Wash with soap and water; and simmer them in the same; put one drop of liquid blue, into a pan of cold spring water, run the stockings through this a minute or two, and dry them. For a pink cast, put one or two drops of saturated pink dye into cold water, and rinse them through this. For a flesh-colour, add a little rose-pink in a thin soap liquor, rub them with clean flannel, and calender or mangle them.
TO CLEANSE FEATHERS FROM ANIMAL OIL.
Mix well with a gallon of clean water, a pound of quick lime; and, when the lime is precipitated in fine powder, pour off the clear lime-water for use, at the time it is wanted. Put the feathers to be cleaned in a tub, and add to them a sufficient quantity of the clear lime-water, so as to cover them about three inches. The feathers, when thoroughly moistened, will sink down, and should remain in the lime-water for three or four days; after which, the foul liquor should be separated from them by laying them on a sieve. Afterwards, well wash them in clean water, and dry them on nets, about the same fineness as cabbage-nets. Shake them from time to time, on the nets; as they dry, they will fall through the mashes, when collect them for use. The admission of air will be serviceable in the drying, and the whole process may be completed in about three weeks. The feathers, thus prepared, want nothing further than beating, to be used either for beds, bolsters, pillows, &c.
TO BLEACH WOOL, SILKS, STRAW BONNETS, &c.
Put a chafing-dish with some lighted charcoal into a close room, or large box; then strew an ounce or two of powdered brimstone on the hot coals. Hang the articles in the room or box, make the door fast, and let them hang some hours. Fine coloured woollens are thus sulphured before dyed, and straw bonnets are thus bleached.
THE YOUNG LADIES’ MAID.
In large families, where there are young ladies who require attendance, a maid is appointed to wait on all, or perhaps each lady has a maid. The duties of these are in all respects the same as the ladies’-maid; we therefore refer them to the directions given to her, for the necessary instructions. As this situation is considered merely initiatory to a better, and is occupied, generally, by an upper house-maid, or a young woman on her outset in life, the salary is somewhat less than that of a well qualified servant; and the perquisites, including that of her mistress’ left-off clothes, are also reckoned at the same rate.
THE HEAD NURSE.
As the hopes of families, and the comfort and happiness of parents are confided to the charge of females who superintend nurseries of children, no duties are more important, and none require more incessant and unremitting care and anxiety. Every symptom of approaching disease should be watched and reported to the parents or medical attendant of the family, and in this respect, nothing should be concealed or deferred till remedies are too late. In the daily washings, the state of the skin should be examined and noticed, as well as the tongue and the appetite, and spirits; and above all things, all chances of accident or juvenile mischief should be guarded against and removed. Windows should be fenced with bars, or the lower sashes nailed down; knives and sharp instruments should be kept out of reach; scalding water and dangerous ingredients secured from access; ponds and rivers fenced in; ladders removed; and fire-places guarded by well-fastened wire fenders.
This important Servant ought to be of a lively and cheerful disposition, perfectly good tempered, and clean and neat in her habits and person. She ought also to have been accustomed to the care and management of young children, as all the junior branches of the family are intrusted to her care and superintendence, confiding in her skill, experience, and attention. She usually takes the sole charge of the infant from its birth, when the parent suckles it: to assist her in the management of this and the other children in the nursery, she has under nurses assigned her, who are entirely under her controul.