The Portland daily press., 1883-12-13

with helpful hints in domestic economy. Mrs
White is willing, SO far may be practicable, 10
consider inquiries and suggestions from those In
terested in this department. Communications for
her should be addressed to the Press ofhee1
HOME DECORATION. '
gone often hears person say, "If were on
ly rich, or had even little more money at my
disposal, how pretty would make my bouss
lookl' Now the really creditsbls thing to do
is to make it look pretty without the extra
money. Most Of Us have seen the houses OF
certain rich people, those having more money
than taste, that were not pretty, In spite OF
their costliness; and, on the other hand, we
have seen the houses of persons Of moderate
means that weie delight, so harmonious and
we'll appointed were all the details. II is the
knowledge, which seems almost intuitiva with
some persons, how to make little goa great
way, that gives the best results. 1t is no par
ticulsr credit to any one to have well-ar-
pointed house when there is plenty Of money
to pay the bills and rhe professional decorator
is given foil discretion. Anybody can have ar
uHlc surroundings by pay ing somebody elso to
design and make them, or to select them.
KENslNGToN WORK.
1t is we'll to disabuse the mind of tho idea
that true decorative art is found only in bad
"Kensington work !" IS the crewel embroidery
OF the day is inaccurately called. "Kensing-
ton work" covers q very much wider ground;
IL means all art embroideries, from the simple
outline stitch to the most elaborate ecclesiasti-
cal embroidery, and it has that general name
because it is ali taught in the Royal School of
Art Needlework at South KeDsington, the
school Of which her royal highness, the Prin-
cess Louise is the chief promoter. The stitch
that We popularity know as "Kensington" is
the laid or petal stitch. This is very effective
when well done and carefully shaded, but an
excess OF it is unpleasant. L was in room
not long since, the owner of which had the
Kensington craze to fearful extent. indeed
she might be called monomaniac on the sub
iect While waiting for her to make her ap-
pearance took an Inventory OF the articles In
the room which were adorned with very poor
samples OF the petal work. There were win
dow lambrequius, mantsl lambrequins, table
scarf, clock scarf, large table cover, sofa pill
low, screen, and innumersble tides. The
thing was Overdone; it sbecame absurd. Now
II the mistress of the house had only known 1t,
she mil gbt have had q much prettier room with
much less Of labor and effort, il she would
have had something else in place OF all that
'Kensington" stuff.
A SOFA PILLOW.
Here, for instance, is a way OF making 80
ia pillow, that Is easy and inexpensive. You
csn fud at almost any dry goods store the silk
/. handkerchief tat have some design printed
in one corner. Select any color you choose.
taking care that it shall harmonizs with the
other colors in the room. Fold over the print
ed corner so that the design shall come about
in the middle OF the pillow; fill the corner
which has been left by the folding over OF the
handkerchief with velvet Of contrasting COL
or. II the handkerchief be scarlet or crimson,
the velvet should be black: il the handker-
chief be dark blue the velvet may be of sn old
gold shade. and vice-versa; II OF bright llue.
have the velvet an olive or deep garnet: cover
one side Of the pillow with this, and the under
side with cashmere the color OF the silk; finish
the edge with silk cord, and 10 the centre Of
the velvet piece put bow OF ribbon the coios
Of the silk. You will have q really lovely sofa
pillow, and it will have taken but q little time
and little expense to make 1t. Many house
keepers are compelled to forego the desired
decoration Of their homes for the lack Of spare
time to give to elaborate work, but there
are very few but can find time to make this
pretty sofa pillow.
MANTEL DRAPERIEs.
Wooden mantel pieces are not in themselves
remarkably handsome, unless they are made
from some handsome wood, beautifully carved.
and those are not often seen in ordinary hoases.
But the commonest painted mantel shelf may
be made to look very pretty, by covering it
and finishing the edge with fringe. For q
nothing ia nicer to cover the mantel with than
gray crash, as it brushes easily and does not
show the dust. Make twine fringe with :
deep crocheted heading, and through this head
ing run colored ribbons, with bows at each end
and in the centre. You've no idea what q
pretty ornamental mantel shelf you will have.
/ have seen parlor mantel shelves covered
merely with fine quality OF Turkey red and
edged with a red cord fringe about q finger
deep, and the effect was very good. II gave
M Col0r tn md a ~
becoming ground for ornaments. Felt Is very
Dice for mantels, especially in rooms that are
not in constant use, butit is expensive and
may be dispensed with when there ID the Tur-
key red and the crash to fall back on.
HANGINGs FOR WINDOWS AND DooRwAYs.
The colored Canton fannels that are fiseced
on both sides are very effective also as araps-
ries; they come in such pretty colors, old gsl&.
olive, Indian red and blue. and deep shaAs
of garnet that is very rich and bsautifsl. TAis
material makes handsome portisrss. saw o
homemade one the other day shat was ele-
CANT enough to have come from any dsoosa-
tive art furnishing house. II was Of q hsn&-
some shade Of olive, with border about Ave
inches in depth OF the handsome shade Of gar
net spoken of above. This band was placed az
the bottom, leaving depth of Its own width
of the olive; the edge was Hnished with deer
caterpillar" fringe shading from olive to gar.
net; 1t was hung with rings on a polo which
was stained to represent black walnut, althos "a
really it was only pine. The cost of ths whole
portiere was less than ten dollarf, and have
set less effective ones that cost fifty dollars.
1t was hung at large double door, and waa
looped back by bands of the garnet, whom IL
was desired to have it open.
CHESTNUT sTUFFING FOR ROAST cHICxxx.
Chestnuts do not grow plentifully in Maine,
but somebody may like to try new way Of
preparing roast chicken with chestnut ssaf-
fng and sauce, which is at present quite popu-
lar with housekeepers who like to try nsv
things. For the stuffing: she'll and blaneh one
quart of chestnuts. In town the French chsss.
nuts are the oftenest used cause they are
much larger and more easily prepared; bat ths
small native chestnuts are really preferabis
| because they are so much sweeter and more
delicate in flavor than the French nuts; bat ID
| takes more time to prepare them. Probably
most housekeepers know that blsnching tAs
| nuts means removing the dark skin to make
| them white. To do this pour boiling water
| over them, when the skin is easily removed BY
| rubbing them gently with the fingers Aftst
| the nuts are blanched boil them 10 ssltsd water
until soft. Mash them smooth and put aside
one-half for the gravy. Mix the half that re-
mains with one cup Of fine cracker erunbs:
season with one-half teaspoonful Of salt, sne.
half salt spoonfal Of pepper and one teaspoon.
OF a cup of melted butter. Il Is now ready fss
the chicken, which must be well clesnssA.
| washed and dried on clean cloth.
HOW TO ROAST CHICKEN
Stuff and tie into shape, crossing the legs sas
tying them, and also tying them to the tail;
slip the skin of the neck down, cut of the neck,
and after stufing draw the skin over on shs
back and skewer into place. Rub the chicken
with salt, pepper, soft butter and -four. Pat Il
into pan without water. but with about tve
| tabespooDfuls of clear dripping in the betteu
| put into the oven, but do not set the psa All
| reotly on tho oven bottom, but on q rack Q,
| iron rest. When the -four Is brown basts n
| with the hot fat, thea dredge again with ficNr,
| after this baste as often as once in ave or ssn
| minutes with one-third of q cup of buttsI
melted in one cup of hot wster. Dredge Al.
| ways after basting. Roast one hour and q half,
or until the joints separate easily.
| THE SAUCE.
| For the gravy or sauce, remove the fat fre o
the dripping pan aud add hot water sufficisn,
to make pint; thicksn it with -four, shakins
the flour dry into the gravy instead OF mixing
| it with water. When the flour is thoroughly y
cooked, strain the gravy, add salt and pepper
to taste. Add the remainder Of the mashed