64.  To Pack Music.—­An excellent place in which to pack away sheets of music that are not in constant use is a large box fitted with a hinged cover and upholstered in cretonne, after the manner of shirtwaist boxes so much in vogue.  Such a box is kept in the hallway of a small flat, where room is at a premium.  The music cabinet was full to overflowing and there was no closet shelf that could be utilized, as so often happens in an ordinary house.  An unused shirtwaist box was suggested and has been found to answer every purpose, besides providing an extra seat when such a seat was desirable.  The box seems to fit in as an article of furnishing and the reason for its being there would never be asked.

65.  Pie Crust, How to Bake.—­Bake empty pie crusts on the outside of the tin, instead of the inside, and they won’t shrink.

66.  Let the Poison Bottle Tinkle.—­A wise house mother with half a dozen little folk needing all sorts of medicines and medical applications, has purchased in a toy shop a handful of little bells, and when a bottle containing poison is added to the medicine closet it is adorned with a bell tied around its neck with a narrow ribbon.  No danger with the bottle thus equipped of taking by mistake, in the dark, the dangerous medicine.  The moment the poison bottle is touched the little bell tinkles its warning.

[864 Mothers’ remedies]

67.  A New Night Lamp.—­Mothers who have timid little ones will appreciate the new night lamp, the apparatus of which may be carried to the country in a trunk or handbag.  This apparatus consists of a small wooden float through which passes a tiny wick.  An ordinary china teacup is half filled with cottonseed oil, the little floating wick placed in this, and a match touched to the upright wick.  While the sides of the cup prevent thc direct light of the flame being visible to the person in bed, a pleasant dim light is cast over the room.

68.  Time Saved in Sewing.—­In a family of small children there are a great many buttonholes to be made.  A quick way to make them in the everyday underwear, is on the sewing machine.  Sew back and forth, leaving a small space in the center, three or four times where the buttonhole is wanted, and cut in the space left, being careful not to cut the stitching.  In making little dresses, or slips after the skirts are sewed up, attach the gatherer to the machine and gather the top and bottom of sleeves and skirt.  In this way work is quickly done.

69.  Stews and Hash, How to Make.—­Stews and hash made of fresh meat or round steak instead of scraps, are delicious.  When the steak is to be used without being ground, select only tender, young, pinkish pieces; otherwise it will be tough in spite of prolonged cooking.

70.  Dusters.—­Another good idea about dusters.  Do not use anything that comes handy, but get squares of five-cent cheese cloth or silkoline, fold a neat hem, and whip it nicely around, then turn and go back the other way.  These materials are the best one can use, as they do not leave lint behind.  Always wash the dusters after the sweeping day.  No one can do clean work with soiled tools; besides dusters ruin the hands.