family's peace or of the housekeeper's best self, is the worst sort of an
investment. You, the woman, are of vastly more importance than your
surroundings. If you feel yourself becoming a mere drudge, if your family
is growing away from you mentally, if your nerves are weakening under a
fetish of cleanliness, get time to read.

226. To Keep Flooring in Place.--Strips of moulding may be tacked around
the edges of a room at the baseboard, so as to cover the edge of oilcloth
or linoleum. This holds the floor covering in place and prevents dust from
getting beneath it.

227. Light Colored Wall Paper.--Light colored wall paper may be cleaned by
a careful rubbing with a very clean rubber of the kind which artists use.
If the spot cleaned seems lighter than the surrounding color it may be
toned down by a gentle rubbing with a clean chamois skin.

228. To Keep Canary Seed Away from Mice.--If there are any mice in the
house, the best way to keep the canary from being robbed of its food is to
empty the contents of a cardboard box of bird seed into a quart preserve
jar and cover with a screw top.

[880 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

229. Convenient Scrub Bucket.--The most convenient scrub bucket is light,
and is made of galvanized iron with a wide flaring top. The bucket is to
be fitted with a wire soap tray on the outside, for often the soap is
wasted while floating in the water if there is no convenient place to put
it, while scrubbing. Holes can be punctured in the bucket and the wire
tray fastened on with a heavy cord or a pliable wire,

230. Fruit Stains on Table Linen.--Fruit stains on table linen should be
taken out before the cloth is put in the wash tub. Soap and water will set
the stains.

231. Wicker Furniture.--Do not scrub your unpainted wicker furniture with
soap and water, as it will turn it yellow and ruin its looks. Instead, try
scrubbing it with a strong solution of salt water. If you have pieces that
are so shabby that they must either be painted or thrown away, try the
salt water treatment first. Scrub well and put in the sun and air and dry
quickly.

232. Removing Dirt from Carpet.--Of all the ways to remove dirt from a
carpet, the worst is by the use of the ordinary short brush which involves
the housemaid's kneeling down in the dust.

233. How to Preserve the Household Broom.--The ordinary household broom
will last twice as long, if care is taken of it, as it will if it is just
used anyhow. When it is new, be