The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-06-24
Simple Household Art.

In nothing has our age shown more
rapid progress than in household deco
ration and the desire to make our daily
/ life beautiful. Not in any respect is the
change more striking than in the in
/ creased love for rich and bright colorS,
and appropriations of their glowing har
monies. Formerly, only the wealthy
and highly cultivated evinced such
tastes, and the middle or lower classes
either chose the gaudiest and most
glaring mixture of hues, or chung to
sober drabs and grays and somber
| blacks as most genteel. Now, every
eye is being subtly trained by the pa
tient teaching and the open scroll of
Nature through the flower garden.
Even the narrow window-ledge has
space enough for the boxes of gera-
niums-a dazzling mass of scarlet and
green almost as radiant as the light
/ that nouriShes the blossoms into perfec-
/ ton.
/ The side of an old fence will support
an airy and light tapestry of swinging
morning glories, white, purple and
rose-colored. The kitchen gardens
glow with the velvety Splendors of
nasturtiums, or the soberer and more
delicate borders of thyme and parsley
and other lOw-grOwing herbs for scent
and SAVIOR.
One of the visitors at the White Sui
phur Springs last year went often in
her rambes to the poor homes in the
neighborhood, trying to interest the
people in the cultivation of beautiful
flowers, and doubtless in one or two
more years the fruits of her kindly
lessons will be richly evident. Indeed,
one need only visit market stall with
its prettily-arranged vegetables, the
crisp, green lettuce, the crimson radish-
es, the silvery white onions placed side
by side, to see how far the delight in
color has spread and grown. Indoors
the change is seen in the rich, dark
colors of the stained floors, and the
more artistic designs of even the least
expensive carpeting. There is an APP
preciable saving of time and labor also
in the oiled or stained floors, which
can be so easily kept clean.
If one is not able to afford the money
for the purchase of center carpets or
rugs, they can be manufactured with the
exercise of little taste and industry.
First of all, strong foundation of
coarse clOth-a coffee or salt-bag or
some such strong material is needed.
Then the colors should be chosen and
the pattern carefully drawn off before
the work is begun. The outside bOr-
der is prettiest of crimson, as the red
lights up the room and contrasts beau
tifully with the dark floor Then dark
gray and black as a background $50 to
speak, to the brighter cOlOrS, and
narrow line of buff running between the
two will often light up pattern charm
ingly. The softer rugs are made of
strips of flannel or cloth cut in narrow
pieces three OrfOur inches long, stitched
through the middle, and both ends
turned over, leaving fluffy, thick sur
face, pleasant to the tread of tired
feet. This is avery simple household art,
but if it makes home beautiful, it is
worth much.
Perhaps the daintiest arts of en-
broidery and panel painting may scarce
ly touch the affections as much as that
homeliest butindescribable air of comfort
and welcome which some very simple
rooms may wear. 1t is like smile of
joy on plain face, frightening it into
positive attraction.
1t is astonishing when one once begins
the work of making home beautiful how
constantly material may be found for
accomplishing it. Scraps of bright or
dark-colored clothes, tiny pictures,
almost anything can be used. From
the world of wood and meadows one
may gather at will rich store of MOSES
and ferns and scarlet berries for all
sorts of rare, picturesque grouping.
Then it is always safe to trust Nature
with the delicate traceries and inter
mingling of tint and color and finer
shade. By living much outdoors one
learns unconsciOusly the secrets ofthese,
although it may be impossible to render
a reason; the hands will grow more
skillful, the eye and ear truerto all that
is beautiful. Cor. Rural NeW Yorker.