THISTLEDOWN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1297, 7 January 1887, Page 3

THISTLEDOWN.

it* [By THE Chikl,] “g No. X-CUniSTMAB~PREPAUATIONS. lit Everybody is more or less interested and iy exci'ed-at the approach of Christmas, ns it >n oo >'fs to ns year by year. The season of J, feasting and jolli'y is invariably preceded by a more lengthy one o! bustle and busineas, an<t women more ao than their mas le * online friemls, experience all kinds of h»r. '*• rowing feelings on aocoant of the extra °* pressure put upon them by way of hard work in preparations for the approach of the 1 festive season.* 2 Our mothers and sisters and wives have 3 periodically those times that are spoken of le as “ olann up days ” by one of the old . negress characters that figure in Mrs ' .Stowe’s famous novel * Uncle Tom’s Cabin.’ Many folks in the world who ate rarely '• known to “ clean un the place," have a 'y hit of work of this description to perform *!" in anticipation of Christmas, end others who are notorious for their general cleanli's ness tin I occasion for a little extra exertion ?• in pepuring thsir houses for the reception *' oi the friends who pay their compliments and visits at Christmas time »_ It is a liizy person indeed who finds no >j exira work to do for C iris'maa. Even p *• The Chiel ” has telt an extra strain upon him, and at the approach of Christmas had . little time to gather .and none at oil to send 2 in his weekly buiidl-i of t ■‘Thistledown," „ hut is hopeful that when heirs explained the oiusß of his appiMit neglect the I- readers as well as the Editor of the Times 1 ‘ wit at once r-adily excuse him. The trn'-h is that in our preparations for Christmas our ordinary work had to gran I d aside—everyone will admit that it is imn p-asib'e to do everything all at once. Web, then, it pros nted if»ulf to the 0 min.l of the women of onr househoi ( that our domicile needed renova ion liy the way | of fresh paper an I paint, and persna ’e ’ them as yon would they stuck to their op nion most teiiaoioudy. The house required papering, and papering it thnu-d have at any c st. The man whose business it is to ittend * sncdi affairs was already engaged in getting “ smihlhi y else’a home in apple pic order, ' tint th it wa* not sufficient reason why our , house should remain impaneie 1. , In view then of *hia Mrs Harriss td on , one morning early in the week pres-ding that called “Christmas week” for 01 . ! Hon-sty’s eto*c, and rctiirne I rah r late in ; the »ftei noon heavily laden wit i innumerable ro Is of pip-r of varin.ia tin s ami 1 Pat terns "idi which t> accent pi sh the delightsome ta«k of ronovati m. She had already come to the conclusion tint on two rooms should lave the sunkind of paper on ih'ir walls, ami had tax-.d her liruin co si leraldy as to which was most suitable for the kitchen and ulTch for the lining r-enn, hut even after In-r asri al home this hatde of en fl e ing o: in* ( ions was to Ire re faugh*, before a definite conclusion could be arrived at-yon know, ( dear reader, women are so partieida - over ih-s kin-l <f thing, and no time alio ilil he ' consideie I as lost, which is spent in ennai dca hm of whhh wmld he me better or rao eauitaVe way of nin > thi-igS like ihis A t. last that in portent matter was settiel, and a stirt was made to do the ' papering, leastwise Mrs H. sat down an I cut . If one of the plain edges from the pieces to he in readiness for a fair start on the morrow. She was op betimes next morning, and leaving another member of the lions-dio'd ( to attend the breakfa-1 set about, making I the pate and getting ‘her. brush* s and rags i ' and the host of etceteras usual on such , 1 Decisions. I i Unfortunately she ma le the pas'e ton ' ( fhn-k at first, a-id then added cold water to i ( it to make it thinner, 1 Tf over p‘o de ate again.t t ; me they did | 1 so in the hou-e of Hariss iha r m ruing, jl and Mrs M was so excited at Mm very | i tlioiighr of pane-ing her own house that she positively declared that she really c-mldn’t eat any breakfast if she tried—and si she didn’t wry, ! The dining-ronti was chosen as the mas" | suitable place to cmnnienoo with, an 1 getting up--n th ■ ta 1 le Mrs ff irrivs suece d -d. with ’be as-istmee of a juvenile member of be firm v. in r-.-k ng th* ' measure of ihe «ab wbh a lung (ilece of ta i», and nf d cubing a id ce of paper the required length from off tnc ro I paste l i neatly, and after a -leal of -ff.it gut i stock against tho wad near the doorway, and greatly to her de'i jit discovered thai th“ic was only one w i dCe in it Tims she man r/mI to get a'ong ban ing pi ce by pi ct, and balling a hr,tie bet ween eich m e to a-hniro h-r woik or to coinoar - the wnrkiiMinhip r.hont the last piece wnh that of the pieces previously hnii>, an! wondering how much • t-r i“- is than it wiiit'd have hnen had sh i united the cvitilicatn I | a id hanger to do i*. A phrenologist would s-iy that her organ of emtinnity was very large, lint beca se we are nnitiated we simply say sho stuck at her work noh’y. onr only sorrow ni-ing ■ hat wo a*e ttipdle in inform rntr readers «-rreetlv »» to Imw many cups of tea she •Irniik whilst doing it. Hv the timn she had finished pip-ring news of a very ic-freahiifj chnraeter is * rought from the kitchen to the *ff -ct 'h i dinner is about i-ia'y. an I fading perfectly w- II sati-ti il w th hj -r nin nings work, an ■ m iy be a tr'fl j weak on no imtnt of hiabstinen e hi the morning, she is now of opinion that >he can cat a li tie. Whilst engaged in this do kdiM-onn hnsi- ess her very gool fii“int Mrs Uniitc - . (nmhihly entice I by the inviting peifitmo -f cooked steak an -niiion-) di-ips in to sea h-v, a-.d must needs be invi ed to -ennui and hive soma i nier, an I to ex-u o its h-in-g set out in the kit-hen as I,h i dining room in a state unfittc I to take di n r in. Sh-i m ist afro ■ she luk-s a li>t'e ref.-osli m- nt j Ist c -in i in and sec the Im-liest pipe«he e er t-eh-11 an 1 hung ill a “t.y e that Wiml • red-ct the greatest credit u;mu a fullv fledged dpio-at-ir. When, hnwevor. t-hitl idy Ires cn’oi-s 'He ilining.rt.oin, instead of 1-re king foith i--1 t -c m .at exii'tnit t -ni-s o’’ ntiproba'ion at hi -omtv nf th'design of the puier. the wisdom nf Mrs H’s choice ami her i-kdl at pane hanging, she “xpr.-ss n hj -rs If snr pi-ed in the greatest measure on nocnnnt of the (piling being nnpaporo t, ami ib«l ,t- s that. Mrs Harris lias madea seiinna mistake in leaving the mo n till Inst Why, that was lhe flint thing that should liivcbceti done, Imt then she’s a nasty spitnhtl id t thing—sho is, —and she shall never dine in Mrs Ifarris’ tionso ngdn. ' Mrs IT is hurt co >siderahly by Mis 1 Hunters impertinent remaikt, nn-1 is put about on that account for the nh dc of the 1 aflernnon. It is probably this that occasions tha trouble in pap-ting the ceiling, but Mrs H never bad such a difficult ta-k in all her life as she hud that day, but she managed to get through with it all tight. '• Next day an attempt is made in the 1 kitchen, and a fervent hapn is expressed. 1 tbit Mrs Hunter will keep herself nt home 1 and in n ( htr own affalis. Never’hclvss, 1 Mm Harrs begins with thecoiling this time (of course it is needless to say that the paper is plain oik pattern) and gets along imjtnen cly. Concerning the wail paper Mrs 1 ,IH had thou ;h t it wt<e to got a pa pci that f would be easily matohed, consequently, it ' luts utiihor top or UUtom, tuid is q.uuo a

pleasure to bang, and Mrs Harris soon begins to iiragine herself competent to do any’ ting in the house-papering linn. Having lioen so sucotasfal with the papering, she de.eriniaed to try her hand at painting, and with this o' j.iot sends one of our voung’uns of! for paint varnish to touch up-the wood-work and the chairs, after which pel form ante them is promise of any any amomiS of sombbing. rubbing, nml cleaning, and then com“» Christmas, but then we'll tell von of these things later on.