The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-16
About Curtains.

There is no one thing that adds so
much to the furnishing of room as
curtains. With a good carpet, nice walls,
and tasty curtains, though you may
have little furniture in your room, it will
look quite elegant. There is no greater
mistake made by people furnishing than
putting all their money into parlor set,
and leaving only enough to buy dark
shades for their windows. Where a
a house is without shutters, dark shades
seem necessity but ugGer things
could not have been thought of than the
present fashionable shades-dark grey
and brown. They make the house
gloomy within, and look, outside, as if
no one lived in the house. ...
For shades, there is nothing prettier
than white, and nothing wears much
better. | have some that have been in
use five years, and do not look so very
bad yet. The dust slips off of Holland
very easily, and if the large, brass rings
are attached to pull them down with,
they can be kept free from finger marks.
But inside the shades some drapery is
necessary to give a graceful appearance
to the windows. These can be of Swiss,
scrim, or Canton flannel, as one fancies.
| Ii the windows are a north lookout,
Swiss could be used very well these
are pretty, made to part in the center
and edged with antique or coarse
| torchon-lace, and at the top set in large
| box-plaits and fastened to rings slipped
on pole. 1t is not necessary to pur-
chase the heavy, expensive poles and
rings at the stores, if you choose to
manufacture your own. Have a pole
turned at the carpenters little longer
than the width of the window into the
end fasten a knob, which can be bought
at hardware store, together with mar
tingale rings of iron, which can be
covered with crochetting in brown re-
phyr. Sew these at equal distances
along your curtains, and hang them on
two large hooks, which can be purchased
at the hardware store. The curtains
should only reach the floor loop them
back a little below the middle of the
window with ribbons, and not at the
window-sill, as formerly.
For a door, a pretty curtain is made
of tarlatan, very full, gathered on a
string at the top and bottom part in
the middle, and tie back to each side
with ribbon, so that the opening forms
a diamond. Inside of this have red
or white shade to draw down for privacy.
A very pretty way to fix window
looking out upon an unpleasant scene,
is to dissolve EPSON salts in beer until
it is the consistency of cream, and put
it upon the glass with sponge. 1t will
form the most beautiful shapes-equal
to Jack Frost's paintings. This arrange
ment keeps out ugly sights, but does not
keep out the light.
If the curtains are made of Canton
flannel, the trimming should be broad
bands of another contrasting color, put
a foot from the top, directly across the
curtain, and on line with the window
sill place another band. Nine inches, at
least, in width should the bands be line
the curtains with thin cambria, and trim
on the edge with Norsted fringe, which
comes in beautiful shades from twenty
to fifty cents yard. If you would like
them more elaborate, there are beautiful
strips of wool canvas, about six inches
wide, to be had in all colors, which can
be embroidered in any of the pretty
| oNi'ShNo INV upObJ anu llSCl dS IllC. DuuuS,
instead of another shade of Canton
ilanneE These strips come for alghans
but can be used for a number of articles
where stripes are employed. They are
in nearly all colors, and are fifty cents q
yard.
Very heavy, grey linen is also used fol
. curtains; along the edge the pattern o.
the linen is outlined in worsted Of
crewel. With the great abundance o
} material it is very easy in these days t.
make home beautiful, if one has taste
and one can not do that with plenty o
money unless they have taste. Tn,
great trouble with many homes is, ther,
is too much mixture in them. To havt
everything, one must have large house
> and when people learn to furnish house
: according to the house, we shall Sc,
e more pretty homes. Furnish cottages il
5 cottage furniture, and leave the MASSIVE
I, styles for larger houses. an,
!. FtreSide.