The National tribune., 1883-04-26
W0MANS WORK.
Aunt Helen'S Home Talks---COlor in
DreSS---0ur Letter Box, &c.

QRSQTdllOu, SPEAKS VI uIdNlHS 1OOlAo do UhSs
are and as they might be.
Another Tuesday had come, and the little cir
Gle was once again gathered in the library. Mrs
Atherton, Ethel and Table busted themselves
with bits of fancy work, Mr.. Atherton and Ted
die were in the attitudes of leisureful listeners
Through some unknown influence, probably
Aunt Helens,) Rickele had been added to the
family group, and she now sat in corner
beside little sewing table, on which stood a
shaded lamp. At her side was a basket con-
tanning the weeks 1nending, and beneath her
skilled German fingers the mended rents took
on the appearance, not OF homely darnings and
patchings, but of spots of delicate embroidery
capriciously executed upon the garments.
Aunt Helen, taking her place. began to read.
"The following picture of a middle-class draw
ing-rcom, by Mrs. Orrin Smith, might have
been drawn of many parlor in our own coun-
try OF the typical drawing-room this lady
writes: The very headquarters of common
| place with its strict symmetry of adornment
! and its pretentious uselessness. All things
seem as if chosen on the principle OF untitness
! for the fulfllment of any function; everything
! is in pairs that possibly can be paired. The
cold, hard, unthinking white marble mantel-
! piece, Surmounted by the inevitable mirror,
varying in size only with the means of the
! householder totally irrespective of any rela-
! ton to the shape or proportions of the apart
ment; the fireplace a marvellous exhibition OF
! the power of iron and black lead to give dis
comfort to the eye At the windows hard
! curtains hang in harshest folds, trimmed with
rafting fringes. On the carpet vegetables or
/ flowers are driven to frenzy in their desire to
! be ornamental On q circular table (of course,
with pillar and claws are placed booBs-too
| often selected for their bindings alone
arranged like the spokes of a wheel, the
nave being vase of. probably, Objectionable
shape and material Add narrow, ill-curved
sofa and spider-legged chairs made to be
| knocked over, dangerous as seats even for a
| siightacquaintance, doubly dangerous for stout
! friend-and ali is consistently complete. Such
! is the drawiHg-Toom to which, because of its
snowy discomfort, no one withdraws; wherein
visitors do penance at morning calls; where
/ the common-sense that often rules the living
rooms is left behind at the threshold, and
nothing useful is allowed to enter lest it fail to
| be ornamental. All in the first instance being
subservient to brand new gloss, the pursuit OF
| brightness leads to tawdry garishness, and SO.
called elegance elbows comfort from the room.
TIE EXCESS OF EFFORT.
90 Efforts that have been at least tolerably sue
| cessful IN other rooms, where want has been
felt and beittingy satisfied seem to fail utterly
III the drawing-room where an attempt to dc
so much does all things ILL., Often have we
seen just such rooms, rooms tabooed to the
children, Stunned by the elders, dreaded by
| visitors, and closed by the mistress TO Gods
health bringing mesSengerS-sunshlne and free
pure air. Suppose we take possession of this
| unpromising room and strive to make it in
| viting and habitable. We at once take down
the harsh and graceless curtains. Their place
! is quickly supplied by pretty festoon blinds
| and curtains of some rich color and soft ma
| terial. The curtains are hung on rnly-secured
poles with brass rings, and thus may be parted
for ventilation during the day and drawn at
dusk. Then, within reach, on tables or III
convenient places. we lay a few suggestive
friendly-looking. books and eases or portfolios
of pictures These will furnish points for talk,
when conversation or amusementS are tagging.
| We put up a few wall-bracilets and then fol-
lows separation of many pairs of objects
on enc bracket pretty vase and a quiet-toned
piece of pottery may make acquaintance from
their respective shelves; on another a candle
stick Teposes, ard looking across at its former
mate undisturhed in the old place or the
mantel, and then down at the quaint little
Urn on the neighboring shelf of its own
new home, it wonders that a sense of the
monotony of heightened companionship had
not long ago been suggested. Then we
hang up a little bookcase, with q shelf above
tiles or plates. The cabinet-lnaker brings us
little case of wood, hard and ebonized. There
is an upper, middle and lower shelf, and at the
bottom two small drawers on the same line
with bright brass handles. We stand this case
on d substantial table placed against the wall
and into it put our bits of old china. We make
a few hassocks Of different heights and sizes
to suit varied chairs and positions, and cover
them with velvet, embroidered cloth or serge
or with some pretty plain material, and finish
with bright, but harmoniously-colored cord.
U,EsIGHTLY MIRRORS.
1--WE have the long, unsightly and meaning
less mirror, which does little else than reflect the
cold, repcllant, whitcwashed walls, taken down
cut into three oDiong pieces, and these Enclosed
In narrow ebony frames, and hung where they
viii reflect the most graceful forms and The
prottieSt bits of color. Then we borrow this
suggestion for a wall group A gas-bracket
with branches and globes; double and decor
alive corner bracket for large and small vases
three hand-painted tiles in ebonizcd frame
with oak mounting; above the tiles bevelled
mirror, rejecting the graceful shapes of gas
bracket and vases In the garrett we hay,
found an old and battered but substantial rush
bottomed casy-chair. Some soap and water ;
little sand-paper and paint, some plush, pad
ding, and little patience have transformed
the cast-away chair into an object of comfor
dow, and above it, on little bracket, we put
vase of tender shape and color, holding few
branches of growing Wandering Jew and
slender vine. Above the door, agreeing with
the architrave in length and color we place
shelf about eight inches wide, and supported
by brackets. On this we put two or three ole
jars, and as back ground we arrange som,
finely -eolored tiles, allowing them to stand OF
the shelf and lean against the wall. A grim
pathetic-looking stove stands in the fire
place We longingly think of a screen of lux
uriant-growing ivy, with potted ferns, and
few glowing petalled flowers in the foreground
but ivy is not grown il day, and brilliant
flowers even when tended by most loving
hands, withcr and fade, and we turn to on
ally, the cabinet-maker This good man send
us anestly-turned rod, one of the family paints
and yarnishes it, the upholsterer sends us bras
rings and some cotton plush of dull crimson
red color some deft fingers outline on the plusi
a group OF quaint figures we attach the ring
to the plush, slip them over the rod, and By
means OF brackets in the mantel on each sid,
OF the stove we suspend the whole in front o
the fireplace, and instead of gloomy blacFnes
we have spot Of bright, warm color. A jar o
growing grasses and ferns fills one corner, ant
in the other we place solid but pretty table
on which the visitor may rest her plate Of ice
or her cup of tea. On Che mantel-shelf we pu
pretty bnt inexpensive tile. a fan of peacock
feathers, which we fortunately found amonl
the cast-away things, a quaint old china ten
cup and saucer, and two daintily-made glas
vases of different pattern, i'll which We pu
delicate growing plants, the white threadlik
u. ~