Household hints

The Use of Varnish. — No one knows until she has tried it how much she may change the aspect of things about the house by using a little varnish. On a sunshiny day take the old chairs and tables out on the porch or by an open door, and after thoroughly dusting and wiping off with a damp cloth, apply a thin coat of varnish, and so cover up scratches and marred spots of all kinds. It will dry in a short time, and you will be surprised to see how much good you have done. A flannel cloth, with a very little linseed oil, is good to rub furniture with ; but the greatest care must be exercised to prevent any oil being left on the wood to attract dust. It must be rubbed until you would not know, except by the improved appearance, that any oil had been used. Coach varnish, which is heavier than the ordinary kind used on furniture, will make old oil-cloths look as good as new. Wash and wipe before applying the varnish. Be careful not to step on them until they are dry. If this is done every spring, the oil-cloths will last twice as long as they will without it. One Way to Use a Slate — A common slate, such as schoolchildren use, makes a good background to paint upon. If you choose one that has a frame, paint it some color which will harmonize well with the painting on the slate. I saw a bouquet of field daisies and grasses on one, and the effect was very pretty. To Make Hard Water Soft. — Fill the wash-boiler or tank with hard water ; then put half a teacupful of wood-ashes into a woolen bag ; cover this with cotton cloth to prevent ashes sifting out ; let this lie in the water until that is warm enough to use. Planting Flower Seeds. — ^A good way to plant seeds which you wish to take particularly good care of is to take a. turnip, cut it in halves, scrape out the shell, then fill with earth and plant the seeds. When the time comes to put the plants outdoors, dig a hole in the flower-bed large enough to set the turnip in. It will rot in a short time, and your plants will thrive by not having the tender roots disturbed. Lining for Stair Carpets. — It is a common practice to use bits of old carpet as a lining for stair carpets, but a much better way is to take strips of an old bed-quilt, have them not quite the width of the staircase, wash and dry first, then put smoothly over the stairs, tacking in a few places. It is softer than old carpet, and will not wear the outer one nearly so much. Of course, this is a hint for those who can not afford the nice linings that are made on purpose. Coverings for Closet Floors.— Do not put carpets in your closets ; oil-cloth or matting is much better, and can be easily kept free from dust. Matting, after being swept, should be wiped with a damp cloth. Hot salt and water will thoroughly cleanse it, and will not discolor it. If one could afford to do it, it would be a healthful plan to lay aside the carpets of sleeping-rooms during the summer, and substitute the cool, fresh mattings. A great many people laugh in a somewhat scornful way at any new suggestion relating to matters of health ; they think the old tried ways of doing things are best, without much regard to their results. In nothing are ignorance and narrow-mindedness more plainly shown than in this. ^^ People didn't use to be so afraid of their drinking water, and of glucose and such things, till these chemists and scientific men said so much about them," one man remarked to another. ^^I never pay any attention to 'em,'* was the reply, in a tone which settled the question, and precluded all possibility of discussion. Coal- Ashes Good to Scour with. — The fine, soft coalashes which are found in the pipe in the spring, and which sift under the pan, will clean and brighten tin -ware. Take a piece of old flannel, dip lightly into soft soap.