Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-11-25
FROM BOSTON.

Of Bayard Taylor's "Home Ballads" They
comprise 1.-THE Quaker Widow" "The Holly
Tree" "John Reed, "Jane Reed, and "The
Pennsylvania Farmer" and are among the
best that Taylor ever wrote. They are char
acterized by a rare simplicity of expression,
and are full Of quaint sweetness and strength
The manner in which they are gotten up is
well worthy Of them ; the paper is heavy and
delicately tinted, the binding is elegant, and
the illustrations are really remarkable. Among
the artists who have been employed are II.
Bolton Jones, T. Hovenden, Frank d. Milett,
+. S. Church, F. Dielman, W. H. Gibson, aud
W. L. Taylor. Certainly there could be no better
array than that and they have all put in their
very best work. It was, as though each one had
felt personally responsible for the artistic sue
cess of the book The engraving is fine and
clear and the book will be sure to have large
sale and will make an elegant Christmas re-
membrance Gift books nowadays, are a
delight artistically they are perfection, and
the art Of the engraver rivals that Of the
draughtsman; every year sees new and love-
ly things brought out, but the book referred
to above is the finest, certainly of all that have
been sent out this year.
This is the season for hunting through the
shops and making the necessary selections for
the fast approaching holidays. They are wise
who go early, avoid the crowds that throng
the streets and stores during the week i'm
mediately preceding Christmas and get the
first choice Of the novelties l started on my
rounds last week and the first place to which
1 turned my steps was my favorite pottery
establishment on Franklin street, Jones,
McDuffee d Stratton's. had been advised
of the new aud artistic articles that had been
selected by two of the firm members this
summer from Europe and the East, and l fat
tered myself that would be one of the
earliest visitors and have things all my own
way. But ah the futility of human belief.
Others had evidently had the same thought
and there were many visitors there before
me. II was busy place; customers were Sc
lecting wares, and the ninety three employ
ers and statesmen were everywhere all at
once, flying hither and thither up and down
through the six stories Of the establishment,
filling orders and finding the something
new" in every department. of the useful and
ornamental alike. Faience lamps are more
than ever the rage this season, and no well
regulated family dreams of keeping house
without one. Two years ago when this firm
introduced them it was merely as an expert
ment and there were those who predicted a
failure for them, but they were taken up at
once by the most artistic portion of the COM
munity and that stamped them q success at
once. There is a steadily increasing sale for
them and it would seem as though the manu-
facturers had caught an inspiration from the
success, and were trying to make them more
beautiful than ever. The handsomest ones
have seen this season are in the new French
ware called "Barbotine, rich and elegant
pottery which despair OF attempting to de-
scribe oas to give you any adequate idea. The
ground work is very like the Limoges faience,
which is SO well known, and it has thrown
againstit the most equisite ioraldesigns in what
isknown as petal work. The howersand foliage
stand out from the ground work as though
they were real and had been garlanded about
it. This ware Is by no means confined to
lamps there are Jars vases, ornamental
pieces of all descriptions and plaques. One
Of the hRndsomest Of these had a garland oi
chrysanthemums thrown carelessly across itl
surface. But TO return to the faience lamps
all kinds Of pottery are used for them, and the
prices vary from seven dollars to one hun
dred Many persons buy them who do moi
use them, actuated by the motive that sent
very wealthy gentleman in search for hand
some one worth about seventy five dollars
that was ornamental and looked useful.
There are people who are afraid of kerosene
but there is comparatively little danger if they
are moderately careful and see to it that they
only buy the best oil. For my own part
prefer the light from an oil lamp to gas, it il
so much steadier and softer.
Another fashion in pottery that has growI
during the past two years is the fancy TO
umbrella stands. Very little-too little il
fact-attention has been paid to the furnish
ing of the entrance halls to houses, and the,
usually have been dark and gloomy. Nov
the genius of decorative art has reached ou
her hand and taken this portion of the hous
under her own protection, and really she ha
made something quite different Of it. Pot
terry newell lamps either for gas or oil, hav
taken the place of the stif, ugly, regulation
hall lamp, portieres conceal or take the plac
of doors, artistic chairs give inviting welcome
and the ornamental effect is increased by tn
umbrella stand of quaint Chinese or JApanes
ware, or OF some of the varieties Of Frenc
faience. Not only are these jars ornamental
but they are really boon to the housekeeI
er they receive the dripping umbrellas an
save many a stain from the carpet. The uti
ity of the ornamental is a new and very ser
I sible phase OF art decoration; an object mui
look as though it was useful even if 1t is moi
1 wish had time to tell you about all tn
lovely things in Royal Worcester, Grow
Derby, and Dresden wares in the Satsum
Kago and 'Oto japanese pottery, and the del
icate French wares and the rich BAcoarat an
delicate Bohemian glass l took young ID
dy friend to this house who had just returne
9 from tour abroad she was connoisser
in art in all its phases, and had been to all Ii
large potteries of the East. She said in all hI
e travels she had not seen any thing like it ! 81
y had seen some Of the wares in Japan, othe
in Paris, still others in London, Dresden, il
deed, in all the leading cities of Europe, bl
here were the finest specimens of all gail
cred under one roof. There is no sight lii
T it anywhere else, even in New York Il
New Yorkers themselves admit that. I'll
novelty in glass this year comes in the exa'
imitation of tortoise shell, and is known
tortoise shell glass there are ice cream dis
es, fruit dishes, pitchers and berry baskets
n of course one only wants a single piece of tn
ware as II Ia desioned only 10 give variety