The Portland daily press., 1878-10-05

"You are not WE'LL" said Mrs. Shinar, ris-
ing. "Your enthusiasm has been too much
for you you are worn out. think, my
dear" turning to Miss Bustle), "we had bet
ter CO." Both the ladies essayed to go, but were
were held fast; surprised, they start the more
theoretically, when there followed cracS-
ling, ripping, and tearing, as one left good
part of her silk gown, torn and mangled upon
the chair miserable black imp that it was y
cllnging to her.
"Oh!o-hw "Hi-iw screamed they, at
the top of their voices.
Mrs. Shinar's poodle added to the Wretched
confusion by rushing wildly around. when
suddenly it disappeared fIom view.
When equanimty was regainef, my Vile
explained to the ladies the cause OF the accl-
dent, and expressed her deep notification.
1t was no small matter to get Miss Buste
separated from her chair, and it was finally
decided that l should retire while she slipped
out of the dress aud incumbrance, leaving to
Opheia the separation of the two at her leis.
ure The ladies' arrayed themselves in some
plain dresses of my wife's, and as l spied
them from the pantry window making their
way home in their changed attire, all their
airs and graces gone, could not help laugh
ing in spite Of myself. Ophelia, just enter
ing, said was a wretch and merely replied
that we couldn't always expect to have
things to please us.
Just here the conversation was interrupted
by fearful bowling and yelping, which pos
sibly had been going on tor some time, but
had not been noticed in the excitement.
fastening to the parlor, we found that when
Mrs. Shinar's poodle disappeared 1t ran into
one of the newly painted and vanished drain
tiles that had been left to dry in the bedroom
upon little frame had arranged for it, and
there the poor creature was literally stuck
fast. We tugged and pulled at him, but in
vain finally had to get hammer and break
the thing in order to release him. l grieved
as saw two or three days work sacrificed
for the miserable poodle, but there was moth
ing else to do. Misfortunes followed to the
very end for in endeavoring to give him a
hearty ''send off," and applying my foot Wig
orously for that purpose, the wretched dog
skunk away, the newly painted door receiving
the full impress of my manly sole.
One day some time after these events
Ophelia came to me with a letter in her
hand, saying, sob, I've ouch capital news
Cousin Grace is coming to make us visit.
You've never seen her. She's SO nice, aud
accomplished too. She has studied abroad,
and is all up in Art. How she will admire
our home! how she will appreciate this
Household Artp
/ did not fully share Ophelia's feelings, for
my ardor had become little dampened in re
gard to Household Art. had come to have
vague feeling that ''thiDgs are not what
they SEEM" However, was glad to have
Ophella pleased-dear inland so bright
ened up my countenance.
In few days Grace arrived-a very quiet
lady-like person. She was accompanied by
Tom Bowler, who, it seemed, was an old &C.
quaintance, and took the opportunity to come
up with her. can not say that l was par
ticularly glad TO see him;I could not forget
his last visit; but fortunately he did not re-
main long after leaving his charge.
1t was not long before Grace became quite
at home, and so intelligent, sensible, and mod
est was she that we could not but greatly re-
spect her. Somewhat to our surprise she
made no al.usion to our tart treasures" and
though l skifully endeavored to draw her
out on the subject she avoided any expression
with woman's tact. On one occasion, after
tea, as we were sitting around the evening
lamp, Opheia said;
Now, Grace, you have not told us what
you thought OF our Household Art of the
Home AdOrnments, we have here. Pm Gu
rious to know what you think of them.''
There was for moment or two a slightly
embarrassing pause, after which Grace very
quietly said, 81 fear my views upon the sub.
ject of Household Art are unpopular, aud as
they may not be agreeable, suppose we avoid
the topic?"
This expression of course made Ophelia all
the more anxious to know what her views
were, and shared her curiosity somewhat.
So we pressed her, aud told her she should
say what she pleased, and we should like her
none the less for it-that we wished to i'm
prove our views, etc.
SWELL" said Grace, ''if speak at all, L
must frankly, and fear lest hurt your feel.
ings." Upon being treasured, she said, II am
heartily in sympathy with the desire TO make
homes more attractive aud beautiful, but be-
lieve love for what is genuine, sensible, and
good of its kind must inspire any successful
effort, for whatever possesses these qualities
must command respect and give lasting salts
faction. The fault of much of the so called
Home Adornment,' it seems to me, is that
it is a sham and pretense. The gorgeous
ness of the Ind is to be reproduced in paint,
putty, and chromos for shilling. Now The
gorgeousness of the Ind is not glaring,
for its richness is the richness that
comes from most skilfu, delicate, aud elabo-
rate work, but the cheap imitation lacks these
qualities, and is simply tawdry. The beauti-
full art of pottery (aside from the matter of
FORM has its peculiar charm in those effects
which can alone be obtained in pottery the
exquisite glazing, SO varied and surprising:
the results obtained from different kinds of
clay, or the combining of different CLAWS; or
the use of instruments that produce sparkle,
variety, or form in relief. These things, it
seems to me, are the peculiar charm OF pot
tery-a charp that can be obtained in no
other manner; but to take a jug and paint
picture upon it that might just as well and
better, have been painted on a little canvas,
is certainly misappving, for while pretending
to be pottery, it is only paint, and lacks what
makes the ware precious
SWELL" said Ophelia, with half.suppressed
Sigh. "what do you think of dados, triezes,
and rugs?"
81 think they are desirable where reason
for them exists, and where there are means
to warrant the undertaking; but as to max
ing them fashion and applying them right
and left, as though they were no end unto
themselves, it seems to me great mistake.
They are usually features that imply con-
siderable amount of richness of decoration
and equipment, but how often they are used
where they are only caricature of expensive
furnishings! 1t would be far better taste for
persons of moderate means to furnish simply,
having every thing good of its kind aud Who'll
ly unpretentions, than to be decked out in an
imitation of costly finery."
but really" said Ophelia, "don't you
think our curtains, with their cross bands
land they were SO cheap)-really, don't you
think they look quite stylish ?"
f'Ahs CACidtuLcu vi dCt. YOU nave cQarac-
te-ized it all in one sentence-'cheap style.'
Cheap stylishness is a bad atmosphere for
good people; frank, straightforward simplicity
would be far more healthful one; and the
idea that there is any art in il! 1t is entire
ly contrary to the spirit of Art, which is
built upon the True, the Good, and the
BeautfuP-'
"Bow-wow WOW, ki-yi, ki-yiW What
could it be-a dog loose?
Soon the laughing face of Tom Bowler ap-
peared, as he exclaimed: ''rve come to
make little call, if you won't stick me down
in one of your Art chairs, or entomb my dog
in an Art drain tile"
felt provoked, but got Tom seat. 1 did
not, however, introduce the subject of Hou Sc
hold Art, but talked rapidly about other mat
tiers twice he alluded to the paint, but in-
stantly changed the subject. Near the close
OF the evening he surprised me by limiting
that ere long he should take our visitor from
us "to cooperate with me in matters of
Household Art" said he, quizzically.
We missed Grace very much after her de.
parture. but we did not forget the views she
had expressed as we were sitting around the
evening lamp. The more we.refected the less
our Art treasures increased; indeed, they be-
gan to disappear one by one.
was going to throw away the painted Sell
ger luUs. Init Onhelia with bor oav;nr d;e,o