As it is intended that the mission of PUNCHINELLO shall be extended into all circles of society, that of the family shall not be neglected. Every other weekly journal abounds in wise domestic counsels, apt recipes, cunning plans, and helpful patterns of all sorts; and PUNCHINELLO, intending to offer the most advantages, expects to become so necessary to the economical housewife and the prudent bread-winner that no family will be able to do without him. So, with no further prologue, we will present our readers with some valuable hints in regard to the use that can be made of things that often lie about the house gathering dust--idle clutter and of no service to any body. The first hint, we know, if followed up, will be found of the greatest advantage to all, yielding great measure of convenience at little cost. Take a wide board--as wide as you can get it--and as long as it will cut without cracks or knotholes, and saw the ends off square. Then bore four large holes in the corners, and insert the ends of four sticks, each about three feet long. Place it upon the floor, so that the board will be supported by the sticks, thus: [Illustration] This contrivance will be found very useful for various purposes. It will do to put books upon, to write upon, to iron clothes upon, and for any other purpose where it is considered desirable to support household objects at a distance from the floor. One of its chief advantages is to serve as a receptacle for the food of a family during meals. If on such occasions it be covered with a white linen or cotton cloth, its appearance will be much improved, and in time it can not fail to become a favorite article of furniture. The next hint will please the ladies. Take two pieces of cotton or woolen cloth, of any size from two inches to a foot square, and sew them together at the edges, leaving, however, a small place unsewed at one corner. You will now find that you have something like a square bag. This is to be tightly filled with wool, bran, mowings, clippings of human hair, or something of the kind, and the open corner is then to be sewed up. When finished, the affair will assume this appearance and will be found very useful for the preservation of pins. The manner of using it is as follows: you take the pin in the hand and firmly press it into the bag, when it will be found that the body of the pin will easily enter, but that the head will prevent its entire disappearance. The stuffing of the bag will retain the pin in its position until a slight degree of force is used to withdraw it. With the use of this ingenious little contrivance, pins can be kept in safety with the points always hidden and their heads exposed to view. It will be found much more economical and convenient than the plan of carrying pins loose in the pocket, and eventually will be generally adopted, we think. The top and corners can be ornamented _à discrétion_. [Illustration]