Household hints

Home-made Work-Baskets, — Pretty little work-baskets may be made of — what do you think ? the paper pails used to carry oysters home from the market in ! I saw one a few days ago ; it was lined with pale pink silk, the soft silk used for linings. The silk was turned over the outer edge and shirred around it. The wire handle was taken off, and a narrow strip of canvas used in place of it. This was covered with silk and ornamented with a tiny bow. On each side of the pail was pasted a pretty picture. One Would not guess of what the basket was made. Hair Receivers, — The little Japanese parasols, which can be bought for four or five cents, make very pretty hair receivers. Open them about half their extent ; if necessary to make them stay half open, catch them with a few stitches. Put a loop of ribbon around the handle and hang them up. Shaving Cases, — The prettiest shaving cases I have ever seen are made by using for a foundation little Japanese paper fans. Cover the fan with silk or silesia, or combine ; cut a piece of pasteboard the size of the fan, and, as this is to be the outside of the case, cover it with silk or satin, trim the edge with narrow lace or with plaited ribbon, ornament it with a bow, or paint a spray of flowers on it, or put on neatly a pretty transfer picture, or an initial, according to the means and .taste of the maker. Fasten the paper leaves which may be pinked to the fan part, and then put on the cover, catching it with silk to the upper part of the fan near the handle. Put a loop of ribbon or chenille at the end of the handle to hang it up by. This is an acceptable gift for a gentleman. Worm Remedy, — One of the simplest and best remedies to be given to children, if they are troubled with worms, is poplar bark. A well-known physician has used this for years with marked success. It can be bought at any drug store, and a little paper, costing five cents, will often prevent sickness, and possibly save a large doctor's bill. If a child looks white around the mouth, with flushed cheeks and bad breath, it is safe to infer that he is afflicted with worms. I take a little pinch of the bark, about as much as one would naturally take up on the point of a penknife, and give it before breakfast ; it has a clean, bitter taste, and there is no difficulty in getting a child to take it if you explain what it is for. A good way to regulate a child's stomach and bowels is to give him a little bowl of oatmeal and milk every day, for breakfast or dinner ; see that it is well salted, as salt promotes digestion. The ailments of a child who is in a normal condition almost always proceed from the stomach, and much may be done for our children by paying some attention to their diet, and so avoid giving medicine as much as possible. " My little boy eats everything just the same as the rest of us — coffee and tea and all," said a lady to me, with an air of pride and satisfaction. Now my little boy did not eat everything, and never tasted of coffee or tea, and at the age of six years he was a perfectly healthy child, and full half a head taller than the sallow, dyspeptic little fellow who ate everything. Washing Towels. — Towels with handsome, bright borders should never be boiled, or allowed to lie in very hot water ; they should not be used till they are so much soiled that they need vigorous rubbing to make them clean. It is better economy to use more towels than to wear out a few in a short time. A gentle rubbing in two suds, and then conscientious rinsing in warm water and then in cold, ought to be all that is required. How to Polish a Stove Easily, — If a little vinegar or some cider is mixed with stove-polish it will not take much rubbing to make the stove bright, and the blacking is not likely to fly off in fine dust.