Middletown transcript., 1881-01-07
ORNAMENTAL TOUCHES.

How many houses are spoiled by til
h very things intended for their adorn
# ment how many rooms made to lool
d tawdry and ill-furnished by the trasl
+ collected on the mantel and tables, ant
t every possible point Of notice!
e Comparatively few people, eithe
h with means or without, can furnish ;
: house so that it will have an expression
t of individuality, and look as though
l every room were Iired, in which is tht
| real object of house that is a home az
3 well but it is especially in the orna.
mental part that so many fail-tht
: mantels, tables, brackets, and corners
l And yet success in these matters is by
. no means difficult. With 'money nc
+ object, there are always for the man.
tel the regulation eandelabra and bron-
, zes, that escape vulgarity, if not partic-
: ularly original for the country house
| pretty china vases, with the centre
piece perhaps a,small easel supporting
: a gem of picture-not necessarily ''an
) old master, 2 or any master at all. 1t
} may indeed be nothing better than one
of Prang's chromos, yet bright, sunny
and suggestive.
The abomination of dried grasses
some of them being artifcially colored
in addition to their dryness-is style
of mantel ornament that always makes
us feel like inviting a COW or a horse in.
to make away with it's lawful fodder.
Such things are doubtless pretty in
some combinations in corner, for
instance, reaching very high from the
floor in tall vase, and tastefully mixed
with autumn leaves but not in mantel
jars, and not too much of them any,
where.
There is nothing prettier on mantel
than candlesticks-real silver if pos
sible, and hedged about with the divin-
ity Of having belonged to ones grand
mother, or great-grandmother but
failing this, anything. Even putty
would not be bad moulded into shape
and gilded; but this is an original idea.
and we think of taking out patent for
it. A globe-lamp, too, over reading-
table, swinging in a gilt triangle, and
candlesticks of the same shape, holding
candles warranted not to rum make
charming illuminators, however hum
bic the foundation material may be.
And while we are upon the subject
of ornament, how few people ever seem
to think of an open fire in this connec-
tion-the prettiest piece of furniture,
as some one has said, that can be put
into room, SOftening plain common
surroundings with its beautiful dancing
light, and making such a cheerfulness
in a gloomy scene that it is almost i'm
possible to remain sad beside it sgd
ney Smiths prescription of a bright
fire, an entertaining book, and box of
sugar-plums as an infallible cure for
the blues is unfortunately not within
the reach of every one; but the open
fire, at least, is within the reach of
many who do not avail themselves of
it.
A fire is more trouble, of course,
than the hole in the wall known as
register, and that either puffs forth
heat (all but the fames) like the dragon
of old, or turns cold shoulder to the
chilled unfortunates who depend upon
it as their only hope of getting warm.
1t is more care, and it makes dirt SO
the housekeeper banishes it from the
range of possibilities, and expends
money and strength on something that
does not yield half the returns, either
in the way of ornament or comfort,
that the open fire does.
Let there be a furnace by all means,
to heat the halls and ordinary rooms,
but an open fire and crimson curtains
to warm the gathering room in the
winter twilight or snow-storm some
growing vines, too-hardy things that |
will do well anywhere, and not prove
delusion and a snare by ever holding |
out the promise of blossoms which they |
know they don't mean to fulfill.
Brackets should be something more
than shelves and unless it was to be
covered, we should protest against any
ones ever making one at home. A
born carver might, perhaps, venture
upon it, but not an ordinary amateur
in tools. Two Of the prettiest bracket
covers we ever saw were made of scar
let flannel with worsted fringe. They
supported busts of Parian marble, and
harmonized in coloring with the other
appurtenances of the room.
Crash toweling sounds cheap by way
of ornamental coverings, and it is much
in use at the present time but it must
be remembered that it is like pumpkin
pies-nOthing if not highly seasoned
and mixed with expensive ingredients.
The towel-workers soon find that silks,
and fiosses, and cloth, in many colors
and designs, must go to the seasoning
of their manufactures before they can
be called things Of beauty. Floral
Cabinet.
-N
Mark Twain having been asked to
contribute to the newspaper issued at
the fair in aid of abused children in
Boston, wrote: why should I want a
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Children to prosper, when 1 have a ,
baby down stairs that kept me awake
several hours last night with no pretext :
for it but a desire to make trouble ? :
This occurs every night, and it embit- 8
ters me, because see now how need q
less it was to put in the other burglar !
alarm, costly and complicated contri- .
vance which oaOOOt no doTloodad ,,DO,, .