and brushes long and short, whisk-broom, feather and other dusters, should have one fixed place, and be returned to it after ever}^ using. If oil-cloth is on halls or passages, it should be washed weekly with warm milk and water, a quart of skim-milk to a pail of water being sufficient. Never use soap or scrubbing-brush, as they destroy both color and texture. All brass or silver-plated work about fire-place, door- knobs, or bath-room faucets, should be cleaned once a week and before sweeping. For silver, rub first with powdered whiting moistened with a little alcohol or hot water. Let it dry on, and then polish with a dr}' chamois- skin. If there is any intricate work, use a small tooth- brush. Whiting, silver-soap, cloths, chamois, and brushes should all be kept in a box together. In another may be the rotten-stone necessary for cleaning brass, a small bottle of oil, and some woolen cloths. Old merino or flan- nel under- wear makes excellent rubbing- cloths. Mix the rotten-stone with enough oil to make a paste ; rub on with one cloth, and polish with another. Thick gloves can be worn, and all staining of the hands avoided. The bedrooms and the necessar}^ dail}'^ sweeping finished, a look mto cellar and store-rooms is next in order, — in the former, to see that no decaying vegetable matter is allowed to accumulate ; in the latter, that bread-jar or boxes are dry and sweet, and all stores in good condition. Where there are servants, it should be understood that the mistress makes this daily progress. Fifteen minutes or half an hour will often cover the time consumed ; but it should be a fixed duty never omitted. A look into the refrige- rator or meat-safe to note what is left and suggest the best use for it ; a glance at towels and dish-cloths to see that 44 THE BAY'S WORK. all are clean and sweet, and another under all sinks and into each pantry, — will prevent the accumulation of bones and stra}^ bits of food and dirty rags, the paradise of the cockroach, and delight of mice and rats. A servant, if honest, will soon welcome such investigation, and respect her mistress the more for insisting upon it, and, if not, may better find other quarters. One strong temptation to dishonesty is removed where such inspection is certain, and the weekl}^ bills will be less than in the house where mat- ters are left to take care of themselves. The preparation of dinner if at or near the middle of the day, and the dish-washing which follows, end the heaviest portion of the daj-'s work ; and the same order must be followed. Only an outline can be given ; each famil}^ demanding variations in detail, and each head of a family in time building up her own system. Eemember, however, that, if but one servant is kept, she can not do ever}^ thing, and that your own brain must constantly sup- plement her deficiencies, until training and long practice have made your methods familiar. Even then she is likely at any moment to leave, and the battle to begin over again ; and the onty safeguard in time of such dis- aster is personal knowledge as to simplest methods of doing the work, and inexhaustible patience in training the next applicant, finding comfort in the thought, that, if your own home has lost, that of some one else is b}^ so much the gainer. FIBES, LIGHTS, AND THINGS TO WOBK WITH, 45 CHAPTER V. FIRES, LIGHTS, AND THINGS TO TATORK WITH.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

and brushes long and short, whisk-broom, feather and other dusters, should have one fixed place, and be returned to it after ever}^ using. If oil-cloth is on halls or passages, it should be washed weekly with warm milk and water, a quart of skim-milk to a pail of water being sufficient. Never use soap or scrubbing-brush, as they destroy both color and texture. All brass or silver-plated work about fire-place, doorknobs, or bath-room faucets, should be cleaned once a week and before sweeping. For silver, rub first with powdered whiting moistened with a little alcohol or hot water. Let it dry on, and then polish with a dr}' chamoisskin. If there is any intricate work, use a small toothbrush. Whiting, silver-soap, cloths, chamois, and brushes should all be kept in a box together. In another may be the rotten-stone necessary for cleaning brass, a small bottle of oil, and some woolen cloths. Old merino or flannel under- wear makes excellent rubbing- cloths. Mix the rotten-stone with enough oil to make a paste ; rub on with one cloth, and polish with another. Thick gloves can be worn, and all staining of the hands avoided. The bedrooms and the necessary dail}'^ sweeping finished, a look mto cellar and store-rooms is next in order, — in the former, to see that no decaying vegetable matter is allowed to accumulate ; in the latter, that bread-jar or boxes are dry and sweet, and all stores in good condition. Where there are servants, it should be understood that the mistress makes this daily progress. Fifteen minutes or half an hour will often cover the time consumed ; but it should be a fixed duty never omitted. A look into the refrigerator or meat-safe to note what is left and suggest the best use for it ; a glance at towels and dish-cloths to see that 44 THE BAY'S WORK. all are clean and sweet, and another under all sinks and into each pantry, — will prevent the accumulation of bones and stray bits of food and dirty rags, the paradise of the cockroach, and delight of mice and rats. A servant, if honest, will soon welcome such investigation, and respect her mistress the more for insisting upon it, and, if not, may better find other quarters. One strong temptation to dishonesty is removed where such inspection is certain, and the weekl}^ bills will be less than in the house where matters are left to take care of themselves. The preparation of dinner if at or near the middle of the day, and the dish-washing which follows, end the heaviest portion of the daj-'s work ; and the same order must be followed. Only an outline can be given ; each famil}^ demanding variations in detail, and each head of a family in time building up her own system. Eemember, however, that, if but one servant is kept, she can not do ever}^ thing, and that your own brain must constantly supplement her deficiencies, until training and long practice have made your methods familiar. Even then she is likely at any moment to leave, and the battle to begin over again ; and the only safeguard in time of such disaster is personal knowledge as to simplest methods of doing the work, and inexhaustible patience in training the next applicant, finding comfort in the thought, that, if your own home has lost, that of some one else is b}^ so much the gainer. FIBES, LIGHTS, AND THINGS TO WOBK WITH, 45 CHAPTER V. FIRES, LIGHTS, AND THINGS TO WORK WITH.

The easiest way in housekeeping and cooking