PETTY EXTRAVAGANCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10107, 4 August 1893, Page 2

PETTY EXTRAVAGANCE.

{Woman.)

The people who commit small extravagances may be divided into two classes—l tho ignorant or thoughtless class and the! lazy class. The latter do things “ because they have always done them;” they! " manage somehow ” and have no desire to learn how to improve, because, even if they became impressed with the idea that' improvement were possible—which is unlikely—the exertion of making any change: would be intolerable, to them. Occasionally! they rouse themselves temporarily, but they soon return to tho easy-going, happy-go-lucky stylo of life which more active poope scorn, although there is no doubt these lazy folks are more comfortable to live with than the unco* prim who bustle about to distraction in a vain endeavour to keep every hair in place. Many house-proud women have SO limited an allowance that they find it impossible to renew carpets, linen" and such costly things. Each, week brings its regular expenses, which engulf all available cash, and the housewife feels powerless to avert the increasing ehabbiness of her home, which is becoming a positive nightmare to her.

It is said that "saving is making" money, so it is necessary for the presiding genius to don a thinking cap occasionally, and endeavour to discover where a sawing may be effected without resorting to,.petty meannesses. Hard and fast rules'cahnot be laid down, because each family h®* its particular fancy, and in the matter of food one thing balances another. Cooking butter, though, is often an extravagance. Where joints are used there mast be dripping. The use of properly clarified dripping obviates the necessity of purchasing cooking butter, end excellent pastry can be made of bacon fat.

There are articles which disappear mysteriously which do not come> under this category, though appalling chandler’s bills testify to their having been brought into the house; lor instance, scouring flannel is a heavy item in many houses where there should be no occasion to buy it. Two or three old socks or stockings stitched firmly together make capital floorcloths, so also do pieces of old vests, flannels or blankets.

Bought furniture polish is another little extravagance. Pour times the quantity can be made at borne, for the price of one bottle, and nothing excels the old-fashionedi recipe Scrape loz bees’ wax and loz white wax very fine, add one dessert spoonful powdered resin, pour one gill turpentine over it, let it remain twenty-four hours. Shave loz Castile soap into a basin,' pour one gill boiling water over it and beat till cold. Mix thoroughly with the other ingredients and keep well corked in a wide-mouthed bottle. Servants that have your interests at heart—and they are to be met with in spite of the fin de sieole moan —are glad to learn how to make everything, and they are more careful with things which have cost them a little trouble.

The heat intentioned ordinary servant is rarely successful in cleaning silver, and the amount of powder they leave in the nicks is nn eyesore as well as a waste. A good silver soap is therefore more satisfactory. It should be applied with flannel or a soft brush and hob water, each article should he well rinsed in clean hot water, dried on a soft towel, and polished with a clean leather, when it will “ look like new,” and retain its brilliancy a long time. For silver paste, boil together 1 pint water, -Jib ordinary soap cut in thin slices, when dissolved add lib best Spanish whiting. When weir mixed pour into pots and use cold.