Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-29
MAGISTRATES OF LIFE.
TabIecIoths. Napkins and Towel

The manufacturers OF linen damaSk are less
prone to change than the makers of less SER
viceable articles, and prepare complete sets of
new patterns only at intervals of two or three
years, but they bring out new designs fire.
quently, and this season they have produced
some Morris tablecloths that should be ex-
amined by all those ladies who worship at the
shrine of South Kensington. There are four of
these cloths that are particularly pretty, and
gift for a young pair just beginning to keep
house. The first has a diaper-patterned center
and border OF lozenges interspersed with ro-
settles; the second has labyrinth design In the
center and fretwork border; the third has
checkered center and border of beech sprays;
and the fourth Is Egyptian, In the quaint geo.
In which appears the head OF Isis. These cloths
cost from Sc to $40, according to size The white
fringed cloths which have their centers sprinkled
with medallions and groups OF flowers are not
quite so pretty as the Morris cloths, but many
persons like them better, fancytng that there Is
something more elegant In a fringed cloth than
In one that Is finished by simple hem.
The demand for cream-cOlOred cloths Increases
with the fancy for bright-hued china, and nearly
all the patterns to be found In dead white are
Reproduced in the cream tints and there are
than In plain white Some have plain CEN
tiers and Others are almost covered by a running
vine or by fine diaper patterns. The borders are
either Greek fretS or conventiOnaliZed flowers
and leaves, the conv0lvulus being more used
than any other plant. The borders are of car
dlnal or cranberry red buff or blue, and the
u
borders OF the same color or of crimson. The
fringe is usually about three inches deep and is
crimped In way that defies the attacks of the
laundreSS for some time. These colored cloths
cost from So. IS to $3.50, and are two yards wide
varying In length from two yards to three yards
and half. Napkins to match them cost about
the same as cloth three yards long. There
are much cheaper table coverings than these,
and lady who does not care for fringe and col
ored borders can buy pretty cream colOred
damask for Seventy-f1ve cents a yard, hem it her
81 how fI,a
patience Of the man of UZ, and make her table
look pretty at very small expense. She can,
If she choose, complete her economy by buying
napkins at 81 a dozen, but 1t will be better for
her to select those that cost twice as much if
she want something really durable. Eight-cent
napkins look fairly well until they are washed,
but their subsequent limpneSS makes them fit
for nothing but diSh-ClOthS
The variety of towels is greater than that of
tablecloths, and the sight OF some of the pretty
articles which are prepared for the OF bathers
makes one wonder why girls take the trouble to
embrOider towels with pictures of spider webs
and flies, and peoples. until one remembers all
the art theories about the improvement of the
mind by this apparently unnecessary work.
Those who have neither time nor capacity for
embroidery can well content themselves with
the woven borders In crimson, scarlet and blue,
and the thick, soft frtngeS Some Of the end
borders are extremely fanclful, representing
packs of hounds In full cry after stag or courS.
ing hares, and other dogs starting up cartridges
from their nests. Others give a GLIMPSE of bird
hoped that the inhabitants agree, and the birds
themselves flying through the branches of the
trees Those who like inComprehensibe articles
can buy the elephant towel, which received its
name for no reason known to civilized man.
but which has plain centre and the simplest
of borders, and costs nine dollars Dozen
owels, with blue and white
Morris borders, and with the blue strands
tied into the fringe, are very pretty and
so are the towels with centres figured like
the jeans sold for dress goods. The most strik-
ing OF all are the towels with borders OF blue or
red combined with black, and those in which
blue and red are united. All of the towels thus
far enumerated are of Irish manufacture and
are of linen, but some are made of cotton with
plain ribbed borders and deep fringes and are
sold at $3.50 a dozen. They have a very narrow
red stripe in the border and are really pretty
like all cheap things, less truly eco
nOmical than those of linen. The Turkish towels
In linen and cotton are not new but they are
still in great demand, and so are the Aims
worthS, which come In three Styles and cost
from $3.50 to 81 a dozen. The Stanley, which
comes in blue, buff and pink, and has little
loops of linen so thickly set on its surface as to
give 1t crape-like appearance, Is a favorite for
chair backs and for covering towel racks. Tape
towels and tape mfttenS for air baths, or for
using after water bath, are luXurieS that COM
mend themselves to those who wish to keep
warm In cold weather, and are rather cheaper
than most luXllrieS-f Boston Transcript