffer when an extra hour's cricket excuses them for forgetting their weekly letter home2 how the omission makes her turn pale when a sudden ring at the bell comes1 lest it should be a telegram summoning her to the bedside of the dear things1 who are most likely rioting in the playground at the very moment2 and how she is only withheld by dread of ridicule and the largeness of the railway fare from rushing off at once to see for herself that all is well2 and she has to content herself with writing a loving letter of expostulation1 doubtless characterised as #8a jaw1' and thrown aside half read through4 ,and when they are at home under her own roof she naturally looks forward to peace1 at all events1 and safety from dreads and fears such as these2 but1 poor soul1 she soon finds out her mistake4 ,her days are spent in wondering where the boys have gone to1 in painfully concealing the marks of their ravages in library and staircase and hall from the paternal eye1 and in propitiating the outraged schoolroom and nursery establishments1 who do not see1 as she does1 that the fact of its being holiday time accounts for all1 and that all should be forgiven those who are only at home for so short a period in the year4 ,but even mother begins to tire of acting as a buffer between her sons and her husband and the other members of the family4 ,and by the time cook has given warning--heedless that she is the only woman who can cook the dinner to suit the master--because ,reggie will melt lead in her spoons or playfully drop gunpowder in the fire1 or because some pounds of butter mysteriously disappeared and followers were hinted at--though the state of her saucepans and ,george's trouser pockets pointed out that toffee1 not the policeman1 was at the bottom of the loss--,materfamilias finds herself wondering how ,dr4 ,swishey manages to look so well at the end of the term1 and begins to think that perhaps after all she will not be quite as sorry as usual when the cab comes round and the boys go off1 leaving her free to go out to dinner without dreading to see flames issuing out of the drawing-room windows when the carriage turns the corner of the ,square on her return home1 or fearing a summons from the festive board to bid her go back at once because one or other of the boys has done something dreadful either to himself or some other member of the family4 ,now1 granted that this is not an isolated case--and1 judging from a large personal experience of #8other folks' children1' ,i venture boldly to state that this is the rule and not the exception--,i as boldly remark that the present manner of dealing with the genus homo as expressed in the schoolboy is entirely a wrong one1 and1 waxing bolder yet1 ,i say that the grown-up youth evolved from such an education as most lads obtain nowadays is so emphatically unsatisfactory that ,i am quite sure some radical change should be made in the way we bring up our boys4 ,born into a home where their sisters are sheltered and cared for until they leave it for one of their own1 from their very birth they are treated in an entirely different manner4 ,as little mites they govern the house1 because they are of the superior sex1 and they are finally sent away from home into the great world of school1 where1 neither by age nor experience1 can they be in the least fitted for the warfare1 or enabled by careful and judicious training to hold their own1 or to choose between the good and evil that is so freely offered them there4 ,small boys are herded with big ones1 who alternately bully and confide in them2 tender and sentimental fancies are derided2 and the word #8manly' is made to express ferocity1 cruelty1 uncleanness1 and a thousand and one awful things that1 when we discover our children are aware of1 we wonder feebly when and how they have acquired their knowledge4 ,what wonder the return of the boys is dreaded1 when they come as strangers into a home where ,god placed them for the careful training1 the unceasing supervision1 of body and mind8 ,how can a boy join in and make part of a circle that for half or even three parts of the year is complete without him8 ,how can he respect and appreciate laws and routine that are entirely different to all he has been accustomed to more than two thirds of his time8 ,and how can he help being spoiled1 selfish1 and tyrannical1 when the very shortness of his residence under the home-roof is made an excuse for pampering him and making every one1 man1 woman1 and child1 give way to him1 because1 poor dear lad1 he is only at home for the holidays1 while the others are always there8 ,there is no doubt in my mind that boys ought to go more into the world and see more of human nature than girls need do2 but with all my strength ,i would maintain that the ordinary boarding-school plan is a great and hideous mistake4 ,by all means let them go to school all day2 but let them at night return home1 where the mother's eye can see how they are1 and how they progress with their lessons1 and to insure them that best of all feeling for any one--the certain knowledge that home is home to them in the fullest sense of the word2 and that1 far from being outsiders or honoured guests1 feared as well as honoured1 they are part and parcel of the family1 and bound to give and take1 sharing the rough with the smooth1 and helping in every way they can to aid the weaker vessels of the family1 and becoming gentlemen in the widest sense of the word4 ,of course1 parents who keep their boys at home have little time for rest1 and cannot be incessantly in the very middle of society's whirl2 but is any price too large to pay for the souls of our children--any sacrifice too great to insure that one's boys are to the fullest degree given the benefit of our knowledge and our shielding care8 ,and shall we not be repaid for anything it may cost us in the wear-and-tear of our brain-power if1 instead of the stage-door-haunting1 toothpick-gnawing #8masher' of the present day1 we rear a race of manly1 ,god-fearing1 home-loving youths1 who may restore the age of chivalry and the strong1 pure1 tender-hearted men that were once ,england's boast8 ,like most problems presented to our minds as we go through the world1 there are here other sides to contemplate beyond the one we have just attempted to sketch4 ,for there are homes where the boy's one chance of salvation is given by a good training at school2 where the vanity of the mother and the evil example of the father are worse than anything else can possibly be2 and where the atmosphere is so pernicious that an honest and true-hearted schoolmaster dreads to send his pupils home1 for they may once more acquire habits that he is only just beginning really to eradicate4 ,there are also intensely weak and foolish parents who1 not able to refuse themselves any gratification1 cannot debar their children from having their own way1 and who1 not having been trained themselves1 cannot train others2 and there are yet others who send off their children to rid themselves of the clear-eyed tormentors who ask such tiresome questions1 and will follow the example of their parents1 not content to be put off with the trite remark that grown-up folks can do and say things little people would be severely punished and reprimanded for doing and saying4 ,still1 notwithstanding these sides to the picture1 we can boldly state that if boys were invariably part of a household1 if their parents accept their responsibilities and see they have no right to pay some careless person--any one1 in fact1 who wants to make money by teaching--to take their responsibilities off their hands1 we should very soon have a different state of things as regards the male sex as a whole2 and at all events we should cease to dread the holidays and speak of our sons as #8those dreadful boys4' ,but the selfishness of the ordinary parent1 and the cupidity of the orthodox schoolmaster1 whose real profits are made from the boarders1 and who1 therefore1 discourages to the best of his power the idea of home-boarders1 are twin giants in the way of those who only ask to be allowed to bring up their own children in their own way1 and ,i can but look forward and hope for other mothers all that ,i have only been able to demand for myself in part1 and that a very small part of all ,i would have wished for the boys1 who1 once given over to school1 only return for good for a few moments1 as it were1 on their way to the real battle of life1 which soon engulfs them entirely1 and so we never really have our boys our own1 nor are allowed to train them for ourselves at a time when we alone should be able to do it satisfactorily1 because we alone should understand them best and know what they inherit mentally and bodily2 in fact1 the nursery and schoolroom once passed through1 we have lost our children1 and have only now to think how we can make home happy for them until they leave us for their own homes1 which will depend on our early training whether they are happy ones or not4 ,and indeed one of the most abstruse of all our numerous domestic problems is shadowed forth in the words #8quite grown-up1' for there are few fathers and mothers who realise1 it seems to me1 that their children have actually passed through nursery and schoolroom1 and are in deed and truth quite grown-up1 and in consequence of this the domestic relations become strained1 and home ceases to be the pleasant retreat it used to be from the throng and turmoils of the outside world4 ,there are most certainly households where the relations are more than strained1 where open hostility replaces the old-time affection1 and from whence sons rush to #8the bad1' and daughters marry the first man that asks them1 simply because they wish for freedom and to be able to do as they like4 ,naturally1 they often enough discover they have exchanged ,king ,log for ,king ,stork1 and wish themselves at home once more over and over again2 but that such cases are not only possible1 but are continually occurring around us1 seems to me so sad1 that ,i should like to say a few words on the subject of #8,the ,proper ,relations between ,parents and ,children1' hoping in some measure to propose a solution to the problem4 ,in the first place1 we are in some measure suffering from the rebound that has taken place when the severe bonds that bound our parents were removed4 ,they suffered themselves so greatly from the petty tyrannies that were considered the right thing in their youth1 that1 in desiring to save their children from similar misery1 they have gone to the other extreme1 and allowed such laxity of manner that children rule the house1 as in ,america1 and barely condescend in their grown-up stage to consult their parents at all about their engagements1 their occupations1 or even their friendships or their marriages4 ,surely there is a medium between the discipline that enforced silence on the child until all originality was crushed out of him1 that thought severe strictures on the dress and personal appearance of one's daughters the sole way of checking vanity1 and that refused confidence because it was lowering oneself from the awful height occupied by a parent1 and that which is conspicuous by its absence1 and that results in an independent race of young people1 who respect nothing1 and are certainly not going to make an exception in the case of their father and mother1 who are either ready to go as great lengths as their children1 or else suddenly assert an authority that only exists in their own imaginations1 and that causes a turmoil because opposition is as unexpected as it is arbitrary4 ,if we would have authority we must have it from the very beginning1 and ,i am old-fashioned enough myself to be a great believer in the nursery and nursery frocks for very little children4 ,i am always angry1 ,i confess1 when ,i see a small lady of four or five dressed up to the eyes in a fantastic frock designed to attract attention to the tiny wearer1 of which she is all too conscious1 and carried about from this luncheon to that tea1 to the weariness of herself and all who are not connected with her2 and indeed do well to be angry1 for did not she1 as one of those specimens1 refuse to go into the country because she found it so extremely dull2 and also because ,i know it is from such a bringing-up as this that we obtain the emancipated female or the fast girl1 who thinks of nothing but #8dress' and #8the service1' and which results1 all too often1 in making home miserable for the elder folk1 who only see in the pretty child a plaything flattering to their vanity1 and do not recognise the fact that1 much sooner than we expect it1 she in her turn will be quite grown-up4 ,the nursery stage should emphatically be a time for shabby clothes and dolls and noise1 and for healthy natural play4 ,the midday meal should be the only one taken with the mother1 who1 however1 should make a point of knowing all about the others1 and should also contrive to be often in the nursery1 and have the children with her for not less than an hour or two a day4 ,to insure happiness with a grown-up family these tiny beginnings should be well studied4 ,the mother's influence should be so much felt1 and so indispensable to the house1 that when withdrawn for a while it should indeed be something more than missed4 ,but familiarity in early childhood breeds contempt in youth2 and it is well known that a child who is always with grown-up people never knows what childishness is1 and never becomes as healthy-minded as one who has had a little wholesome neglect from society and from perpetual supervision of its elders4 ,when we as parents begin to see the children growing up1 we should1 ,i maintain1 then carefully see that our own immediate friends are those whose society and conversation can do our girls no harm4 ,when ,i have occasionally heard talk that has brought blushes to my checks at my mature age1 and seen the young girls not only listening but joining in it1 ,i have almost been tempted to declare my girls shall never go into society at all2 but as ,i know this is impossible1 ,i have made up my mind whose houses they shall go to1 reserving to myself the right to tell them boldly why such and such a one is not a desirable acquaintance4 ,then1 too1 their own friends1 made at school or at the homes of mutual acquaintances1 should be welcomed emphatically whenever they like to come4 ,i remember too well feeling much aggrieved at not being able to ask an occasional friend to tea to refuse this privilege4 ,but if the friends become too numerous1 it is easy to point out that either you cannot afford such indiscriminate visiting1 or to restrict the number of visitors to a certain number2 only let it be understood that their friends are always welcome in moderation1 and that1 though you are delighted to see them1 you do not expect them thrown on your hands for entertainment1 and that you assume the right to point out to your children the desirability or the reverse of any of their acquaintances1 and that you expect them to give due weight to your opinion4 ,it is more than necessary1 in my mind1 to keep perpetually before one's children that the home into which they were born is their inheritance that nothing can take from them4 ,and by this ,i do not mean that ,i consider a parent bound to provide fortunes for either sons or daughters4 ,i have too often seen the great harm of this to advocate it for one moment2 but that they should always not only be welcome there1 but claim as a right the shelter and counsel and affection that are their due1 no matter what they have done or how grievously they have sinned4 ,for no cause should a father or mother refuse to see their own child1 and they should a thousand times more never allow the unmarried daughter to feel herself a burden1 whose food and shelter are grudged her1 any more than they should continually hint that marriage is a woman's only destiny1 refusing to the girls the ample education lavished on the sons1 and so depriving them of every means of making their own living4 ,but grown-up daughters1 in my eyes1 are a most precious possession1 if properly brought up4 ,they at last take some of the heavy burdens a mother has always to bear alone off her shoulders2 and if she be moderately intelligent1 and has intelligently brought up the girls1 there is no reason why they should not be a thousand times more valuable in her eyes than they were as pretty babies and engaging little girls4 ,but then we must remember that they are grown-up1 that they have an opinion more or less valuable1 and that they have idiosyncrasies to be respected1 the while they respect ours1 remembering our position towards them1 our fuller experience1 and our affectionate care for them4 ,as long as the parents live1 they should be master and mistress in the house2 but the children should be as viceroys1 helping their parents in every way that they can in their social duties and in the routine of the house4 ,it is trying1 we know1 to have the piano going and billiard-balls rolling when we want to read ,jones's speech on ,home ,rule1 or ,gladstone's latest statements2 but it is far more trying not to know where one's children are1 and to feel they are happier anywhere else than in their own homes4 ,it is their home as much as it is ours1 and it will be home indeed if by judicious training in their youth we have made friends of our children1 if we have given them our confidence1 our affection1 and our best days1 and have not become strangers to them by being perpetually in society when they were as perpetually sent to school2 the while we have not become too familiar1 and make them old before their time1 by taking them with us to gatherings in smart frocks when they ought to have been disreputably shabby in pinafores in the nursery4 ,then we shall discover that our grown-up sons and daughters are not so many cuckoos pushing us out of the old nest1 but intelligent friends and companions--all the more delightful to us because they are quite grown-up4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,entertaining ,,one',s ,,friends4 ,in a small house entertaining one's friends is too often a most arduous and tiresome business1 because we will one and all of us attempt to do a great deal too much1 and appear to be able to afford all kinds of luxuries that we cannot possibly manage1 and ,i strongly advise any young bride with small means and a smaller mnage to confine herself entirely to afternoon teas1 which require no waiting and cost extremely little1 and to refuse on her part to go out to large dinners1 which she cannot return1 and for which she can neither afford the necessary dress1 gloves1 flowers1 nor cabs1 asking her friends to invite her to simpler entertainments boldly1 and giving her reasons1 which1 of course1 will be received kindly and in good faith by her friends4 ,i am convinced that this absurd striving after society is at the bottom of the falseness of most of our ,english entertainments1 and ,i trust some day to see #8parties' on a much broader and more satisfactory basis than they are at present1 and ,i therefore beg all young householders to pause before they begin the same old round of costly gaiety1 and to consider if they at least cannot bring about a better state of things4 ,i have often in different houses seen with amazement how invitations are issued1 and wondered if ,i am the only person who is thus taken behind the scenes and shown how hollow such invitations often are4 ,surely ,i must be1 or else the great crushes ,i read of would never come off1 and the dinners ,i hear about would lack guests1 for ,i have rarely heard invitations talked over without listening to some such conversation as this3 #8,ask the ,joneses1 ,gertrude4' #8,oh no1 mother6 she is such a dowdy1 and their last garden party was maddening4' #8,i can't help it1 my dear4 ,i went to their party1 and we must pay them back4 ,and then there are the ,brownes2 don't forget the e--ridiculous creatures6 ,it's astonishing how some people creep up and others go down4' #8,and he is dreadful1 mother2' and1 in fact1 ,i could go on for pages1 while other pages could be occupied with descriptions of how the invitation is received at the ,joneses' and the ,brownes'1 who all go expecting to be bored or starved1 and who return home to comment spitefully on an entertainment which1 if successful1 carries in their minds the donors half-way to the ,bankruptcy ,court1 and1 if a failure1 is the cause of a good deal of violent abuse and unkind sneers levelled at their hosts4 ,and then the conversation at these entertainments3 #8,have you seen the ,so-and-so's lately8' #8,oh no2 they never go anywhere now4 ,didn't you hear about her and ,so-and-so8' ,but really1 when it comes to the talk ,i overhear at balls1 dinners1 at-homes1 or in the ,park1 ,i lose my temper1 and so will turn at once to other matters altogether4 ,afternoon teas1 tennis-parties1 and little dinners are all possible to the young housekeeper1 but the little dinners to be inexpensive must be in the winter1 and for them ,i have written out half a dozen menus which may be of use in the ordinary household1 with the ordinary plain cook of the period1 whose wages are about #bjl4 ,these will be found at the end of the chapter1 but to insure even such a modest dinner as one of these makes being a success the mistress must see herself that her glass and silver are spotless1 the table well laid1 and the flowers charmingly arranged by herself4 ,the very last fashion 7which1 however1 may change next week1 but is worth mentioning because of its simpleness and sense7 for table arrangements is to have no dessert whatever on the table1 which has a piece of embroidery in the centre of the cloth1 and then in the middle of this place a large flat wide-open wicker basket1 which you should cover entirely with moss2 border it with ivy or berberis leaves1 and stand any flowers you may be able to procure in such a way that they appear growing2 low groups of flowers are arranged in vases all over the table with growing ferns in pots1 and1 in fact1 the table is made to look as much like a bank of flowers as possible4 ,candles with shades to match the prevailing hue of the flowers should stand on the table1 and the dessert should be handed round after dinner1 and should consist of one dish of good fruit and one of ,french sweetmeats1 thus simplifying matters very much indeed4 ,flowers should never be mixed2 daffodils and brown leaves look lovely together1 so do scarlet geraniums and white azaleas1 pink azaleas1 and brown leaves2 wisteria and laburnum1 ,marchal ,niel roses and lilacs1 are all good contrasts1 but clumps of yellow tulips1 or narcissi or roses1 all one colour1 are undoubtedly more fashionable than even the small contrasts just spoken of1 while ,salviati glass is beautiful on a table1 and the specimen glasses of that make hold flowers far better than anything else3 and should flowers be scarce the centrepiece could be all brown ivy and mosses and evergreens1 with just a few flowers in the ,salviati glasses only4 ,but neither food nor flowers1 nor1 indeed1 anything else1 will make a party successful if the mistress does not make a good hostess1 and exert herself to see her quests are happy4 ,she should take care the right people meet1 and nothing should induce her to refrain from introducing her guests2 this is a most ridiculous practice1 and is simply laziness4 ,a hostess is bound to see all her guests are amused1 and this can only be done by personally noticing who is talking to whom1 and whether all the people present have some one with whom to converse4 ,this absence of introductions makes conversation almost a lost art1 and has made the ordinary #8society' nothing more or less than a bore and a trouble2 while1 as the ambition of most people is to know more folks than their neighbours and to go to more balls in one night than our foremothers used to see in their lifetimes1 entertaining has become a farce and bids fair to die of its own immensity4 ,therefore1 as these are undoubtedly hard times1 and many people are not #8entertaining' at all because they cannot now afford to outdo their neighbours1 let me beg any young beginner to start well and simply1 confining herself to those friends she really wishes to see1 and to giving parties that are not above her modest means1 and that do not entail hiring extra help1 who smash her crockery and cost a month's wages for a few hours' work1 and agitate her so by their vagaries that she cannot talk sensibly to her neighbour2 and let her furthermore ask people sometimes who cannot ask her again1 but who can talk amusingly1 and she will1 ,i am sure1 have much more out of her little dinners than most people do out of a whole ,london season's fatigue and expense1 both of which often ruin the health and the future of many a girl1 who traces back to the severe #8pleasures' of town the lassitude and suffering that render the latter half of a woman's life all too often hours of suffering and sorrow2 for she has used up in the year or two of her girlhood all the strength and health that should have sustained her all through her days1 and repents at leisure the stupidity and culpable weakness of the mother who allowed her to sacrifice the possessions for a lifetime in a few months4 ,to enable our young housekeeper to manage so that her housekeeping bills will not overwhelm her after one of her little dinners1 ,i have appended to each of the menus the exact cost of each1 and ,i strongly advise any one to whom economy is an object to use ,new ,zealand lamb or mutton4 ,if properly warmed through and gently thawed close to the fire before putting it down to roast1 the meat is simply delicious and as good as the best ,english2 but it must be treated carefully1 or else it will not be nice1 but when properly thawed no one can tell it from ,english meat1 and ,i think housekeepers would be a little astonished if they knew how often the #8best ,english' meat of the butcher's book was really and truly the ,new ,zealand meat they speak of with such horror4 ,,menu ,,no4 ,i4 ,white ,soup4 ,soles1 ,sauce ,matre d'htel4 ,stuffed ,pigeons4 ,roast ,beef1 ,yorkshire ,pudding4 ,wild ,duck4 ,mince ,pies4 ,french ,pancakes4 ,cauliflower au gratin4 ,dessert4 ,white ,soup4--,a quart and a pint of milk1 a dozen fine potatoes1 piece of butter size of a walnut1 two onions1 salt and pepper to taste4 ,simmer all together for two hours1 then rub through fine hair sieve1 add two tablespoonfuls of sago1 and bring all gradually to a boil4 ,serve very hot1 with dice of bread fried4 ,cost of soup for six persons1 #as4 ,fried ,soles4--,a fine pair at #cs4 ,garnish with lemon and parsley1 fry in lard2 serve with melted butter1 with fine chopped parsley in1 flavoured with lemon4 ,cost1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,stuffed ,pigeons4--,three pigeons at #aj;d4 each4 ,bone them2 make a stuffing of thyme1 parsley1 crumbs of bread1 small piece of ham1 a couple of mushrooms1 one egg1 salt and pepper to taste2 chop altogether and mix with egg2 stuff pigeons and sew them up2 put them into a saucepan1 with a small piece of bacon and any stock that may be in the digester4 ,stew for half an hour1 take them out1 divide them into neat portions1 and put them in a hot dish ready for serving4 ,add a teaspoonful of flour mixed with water to thicken the gravy they are stewed in1 and strain it through a sieve on the pigeons2 then serve4 ,outside cost1 #cs4 #f;d4 ,rolled ,ribs of ,beef4--,six pounds1 the bones from which can be used for stock for the gravy for the pigeons4 ,the beef is rolled by the butcher ready for roasting4 ,serve with horse-radish neatly arranged about it1 mashed potatoes1 stewed celery2 and ,yorkshire pudding--half a pint of milk1 six large tablespoonfuls of flour1 three eggs1 and a tablespoonful of salt4 ,put the flour into a basin with the salt1 and stir gradually to this enough milk to make it into a stiff batter2 when quite smooth add the rest of the milk1 and the eggs well beaten2 beat well together1 and then pour into a shallow tin which has been rubbed with beef dripping2 bake an hour in the oven1 and then put under the meat for half an hour4 ,meat1 #f lbs4 of ,new ,zealand at #aj;d41 #es42 pudding1 #f;d42 vegetables1 #as4--#fs4 #f;d4 ,wild ,duck1 #ds4 #f;d4--,plainly roasted2 served with cayenne pepper1 lemons cut in halves1 and fried potatoes4 #es4 ,mince ,pies4--,make some good puff paste by allowing one pound of butter to each pound of flour2 line small patty pans and bake2 fill with mincemeat 7which can be bought ready-made and excellent for #aj;d4 a jar1 which is sufficient for a dozen pies71 cover with thin paste1 and put into a brisk oven for twenty-five minutes2 serve with sifted sugar over them4 ,french ,pancakes4--,take two eggs1 and their weight in sugar1 flour1 and butter2 mix well together2 add quarter of a teacupful of milk2 mix well together2 bake in saucer for twenty minutes1 filling each saucer only half full2 take out2 spread small quantity of jam1 then fold over2 dust sifted sugar over the top1 and serve very hot4 ,cost1 #h;d4 ,cauliflower au gratin4--,fine cauliflower nicely boiled2 then grate a quarter of a pound of cheese over it1 and place small atoms of butter about the top of it2 add a little cayenne and salt to taste2 put in the oven to brown1 and serve very hot4 ,cost altogether1 about #h;d4 ,complete cost of dinner4--,soup1 #as42 fish1 #cs4 #f;d42 entre1 #cs4 #f;d42 beef1 #fs4 #f;d42 game1 #es42 mince pies1 #as4 #f;d42 pancakes1 #h;d42 cheese1 #h;d4--#al4 #bs4 #d;d4 ,,menu ,,no4 ,,ii4 ,clear ,soup4 ,turbot1 ,lobster ,sauce4 ,cutlets la ,rforme4 ,turkey1 ,stuffed ,chestnuts4 ,teal4 clairs4 ,pears in ,jelly4 ,prince ,albert's ,pudding4 ,cheese ,fondu4 ,dessert4 ,clear ,soup4--,sixpennyworth of bones1 three carrots1 three onions1 sprig of thyme1 two sprigs of parsley1 one blade of mace1 a dozen peppercorns1 head of celery4 ,simmer whole day in three quarts of water1 let it stand all night1 remove fat in the morning1 boil it again next day1 let it come to boiling point1 throw in the whites and shells of two eggs1 whip it altogether when it boils1 remove from fire1 then skim it1 and pass it through a jelly-bag2 put a little macedoine in the bottom of a hot tureen and pour soup over1 add a glass of sherry and serve4 ,outside cost1 #as4 ,half a ,turbot4--,tinned lobster1 cut in dice1 put into melted butter1 and flavoured with anchovy4 ,turbot1 about #cs42 sauce1 #i;d4 ,cutlets la ,rforme4--,three pounds of the loin of pork cut into cutlets and fried2 make about a gill of melted butter1 add to it two tablespoonfuls of the liquor from a bottle of piccalilly and six or eight pieces of the pickle cut small4 ,when very hot put on your dish1 arrange cutlets in round1 and put the pickle-sauce in the middle4 ,outside cost1 #cs4 ,small ,turkey4--,stuffed with ordinary stuffing1 with about two dozen chestnuts boiled soft and added to the stuffing1 sausages1 bread-sauce1 ,brussels sprouts1 mashed potatoes4 ,turkey1 #fs42 stuffing c41 #bs4 more2 outside cost1 #hs4 ,three teal at #as4 each1 plainly roasted1 and sent in on slices of toast2 lemons and cayenne pepper4 #cs4 #f;d4 ,eclairs4--,bought at any confectioner's at #b;d4 each4 #as4 ,pears in ,jelly4--,six stewing pears1 #b oz4 sugar1 #b oz4 butter1 one pint water1 half an ounce gelatine soaked in water2 stew the pears until they are soft1 turn out into a basin1 and add the gelatine when hot2 place pears when comparatively cold round buttered mould1 pour in syrup1 turn out when set1 serve cold4 #h;d4 ,prince ,albert's ,pudding4--,quarter of a pound of bread-crumbs1 quarter of a pound of butter1 #b oz4 sugar1 two tablespoonfuls of raspberry jam1 two eggs1 mixed thoroughly1 placed in mould1 and boiled for two hours and a half2 serve hot with sifted sugar over4 ,outside cost1 #as4 ,cheese ,fondu4--,two eggs1 the weight of one in ,cheddar cheese1 the weight of one in butter2 pepper and salt to taste1 separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs1 beat the former in a basin1 and grate the cheese1 break the butter into small pieces1 add it to the other ingredients with pepper and salt1 beat all together thoroughly1 well whisk the whites of the eggs1 stir them lightly in1 and bake the fondu in a small cake tin1 which should be only half filled1 as the cheese will rise very much2 pin a napkin round the tin and serve very hot and quickly1 as if allowed to stand long it would be quite spoiled4 ,average cost1 #e;d4 ,soup1 #as42 fish1 #cs4 #i;d42 cutlets1 #cs42 turkey1 #fs42 teal1 #cs4 #f;d42 clairs1 #as42 pears1 #h;d42 pudding1 #as4--cheese1 #e;d4--#al4 #js4 #d;d4 ,,menu ,,no4 ,,iii4 ,hare ,soup4 ,filleted ,soles la ,matre d'htel4 ,mutton ,cutlets4 ,sirloin of ,beef4 ,ptarmigan4 ,peaches1 whipped cream4 ,cabinet ,pudding4 ,toasted ,cheese4 ,dessert4 ,hare ,soup4--,sprig of thyme1 sprig of parsley1 three onions1 three carrots1 two turnips1 one head celery1 twelve peppercorns1 half a dozen cloves1 three quarts of water1 sixpennyworth of bones1 a small hare cut up into joints2 simmer all together for about three hours4 ,take out the meat of the hare and put bones back4 ,keep the soup simmering the whole day1 set aside at night2 skim off fat next morning4 ,when wanted thicken with one tablespoonful of flour mixed with a little of the stock2 put in meat1 rub all through sieve into a hot tureen2 serve with dice of fried bread4 ,cost1 #es4 ,soles4--,three small soles1 filleted1 plain boiled1 each piece rolled and placed on a small skewer1 which is removed when the fish is sent to table1 served covered with sauce made as follows3--,half a pint of milk1 tablespoonful of flour1 mixed to smooth paste with a little milk1 piece of butter size of walnut1 salt and pepper to taste1 two teaspoonfuls of parsley1 teaspoonful of lemon juice4 ,average cost1 #bs4 #i;d4 ,mutton ,cutlets4--,two pounds best end of the neck of mutton 7,new ,zealand1 #f;d4 per lb47 cut thin1 egged and bread-crumbed1 fried in boiling lard to a light brown1 arranged in a crown with fried parsley in centre1 fried in same lard4 #as4 #f;d4 ,six pounds of the sirloin1 at #aj;d41 nicely roasted1 and sent to table garnished with horse-radish1 ,brussels sprouts1 and fried potatoes2 ,yorkshire pudding1 as per receipt in menu4 #fs4 #f;d41 outside cost4 ,ptarmigan4--,plainly roasted1 sent in on to toast1 basted well with dripping1 or else they are very dry1 bread-sauce1 with a very little cayenne pepper added1 mashed potatoes4 ,about #ds4 ,tin of ,american peaches1 sweetened to taste1 arranged round cream1 sixpennyworth whipped well1 any whites of eggs can be added2 flavour with four drops essence of vanille2 the cream must be heaped up in the centre of the peaches4 ,tin of peaches1 #aj;d42 cream1 #f;d42 extras1 #c;d4 ,average cost1 #as4 #g;d4 ,cabinet ,pudding4--,four sponge-cakes1 #b oz4 raisins1 currants1 and sultanas mixed1 small piece of lemon-peel1 nutmeg to taste1 two eggs1 sufficient milk to soak cakes1 #a oz4 sugar1 teacupful of milk1 in which the two eggs should be beaten and poured over the sponge-cakes2 set all to soak for an hour2 place the currants c4 first in a buttered mould1 then slices of sponge-cake1 then more currants1 and then sponge-cakes1 until the mould is three parts full2 then mix eggs1 milk1 sugar1 and nutmeg all together1 beat well1 pour it over the pudding1 set it for an hour to swell1 then tie tightly down1 boil for two hours and a half2 serve very hot with melted butter poured over1 flavoured with two tablespoonfuls of brandy and a little sugar4 #i;d4 ,toasted ,cheese4--,grate a quarter of a pound of cheese on lightly toasted bread1 pepper and salt to taste1 tiny piece of butter on each square2 put in the oven for a few moments to melt cheese1 add cayenne1 serve very hot4 ,cost about #i;d4 ,soup1 #es42 fish1 #bs4 #i;d42 cutlets1 #as4 #f;d42 beef1 #fs4 #f;d42 ptarmigan1 #ds42 peaches1 #as4 #g;d42 pudding1 #i;d42 cheese1 #i;d4--#al4 #bs4 #aj;d4 ,,menu ,,no4 ,,iv4 ,carrot ,soup4 ,cutlets of ,cod4 ,anchovy ,sauce4 ,curried ,kidneys4 ,rolled ,loin of ,mutton1 stuffed4 ,boiled ,pheasant1 ,celery ,sauce4 ,plum ,pudding1 ,brandy ,sauce4 ,chocolate ,cream4 ,cheese ,souffls4 ,dessert4 ,carrot ,soup4--,three pints of stock1 made of threepennyworth of bones cracked1 and put in about two quarts of water2 add three carrots1 three onions1 and a head of celery1 a little thyme and parsley4 ,simmer the whole day2 allow the fat to rise during the night1 removing every scrap of it the next morning1 when proceed as follows3--,put two onions and one turnip into the stock and simmer for three hours2 then scrape and cut thin six large carrots2 strain the soup on them1 and stew altogether until soft enough to pass through a hair sieve2 then boil all together once more1 and add seasoning to taste2 add cayenne4 ,the soup should be red1 and about the consistency of pease soup4 ,serve hot with fried dice of bread4 ,outside cost1 #as4 ,cutlets of ,cod4--,about #d lbs4 of cod1 at #d;d41 cut into large cutlets2 fry them1 having previously covered them with egg and bread-crumbs4 ,serve with plain melted butter1 flavoured nicely with anchovy4 ,cost1 #as4 #h;d4 ,curried ,kidneys4--,three nice-sized kidneys1 cut and skinned and put into any stock2 one apple1 one onion4 ,thicken all with a teaspoonful of flour and a teaspoonful of curry powder2 small piece of butter1 pepper1 and salt4 ,stew for half an hour2 add plain boiled rice1 carefully done1 and serve very hot4 ,average cost1 #aj;d4 ,six pounds of loin of mutton at #i;d4 a pound--,new ,zealand1 bone1 and then prepare a stuffing with thyme1 parsley1 bread-crumbs1 and about #b oz4 of suet1 all chopped very fine2 add salt and pepper to taste1 mix with one egg4 ,put this thickly inside the mutton2 roll it1 and secure with skewers4 ,serve with currant jelly 7#c;d4 a pot71 mashed potatoes1 and nice cauliflower4 ,outside cost1 #fs4 ,boiled ,pheasant4--,one quite sufficient for six people1 plain boiled1 and covered with celery sauce1 made as follows3--,half a pint of milk1 two teaspoonfuls of flour mixed to a smooth paste with a little milk4 ,stew one head of celery in the milk until tender1 then add a piece of butter size of a walnut1 and pepper and salt to taste4 ,pass all through fine sieve into a hot tureen1 and then serve4 ,pheasant1 #bs4 #f;d42 sauce1 #f;d4 ,plum ,pudding4--,three-quarters of a pound of raisins1 lb4 of currants1 lb4 of mixed peel1 lb4 and half a lb4 of bread-crumbs1 same quantity of suet1 four eggs1 half a wineglassful of brandy4 ,stone and cut the raisins in halves1 do not chop them2 wash and dry the currants1 and mince the suet finely2 cut the candied peel into thin slices and grate the bread very fine4 ,mix these dry ingredients well1 then moisten with the eggs 7which should be well beaten7 and the brandy2 stir well1 and press the pudding into a buttered mould1 tie it down tightly with a floured cloth1 and boil for five or six hours4 ,cost1 #bs4 ,special sauce4--,two ounces of butter beaten to a cream1 #b oz4 of sugar1 three parts of a glass of sherry and brandy mixed1 beaten all together to a stiff paste4 ,cost1 #aj;d4 ,chocolate ,cream4--,one and a half ounce of grated chocolate1 #b oz4 of sugar1 of a pint of cream1 oz4 of ,nelson's gelatine1 and the yolks of three eggs4 7,n4,b4--,if the whites of the eggs are added to the cream1 and all well mixed1 less cream can be used47 ,beat the yolks of the eggs well1 put them in a basin with the grated chocolate1 the sugar1 and rather more than half the cream1 stir all together1 pour into a jug1 set jug in a saucepan of boiling water1 and stir all one way until the mixture thickens1 but do not allow it to boil1 or it will curdle2 strain all into a basin1 stir in the gelatine and the other portion of cream1 which should be well whipped2 then pour into a mould which has been previously oiled with the very purest salad oil2 turn out when cold4 ,outside cost1 #bs4 ,cheese ,souffls4--,quarter of a pound of cheese grated1 two tablespoonfuls of flour1 piece of butter size of walnut1 two eggs1 half a teacupful of milk1 cayenne and salt to taste2 mix well together1 and put in a saucepan over fire for about five minutes1 stirring all the time to prevent burning2 drop a tablespoonful of the mixture into buttered patty-pans2 put in a steamer until set2 then take them out and put on a sieve to cool2 cover with egg and bread-crumb1 and fry in boiling lard2 serve hot4 ,cost1 about #h;d4 ,half this quantity sufficient for six people4 ,cost of ,dinner4--,soup1 #as42 fish1 #as4 #h;d42 curried kidneys1 #aj;d42 meat1 #fs42 game1 #cs42 pudding and sauce1 #bs4 #aj;d42 cream1 #bs42 cheese1 #d;d4--#ags4 #i;d4 ,,menu ,,no4 ,v4 ,mulligatawny ,soup4 ,cod and ,oyster ,sauce4 ,croquettes of ,chicken4 ,leg of ,mutton la ,bretonne4 ,pheasants4 ,mringues la crme4 ,turrets4 ,cheese ,straws4 ,dessert4 ,mulligatawny ,soup4--,three pints of stock1 made by taking threepennyworth of bones1 breaking them small1 and putting them to simmer on one side of the fire for the whole of the day before it is required1 with three carrots1 three onions1 one head of celery1 and one clove1 and a small piece of bacon2 stand all night in larder2 remove fat next morning4 ,boil a rabbit1 cut it in dice1 and fry2 then add it1 with a small amount of lemon juice and two tablespoonfuls of curry powder mixed smooth with stock separately1 to the stock4 ,serve very hot1 with plain boiled rice on separate dish4 ,cost of soup1 #bs4 #d;d4--rabbit1 #as4 #f;d42 bones1 #c;d42 vegetables1 #c;d42 rice1 #a;d42 bacon1 #a;d42 curry powder1 #b;d4 ,three pounds of cod at #f;d4 a pound1 plain boiled2 eight oysters cut in half for sauce1 which is made of the liquor of the oysters2 teacupful of milk1 piece of butter size of walnut1 salt1 and two teaspoonfuls of flour4 ,cod1 #as4 #f;d42 oysters1 #h;d42 milk1 butter1 c41 #c;d4--#bs4 #e;d4 ,croquettes of ,chicken4--,take the two legs of a nicely cooked chicken 7the bones of which can be added to those for soup72 mince the meat small1 then pound smooth in a mortar4 ,make a sauce with a piece of butter size of a walnut1 one onion chopped fine and browned1 and half a teacupful of milk2 when at boiling point add one teaspoonful of flour1 mixed smooth with milk1 salt1 and pepper to taste1 add the yolks of two eggs1 then put in the chicken and stir all together until thoroughly mixed1 remove from fire2 when cold make up the mixture into croquettes1 cover with egg and bread-crumbs1 and fry in dripping from leg of mutton2 serve very hot garnished with parsley4 ,any remains of cold chicken will do for this dish4 ,portion of chicken1 #i;d42 eggs 7#c71 #b;d41 sometimes #c;d42 total cost1 #as4 #b;d4 ,leg of ,mutton la ,bretonne4--,choose a leg of ,welsh mutton about #f lbs4 in weight1 get four cloves of garlic1 make an incision with the point of a knife in four different parts round the knuckle and place the garlic in it1 hang it up for a day or two1 and then roast it for an hour and a half4 ,take a quart of ,french haricots and place them in a saucepan with half a gallon of water4 ,add salt1 half an ounce of butter1 and set them to simmer until tender1 when the liquor must be poured into a basin4 ,keep the haricots hot1 peel and cut two large onions into thin slices1 put some of the fat from the dripping-pan into the fryingpan1 put in the onions1 and fry a light brown4 ,add them to the haricots1 with the fat c4 that the mutton has produced in roasting1 season with salt and pepper1 toss them about a little1 and serve very hot on a large dish on which the mutton is put1 garnished with a frill4 ,serve with mashed potatoes1 ,brussels sprouts1 currant jelly4 ,cost1 with best ,welsh mutton1 #hs42 with ,new ,zealand1 just as good1 #es4 ,roasted ,pheasant1 #bs4 #f;d4--,plainly and nicely roasted1 sent in on a bed of bread-crumbs made from crusts and pieces of bread dried in the oven and rolled small with the rolling-pin4 ,potatoes plainly boiled and rubbed through a sieve1 with a very small piece of butter4 #bs4 #i;d4 ,mringues4--,use the three whites of the eggs the yolks of which you have used for the croquettes2 whisk them to a stiff froth1 and with a wooden spoon stir in quickly a quarter and half a quarter of a pound of white sifted sugar4 ,put some boards in the oven thick enough to prevent the bottom of the mringues from acquiring too much colour4 ,cut some strips of paper about two inches wide1 put this on the board1 and drop a tablespoonful at a time of the mixture on paper1 giving them as nearly as possible the shape of an egg1 keeping each mringue about two inches apart4 ,strew over some sifted sugar1 and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour4 ,as soon as they begin to colour remove them2 take each slip of paper by the two ends and turn it gently on the table1 and with a small spoon take out the soft part4 ,spread some clean paper1 turn the mringues upside down1 and put them into the oven to harden2 then fill with whipped cream just flavoured with vanilla and sweetened with sugar2 put two halves together and serve4 ,threepennyworth of cream is quite enough for six people1 so this dish would cost about #d;d41 as the eggs were charged for in the croquettes4 #d;d4 ,turret ,puddings4--,take two eggs1 add their weight in flour1 sugar1 and butter2 beat the eggs thoroughly first1 then add sugar and flour and the butter melted2 beat all together to a cream2 fill small tins1 bake for twenty minutes2 add sauce1 made from milk1 two teaspoonfuls of flour1 and a tablespoonful of brandy2 serve hot4 ,outside cost1 #as4 ,cheese ,straws4--,two ounces of butter1 #b oz4 of flour1 #b oz4 of bread-crumbs1 #b oz4 of cheese grated1 half a small saltspoon of mixed salt and cayenne2 mix all together to a paste1 and roll it out a quarter of an inch in thickness2 cut it into narrow strips1 lay them on a sheet of paper1 and bake for a few minutes2 arrange them in a pyramid on a napkin1 and serve hot4 ,cost1 #f;d4 ,general cost of dinner4--,soup1 #bs4 #d;d42 fish1 #bs4 #e;d42 entre1 #as4 #b;d42 mutton1 #hs42 game1 #bs4 #i;d42 sweets 7#b71 #as4 #d;d42 cheese1 #f;d4--#ahs4 #f;d4 ,very excellent thick cream can be had from the ,gloucester ,dairy ,company1 ,gloucester1 who send #af oz4 for #as4 postage paid4 ,this is invaluable for mringues4 ,the ,gloucester ,dairy ,company's little ,gloucester cheeses for #bs4 #f;d4 are also very useful for dinner-parties4 ,,menu ,,no4 ,,vi4 ,almond ,soup4 ,salmon1 ,caper ,sauce4 ,beef ,olives4 ,grilled ,mushrooms4 ,saddle of ,mutton4 ,widgeon4 ,tipsy ,cake4 ,college ,pudding4 ,apple ,jelly4 ,macaroni ,cheese4 ,dessert4 ,white ,soup4--,two pounds of veal1 two quarts of water1 one onion1 quarter of a pint of cream1 an ounce of butter1 two dozen sweet almonds pounded to paste1 salt and cayenne pepper to taste4 ,boil the veal1 water1 and onion slowly all the previous day1 take off all the fat1 strain1 add other ingredients1 thicken with one pennyworth of arrowroot1 and serve very hot4 #bs4 #aj;d4 ,salmon4--,three pounds1 nicely boiled1 plain melted butter2 add a small amount of liquor from a bottle of capers1 a teaspoonful of the capers chopped fine1 and half a teaspoonful of lemon juice4 ,fish1 #gs4 #f;d42 sauce1 #f;d4 ,beef ,olives4--,one pound of beefsteak1 cut in squares about three inches and half an inch thick1 chopped thyme and parsley1 pepper and salt sprinkled over the beef1 roll each piece1 place on small skewer1 stew in stock for an hour1 thicken stock with a little flour and butter1 pour over the olives1 and serve very hot4 #as4 #b;d4 ,grilled ,mushrooms4--,wipe a dozen mushrooms carefully1 place on tin in front of fire with a small piece of butter1 salt and pepper to taste on each1 have ready twelve little pieces of toasted bread1 and when done put a mushroom on each piece2 serve very hot4 ,outside cost1 #bs4 #f;d4 ,small ,saddle of ,mutton 7about #h lbs474--,currant jelly1 potatoes put through sieve after well boiling1 stewed celery covered with melted butter1 currant jelly4 ,outside cost of all1 #ajs4 ,widgeon4--,plainly roasted1 sent in very hot with their own gravy1 lemon juice1 and cayenne2 potato shavings--potatoes to be cut in thin strips1 fried a light brown in boiling lard1 then placed on blotting paper to remove grease1 placed in hot vegetable dish and served4 #cs4 ,tipsy ,cake4--,take a sixpenny ,madeira cake1 cut it in three rounds1 spread the rounds with raspberry jam1 scoop out the middle of the top slices1 soak it in a quarter of a pint of sherry until tender2 fill up centre with preserved fruit1 and cover with whipped cream4 ,outside cost1 #bs4 ,college ,pudding4--,butter a shape1 stick it all round with split raisins1 line with brown cut from a sally lunn1 cut the rest in slices1 and put it with a few ratifias and macaroons into the mould2 beat two eggs in enough milk to cover the pudding2 add a tablespoonful of sugar1 cover it with a buttered paper and a cloth2 boil it for an hour4 ,cost1 #as4 ,apple ,shape4--,two pounds of apples1 boiled to a pulp in half a teacupful of water1 juice of one lemon1 two ounces of sugar1 half an ounce of gelatine1 soaked in quarter of a pint of water2 mix well together1 and rub together through a hair sieve whilst hot2 butter a mould1 pour in1 leave until cold4 ,serve with custard made as follows3--,quarter of a pint of milk1 one egg1 teaspoonful of corn-flour1 sugar to taste2 bring the milk to boiling point1 and add other ingredients2 stir until thick1 remove from fire1 set to cool2 when cold pour it over the shape4 #aj;d4 ,macaroni ,cheese4--,quarter of a pound of macaroni1 two ounces of butter1 three ounces of ,cheddar cheese1 pepper and salt to taste1 half a pint of milk1 one pint of water1 bread-crumbs4 ,boil the macaroni until tender in the milk and water1 sprinkle cheese and some of the butter among it1 then season with the pepper1 and cover all with finely grated bread-crumbs4 ,warm the rest of the butter and pour it over the bread-crumbs2 brown it before a fire1 and serve very hot4 ,cost1 #i;d4 ,soup1 #bs4 #aj;d42 fish1 #hs42 beef olives1 #as4 #b;d42 mushrooms1 #bs4 #f;d42 mutton1 #ajs42 widgeon1 #cs42 sweets1 #cs4 #aj;d42 cheese1 #aj;d4 ,total cost1 #al4 #abs4 #b;d4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i think the receipts given above would form the nucleus for any amount of moderate entertainment1 but ,i may speak of two capital books which would assist any young housekeeper1 and which have done me so much good ,i should be ungrateful not to mention them4 ,one is ,mrs4 de ,salis's #8,entres la ,mode1' published by ,longmans at #as4 #f;d41 and the other is ,mrs4 ,beeton's #8,household ,management1' a #gs4 #f;d4 book1 but one no mistress of a household should ever think of being without4 ,though naturally invalids' cooking does not come in properly when one should be thinking of nothing but pleasant matters1 cooking reminds me of a valuable piece of information given to me by a friend1 and at the risk of being called to order ,i must just give one hint in regard to beef-tea1 the making of which is often very wasteful and tiring to an invalid's patience1 and which can be made most successfully by taking a nice juicy beefsteak and cutting off all the superfluous fat2 then this should be salted and peppered to taste1 and floured on both sides2 then the bottom of a stew-pan should be covered with just enough water to keep the meat from sticking1 and the meat should be allowed to stew by the side of the fire from one hour and a quarter1 according to size4 ,the gravy is excellent rich beef-tea1 while the steak itself is beautifully tender and fit to be sent to table4 ,one or two allspice berries put in with the meat give a flavour of wine1 and thus we have good pleasant beef-tea for an invalid and luncheon for ourselves1 with none of the waste that often accompanies the making of what is all too often a tasteless1 greasy1 and disagreeable compound4 ,another dish for a convalescent is made by treating a chop in the same way as a steak as regards the pepper1 salt1 and flour4 ,it is then put on a plate with a tablespoonful of water1 covered with another plate exactly the same size1 and put into a slow oven for more than an hour4 ,when cooked1 the top plate should be turned down to the bottom1 so the chop is hot to the last1 and has not been disturbed1 and is so tender and thoroughly cooked it does not need masticating1 and it is also so nice that many clergymen are glad to find this ready for them after leaving church1 instead of the orthodox cold supper4 ,it literally cooks itself1 and is therefore no trouble on ,sundays2 while for a country doctor1 whose hours are uncertain1 and who all too often subsists on either sodden or scorched-up food1 it is a perfect dish1 and should be recollected by all those good housewives who are often enough at their wits' end to find something nice for the bread-winner when he returns home after a long and fatiguing drive over country roads and open moors4 ,so1 that ,i may not be utterly condemned for dragging in my invalids1 ,i will just mention that a very nice dish for a small evening party is made by simply grating raw chestnuts up very finely into a dish1 and covering them thickly with whipped cream1 sweetened and flavoured to taste2 while tins of ,american peaches1 placed in a deep dish and sweetened to taste and covered with good whipped cream1 are also things most useful to the country housewife1 who is often called upon to provide a good extra dish in a hurry1 despite her distance from shops and the impossibility of getting anything decent in her village2 while ,edwards' desiccated soup is an excellent #8standby' in any country house1 for with its aid soup is always forthcoming2 and with soup and a pretty-looking sweet the simplest dinner may be made to pass off with sufficient clat to satisfy a guest who may have been cajoled into sharing pot-luck1 despite the fact that the nearest butcher is four miles off and that it is not the game season--a species of entertaining most trying to any one1 especially in the country1 but which even there can be faced with equanimity if we have sense1 a few tinned provisions in our store-cupboards1 and a cook who does not become flurried and who has her stockpot always going4 ,a very good dinner can be extemporised by adding some of ,edwards' desiccated soup to the ordinary soup2 a side-dish can be made from poached eggs on spinach1 from tinned lobsters made into cutlets1 from any remains of cold meat made into croquettes2 while pancakes and tinned peaches and cream add sufficient variety to whatever had been prepared for the late dinner1 which can be furthermore supplemented and helped out by some of the cooked cheese prepared in one of the ways given in the menu receipts2 but a welcome must be forthcoming too1 else no amount of dinner will make the unexpected guest feel as if he were being entertained4 ,one last hint3 always1 unless you live in ,london1 keep two or three new toothbrushes and a clean brush and comb in the house2 then1 should your guest be willing to remain until the next morning unexpectedly1 you will even be ready for that emergency1 and will not have one tiny flaw left to be found in your simple but most complete system of entertaining4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,summing-,,up4 ,i have been so continually asked what is the very smallest possible sum of money that will suffice to furnish a little house for a young couple beginning life1 that ,i have drawn up from actual bills a short schedule of the cost of furnishing the ordinary villa residence in the suburbs4 ,but to this must be added quite another #ejl4 should the householder have literally every single thing to buy2 for in this special house1 as will be seen from the list1 several rather important items were already procured1 and wedding presents made a great and perceptible difference in the appearance of the modest mnage1 as is fortunately generally the case with all young couples starting in life1 who1 if they are wise1 will only purchase necessaries at first1 saving their money until they are actually married1 and know not only what their friends have given them1 but also what the house itself really requires4 ,there is no doubt1 if this be done1 the following will suffice at first2 and on #aejl4 the house will not only look nice but artistic too4 ,,dining-,,room4 ,bought of s4 d4 ,a4 and ,r4 ,smee ,six oak-framed rush-seated chairs at #bes4 #g #aj #j ,maple ,mahogany table #c #e #j 8 ,kidderminster square carpet #a #ag #f ,burnett ,felt for curtains #a #d #i ,whiteley ,fender #j #g #f 8 ,fireirons #j #i #f ------------ #ad #ad #c ,there were two deep cupboards in this special room1 which rendered the purchase of a sideboard unnecessary2 if one be imperative1 ,i recommend the purchase of ,maple's #8,vicarage' suite of furniture at #bjl4 ,it is both pretty and good1 ,i hear2 ,i have not actual personal experience of it4 ,,drawing-,,room4 ,bought of s4 d4 ,shoolbred ,two squares of carpet #c #ae #j ,maple ,sofa and pillows1 covered velveteen #i #b #f ,whiteley ,fenders #a #e #f 8 ,fireirons #j #ae #j ,smee ,walnut octagonal table #e #j #j 8 ,stuffed arm-chair #e #ah #j 8 ,sutherland table #b #j #j 8 ,low chair #j #af #f 8 ,arm-chair in rush c4 #a #b #f 8 ,walnut and rush easy chair #b #e #j ,whiteley ,two low basket chairs #a #j #j 8 ,cushions made at home #j #ab #j ,burnett ,cretonne for curtains c4 #a #aj #j ,holroyd and ,barker ,muslin for second curtains #j #aj #f ----------- #ce #ab #f ,i strongly advise in addition to this one of ,messrs4 ,trbner's excellent revolving bookcases1 of which a drawing was made in my dining-room sketch4 ,i consider no lover of books should be without one of these invaluable bookcases4 ,,best ,,bedroom4 ,bought of s4 d4 ,maple ,black and brass bedstead #c #e #j 8 ,excelsior spring mattress #b #i #j 8 ,hair mattress #c #aj #j 8 ,bolster #j #ag #f 8 ,four pillows 7#es4 each7 #a #j #j ,smee ,washing-stand #e #e #j 8 ,dressing-table and glass #e #e #j ,maple ,kidderminster square #a #ad #j ,smee ,two pretty chairs 7#es47 #j #aj #j ,maple ,box ottoman #b #ae #j ,smee ,chest of drawers #f #aj #j ,burnett ,cretonne for curtains #j #ae #j ,smee ,muslin for ditto 7#d;d47 #j #f #j ,whiteley ,fender #j #d #c 8 ,fireirons #j #c #aa ----------- #cd #i #h ,ware was in the possession of the young people1 but a nice set can be bought for #gs4 #f;d41 and even a little less2 glass jug and glass for #as4 #f;d41 at ,douglas's1 the artistic glass-shop in ,piccadilly4 ,,dressing-,,room4 ,bought of s4 d4 ,treloar ,rug on floor #j #ab #j ,whiteley ,bath #a #a #j ,watts ,dressing-table and washing-stand combined #f #e #j ,maple ,wardrobe #e #j #j 8 ,set of ware c4 #j #h #f ----------- #ac #f #f ,,spare ,,room4 ,bought of s4 d4 ,maple ,five-foot bedstead #b #e #j 8 ,excelsior mattress #b #i #j 8 ,hair mattress #c #aj #j 8 ,bolster and pillows 7#d7 #a #ag #f ,smee ,washing-stand #e #e #j 8 ,dressing-table and glass1 very deep drawers #e #e #j 8 ,two chairs 7#es47 #j #aj #j 8 ,chest of drawers #d #aj #j ,burnett ,cretonne for curtains #j #ae #j ,smee ,muslin 8 8 #j #f #j ,treloar ,kidderminster square #a #a #j ,whiteley ,fender #j #d #c 8 ,fireirons #j #c #aa 8 ,set of ware #j #e #j ----------- #bh #f #h ,,servant',s ,,room 7,,one ,,maid74 ,bought of s4 d4 ,maple ,japanned bedstead #j #ac #f 8 ,palliasse #j #f #i 8 ,mattress #j #aj #j 8 ,bolster and pillow #j #i #j 8 ,dressing-table #j #d #i 8 ,toilet-glass #j #e #j 8 ,set of ware #j #c #i 8 ,chair #j #b #j 8 ,washing-stand #j #e #j 8 ,dhurries for bedside #j #c #aj ----------- #d #e #a ,,staircase4 ,bought of s4 d4 ,shoolbred ,kalmuc stair-carpet #b #ae #j ,maple ,umbrella-stand #j #ab #j 8 ,hooks and rails for hats #j #ae #j ----------- #d #b #j ,,kitchen4 7,whiteley for all47 s4 d4 ,deal ,table #a #a #f ,two ,chairs 7#cs4 #i;d47 #j #g #f ,three cups and saucers 7#b;d47 #j #j #h ,three plates 7#b;d47 #j #j #f ,one bread-and-butter plate #j #b #d ,two bowls #j #j #d ,set of jugs #j #a #f ,bread-pan #j #a #f ,four brown jars #j #b #aa ,two pie-dishes #j #a #a ,hot-water jug #j #b #f ,slop-pail #j #d #i ,knife-tray #j #a #f ,egg-whisk #j #j #g ,fish-slice #j #j #aj ,mincing-knife #j #a #d ,sugar-tin #j #b #c ,weights and scales #j #h #aa ,pestle and mortar #j #c #c ,copper kettle #j #g #c ,two wire covers #j #a #c ,sweep's brush for stove #j #a #a ,two stove-brushes #j #c #d ,banister brush #j #b #j ,scrubbing-brushes #j #a #c ,broom #j #b #aa ,carpet-broom #j #b #aa ,knifeboard #j #a #a ,two plate-brushes #j #a #i ,plate-polisher #j #a #f ,salt-box #j #a #c ,leather #j #a #a ,housemaid's box #j #b #c ,one fork-tin #j #j #f ,colander #j #a #d ,spice-box #j #a #aa ,cake-tin #j #j #g ,tart-tins #j #j #e ,patty-pans #j #j #f ,meat-saw #j #a #aa ,meat-chopper #j #a #aa ,coalscuttle #j #d #f ,coal-hammer #j #j #aj ,coal-shovel #j #b #c ,toast-fork #j #j #f ,pepper-box #j #j #d ,tea-tray #j #a #aa ,paste jagger #j #a #aa ,two flat irons #j #a #i ,pail #j #a #d ,brass water-jug #j #e #f ,japanned can #j #e #aa ,two saucepans #j #i #f ,one saucepan #j #b #c ,one saucepan #j #a #i #8,digester' #j #ab #j ,basting-ladle #j #j #aa ,two tin moulds #j #c #f ,oval fryingpan #j #a #b ,gridiron #j #a #i ,fish-kettle #j #c #aa ,tea-kettle #j #d #aa ,knives #j #j #h ,dustpan #j #j #aj ,bread-grater #j #j #g ,gravy-strainer #j #a #j ,flour-dredger #j #j #g ,pasteboard #j #a #aa ,rolling-pin #j #a #i ,steps #j #e #c ,set of dinner-ware #a #a #j ,set of tea-ware #j #ab #f ----------- #aa #b #a ,,summary ,,of ,,all4 s4 d4 ,dining-room #ad #ad #c ,two drawing-rooms #ce #ab #j ,best bedroom #cd #i #h ,spare room #bh #f #h ,servant's room #d #e #a ,staircase #d #b #j ,kitchen things #aa #b #a ,dressing-room #ac #f #f --------------- #ade #ah #c ,besides this we spent about #el4 on blankets and odds and ends2 but all house linen was given1 and several other things4 ,however1 the above will demonstrate how it is possible to furnish a small house on #aejl41 and have for this good1 well-made furniture that will wear1 and is not mere cheap rubbish stuck together to sell1 and not meant to last4 ,to manage this satisfactorily it is necessary to keep one's eyes open and know precisely where to buy everything1 for locality makes an enormous difference1 and different shops have always some one thing cheaper than any other establishment2 and while ,whiteley will ask #as4 #d;d4 for the glass globes that cost #cs4 #f;d4 at ,shoolbred's1 ,shoolbred will sell for #cs4 #f;d4 a brass can that costs #ds4 #f;d4 or #es4 everywhere else4 ,to furnish cheaply and satisfactorily1 therefore1 one's eyes must be kept open1 and one must know exactly where to go for everything4 ,and ,i may mention here1 as a short and succinct guide1 that cretonnes are cheaper and better at ,burnett's1 ,king ,street1 ,covent ,garden1 and at ,colbourne's1 #hb ,regent ,street1 than anywhere else2 that ,maple's ,oriental rugs and carpets1 matting1 wall-papers1 and brasses are also the cheapest in the market4 ,wicker chairs are to be had at ,colbourne's for #cas4 #i;d41 painted any colour with ,aspinall's enamel1 and cushioned and covered with cretonne or printed linen2 that artistic and beautiful draperies are to ha procured at ,liberty's and ,collinson and ,lock's1 whose dearer cretonnes are unsurpassed2 that ,mr4 ,arthur ,smee's furniture is the best and most artistic1 in my opinion1 in ,london2 that ,stephens1 #cbf ,regent ,street1 has the best and cheapest ,turkish embroidered antimacassars1 and also possesses some beautiful and inexpensive materials for curtains--notably a cheap brocade that is made in exquisite colours and called ,sicilian damask2 that the brass rods and ends for windows are to be had cheaper of ,whiteley and ,colbourne than anywhere else1 and are quite as good as the more expensive makes2 artistic pottery is to be had of ,mr4 ,elliott1 #ah ,queen's ,road1 ,bayswater2 cheap chairs of ,messrs4 ,harding ,bros41 ,beaconsfield1 ,bucks2 and for all gas-fittings ,i strongly recommend ,mr4 ,strode1 #dh ,osnaburgh ,street1 ,regent's ,park1 ,n4,w4 ,i have tried all these firms for years1 and am speaking of them from experience entirely4 ,it may not be out of place in my last chapter to mention the exact cost of setting up and keeping a carriage2 for by the time my readers have come as far on their life's journey as ,i have1 they may reasonably expect to have the great comfort and luxury of a modest equipage of their own1 than which there is no greater blessing in the world1 and which ,i would rather cling to than anything else ,i possess1 and which really does not cost half as much as the constant hiring of flys and driving in cabs which are so dear to the heart of the orthodox ,british matron1 who goes on her weary round of society gaieties which she does not really enjoy1 little thinking how much happier she would be spending her money in a thousand different ways4 ,but one must keep one's carriage with common-sense1 like everything else1 and must not be under the thumb of one's coachman1 who must not be allowed for one moment to buy his own corn c41 as no class receives higher percentages than does the coachman who is allowed his own sweet will in matters appertaining to the stable4 ,a widow lady who cannot well battle with tradesmen herself had much better apply to some good firm like ,withers and ,co41 of ,oxford ,street1 who for a certain sum a year1 which varies according to the style of horse and man desired1 will provide everything1 down to a safe place for the carriages1 which can be left unhesitatingly in their charge4 ,but for a couple who desire to set up their carriage and do not quite know how to do it1 ,i think the following will be sufficient guide for them3-- ,,estimated ,,cost ,,of ,,setting ,,up ,,one ,,horse ,,and ,a ,,carriage4 s4 d4 ,good horse 7should be bought in the country if possible7 #ej #j #j ,set of good single harness 7,stores7 #g #j #j ,brushes1 leathers1 sponges1 c4 7,shoolbred7 #b #j #j ,rugs1 rollers1 c4 7,shoolbred7 #c #j #j ,brougham or victoria 7,holland and ,holland7 #age #j #j ,coachman's livery 7,goodall and ,graham1 ,conduit ,street7 #aj #aa #j ,boots--less discount 7,thierry1 ,regent ,street7 #c #j #j ,stable suit 7,goodall and ,graham7 #c #j #j ,mackintosh 7,goodall and ,graham7 #a #aj #j ,mackintosh rug 7,whiteley7 #a #aj #j ,mats 7,holland and ,holland7 #a #aj #j ,carriage rugs 7,swears and ,wells7 #c #j #j ------------ #bfa #a #f ,of course the carriage need not cost as much2 but1 if possible1 a new carriage is to be preferred to a second-hand one4 ,still1 at ,holland and ,holland's1 ,oxford ,street1 ,w41 one can often1 especially at the end of the season1 pick up a second-hand carriage very cheaply1 and at such a place as this one can be sure that no rubbish is being bought2 but sales should be avoided1 as should advertisements1 and if a second-hand carriage is necessary ,i strongly advise intending purchasers to go to ,holland and ,holland and ask them to keep their eyes open1 remembering1 likewise1 that at the end of the season one is far more likely to do a good stroke of business in this way than at any other time of the year4 ,in our climate1 if only one carriage can be kept1 a brougham is to be preferred to any other2 this makes one independent of weather entirely1 and one's garments do not become as dusty and spoiled as they invariably do in an open vehicle4 ,once the carriage is purchased1 we have to consider the cost of keeping it up1 which1 of course1 varies considerably in every locality1 but ,i think the account given below strikes the average1 and allows the outside cost of everything4 ,of course1 very often the rent of the stables is covered in the rent of the house1 which includes also a place for the coachman4 ,,estimated ,,cost ,,of ,,keeping ,,one ,,horse ,,and ,,carriage4 s4 d4 ,coachman's wages 7from #bcs4 to #bes41 say7 #fb #h #j ,livery #ac #j #j ,corn1 straw1 hay1 c4 #dj #j #j ,shoeing #c #j #j ,repairs c4 #bf #j #j ,rent of stable c4 #bj #j #j ------------ #afd #h #j #8,repairs c4' include #8depreciation1' which is calculated on #bj per cent4 of estimated value of whole1 less livery1 otherwise provided for4 ,of course1 a second horse could be added for about #djl4 a year more1 good double harness being procurable at from #ahl4 to #bjl4 ,passing from the carriage to dwell for a moment on the great dress question1 which is a most serious one in these days of ours1 ,i find ,i can really lay down no laws on this subject1 but ,i strongly advise all young brides who cannot afford a maid to learn dressmaking for themselves1 or to search out some place where1 for a reasonable cost1 the renovating of dresses and simple making can be carried on for her1 or else she will soon find herself in difficulties4 ,her under-linen in her trousseau should last her ten or twelve years at least1 and with ordinary care her trousseau dresses should1 with judicious management1 last her quite two years2 this gets over the worst part of one's life as regards pecuniary bothers1 as a rule2 but the less she can spend on dress the better1 always allowing herself enough to look nice and be tidy on4 ,a man can dress himself well on #cjl4 a year1 and a woman can do likewise on #ejl41 but this requires1 in both cases1 the most careful management1 while the average cost of a child is from #ajl4 to #ael4 ,women with small means will do much better if they confine themselves to one colour1 and would look much nicer at a far less cost if they would only purchase things to match2 but ,english people1 as a rule1 only buy things because they like them1 never considering whether they possess already any garment at home with which the new possession will harmonise or agree entirely4 ,brown and red are good colours for winter nowadays when so many people have seal-skins2 greys are good shades for summer1 the ever-useful serge and washing silks looking always delightfully cool and ladylike4 ,our book1 now rapidly coming to a conclusion1 would not be complete without one word about the #8garret'--otherwise the box-room--which1 all too often1 is a storehouse for all sorts and conditions of rubbish1 put up there in a desperate hope that1 sooner or later1 the odds and ends will come in usefully4 ,there cannot be a greater mistake than hoarding1 and ,i strongly advise my readers never to allow this to be done4 ,if one's clothes when worn out are not fit for one's poorer friends1 ,i suggest some respectable dealer should be applied to1 and that they should be sold4 ,i am aware this sounds an awful proposition to most people1 but how rarely are our dresses suitable for those who would wear cast-off raiment8 while1 if we sell them1 we can give the money in charity1 or buy pictures or flowers for our rooms4 ,still1 if this should be repugnant to the feelings of my readers1 they can always send all their rubbish to the ,kilburn ,orphanage of ,mercy1 the good sisters there being able to use to the veriest fragment all they receive1 and which does then immediate good4 ,let the box-room or garret be thoroughly turned out and investigated once every three months2 keep there all pieces of paper similar to the papers on your walls for mending purposes1 and any travelling trunks or boxes that may be wanted2 but do not accumulate rubbish of any kind4 ,even sentimental rubbish should be destroyed at once2 when we die it will be done by hands which are not as tender as ours are1 and no good is done by hoarding all sorts and kinds of letters and flowers1 or even babies' first shoes4 ,they may mean life itself to us2 they will be nothing but the veriest rubbish to our successors4 ,standing as it were in the garret1 our long work of revising and writing this book at last drawing to a conclusion1 and feeling sad1 as one always feels when parting with an occupation that has been on one's mind for many a month1 ,i should like to say a few words on that saddest of all subjects1 a death in the house--only a few words2 but a house that has never known a death is indeed an almost impossible thing to contemplate1 and so our record would not be complete without this4 ,thank ,heaven1 we look out with brighter eyes on the other country than did our ancestors1 but we have still many customs to leave off1 many others we could adopt with benefit from the relics of past days4 ,i would advocate great cheerfulness about our dead4 ,they should never be left alone1 and candles and bright flowers should fill the room2 where1 had ,i my way1 the blessed sunshine should stream in always1 gloom should be discouraged1 and the service with its music and the coloured pall should suggest not our grief but the gain of those who1 even to the agnostic of the period1 appear at rest1 and can most certainly never weary or hunger any more2 while to us who hope to look beyond these shadows their happiness should overshadow our grief entirely4 ,still1 whichever way we look on the silence that surrounds our little life1 there are certain things that ,i would urge on the survivors4 ,let all the personal linen and garments of the dead friend be at once sent to ,kilburn1 or to ,miss ,hinton's1 ,a4 ,f4 ,d4 ,society1 #d ,york ,place1 ,clifton4 ,these garments are distributed at once among the families of poor clergymen1 and so immediately benefit a most deserving class4 ,do not permit any hoarding 7,i once knew a whole valuable wardrobeful of clothes consumed by the moth1 because the widow's feelings did not allow of the garments being disturbed1 though they were not too acute to prevent her becoming engaged to be married before the year was out72 and1 above all1 burn all letters that may be left unread2 this will save endless mischief1 and should be done at once4 ,no one knows who may be the next to depart and be no more seen1 and so this should not be delayed any longer than is possible4 ,it is far better to do these things at once4 ,if we close the room in which our beloved have passed away1 and think time will enable us to face the task with more boldness1 we shall find we are grievously mistaken2 the longer we put it off the worse it will be1 and we shall not forget them any quicker because their own possessions have been given to those who can benefit by them4 ,each thing in life should always be in use2 hoarding of any kind in a garret is useless1 and wicked too4 ,and now ,i have come to the last hint1 ,i think1 ,i have to give my young householders4 ,of course1 the subject is practically inexhaustible1 and enlarges itself for one every day we live2 but ,i have given you all my own experience up to the present date1 and if it should save one young couple the mistakes ,i made in my first start in life1 or give them the help ,i should have been so glad of myself twenty years ago1 ,i shall feel ,i have not spent my time in vain2 while let no one despise the homely subject1 for it is our first duty in life to try and make our homes so bright and beautiful and pleasant that they may shed radiance on all in their immediate neighbourhood1 setting the example that is worth so very much precept1 and be like good deeds1 #8shining like a candle in this naughty world4' ,let love1 beauty1 carefulness1 and economy rule your lives1 ,o young householders6 and then you will find that life is the most interesting thing possible1 and is always1 to the very last day of it1 well worth the trouble of living4 ,,index4 ,absurd arrangement of our houses1 #aga1 #agb ,account book1 leaf from an1 #bd ,accounts1 #bc-be ,a4 ,f4 ,d4 ,society1 ,miss ,hinton's1 #bca ,afternoon teas1 #bji1 #baj ,airing bedroom1 #aae1 #aaf -- beds1 #aaf -- nursery1 #agj #8,allowancing' servants1 #aed ,american cloth1 #gg ,angelina's bedroom1 #ajc -- private duster1 #abe -- wardrobe1 #aba ,antimacassars1 #gd -- ,stephens'1 #bbg -- ,turkish1 #hd ,a place for everything1 #abi ,apple shape1 #bbj ,arm-chair1 #fb-fd ,arm-chairs1 ,colbourne's1 #fb -- tapestry for covering1 ,maple's1 #fb ,arsenic in wall-paper1 #fi ,art and the bitter lot of the poor1 #g -- colours1 #g -- furniture1 #g ,artistic corners1 #hd ,aspinall's paint1 #fh1 #gf ,babies1 baths for1 #ahi -- clothing1 #ahe1 #ahf -- cow's milk for1 #afc -- garments1 #ahe -- special theories about1 #afb ,babies1 their berceaunettes1 #agj1 #aga1 #agc1 #agd ,baby-talk1 stupid1 #agb ,back of piano exposed1 remedy for1 #hf1 #hg ,baker ,street vases1 #gg ,bamboo brackets 7,liberty's1 and at ,baker ,street ,bazaar71 #ge ,basket chairs1 #gd ,baskets for soiled linen1 palm-leaved1 #aba ,bath and bath blankets1 #ach1 #aci ,beaconsfield chairs1 #ge1 #acb ,beaufort ware1 #abf ,beautiful things1 making them common1 #g ,bed airing1 #aae -- gowns1 #ahh -- making1 #ajc -- pocket1 #aaf ,bedroom brackets1 #abj -- carpet1 #ajc1 #ajd -- chairs1 #aca -- cupboards1 #ajf-ajg -- curtains1 #ajg -- door fittings1 #ajg -- match-boxes1 #aaf -- paper1 #df1 #aje1 #ajf1 #ajg1 #ajh -- -- colour for1 #ajd1 #ajf -- screen1 #aab -- ware1 #abf -- windows1 muslin for1 #ib -- -- too many1 #d ,bedrooms1 #d1 #e -- colour for1 #ajc -- papering ceilings of1 #ajg ,beds for servants1 #aeb ,bedside1 table near1 #aaf ,bedstead1 brass or iron1 the best1 #aac -- wooden1 #aab ,beef1 cold1 #bh -- olives1 #bbj ,beer1 #be ,beginning housekeeping1 #be1 #bf ,bellows for dining-room1 #fh ,benson's lamps1 #ajb ,berceaunettes1 #agc1 #agd #8,berry' paper1 #df ,bills1 regular payment of1 #bj1 #bb1 #bc ,biscuit-box1 #cd ,black-lead1 #he ,blankets1 ,witney1 #aad ,blinds and their rollers1 doing away with1 #ia1 #ie ,blue and white paper for bachelor's spare room1 ,chappel ,payne's1 #aea ,boarding-school plan a mistake1 #bjd ,bohemian ware1 #ca ,boiled rabbit1 #bh ,bolton sheeting1 #ahh ,bookcase1 bedroom1 #acc -- velveteen cover1 #gc ,bookcases1 revolving ,american1 #gb1 #gc ,books for spare rooms1 #adg1 #adh ,boudoir1 spare room made into1 #adb ,bow-windowed villas1 window-seats in1 #ei1 #ib ,bow-windows1 curtains for1 #ib1 #ic ,box 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