A FEW THINGS WORTH KNOWING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 13, 26 March 1892, Page 308

A FEW THINGS WORTH KNOWING.

To suspend sash curtains, buy heavy brass wire or small brass rods by the foot, and get the end pieces by the dozen ; any machinist will cut the brass into proper lengths for you and the cost will be much less than if purchased ready for use at the furnishing store. If there is a piece of the rod left, a foot or more in length, it will be found useful as a rule. To prevent it from rolling, slip over each end an inch of rubber tubbing, which may be obtained for very little at the hardware store.

When you find it necessary to enclose stamps in a letter, cut a couple of parallel slits in the top margin of the sheet and slip the stamps through them ; they will thus be held in place till removed and save the busy recipient a hunt for them after they have slipped under the miscellany on the desk or dropjwd to the floor. Every one knows that the most serviceable splasher for use behind sinks or wash-bowl stands is one of rubber cloth or oilcloth, but a prettier one, which is easily made and will be found of more service than ordinary linen or scrim, may be cut from shade cloth such as is used for window curtains. It may be bought in all colours and widths. Get a tint to harmonize with the paper or toilet appointments of the room. Paint with oil colours a border all round the edge. Anyone can paint straight lines or overlapping rings or squares. First pencil the lines, rings, or squares, or whatever design you select. The rings may be of different sizes. Take two spools, a large and a small one, and your thimble ; mark them to interlace or overlap in different directions ; draw a straight line on each side, marking this border, and fill the middle space with imitation spider webs, ‘ crackle work,’ interlacing links, or if yon have sufficient skill, a cluster of flowers. Rushes and a couple of frogs, aquatic birds wadding in a pool, would be suitable, or any one of a dozen mottoes which suggests itself may be lettered on the centre of your splasher; but, dear friend, as you reverence sacred things, do not use Scripture texts in this way. ‘ Cleanliness is next to godliness ’ and ‘ clean hands ’ should accompany ‘ a pure heart,’but let us carry these texts in our own consciences, and not on our splashers. If you wish to improvise a pen-holder, here is a simple way : Take a piece of newspaper, roll it between the palm of your band and the surface of the table until it is of a suitable size ; keep it from unrolling by pasting the last edge down. It may be made hard or soft, according to the tightness of the roll. It will be found very useful, as it readily takes any size of pen. The smaller the pen the nearer the centre of the end of the roll must it be slipped. If it is desired to make drawing paper transparent, the readier to trace a design, wet it with benzine ; it must be kept constantly moistened, as when dry it becomes again opaque. The benzine will not injure any paper or ordinary print or fabric, but of course the sketching must be rapidly

done.

Charlotte Whitcomb.