DETROIT, DEC.

8, 1888.

 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD-"Supplement.

 

 

HOW A WOMAN SAWS A BOARD.
When a woman her home would decorate,
She stops not at obstacles small or great,
But the funniest sight her trials afford
Is when Madame essays to saw a board.

With her knees on a plank and the plank on a
chair,

She poises her saw with a knowing air;

Makes several wild rasps at the penciled line,

And of with a whizz the reverse of fine.

With lips compressed she gets down to work,

And crosses the timber jerkety-jerk;

She can’t keep the line, her knee slips askew,

But she keeps'at the work till the board splits in
two.

She has damaged the chair, she has ruined the
saw,

Her back is aching, her hands are raw,

.And she finds when she tries to fit her prize,

It's an inch too short of the requisite size.

-———-—QOO——-—

THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN.

 

The Women’s Congress is an event of the
past, and we are left to gather up the les-
sons, to digest the ideas gained, and sum
up the value of the whole to us. him much,
then, did the recent meeting of the Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Women really
forward the cause it advocates is a questiOn
we are justified in asking, now that the
delegates are gone, the receptions over, and
the whole matter apparently dropped out of
mind. t is remarkable how (1 tickly we
stop talking about any event, as soon as
we must speak of it in the past tense. Even
a matter of national interest, involving
grave issues, like the last election, drops out
of conversation the moment it is definitely
settled, and only the disgruntled candidates
and those who have bets to pay seem to re-
member it. As a nation, we certainly fol-
low the inj motion, “Look forward, not
back.”

What did the Congress accomplish for
women? Well, there were some ”Valuable
statistics” submitted at the secret execu-
tive sessions, it is alleged, but statistics
belong to the census reports, at best, and if
compiled for private use are of little value to
the world. It does not help a woman who
is trying to live on nothing a day to know
that there are thousands in the same con-
dition; misery is selfish, she would rather
have bread than figures. Collecting
statistics and distributing circulars may be
one way of helping women. “ We must
work!” says “ Mrs. Veneering,” and she
orders her coachman to drive very fast, and
she pays calls and distributes leaflets; and
says what a pity it is there is so much
poverty and wretchedness among the poor,
and thinks the dust of her carriage is

  

whirled round the world. Nor does it help
women who work for thirty cents a day to
gather statistics respecting their number
and wages, and then go down to the great
city stores and buy their work at starvation
prices because it is cheap.

There were some excellent papers read,
some good advice given to mothers and
wives, but, unfortunately. the good seed
fell upon ground already occupied. The
intelligent, educated women who listened
to it, had heard it all before: it did not
reach those who would have been really
benefitted by it. And I could not help
wondering, as I looked around upon the
audience of handsomely dressed women—
there were three sealskin coats, a camel’s
hair shawl and a pair of diamond earrings
in one seat— how much practical, actual,
living sympathy any one of them would
manifest for a sister woman needing aid,
if she were dirty, raggrd and repulsive in
appearance. Would any one touch her
with a pair of tongs? Would any one take
her in even by the back door, and wash and
feed and clothe her, in humble emulation of
Him who washed the disciples’ feet? What
real sympathy can the woman who has all
her life fed luxuriously and lodged com-
fortably, feel for the one to whom food and
fire are synonyms for plenty? Marie
Antoinette, told that her French subjects
were perishing for lack of bread, asked
why they did not eat cake. The remark
has often been quoted as proof of her heart-
lessness; it was really only evidence of he:
ignorance of all that. pertained to poverty.
[agree with Howells in b‘lieving that the
benevolence of the rich, which. seeks to help
working people by associ {ions and organi-
zations, is but another name for the patron-
age which gratifies their own vanity-per-
haps quiets an uneasy conscicusness that
they themselves have more than they really
deserve—and only widens the real gulf be-
tween afliuence and psverty. Those who
would benefit the world’s toilers must not
stand aloof and talk over the situation in
decorous committees in luxurious parlors,
but go down among them, be one with
them. For this reason men who have risen
from obscurity themselves know best how
to help, and what the indigent need most.
There is no lever moved by gloved fingers
which can stir the mountains of want and
injustice which hold down the poor.

But this is somewhat aside from the ques-
tion, for the Association for the Advance-
ment of Women is not a charitable organi-
zation. It “begins at the top,” and aims
to make women less frivolous, more pro-

 

their views, hence possessed of a wider ont-
look. Nearly all those present at least, it‘
not committed to the cause of universal sut-
frage. tacitly favored it, apparently as a.
means to an end. “When women vote”
affairs will be, etc., etc. It is well for us to
be told we belong to the salt of the earth,
occasionally; praise is encouraging. But i
sometimes think that associations like this,
in their zeal for putting women on a parity
with men. overlook the necessity for the

existence of the old-fashioned. domestic

woman, the dear little, staid, non-progres-
sive sister. whose world is home, whose
children stand to her in lieu of missionary
work, who looks up to her husband as the
dearest and best of men, and neither re-
grets nor violates the pledge she made on
her wedding day to honor and obey him.
Her children need not play on the streets
because the house is locked up and the key
not even under the doormat; her husband
does not go to the the itre or down town to
play poker with "the boys,” because hi
ife has gone to a committee meeting of
this, that, and the 0th“: “Society” and
the home is dark and lonely. 5'16: 15 not
"devoted” to any cause, no matter how
worthy. but life and love and ambition are
centered in her home and family, first: and
the overflow goes to the world at large. He:
creed reads “To do n.» duty to God and my
neighbor;" and he: nearest neighbors are
he whose home she blesses and the children
who call her mother. I do not like. i say,
to see the quiet. unostentatiou': work oi :gie
domestic woman underestimated or ignored.
The world has great need of her—oi many
of her. in this era when so many women
have “missions:” to: i never yet have
ktown a woman who became prominently
identified with any public measure who did
not in greater or less degree neglect her ob-
ligations to her home. It is well enough for
elderly widows and maiden ladies and
mothers whose children have grown up, to
engage in any herculean task they see fit to
undertake; some of them have done and are
doing grand and noble work, helpful work.
Bu: don‘t let us forget what is done by the
quiet, gentle. self-sacrificing _ wife and
mother, who brings up a house full of chil-
dren to lead honest and honorable lives, but
whose name never g ts in the newspapers or
heads a petition. BEATRIX.
————.4§§—————

You can keep the ironing-board clean
and always ready for the most dainty ser-
vice by making a bag to cover it out oi the
least worn parts of an old calico dress.
Good, ample holders and a good ironing
blanket rob the task of not a little of its
disagreeableness just as good tools to work

 

gressive, and let us here, more liberal in

with lighten every kind of labor.

 


 

THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

THINKING IT OVER.

The newspapers have been saying very
complacently (those that never swore al-
legiance to the bandanna): “The campaign
of ’88 is over. Business, travel, social and
home life, all things are swiftly slipping
back into their accustomed channels,” etc.
But when I was awakened .between five
and six o’clock this morning, Nov. ‘33, by
the voices of some sturdy boys marching on
the street to the familiar slogan of
“ Brewer! Brewer! Mark S. Brewer.” And
“What’s the matter with Harrison?” “ He’s
all right,” i fell a think'ng over the catn-
paign. What a big, noisy, quiet, fierce,
intense, good-natured thing it has been,
with its colossal list of speeches for the
enlightening of the people on the questions
—not the candidates before them, its ban~
quets, receptions and boodle, its magni~
ficent parades and gathered multitudes by
day and by night: its hands making rivalry
in their gay inspiring music; its banners
cunningly devised but often clumsily exe—
cuted, but ever serving» the purpose of
carrying an idea, good. bad or indifferent,
home to the beholder: its bets lost and won,
its final days of registration and casting the
all powerful ballot; and last but not least,
the half wild. rollicking carnivals of jubilee
held by the winning side, in which, in
this tcwn—l cannot speak for others—the
defeated party joined will) craps on their
hats, but good natured smiles on their
faces. It is a grand achievtment to ac-
cept defeat gracefully. I never saw or heard
anything equal to the good natured, rational
noise and mixed crowd of victors and dc—
feated that was in this city on ratification
day and night. Torches. flzmbeaus and
fire works in the hands of gaily uniformed
marching men and boys, inrerspersed
with numerous bands of music, made the
principal streets of the city lively enough
to suit the most excitable; while later at
the Casino Was a scene of unrestrained re-
joicing, too rollicking to be soon forgotten.
“Breweil Brewer! Mark S. Brewer!" was
there, and when he came on the platform
the greeting was—well, it. was as the report-
ers say, “Tremendous." B lys who could not
shout loud enough to satisfy their ideas of
the right thing to do, shoutid “Brewer”
on horns. making the horns speak the
words with moSt ridiculous distinctness.
And Brewer had to stand and take it until
had they not all been so thoroughly glad
I’m sure he and many more would have
been fit subjects for the asylum in his native
city.

During the campaign we had several
“star” orators in the political arena, but
of all these not one was I individually so in-
terested to hear and see as Henry Watter-
son, of the Louisville Courier-Journal, he
having figured as a head light in DemO'
cracy for years. His personal appearance
and address are pleasing. but as a political
effort his speech here was not a success.
He however is an orator, a man of a bril-
liant mind, keen perceptions and a very
versatile genius, wittyto a degree, having
the happy faculty of making the party
that’s hit laugh as hard as the hitter. But
he utterly failed to make a single conclu-
sive argument, or to substantially prove by

a

demonstration any assertion or statement.
But how could he? Facts and history fur-
nished no material. He tried to atone for
this deficiency, of which he himself must
have been painfully aware, by giving us too,
too sweet taffy, and telling lots of funny
stories. making witty hits with them. in.
terspersed with flights of fine oratory
“Nothing more” only that! But Uncle
Sam’s Protection Tonic taken in small
doses at first, gradually increasing the
dose as he gets stronger, will 1 think make
apolitical orator of him yet, that is if the
arguments and facts in favor of them hap-
pen to be on the side he espouses.

l indulged in not a little humorous re-
flection as i heard first one speaker and then
another through the catalogue of parties
address in terms of undying fi lelity, of in-
terest, pure, personal and very partial, the
“ working man ” and the lrishman. Vrily
the horny-handed sons of toil and the
emerald sons of Erin’s isle, those whose
brains were hot weighted with the wisdom
of discreet discernment, must have been
sadly at sea as to which to choose from
amongst so many ardent lovers, each stan d~
ing pledged to lift them i ito a higher plane
of dollars and cents if “ You will cast your
vote in our favor.” And again, how each
and all parties repudiated the idea of all
connection with or interest in or affection
for the liquor business! on the world does
move! ’Tis moving rapidly on the great
humane and moral questions of the day_
How grandly significant are these two
straws.

I heard last Sabbath, in Si. Paul’s church
in this city, one of the finest temperance
talks that 111 :V3 ever listened to. It. took
the place of the regular sermm in the
morning, and the subject was handled com-
prehensively and in clear common sense
fashion. But this is running away from
the campaign proper. And i greatly doubt
if there be such another campaign, one in
which at the starting the balance of power
and prospects was so evenly hung, in a long
time; and never will they who have been
boys and girls and young men and young
women in this campaign of ’88 forget the
magic of its symbols and slogans.

FLINT. E. L. NYE.
_.__...____.
CHRISTMAS KNICKNACKS FOR CHIL-
DREN, AND OLDER ONES.

Any article for her doll never fails to
please a little girl. Common spools are
quickly turned into toy ottomans, by pad-
ding the top with wadding for a cushion,
then covering with a bit of bright plush or
velvet, or gay colored silk, and tying a
piece of ribbon around the centre. A cigar
box set on end makes a doll’s wardrobe if
furnished with rows of small white tacks
on which to hang the tiny dresses. A lit-
tle polish or varnish improves it. A wooden
box can be converted into a doll-house by
setting it up on end and running one or
two shelf-like partitions across to divide it
into rooms, the lower serving for kitchen,
and the others for parlor and bed room.
The wall should be nicely papsred, and the
floor carpeted. Then furnish with chairs
cut out of cardboard, and a bedstead made

 

from pine, or a pasteboard box, and fur-

nished with mattress, spreads and pillows.
A toy stove and set of dishes, such as may
be purchased at any toy store, will be
suitable furniture for the kitchen.

Harness for the little ones is made of
bright red yarn. Cast on stitches sufficient
to make a strip about 1,1,; inches wide; the
number of stitches depends upon the size of
the yarn, of course. Knit back and forth till
you have a piece about 1?”; yards long: cast
off, and knit asecond piece just like the
first; turn one end of each piece back and
sew fast to form a loop for each arm: now
knit another piece the same width, but just
long enough to reach from arm to arm in
front; sew either end of this to arm loops
very firmly. Chain stitch the little one’s
name on the cross piece with black. or
some pretty contrasting color. Two or
more tiny bells fastened to the cross piece
increases its value ten fold to the owner.
Another kind could be male of strips of
stout cloth stitched on the machine, with a
little vine cross-stitched on the lines and
the name on cross pieCc in swore contrast-
ing color.

If you are, in doubt what to buy for a
child ten or twelve years old, take my
advice and one dollar and purchase “The
World’s Eiucator.” This is a perfect
treasure-box of knowledge and fun. it
asks and answers the most diflimlt ques-
tions, and is equally adapted for old or
young. Amusement and education are
most happily combined in this game. An~
other of the few games that delight while
they instruct is called "Flags of All
Nations.” it consists of cards on which
are lithographed in their true colors the
flags of nations. lt isa very interesting
and beautiful educational game, and bids
fair to be the popular grnie of the season.

Those who live in the country where
suitable decorations for C-lristmas trees
cannot be bought, will doubtless be glad to
knowof some that can be made at home
with very little work and almost no ex—
pense. 1 will tell this time of a variety of
little boxes for holding candy, popcorn,
nuts, etc., that will brighten up a. tree won-
derfully and give as much delight to the
small recipient as a more expensive article.
Cut a piece of pretty .celored paper in a
square; wet the two straight edges with a
strong paste and paste them together, hold-
ing along stick under the seam until it
dries. Cut the top evenly round; sew a
strip of bright colored tarletan together,
glue or sew it round the edge of the cornu-
copia, and cover the seam with a plaiting of
ribbon or gilt paper. Hem the top and run
in aribbon to close the bag. The cornu-
copia can be ornamented prettily by pasting
strips of red, green, gilt. or silver paper
Spirally round it, and fastening to the
point a scarlet tassel made of strips of
paper.

Cutastrip of card board about five by
eight inches in size. Sew this strip together
in three places, just to hold it. Gum astripv
of paper and paste down the seam on the
inside. When dry you can take out the
stitches and your drum case will be neatly
joined. Next place it on a piece of card
and make a circle round it With a pencil:
then place a round box or plate a little larger

 

than this circle, and mark around that; cut

 

 


   

THE HOUSEHOLD.

    

3

 

out round the larger circle. Take a sharp
penknife and cut partly through the smaller
circle, and notch out all round from the
small to the large circle. Bend the little
pieces left down. Then wet them with
paste, and press the lid into the top of the
drum. Now paste a strip of gold paper
round the top, bottom and center of the
drum; also a blue and red strip. Take
some bright cord made of 7. aphyr and put it
across from top to bottom, making the lines
cross in the center. If you do this first your
gold, red and blue strips will cover the ends,
and makeit neater. Now measure a piece
of red or blue tarletan that will go round
the drum; sew up the ends and hem the top,
running a ribbon in. Paste this in the top
and you will have a fi 1e drum to fill with
sugar plums, which will be more tempting
because of the'pretty box they are in. O hers
may be made the same way but differently
decorated.

Any kind of pretty little scrap-hook
pictures or strips of bright paper will
make any ’amount of boxes, and no two
need be alike. Cut the top of a tiny slip—
per of any pretty material (plush or velvet
will be_very nice), join the back edges to-
gether and bind neatly. Then cut a sale to
fit. Sew the two together and you have a
tiny doll’s shoe. Make a bow and sew on
top of the shoe, make a little bag of silk and
sew to the top; and instead of filling with
candy, you can, if you like, line it with
silk, cut’_in the same way, nd also a layer
of cotton,’ sprinkle it with some nice per-
fume powder and you have a pretty little
scent bag to lay among yr ur handkerchiefs
and ribbons.

A muff can be made of white plush or
i cotton flannel spotted with black to look
i like ermine. Cut a strip about half as

large asj'or the drum and seam it up. Then
sew a. narrow strip of s‘lk at each end, and
gather it with a narrow ruche and bow of
ribbon, leaving long ends which tie_together

' to hang on the tree. Line with a piece of
car-.2 rolled and slipped in; then fill with
bonbons. _

A pretty bag for lozenges and comfits is
made like the muffs but using bright colored
papers, and ornamenting with pictures,
then gluing tarletan, pink or rose colored,
on each end and drawing up each end with
long narrow ribbon.

Cut a baby‘s mitten out of cardboard,
pld slightly and cover both sides with old
blue plush or velvet; overhanu together
neatly. Ornament the back of the mitten
with tiny stars in old red embroidery silk,
and place a bow of narrow ribbon on the
back of the wrist. Fill the edges all around
with pins. This is to carry in the vest
pocket. MILL MINNtE.

Fonasr Lanna. _
._..___....____
COMMON PROPERTY.

“ Where’s the comb?” asks one member
of a busy household; “Where’s the brush
gone to?" inquires a second; “Hurry up
with the towel” impatiently cries out an-
other with dripping face and hands; and we
half expect to hear from‘ somewhere,
“ Where is the cud of gum, it’s my turn to
chew it.”

The common use of toilet articles, like
almost everything else,‘ is solely a matter of

 

 

habit and education, but experience oc-
casionally fills in a vacuum with one of its
severest lessons. as a young lady of my
acquaintance learned when she began
teaching and boarding round, and borrowed
a comb from her hostess only to contract a
dreadful scalp disease, which robbed her
of her beautiful hair. To many persons,
especially those who live very much alone,
the lendirg ofa comb is but a degree or two
less repulsive than that of the tooth-brush.
I believe some man once asked [Luglas
Jerrold for even that sacred article, and
then accused him of extravagance because,
when it was returned to him, he threw it
out of the window. Such breaches of
what we may call the amenitics of life are
easily over-looked in many cases, with
busy, hard-working people who have never
had lizne for anything, or ever chanced to
be taught, or thought them out for thenr
selvlis; but we. are often astonished by this

to higher things; perhaps the guest. who has
not forgotten her dainty wrapper, her rib
Dons or paint, but alas! has no comb or
bi ush.

But worst of all, he common tole
How it hangs there while one after an-
other picks it up and rubs it over face and
hands. Such use in common in a farm
house is not only repulsive toasensitive
person; but also, in many cases, a great
risk of health. How often an eye or skin
disease has spread itself through a whole
household before any one thought of the
towel. There it hung, and ever so many
times daily, one after another used it, and
had they planned for instead of (lg/167286
contagion, they could not have chosen a
more elfeetual agent. Often during hurry-
ing times, a tanner hires help of whom he
knows nothing. When the Silly-ct‘s ap-
pearance is unusually repulsive, he is
assigned the poorest bed; and “ bugs ” are
watched for by the careful housewife; but
he is seldom given a separate towel.

l have known other cases or gross care-
lessness, where some member of the family
with a scrofulous sore upon the face or
hands has for years used the common towel;
neither self-preservation with the others,
nor the wish to preserve them from his
anxiety or pain with himself. ever once
suggesting'this danger of contagion. E tell
member of a household should have a sep
arate towel, comb, brush and toothbrush,
and' from early childhood be taught. to keep
them in a certain place. This would make
little trouble, would not incre 358 the weekly
wash, and once practiced for a time, the.
common use of toilet belongings would
blcome so repulsive as to lose its danger,

THOMAS. AfH. J.

HELPFUL HINTS.

I have been listening, for some time, to
the conversation of the contributors of our
valuable paper, and have often thought of
some little items which might be a helpto
some. but have not ofiered them before.

I wonder it the “dishrag‘” subject has
been exhausted? I always think when
reading such items that those for whom the
charge was intended are, usually. those who
do not take papers to keep up.

 

l, with many others, have had to learn

negligence in one whom we supposed bred i

with half the tire that it required before. It
seemed to save the heat. r. a. n.

I.\\\'llE.\CE.

-——-——-—~—-‘. no.
ON THE HUDSON

Our characters. it is said, com-ais- the
germ of our most exceptional action. On
‘ this basis, I may perhaps account for the

   
   
 
 
 
 
    
   
  
  
  
    
   
 
  
   
   
   
  
  
   
 
  
  
 
  
   
  
 
    
   
   
  
   
  
  
   
    
  
  
    
   
  
  
  
   
   
    
  
  
  
 
 
   
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
   
    
    
    
  
  
 
 
  
  
    
  
    
 
 
      
    
  

by experience‘s bitter lessons. One thing
lhave learned lately. is that it baby coughs
in the night, to put your hand on the chest
close to the throat, and it will often stop the
irritation, thus release you from the i‘lt)’ of
getting up in the cold to procure medicine.
The warmth of the hand next the chest
seems to keep out the cold.

In summer 1 have my cook-stove in a
summer kitchen which is quite open. Some
days when the wind was blowing. it was
almost impossible to keep hot tirilrons. I
had an old boiler cover which 1 put over
them, and it works won iers. I could iron

 

fact that being within less than one hun-
dred our great metropolis. I
“ screwed my courage to the sticking-paint”
and “defenceiess andaloue," resolved to
goduwn to New York. Thus it ‘azne to
pass that in the latter days if September.
when everybody was returning from sum-
mer vacations and excursions, I found any-
self on board :1 Hudson river steamer, not
quite “one among ten thousand," but
one among two thousand strange faces.
What is one among so many? Waits drift:
ing upon the tide. of life, that is a question
to startle one at illll?S. How few would
miss us there tomorrow! Would we not .
pass out of time even as the ripple which 5
follows in the path of the vessel?

To appreciate the river scenery one has
not only to see but to feel it. Beauty is
happiness to the soul; and in this fair
country where “every breath breathes
health and every sound is but an echo of
tranquillity." earth and :k:.' are. rich

miles of

XI?

.. Mme-Twin. -, .

Varied loveliness. T..e ll :"Esozi :évi‘r is
beautiful not only because of the romantic l
and picturesque scenery along its hanks, ;
but because of its own pure, calm, shining
waters. is our boat glided over its clear 5
surface, the river lay so still and restful it t

secured like something asleep.
Past villages and cities we moved, past

cottage and villa crowning the environihg .1.
hills, plSt mountains with the shadows ' ‘5
hovering in their soul-ed hearts, an: still .
the beauty of the rinr is l est of all we see
or touch. What is it ilk: 2’ Better than all ‘35
the paintings of all the mis‘crs, fairer than ..

all the dreams which deck our “little
sleep,” dearer than all the themes of a
thousand storied pages. It is better to see

than to fancy,
dream.
is better.
are nobler.

As we approich the Palisades, the river
widens into a lake of five miles or more, ‘
here ntlure’s pencil has limned the finest
view; he expansive glassy level, with its
chat-geful lights and shadows, the dark
mountain outlines and delicate tinted sky,
while in the distance the beautiful river
lies like a snowy sheet with a thousand '
starlights sparkling on its bosom.

better to know than to
intuitions are fine, but experience 2
n a I ‘ :
ideals are beautnul, but realities ?

 

 
     
 
  

But the most delightful journey as well


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THE HOUSEHOLD.

 

as the dreariest alike come to an end, and
“Everybody claim your baggage,” sends
nearly two thousand persons towards the
baggage—room for the bundle, bandbox,
satchel, etc., there deposited; and when
Twenty-second street is announced the
passengers wait in solid phalanx on the
decks. The wheel ceases its revolutions,
slowly the steamer rocks and floats toward
the dock, till she’s “alongside.” The
waiting pe0ple stand—in fact they could
mot well do anything else—here and there
one on the boat recognizes and signals to
some friend who is inside the gates waiting
to speak the “Welcome home.” The
brother and husband are among the throng;
the young man claims his “best girl”
:again, and she is glad of a change after
her flirtatious with the “summer boarders;”
the pretty girl rejoices in the “coming of
'the son”—brother. of course—it is really
“beautiful to note the devotion of girls to
the brothers of their friends, I observe. Ah,
well, the summer is too soon ended, and all
its pleasures and pains are even “ as a tale
:that is told.” s. M. G.

Lnsrrn.
——-...———-—

BROADCLOTH DRESSES.

“ How shall I make a broadcloth dress for
myself?” asksavalued HOUSEHOLD con-
tributor. Very simply and plainly, if you
wish to be very stylish, but it must fit “as
'if you had been melted and poured into it.”
These plain costumes depend upon the per-
fection of fit and finish for their elegance.
A plain basque, short on the hips, pointed
in front, and with postilion back having
little fulness, is the usual style for the
waist. Perhaps a high velvet collar and
deep cuffs are added, possibly very narrow
revers which meet a little below the line of
the first dart. The foundation skirt should
be perfectly plain; on this is draped a long,
full apron; the back drapery is laid in folds
which are defined to the bottom, and may
be caught up irregularly at the side to the
belt, not tacked to the skirt. Or, the
drapery may be made to hook on the out-
side of the basque at the waist line, a very
becoming mode, especially to a slight
figure. The hems of the drapery are beauti—
fully finished by three or five rows of
machine stitching done with rather coarse
silk, afashion which has been revived. I
should not wish to use plush on a broad-
cloth dress, preferring velvet as an acces-
sory, or a severe plainness which seems to

suit the material, which in weight and _

' .ustre requires little decoration. Buttons
should be small, close together, of iridescent
metal, and as handsome as you choose to
pay for; and the huttonholes, exquisitely
worked, have at each end that ornamenta-
tion in silk which I think tailors call

* "crows’ feet.” No attempt should be
made to make a broadcloth costume
“ dressy,” to do so destroys what artistes in
dressmaking call “its style.”

The braided cloaks are cut to fit the
figure as snugly as a dress waist. are as
long as the dress skirt, are cut princesse for
a well moulded figure, or have the fullness
of the skirt at the back gathered to the mid-
dle back forms, which are cut oi at about
the length of abaSque, for forms of less

close-fitting like a Newmarket, and "some—
times this close fitting part is added under
the real fronts, which are loose, somewhat
after the style of the Russian circular so
popular a number of seasons ago. The
braiding is done on the fronts, in the cor-
ners, usually in two sizes of braid, a cord
half as large as one’s little finger, and the
ordinary soutache. The sleeves are the
distinguishing features of this style of
cloak, as I have said. There is a close
fitting sleeve, which is the sleeve proper,
and a loose outer one, lined with silk,
edged with drop passementerie of little
balls or acorns, and which, sewed into the
armsize smoothly on the shoulder, falls
straight to from three to five-eighths of a
yard below the waist line, the three-eighths
length being preferred for the sleeve, which
is cut square across the bottom; the inside
seam is left open from a point a little above
the elbow on the front of the arm. These
sleeves are often braided to match the skirt.
A cloak made in this style of such cloth as
is used for dresses would require to be
lined throughout; the braiding must be done
on an interlining of crinoline to give the

cloth the necessary firmness.
BEATRIX.

—__..._—__-.

HINTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

For a housekeeping friend, especially one
whose kitchen is not likely to be well sup-
plied with the requisites, the “ after dinner
set,” enclosed in a neat pasteboard box,
will be very acceptable. It consists of six
dish towels, two of them for glass, two dish-
cloths, adish—mop and an iron chain dish-
-cloth for pots and kettles. The “ kitchen
set” includes the six towels and other
articles named above, a scrubbing cloth for.
paint and one for the floor, an ironing-
holder, a stove holder and two roller towels.

A decorative trifle, easily made, and in-
expensive, is made by taking a wooden
clothespin, painting it dark brown and
adding rings of yellow, to represent the body
of. a butterfly. A couple of barbes from a
black ostrich plume serve for feelers, or
antennae, which may be fastened on with a
bit of gum arabic, or they may be made of
fine wire. Take a square of yellow or red
silk, gather it tightly up the centre diag-
onally, and press it through the slit in the
clothespin. The “wings” will probably
need to be stifiened with fine wire. These
can be fastened on top of pieces of flannel
pinked for penwipers, etc.

If you have in the garret, or consigned to
the “wood-house chamber” an old fash-
ioned rush-bottomed chair, now is the time
to resurrect it and make it over. crub it
thoroughly; if painte i, the paint must be
removed with sand paper of not too fine
quality. Then buy a can of “ivory finish”
paint in white or cream color, give the chair
two or three coats, allowing each to dry
thoroughly before another is applied. When
perfectly dry, the chair is ready to be de-
corated with fine gilt lines with the useful
gold paints. If there are wide crosspieces
on the back, on these sketch a branch of
apple blossoms, chrysauthemums, dogwood,
anything graceful and dainty. Have the
branch heavier at one side than the other,
and let it trail from an upper corner across

and cover it with cretonne of the prevailing

tint you have chosen, tying in place on the

chair with ribbons, and you’ve a “ mighty

pretty affair” that you will not be at all

ashamed to put in a conspicuous position

in the best parlor.

And you don’t know what dainty drapes

and scarfs and mantle draperies can be
made out of such a simple material as the
common scrim or cheese cloth, at six or
eight cents a yard. 1t drapes beautifully,

it is so soft, and its color is delicate. You
can paint on it, with care, using the moist,

cheap colors that come in the children’s
paint boxes. A flight of butterflies was
painted; on one end of a strip intended for a
mantle scarf, and deserved the epithet “ per-
fectly lovely” which was frequently ap-
plied to it. The “ flies” were of all species
and colors and sizes, and must not be first
sket had with pencil, as the lead marks
show through on the delicate fabric. A long
spray of Ampelopsis, or Virginia creeper, is
beautiful for the same purpose; or detached
sprays or flowers can be used. If you can-
not paint, a chair drape of the creamy
goods. the ends finished in drawn work and
edged with lace, is a very dainty gift; make
it long enough to tie in a loose knot, leav-
ing one end longer than the other; or gather
it up under a full square bow of white rib-
bon. If a colored ornamentation is pre-
ferred let it be in some delicate tint; yellow
is very pretty; and feather-stitching in silk
(which has been dipped in boiling water
and dried, so the color will not “ run ”) and
No. 1 ribbon run in between rows of drawn
work, are pretty ways of applying it.

For a cravat case, take two pieces of
pasteboard about eighteen inches long
and four inches wide, cover with canvas on
one side and line them with satin of some
pretty shape. .Put pieces of ribbon across at
intervals to hold the cravat in place. Fasten
the two pieces together loosely with cord,
and paint or embroider the word “ cravats ”
in large letters on the top.

Take two squares of satin in any color
you prefer, cut the squares across diagonally,
making four triangles. Join these with
lace insertion, so that the ends of the lace
come in the corners of the tidy, forming a
square again. Edge with lace to match the
insertion, falling it slightly, and in the
centre, where the insertion crosses, put a
full bow of ribbon: you have avery pretty
and ornamental tidy, which can be made by
aperson who cannot paint or embroider.
A pretty pattern of antique lace and inser-

tion is most suitable.
————-—¢O§-—-—

Contributed Recipes.

 

LAYER CAKE.-Three eggs, beat whites and
yolks separately: one cup granulated sugar;
half cup sweet milk; scant two cups flour;
two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder.
Beat thoroughly. Bake in shallow pans, and
use filling to suit the taste. I often take half
a cup of thick sour cream. sweeten quite
sweet; then put in ajcup of pulverized wal-
nut meats and beat thoroughly. Or, whip
thick sweet cream, sweeten alittle and flavor,
and you have a very nice cake for tea.

DELICATE WHITE Clan—One and a half
cups granulated sugar; half cup melted but-
ter; cream them together; add the beaten
whites of four eggs, one cup water, and flour
enough to make a thin batter, with two heap-
ing teaspoonfuls baking powder. Flavor as
preferred. Bake in a moderate oven.

 

 

correct lines. The fronts are; sometimes

diagonally. For the bottom make a cushion

LAWRENCE. C. E. R.