A footstool is always a handy article to have around, and one with a place for the hand, so that it may be readily carried about, is especially useful in the kitchen. Haven't you noticed how the cook likes to hold the pan in her lap when shelling peas or cleaning strawberries ? - and how often the shelf in the pantry is just a few inches too high! Our drawing shows how to make a footstool out of five pieces only.

The material should be seven-eighths of an inch thick, which is the thickness of one-inch boards after the mill gets through planing them. First trim off the ends perfectly square and then saw out the feet with the fret or keyhole saw. Saw out each of the upper corners just enough to allow the side pieces to fit in evenly with the edges. The side pieces are now to be marked out in accordance with the drawing and their edges worked down smoothly and square with the sides, after which only the top remains. Saw the ends of this piece off squarely, round the corners, and then with the plane round off the top edge all the way around. To form the opening for the hand, bore two holes and saw out the wood in between, after which the edges should be worked smooth with sandpaper. Nail the sides to the two ends, and then fasten on the top. This may be done by nailing in through the top, or more neatly by screws put in from underneath from the inside at an angle.