LXVI.OCTOBER.
THE brilliant hues in the mountains, the falling leaves in the lanes (over which the horses’ feet make such sweet yet melancholy music), remind us that October, the brightest, dearest month in the whole year, has come; but while we rejoice in anticipation of the glorious hours it promises, we must not forget that during these mild, invigorating days our houses must be set in order properly to meet the sharp November weather, which is close at hand, and the fiercer blasts of winter which will follow.
Now the frosty nights and cool days will soon relieve us from the plague of flies, which have by their unconquerable impertinence so perplexed and disheartened all good housekeepers through the summer; at least we may promise this relief, if they are hunted every night and morning from the dark corners where they delight to hide at the first approachof frost. Attack them every evening with brush and broom, driving them out doors into the cold night air, closing doors and windows after them, and a few frosty nights will rid you of this evil for the winter. After each battle sweep up all the dead and disabled and burn them, that from out of the pile which you will have gathered no stunned or crippled fly may be ready to rise up against you with the morning sun. As the cold increases they become stupid and less active, and huddle together in masses on the ceiling or windows, where they cling, too stiff and torpid to shun your approach, thus affording a good opportunity to brush down and destroy them in large quantities. If up each morning before the sun, as every good housekeeper should be, you will have another favorable time to remove them; but if both night and morning these opportunities for banishing your enemies have been neglected, you will find as soon as the fires are kindled, or the bright warm October sun shines through your windows, they will come out from their hiding-places and be just as busy through the day, and far more annoying, than in July and August. If you have been vigilant, the frost and snow, combined with your unwearied skirmishes, will soon set you free, and the flies be remembered only as trials of the past; and through the winter, at least, you may hope to rest from your labors in this particular direction.
But never imagine that you can sit down in idleness; as the flies are routed, or on the retreat, you will find yourself beset withwasps. During the chilly September days they begin to seek for winter quarters. They are well content for the most part to weave their summer nests away from the house, in trees and shrubbery; but as cold weather approaches they are prone to select some snug retreat under the rafters of the barn or the eaves of the house or attics. They like to curl up in large masses inside the window-blindson the east or south side of the house, where they remain too torpid to stir at your approach, until the sun pours in its warm flood of light, to wake them to life and activity. Wherever they are thus found massed together, if at all within reach, be sure and spare no effort to destroy them early in the morning, while in this torpid condition. It is very easy then to kill them: take a pitcher of boiling-hot water, raise the window carefully and pour it over them; or if nested close on the window-glass, pour it down between the upper and lower sash and it will destroy large quantities of them instantly. The few stragglers that were only slightly touched with the hot water will not be vigorously active, and you can easily brush them into a pail or dust-pan and burn them. Unless you take some such method of removing the wasps, it is not safe to raise your windows to air your rooms and let in morning air and sun, as they will be sure to seek shelter in the chamber instead of remaining inside the window-blind, because as the sun warms their lodgings they become quite lively; and, once in the room, should they crawl in under the pillows and sheets, a favorite shelter for them, the warmth of your body at night would most probably rouse them, and they might disturb your slumber in a manner by no means agreeable.
It is unfortunate that wasps often attack without provocation; and such applicants for winter shelter should be destroyed as effectually as possible, especially when there are children about. Their stings are bad enough for an adult to bear, but it is piteous to see a child suffer from them; because to the pain is added a terror not easily controlled. Notwithstanding the utmost vigilance, some may so skillfully secrete themselves that your first knowledge of their presence will be a sting. Every one should keep a speedy antidote in the house, and nothing gives so thorough and instantaneous relief ascut tobacco,—the only thing that we know of that it isgood for. We never fail to have a paper close at hand, where every one in the house knows where to find it. Wet a small quantity of it and lay at once on the spot stung, holding it on tightly for three or four minutes, and the pain and swelling will be at once removed.
These annoyances disposed of, you can now commence a thorough house-cleaning, and at once begin to remove all the marks by which the flies have disfigured your house and furniture, and disturbed your peace through the warm weather.
No good housekeeper will allow the glorious October days to beguile her into forgetfulness so far as to neglect house-cleaning until the raw and chilly November weather is upon her, and winter is close at hand. October is by far the best month for fall house-cleaning, not only because the flies are disposed of, or so far under your control that they can be kept out of the house, but also because the weather is usually not so warm that such work is exhausting and severe, nor so cold that the necessary exposure chills; the cleaning can be accomplished with more comfort and less fatigue than in any other month of the year.
During the summer all the small fruits have been plentifully supplied, and later, peaches, pears, and grapes have furnished much enjoyment and many luxuries; but all these good things levy a tax upon us in some shape or another, generally defacing furniture or leaving ugly stains on our clothes or table linen. The clear, frosty nights that we may soon look for will aid materially in eradicating the stains; but the injury done to furniture, especially articles with marble tops, requires a different treatment.
Fruit stains may be removed from linen, without in any way injuring the fabric, by rubbing yellow soap on both sides of the stained spots; then wet some starch in cold water or in lemon-juice to a thick paste, and spread over the soap; rub thisstarch-paste into the cloth thoroughly, and expose the linen to sun and air till the stains disappear. If they do not entirely go in three or four days, repeat the application. This is for stains that have been in some days; if taken when fresh stained there is little trouble in removing them. Hold the stained place over a bowl and pour onboilingwater; let it filter through slowly, pouring on the water gradually till the stain disappears; then lay the article in the hot sun for an hour or two, when it may be washed and ironed. The water used must be really boiling, and the stain fresh made, not dried in for days, for this remedy to be efficient. As by this mode one avoids all danger of injuring the texture of the cloth, it is worth while to take a little trouble at once and save the linen instead of waiting until quite dry. Bleaching liquids, chlorate of lime, Javelle water, and many other preparations, are good if carefully used.
When marble is stained with fruit, oxalic acid diluted with water, or oil of vitriol and water, rubbed on the stain and left a few minutes, will remove the spot; but they must be used with care, for if left on too long they will destroy the polish of the marble. Rub off very dry, and polish with chamois-skin.
There are a multitude of receipts for removing stains both from linen and marble, but very many, although they remove the stains, are liable to remove the cloth also, or in marble destroy the polish; others are useful, and in time our readers shall have them.