loosens the dirt. Next day, wash the fine clothes first, and then rub
them again in a second suds, turning all wrong side out. Put them in
a bag and boil them half an hour, and no more. Then rinse them in
a plenty of water and throw them into the bluing water. The nicest
washers use two rinse waters before the bluing water. Starch those to
be stiffened, and bang them out. Then wash the common white clothes,
then the calicoes, then the flannels.
Never leave calicoes long damp, or standing in water; do not wash them
in very hot water, and when the water looks dingy, change it or they
will look dirty. Never rub on soap, but mix it in the water so as not
to have any lumps, and use hard soap. Never let calicoes freeze in
drying, and dry them wrong side out and in a shady place. All these
cautions are needful to preserve the colours. Wash flannels in two
suds, as hot as the hand can bear, and rinse in a hot suds. If not very
dirty, two hot suds will answer.
If they are to be blued, then the rinse water must not be suds, as it
makes the bluing go on in specks. Never put flannels in any but very
hot water. Starch and shake them before hanging out.
_Soda Washing._
This mode saves just _one half_ the work done by the common mode.
Make the soap thus: Boil six pounds of common soda with six pounds of
bar soap in thirty quarts of water two hours. Then let it grow cool,
and set it away for use.
In washing, put one pound of this soap to each pailful of water. After
soaking the white clothes in lukewarm water over night, boil them in
this mixture one hour _and no more_, or they will be injured. Then
take them into a tub of cold water, and proceed just as you do in the
common mode after you take them out of the boil. That is, rinse them
in one or two waters and put them in blue water. The boiling in this
mixture saves the rubbing in two suds, which is the common mode. If
there are spots very much soiled, put on soap and rub them in the first
rinse water. Flannels and calicoes cannot be washed thus. The mixture
can be used twice or thrice, and then is good to wash floors with.
Always wring clothes very dry the last time.
_On Sprinkling, Folding and Ironing._
Wipe the dust from the ironing board or table. Take lukewarm water and
sprinkle all the articles, laying the coloured ones separately and the
fine ones by themselves. Turn each article right side out. Fold and
roll each piece separately, putting the fine ones in a towel and laying
all in a basket, separating the white and coloured ones by a towel. Do
not let the coloured clothes be damp long, but wait till you can iron
them as soon after folding as will answer. Shake, stretch and fold
the sheets and table linen. Iron all lace and needle work on the wrong
side. Iron calicoes with an iron not very hot. Frocks are to be ironed
thus; first the waist, then the sleeves, and then hang them on a chair,
and iron the skirt. Keep the skirt rolled, while ironing the waist and
sleeves.
Shirts are ironed thus; first the back, then the sleeves, then the
collar and bosom, then the front. Iron stockings on the wrong side.
Wipe the dust from the clothes frame before putting on the clothes, and
remove the clothes as soon as aired, to save them from smoke or flies.
_Other Kitchen Work._
Be careful to keep your sink in order by frequent scalding. Keep a slop
pail at hand to receive all refuse matter. Always keep a kettle of warm
soft water over the fire.
Be very careful to _wash dishes_ properly, as this is a matter very
often done amiss. I will tell you how those persons do this kind of
work, who are ranked as the best domestics.
In the first place, they always keep a good supply of dish cloths.
They have at least three in daily use, one for dishes that are not
greasy, one for greasy dishes, and one for pots and kettles. These are
put in the wash every week, and clean ones taken in their place. This
prevents the musty, greasy smell that dish water so often leaves on
dishes and dish towels.
When a large number of dishes are to be washed, they have two dish
pans, one for hot suds and one for rinsing; also an old waiter, on
which to drain the dishes when taken out of the rinsing water.
They also keep their suds hot and change it often. Before washing the
dishes, they scrape all the plates and dishes clean and set them in
regular piles, the largest at the bottom. Then they wash the glass,
silver and other metal dishes first, wiping them while hot and rubbing
them till bright and clear. Then they wash the dishes not greasy; and
then take another dish cloth and wash the greasy dishes, rinsing them
before putting them to drain. They keep two or three towels in use, so
as to lay one aside when it becomes wet. One towel is usually kept for
the dishes that are not greasy. Last of all, they take another dish
cloth, and getting fresh water, wash the roasters, gridiron, pots and
kettles. The metals they dry by the fire before setting away. For the
nicest dishes, a swab made of stripes of linen tied to a stick like a
small mop, is very convenient, and saves the hands from the hot water.
Be very careful to keep the cellar clean. Decayed vegetables in a
cellar always endanger the health of a family. Many terrible fevers and
epidemics have been caused by storing vegetables in cellars and leaving
them to send out the poisonous gas that is always exhaled when they
decay. Always remove any vegetables when they begin to decay. Watch the
barrels of salt food to see that the meat keeps under the brine.
_Care of Lamps._
This matter demands far more care and neatness than is generally
bestowed. This is the way I have seen it managed by those most neat and
careful. An old waiter is provided to hold all the articles used, the
oil pot has a small turned-up nose that will not drip and is set on a
plate, the wick yarn is kept in a basket and _sharp_ scissors are kept
for trimming. Great pains is taken to keep all the articles free from
oil, and the rags and towels used are frequently washed and changed.
After all the lamps are done, each lamp is carefully examined to see
if it is _secured_ properly, and _wiped entirely clean_. Then every
article used is made so clean and nice that no smell of oil will be
caused by using them next time. Some housekeepers always do this job
themselves, because they cannot get persons who will do it carefully.
Nothing makes work go off so easily as having some _system_ in doing
it. Where the mistress of the family does not arrange your work, always
try to have some plan yourself. For example, have a particular day of
the week for doing particular kinds of work, and _go by the clock_ as
much as you can.
On Friday or Saturday, see that your cellar, closets, pantry, are all
in order. See also that you have a supply of holders, dish cloths, and
all the articles you need for washing and ironing. If you will devote
one day each week to examining every department and putting all in
order, you will save much time and trouble.
_On the Care of Parlours and Chambers._
In sweeping the nicest parlours, it is common to cover the tables,
books, sofas and chimney ornaments with old sheets. Then cleanse the
fireplace and hearth and jambs. Then sweep the carpet. It saves a
carpet very much to have a very large flat tin dust pan, with a handle
a yard long, fixed straight up, so it will stand alone. This can be
moved about without stooping, and much of the dirt swept into it with
the broom, instead of sweeping all across the carpet. This saves much
dust as well as wearing of the carpet.
After the dust settles, dust the articles with old silk handkerchiefs
and feather brushes. Use a painter’s brush for dusting ledges. Shake
and wash your dust cloths often, or they get filled with dust and soil
the walls and furniture.
In dusting, be careful not to rub your duster against the wall.
Set all the furniture straight and in regular order—never leave the
chairs standing awry, as if dancing a jig with each other. Make them
square with the wall. When doing chamber work, observe the following
directions about making a bed.
_To make a bed._
Open the windows, lay off the bed covering on two chairs at the foot,
and let the bed air some time before making it. When ready to make it,
shake the feathers from each corner into the middle, then take up the
middle part and shake it well, then push about the feathers and turn
the bed over. Then push the feathers so as to make the head a little
higher than the foot, and the sides as high as the middle part. Then
put on the bolster, and then the undersheet so that the _marking_ shall
be at the head, and the _right side_ of the sheet _upward_, tucking
in all around. Then place the pillows so that the open ends shall be
at the sides of the bed. Then spread on the upper sheet so that the
_marking_ shall be at the head, and the _right side downward_. This
arrangement of the sheets is designed to prevent the part where the
feet lie from being turned so as to come to the face, and to prevent
also the parts soiled by the body from touching the bed tick and
blankets. Then put on the other covering, tucking in all except the
outside one. Then smooth the cover and draw the hand along the side of
the pillows, to make an even indentation. When the pillow cases are
smooth and clean, hem over the upper sheet, and put them on the outside.
* * * * *
Sweep clean under beds, and remove all articles that can be moved, so
as to sweep behind them. Wash the bowl and pitcher and tumbler on the
wash stand every day. Once a week, scald all the vessels used in a
chamber. Dust the doors, ledges, window sashes, and every article of
furniture.
Never allow yourself to look in boxes or drawers, as it is a temptation
to honesty, besides, being contrary to the wish of employers. Never
allow yourself to take the most trifling article that belongs to
another. Nothing is more important to a domestic than a character
for _honesty_, and nothing grows so fast as habits of dishonesty.
If you will steal needles, thread, pins, cord, or tapes, you will
soon take more valuable things. And it is not the value of the thing
taken which makes it an act of theft. Stealing is “_taking or using
any thing that belongs to another, without evidence that the owner is
willing_.” And no matter how small the thing is, it is theft, as much
as if it were greater. And it is not the harm done to another that is
most to be feared, it is the injury done _to yourself_ in forming a
habit of dishonesty, and thus searing your conscience, and ruining your
character. Always remember that you are committing a sin, when you are
handling or using any thing that belongs to another, if you would be
unwilling to have the owner suddenly appear and see you doing it.
LETTER XVIII.
The Way to be Happy.
My Friends:
Before concluding this little book, I will attempt to make one thing
plain to you, which often puzzles many minds. From the pulpit, and in
many other ways, you are often urged to become religious. And this duty
is spoken of in a great variety of ways, so that there is a perplexity
and difficulty in knowing exactly what it is that you are urged to
do. You are sometimes urged “to become religious,” to “become pious,”
to “become Christians;” at other times you are told, that you must
“repent;” that you must “be converted;” must “submit to God;” must
be “born again;” must have “a new heart;” must “believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ;” must have “faith in Christ.” I have no doubt but that
you sometimes feel, that you do not exactly understand what you are
required to do, and that if any one would explain the matter so that
you knew exactly _what to do_, you should be willing to do it. Now this
is what I am going to attempt, and I think I can make it clear by a
simple illustration.
Suppose a long and lingering sickness should suddenly appear in the
place where you live, and the nurses and physicians could find no cure
for it. At length a man appears who claims, that all who will come to
him and obey his prescriptions, will be cured. Some say they believe
in him, and some say they do not.—Some say they have faith in him, and
some say they have not. Some come to him and get his directions, and
obey them exactly; some do not even ask his advice; others ask for
it, and when it is written out, lay it up in a drawer and never use
it. Now, in this case, who are the persons who really believe in him,
and really have faith in him? Surely it is not those who _say_ they
_believe_ in him, it is only those who go to him, take his advice, and
to the best of their understanding, _obey it_.
Now, suppose all who really obeyed his advice were healed, and then
others who had neglected and despised him, should come to them, and
ask what they should do, to be cured of that sickness. A variety of
answers would be given. It would be said, you must “turn and repent”
of your past neglect—you must “submit” to this physician—you must
“believe” in this physician—you must “have faith” in this physician.
All these directions mean the same thing, that is, you must come to the
physician for his directions, and then _you must obey them_. Merely
believing that his prescriptions are good, or going to get them,
without obeying them, is “faith without works, which is dead, being
alone.”
Now this illustrates exactly the state of things in this world. God
has created us _to be happy_, and this is the great aim of all his
dealings with us. But the only way for us to be happy is, to form
that holy, benevolent, self-denying character which Christ came to
exhibit on earth. Such a character as this, none of us have, when we
are born. On the contrary, we all form habits of living merely to seek
our own selfish enjoyments. Young children find it hard to practise
any self-denial, even for their own good, and we all find it hard to
practise self-denial for the good of others. And yet, submission of the
will to God, and self-denial in securing our own good, and in doing
good to others, are habits that are indispensable to our present and
eternal happiness.
Now, Jesus Christ came into the world to save it from that long,
lingering disease, which will certainly end in eternal death, if not
remedied before we leave this world. And he comes to creatures, who
have long been living in entire neglect of his advice and requirements,
and in his holy word, he teaches them how to be healed.
You now can understand that all the directions given, mean one and
the same thing. We become Christians when we submit to Christ as our
Lord, and set out to obey his commands. And the terms “to become pious”
and “to become religious,” mean the same thing. We “repent” when we
are sorry for past neglect, and show that we are sorry by our future
obedience. To be “converted” means to be “turned about,” and this is
done when we cease to neglect the directions of Christ and begin to
obey them. To be “born again” means, to come into a new state of being,
and this is true of us, when we cease to live for ourselves and begin
to live for Christ. We “submit to God” when we take Jesus Christ as
our Lord and Master, and submit our will in all things to his. When we
are much engaged in any thing, we say we “give our _whole heart_ to
it,” and when we cease to give the feelings of our hearts to our own
pleasures, and become most interested in pleasing Christ, then we have
“a new heart,” that is, our chief interest is entirely changed. We were
most interested in pleasing ourselves, but now we are most interested
in doing the will of Christ. So we “believe in Christ,” and “have
faith” in him, when we not only seek to know his will, but earnestly
endeavor _to do it_.
So you perceive, my friends, there is no real confusion or difficulty
in this matter. You can all of you begin, _this very day_, to be the
followers of Jesus Christ, and thus to walk in that path, which secures
true peace in this life, and eternal happiness beyond the grave. I
hope, therefore, if you have not done it before, that you will, this
very day, take the Bible, which contains the directions of Christ, and
go to your room and resolve to _begin immediately_ to serve Christ, and
pray to him to help you to persevere. And then every day, go alone and
read in this blessed book, and pray for help in trying to conform all
your conduct to it. This is the way to _begin_ to be a Christian, and
keeping on thus, and improving every day more and more, is the way “to
grow in grace.”
But you will ask, perhaps, Can I convert myself? Is it not the Holy
Spirit that changes the heart? To this I reply: No, you cannot convert
yourselves, and it is the Spirit of God that changes the heart. All
your determinations, and good resolutions, and continued efforts would
be of no avail, without the help of God’s Spirit. But _you_ have got
one part to do, and the Bible teaches us thus, on this point: “_Work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God_ that
worketh in you _to will and to do_, of his own good pleasure.”
This then is our great encouragement to begin to do _our_ part, and
to keep on in our efforts to obey Christ. We are not left to our own
unaided efforts.—While we are working out our own salvation, God is
working in us “to will and to do,” and this is our grand hope for
success in our efforts. But perhaps you will think, that you must
wait till you feel some great distress of mind, and have convictions
of sin, and such other feelings as you do not find in your own mind.
But, my friends, there is no need of waiting for _any thing_. Many
persons begin to be Christians, without any such previous anxiety and
distress. Begin, then, this very day to serve Christ by “denying all
ungodliness.” If you are inclined to be careless, or to be fretful, or
to be indolent, or to be heedless and forgetful, these are the points
where you are to begin to “take up your cross” and follow after Christ.
It costs us a good deal of self-denial, when we have careless habits,
to cure them, or when we are irritable and fretful, to become meek and
patient, or when we are indolent, to become industrious, or when we are
negligent and forgetful, to become thoughtful and attentive. And it is
in all such matters that Jesus Christ prescribes to us, “Deny thyself
_daily_, and take up thy cross and follow me.”
And we are very apt to undervalue our opportunities of doing good
to others, and to forget that we can imitate Christ by “going about
_doing good_.” The domestic who sets a good example to young children,
and by words and acts helps to form their character aright, or who by
her labours in the kitchen is contributing to the daily comfort of a
household, and aiding the wife and mother to make a happy home to her
husband, and to train up her children aright, she surely has a right to
feel that she can imitate Christ by “going about doing good.”
Let us then, my friends, set about the duties of the lot our Saviour
has appointed us, daily “looking unto him” as our pattern, our guide,
and our Lord; daily praying to him for his help and protection, and
then when he, who is Master of all the families of earth, shall appear,
each of us shall hear his voice saying, “Well done, good and faithful
servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
Transcriber’s Notes
Variations in spelling and hyphenation remain as in the original.
The following corrections have been made to the original text.
Page 11: soon reached the[original has “t e”] ears
Page 16: on them by the benevolent[original has “enevolent”]
king
Page 37: become lazy,[comma missing in original]
ignorant[original has “gnorant”] and vicious
Page 62: twelve or fourteen[original has “orf ourteen”] hours
of hard labour
Page 63: and it is[original has “it s”] becoming more and more
Page 73: become a neat[original has “eat”], industrious
Page 83: always secured for her[original has “he”] if possible
Page 85: way of raising the respectability[original has
“respectablity”] of your employment
Page 85: never will be withheld[original has “witheld”]
Page 93: Eccles. 5:[original has a period] 19
Page 93: and setteth up kings.”[quotation mark missing in
original] Dan. 4:[original has a period] 32
Page 134: shoot them and put an[original has “and”] end
Page 138: when this occurs a[original has extraneous comma]
warning
Page 175: good plan to have a particular[original has
“particalar”] evening
Page 185: you should try not to[original has “to to”] forget
next time
Page 185: Always encourage[original has “enconrage”] them to
try again
Page 189: would come down the[“the” missing in original] chimney
Page 190: labouring, and wearing out its[original has “ts”]
strength
Page 196: all he has to feed the[original has “the the”] poor
Page 207: cut the slices three quarters of an[original has
“and”] inch
Page 208: too small for his care and attention.[period missing
in original]
Page 221: Where the mistress[original has misress] of the
family does not arrange your work, always try[original has
“alwaystry”] to have
Page 225: not the value of[original has “o”] the thing