The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-03-10

You may long live to enjoy the thanks of a
| grateful people.
With sentiments of great esteem, am
very respectfully and truly yours, ono.,,
His Excellency jefferson Davis, President
Confederate States.
Interesting to the Ladies-Renoyating
Black Dresses.
/ II fashion is gradually introducing
more of color into the toilette, still no
wardrobe is complete without at least
one black dress, and then the number
of those who wear mourning creates for
| it constantly steady demand. Its un-
failing popularity is proved by the fact
that the prices Of black goods do not
decline proportionally with others, mer-
| chants saying that their sale is always
sure But although neat black dress
| is thus serviceable, and its wearer sure
of being appropriately, if not hand
somely, dressed in any company in
which she may appear, yet no dress is
more susceptible of improvement from
constant and intelligent care, and it
does seem as if shabby, ill-kept suit
of black was one degree more shabby
than any other. No lady should ever
don her alpaca, cashmere, or serge
| without giving it thorough busting
| with broom or brush. Dust permitted
to settle in the folds of pleat or shirring
will soon be impossible to remove en-
tirely, and give the whole gown that
untidy air SO much to be deprecated in
every thing pertaining to a lady's per-
| son.
But after the constant use for months,
or maybe year, the most carefully
kept black dress will begin to show the
| effects of use, in a certain rustiness of
hue and general dinginess of aspect, if
in no place actually rubbed or worn.
Now is the time to expend little skill
and ingenuity in its renovation, when
the economist may be rewarded by COM
ing out in an old dress made new, sure
of eliciting the admiration of at least all
those who are in the secret. For the
undertaking provide yourself with ten
cents worth Of soap-bark, procurable
at an herb store, and boil it in one quart
of hot water. Let it steep a while, and
then strain it into a basin for use. If
the job is to be perfect and thorough
one, take the body and sleeves apart
and to pieces; rip off the trimming from
skirt and over-skirt. Brush off all loose
dust first, and then, with a sponge dip
ped in the soap-bark decoction, wipe
over each piece thoroughly, folding up as
you proceed. Have ready ladies' skirt
board for pressing, and well-heated
irons. Smooth every piece onthe wrong
side, including even silk trimmings; and
when you have once more put it togeth-
er you will be amazed to see the results
of the simple process. One advantage
of taking the whole dress apart is that,
by putting the trimming on in some
style little different from what it was
at first, the attraction of novelty is adj
ded to make the effect more pleasing.
If one has not time, however, to go
through the whole process, q dress may
be greatly improved by being wiped
over with this mixture, and pressed on
the wrong side while damp-indeed, for
a time, twill look quite as good as new.
The process may be repeated from time
to time as shall seem advisable. have
seen cashmere, which had been worn
two whole winters, taken apart and
treated in this way, and the closest OBJ
server would have supposed the dress
to have been put on for the first time,
such was its soft, fresh look, and the
vividness of its black. Grenadines may
be submitted to the same sort of clean
ing with fine results.
When black lawn has become limp,
tumbled, and generally forlorn-looking,
the best mode of treatment to subject it
to is, first submersion in pan OF
warm water colored highly with indigo
then exposure to the air until Just
dampness enough is left to enable one
to press it to advantage with a hot iron,
and if this is carefully done, always on
the wrong side. the lawn will come
forth quite fresh, stiff, and renovated
from its blue bath, and again do good
service for another while
| Every particle of dust should be re.
moved from black silk or poplin every
time it is worn, for nothing cuts either
out SO soon as these often imperceptible
little gritty notes with which the air Of
a city is filed where coal is in such uni
versal use.-Harper's Bazaar.
i
| WASHING WOODEN BLANKETs-A, la,
dy writing for the Household gives hel
process for washing wooden blankets
For two or three blankets take pint o.
soft-soap, tablespoonfuls of powdered
borax, and dissolve in boiling water. Ado
the solution to a tub half filled with cold
water and large enough to contain the
blankets; let them stand entirely GOV
cred nv the solution from 9 IN 81 hol1rr