he housemaid
will probably be required to assist her mistress to undress and put her
dress in order for the morrow; in which case her duties are very much
those of the lady's-maid.

2324. And now the fire is made up for the night, the fireguard replaced,
and everything in the room in order for the night, the housemaid taking
care to leave the night-candle and matches together in a convenient
place, should they be required. It is usual in summer to remove all
highly fragrant flowers from sleeping-rooms, the impression being that
their scent is injurious in a close chamber.

2325. On leisure days, the housemaid should be able to do some
needlework for her mistress,--such as turning and mending sheets and
darning the house linen, or assist her in anything she may think fit to
give her to do. For this reason it is almost essential that a housemaid,
in a small family, should be an expert needlewoman; as, if she be a good
manager and an active girl, she will have time on her hands to get
through plenty of work.

2326. _Periodical Cleanings_.--Besides the daily routine which we have
described, there are portions of every house which can only be
thoroughly cleaned occasionally; at which time the whole house usually
undergoes a more thorough cleaning than is permitted in the general way.
On these occasions it is usual to begin at the top of the house and
clean downwards; moving everything out of the room; washing the
wainscoting or paint with soft soap and water; pulling down the beds and
thoroughly cleansing all the joints; "scrubbing" the floor; beating
feather beds, mattress, and paillasse, and thoroughly purifying every
article of furniture before it is put back in its place.

2327. This general cleaning usually takes place in the spring or early
summer, when the warm curtains of winter are replaced by the light and
cheerful muslin curtains. Carpets are at the same time taken up and
beaten, except where the mistress of the house has been worried into an
experiment by the often-reiterated question, "Why beat your carpets?" In
this case she will probably have made up her mind to try the cleaning
process, and arranged with the company to send for them on the morning
when cleaning commenced. It is hardly necessary to repeat, that on this
occasion every article is to be gone over, the French-polished furniture
well rubbed and polished. The same thorough system of cleaning should be
done throughout the house; the walls cleaned