t
into it a little pinch of salt and a piece of enamel, or shirt polish
the size of a bean, or a piece of clean tallow, or a piece of butter
the size of a cranberry; pour over this a quart of _boiling_ water,
stirring rapidly, placing it over the fire. Cook until clear, then
remove it from the fire and set the pan in another of warm water to
keep the starch warm.

Turn the shirt wrong side out and dip the bosom in the hot starch as
warm as the hands can bear the heat; rub the starch evenly through the
linen, saturating it thoroughly; wring hard to make dry as possible.
Starch the collar and wristbands the same way, then hang them out to
dry. Three hours before ironing them, wet the bosom and cuffs in cold
water, wring out, shake and fold, roll up tightly, wrap in a towel and
let remain two or three hours.

The back of the shirt should be ironed first by doubling it lengthwise
through the centre, the wristbands may be ironed next, and both sides
of the sleeves, then the collar band; now place a bosom board under
the bosom and with a fresh clean napkin dampened a little, rub the
bosom from the top toward the bottom, arranging and smoothing each
plait neatly; then with a smooth, moderately-hot flat-iron, begin
ironing from the top downward, pressing hard until the bosom becomes
smooth, dry and glossy. Remove the bosom board and iron the front,
fold both sides of the shirt towards the centre of the back, fold
together below the bosom and hang on the bars to air.

CLEANING OIL-CLOTHS.

A dingy oil-cloth may be brightened by washing it with clear water
with a little borax dissolved in it; wipe it with a flannel cloth that
you have dipped into milk and then wring as dry as possible.

TO CLEAN BLACK LACE. No. 1.

A teaspoonful of gum arabic dissolved in one teacupful of boiling
water; when cool, add half a teaspoonful of black ink; dip the lace
and spread smoothly between the folds of a newspaper and press dry
with book or the like. Lace shawls can be dressed over in this way, by
pinning a sheet to the carpet and stretching the shawl upon that; or
black lace can be cleaned the same as ribbon and silk. Take an old
kid glove (black preferable), no matter how old, and boil it in a
pint of water for a short time; then let it cool until the leather can
be taken in the hand without burning; use the glove to sponge off the
ribbon; if the ribbon is very dirty, dip it into water and draw
through the fingers a few times befor