, 1875-02-13
CheapneSs, Comfort and Luxury.

! AMERICANS cannot feel comfortable IN
! less they are luxurious. The English
never think themselves luxurious unless
| they first secure comfort; and perhaps
! they are not altogether in the wrong At
| all events, comfort is a far cheaper co..
modify than luxury, and since not all
young people can begin housekeeping on
| $40, 900 year, II may not be amSS to
show them how to be cheaply cOmforta-
| bic; for 10 simulate luxury on small
means generally results in securing for
mality and losing everything else 1t is
| a common mistake to cOnfOund luxury
with OstentatiOn.
In the first place, then, don't put too
much money in your sofa and chair Gov
| erlngs. If you have silk or satin, every
! thing else must be made to match, which
J viii never do for moderate incomes. Get
plain reps, WOUlcn damaSKS, or even
pretty ChintZ The color Is, Of course, a
matter of taste, but, if you have only
! one reCeptiOn-rOOm, you will find deep
/ crimson or maroon looks warm and cOZy;
! or genial brown, cOntraSted with cnm-
son table-coverS and bright rugs, Is
charming. Blue looks cold and fades
easily, and So does purple; while gray IS
not only cherries, but easily gets soiled
| into the bargain.
Window curtains in the old English
stvle, which can be drawn entirely across
the windows at night, are very rich-lO0k-
/ ing, and keep out draugh:S admirably.
| Their arrangement Is most simple:
pole about the thickness OF the wrist,
with knob AT either end, is fastened
across the top of the window; wooden
rings furnished with little brass eyes are
slipped on il, and to these eyes the cur
tains are hooked These wooden poles
are stained to match the furniture; they
save the cost of cord and taSSelS and of
valances and cOrniceS. If white curtains
are used a small rod running behind the
pole holds them, and thus prevents their
interfering with the drawing OF the reps
curtains.
Carpets, like children, should be seen
but not heard, should be soft to the feet
Ia sheet of carpet-felt or Of thick brown
paper makes an ingram feel soft As
velvet and prevents its wearing) and un-
obtrusive in color The dark Persian,
not Turkey, patterns are admirable;
black grounds behind dull crimson, blue
and yellow arabeSQue designs, flowing,
vet regular. You feel the presence OF a
tasteful carpet, and it doesn't knock
vOu on the nose" as the French say.
Some of the money saved on furniture
covering might be put into one or two
Oriental rugs. which add greatly 10 the
rooms good looks.
As for chairs, be sure and have them
eaxg in nature as well as in name; an
error in this respect will crumple your
rose leaf for years If you have already
bought uncomfortable ones, however,
saw off an inch or two from their hind
legs and 1T them up with ingenious cush
ions. In both chairs and sofas deel
seat is the main thing, and select sucI
) STYLES as have the least amount OF Fisl
. bic woodwork about them. Antmacas,
sars YOU must have, Of course, but avoid
those crocheted horrors that are so com
mon and choose the pretty fancy ones
Those of modern point lace are lovely
enough. but even if homemade are eX
nppsiye Al least in America. In Lon
don. where they are made and SOLD Dy
ladies for charitable purposes, they cost
from $50 to s.. Simple but effective
ones are made of squares of sheer white
musTp edged with pleating or fTlliIng
ana tied at the corners with cOlOred rlD-
! hon bows: or of squares of muslin, with
two strips of colOred satin or velvet TO'
hon three inches wide, carried from The
sides-nOt cOTneTs-SO as to form eros:
; on fbe muslin: border these with Imlta
tion lace. or the muslin may have deeI
hem and four bows Of ribbon tC
cover the ends Of the cross Blact
silk or satin makes pretty anti
, macassars for crimsOn-cOvered chairs
. Won NAV embroider a large monogram II
> the cenier with crimson wool, and faster
Is them 10 the chair with crimson bows
I Mind and have but one brilliant color II
. a room. Many a woman who would o'
= tortured rather than have two coiors OF
| her person will admit Two or three int
e her drawing-rOOm without winclng,
D Keen clear Of center tables. Three o.
! four small tables scattered about tht
o room are far more useful and don't lool
T so stiff. Let them be Of different size
: and shapes. and do aot mind plain ''ood
\ You can " ebonlze" them yourself with
: little black oil paint and varnish, and |
n Won are anything Of an artist, lni4l,
/. IVORY or marquetTy Is 81 your brush
!. end Al all events, have pretty cover
: Tor them, matching the color @! n