The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-06-23
An Idea in Decorative Art.

"lt's perfectly useless the thing is
my betc noire-dont laugh, Elsie, I'm
not joking. IT there is any such thing
as the contrariness of inanimate OBJ
jects, then of all inanimate objects that
hideous black mantelpiece is the
most contrary
Pretty Mrs. Van Schenck threw her
self back in Ter chair, gazing with min
gled wrath ard disgust at the object of
her animadversion, n high wooden man
telpiece, painted black, and diversified
with various dull yellow streaks and
spots, fondly supposed by housekeepers
thirty years ago to be most faithful
imitation of marble. Fastened across a
portion Of the front, and from thence
trailing to the floor, hung a strip OF
mummy cloth richly embroidered with
garland of poppies. but looking sadly
out of keeping, depending from til,
high narrow shelf it was intended to
adorn.
"Now just look IL ere, Elsie! Owe
and again | have tried to cover, drape,
alter that detestable mantle eipiece, and
each attempt has proved more
wretcbed failure than the last one.
I've blistered my fingers knotting
macrame lace, hammered my thumbs
till they were black and blue trying al
sorts OF devices suggested by all sorts of
people. really did think | should sue
ceed this time, and perhaps if the boT-
der had Eeen twice as deep it might
have looked passably; but that narrow
strip half way between floor and ceiling
is perfectly ridiculous. Grace Aston
gave me the pattern. 1t was lovely on
her modern mantelpieCe. How stupid
in me not to think of making it wider!
believe the thing is bewitched."
Here she paused to take breath, and
meeting her sisters merry eyes, burst
into ringing laugh.
cit does Seem absurd to rail SO, but
the whole room is spoiled, and it would
be so pretty but tor that frightful old
mantlepiece."
Il am sure it is lovely as it is.
Nothing can spoil the beautiful oak
floor and wainscot,n replied Elsie Hor-
ton, glancing around the spacious apart
ment of oblong shape. lighted by four
large windows. two on the southern
side, overlooking the sparkling waters
of Long Island Sound, and two facing
the west, where n dense pine wood at
no great distance from the house-a
huge old mansion dating from colonial
days--shrt in the view and gave an inn
preston of great seclusion.
The first eGmpse OF the room revealed
the fact that the pretty hostess wor-
e, SHIPPED at the shrine of decorative art
though good taste fortunately excluded
the horrors OF scrap vases, bedaubec
dcain-pipes, and spatterwork tides
Nay, at this moment, brightly illumineC
by the flood of sunlight pouring through
the southern windows, the apartment
might have given an artist suggestion
for most charming interior. Tht
floor and richly carved wainscOt wer
of polished oak almost black with age
handsome Persian rugs lay scattered
here and there; soft muslin draperie
shaded the windows; bits of rare Olt
china made spots of bright color o.
bracket and table; an easel supported
fine old painting; Kensington art worl
appeared in screens and chair cover
ings; and quaint spindle-legged table
nearly century old, stood in on
corner.
Fit subjects, too, for any artist
brush were the occupants of the room
Mrs. Van SchenckS dark-eyed, dark
haired, and slightly flushed with exei
tion and wrath, formed exactly til
right contrast to her sister Elsie
blonde beauty, as the latter leaned carr
lessly back in a large easy-chair, he
white draperies, relieved by knots {
blue rlDDons, sweeping over the darl
polished Oaken floor, and her violt
eyes sparkling with amusement at h'
companions Vivacious TRADE.
4" / like to listen to you, Kate" ST
said at last ''It seems like the des
oldtimes before you were married
hear you set off on one of those Dc
QuiXote tilts against windmills. Nov
in the name of cOmmon-sense, let n
ask why, instead of blistering yol
fingers and hammering your thumb
you didn't have the mantelpiece tax,
down, and another one put in its plac
You could have had something carv
just to match this beautiful old wal
scoting."
My dear. that highly sensible su
gestion strongly reminds me of MAJ
AnJoinette's equally pertinent quer
Why, if the poor people can't {
bread. don't they eat cakep' You f
get tLat were not rich enough