The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-01-16
WOMAN GOSSIP.
-aste 20 be Exercissd In Selection Of Orns
msnts-What Husbands Want.

i Beauty and comfort.
-asts 20 be xxsrcissd In Selection Of Orna-
msnts-what Husbands Want.
Every room In the house is In one
way or another indicative Of the char
scter Of the inmates. The moment Q
caterer enters kitchen he can tell
the kind Of Q table the family IL used
to. But for evidences Of native
refinement and real culture the critic
must 20 to the bedroom. One OF the
first cares that q Quskeress imposes on
her children Is to keep an orderly bed
Dom. There 10 place for everything,
and everything IL supposed to occupy
that place. So thoroughly are the peo-
pie OF this sect trained that men have
come to Justify the divorce on this
ground, alleging that girl who did
lot keep a neat bedroom when she was
marIi0d Mad ssvt 49, s~4~i.ssasf ar . snn-
cessful housewife. Doctors, too, gain
q great insight into personal character
from the very furniture on the dressing
table, the pattern In the carpet and cur
tains. and the details In general Of the
room.
The first requisite for pretty bed
room Is pretty carpet, and unfortun-
ately that IL not o characteristic Of all
bedroom carpets. People seem to
think that anything is good enough,
and as rule old and faded rags of hit
or-miss pattern--and usually misfits--
are collected from lower halls or liv-
ing-rooms and made to answer as floor
coverings in back sleeping.rooms. But,
however inexhaustible their wearing
qualities may appear, they answer but
poorly, for they hold dust and vermin
and their influence on respiration is Of
most injurious nature. Many women
are actuated by economy In this saving
Of old parlor carpets for bedroom wear,
but when all things are taken into con-
sideration the economy is somewhat
doubtful.
There is no denying that mating is
hygienically the best covering for a bed
room floor. Il In cheap and can be
frequently renewed. But when beauty
IL wanted this style of covering Is not
so desirable, for Il not only looks cold
and hard but is 90. .-
Ingram carpet is much preferable
provided choice is made Of small pat
terms and light colors. Even then 1t Is
less desirable than Brussels, for
good ingram cannot be had for less
than q dollar, and 1t does not pay to
lay o cheap one. Admirers Of ingrains
put great stress on their reversibility,
thus enabling US to have roses one
season and buds and leaves the next.
But, however this may be, both sides
yHvx tAnsathAR AannAk tntfh
pretty dove-grey Brussels shot with
cubes, circles and scrolls OF high colors,
which can be bought snywhere for 80
cents, and will not only outlast the very
best three-ply ingram, but look better
the last day Of its old age than the
other did In its youth. There are body
Brussels to be had at ell prices. and an
English pattern worth S1.65 will wear
twenty years In o chamber and hold It's
color while there 10 fragment of wool
left on the warp. For the ordinary
purchaser who must consider means
with the ways there 10 nothing In the
market more serviceable than o Rox-
bury Brussels, which sells at 90 cents
ct present II q not always possible to
get choice patterns, but occasionally
body Brussels designs are reproduced,
and for the purpose here intended are
Just as good. Il one lives in his own
house it IL quite different matter, but
where there is this May-day evacuation
so much alteration and reftting are re-
quired that experience has taught peo-
pie to invest In inexpensive carpets.
LIeHr coLoRs.
In the purcha se OF ell kinds Of car
pet this one RUE holds good: buy light
colors. The lighter the ground the
greater win be the service, for they
show soil and wear less readily and are
always made Of good material. Only
the best grades OF wool take high dye
and the inferior qualities are dyed in
colors and put In cheap carpets. Wo-
men % Q rule hesitate about taking
light carpets. arguing that they get
soiled 90 soon. Now, everything under
DOT must of necessity get soiled re-
gardless Of color, and everybody who
has worn black IL aware that there are
few colors which show the dirt sooner.
A white ground makes the choicest car
pet. % the dust and wear will tone II
down to o soft gray, on which any
color almost will show to advantage.
For those Of an esthetic taste there
are plenty OF grays, browns, light yell
lows, and pretty olives In Scotch tweed
that make exquisite floor coverings.
They can be had at 90 cents and 1925,
are usually made up Of bright border
OF the same material, and come 9 full
yard wide. II this arrangement Is not
desired lay your floor with moss green
or ,neerschaum yellow, and buy few
mats to finish ID with.
Moquets and velvets are undesirable
because 1t IL 90 hard to sweep them.
II is nice idea to buy o good carpet,
cut II square and finish of with o light
border. Fill In the floor to the depth
Of half yard or 80 with plain terry,
and the effect will be artistic enough to
appeal TO the taste and the imagination.
THE BEDsTEAp.
About the furniture there Ii much to
say. To start with the bedstead, choice
will depend very much on the outlay.
Brass bedsteads are having large run
and the supply continues. Such an ar
ticle Is o very good Investment Is 1t has
ave times the durability Of any other
kind. Then there are large imported
beds made Of hardwood. with the side
boards cushioned In velvet or plush and
buttoned down. Canopies are rarely
sold. Beds with couches ct the foot
are In demand among people who have
homo Of their own, and there Is o
world Of comfort In them too. But 1t
Is not difficult matter to improvise q
couch. For instance, procure bench
90 long as the footboard, such as Is used
in Sunday-schools or recitation-rooms.
Make cushion of creton, jute, or any
kind Of upholsterer's cloth long enough
to cover the seat. Put sofa-pillows In
each end to cover the arms, throw q
slumber.blanket or afghan over the
back, and one has o delightful couch.
Have an extra slumber- blanket on hand
to be used for an afternoon nap. This
not only facilitates comfort, but IL
great saving to q bed, which Is so east.
" soiled and mussed by chronic nap
psrs.
For chairs, rocker, . couple of
straight backs, and at least one arm
chair will DO required. With several
footstools and q couple Of ottomans q
fewer number may do. One table Is
indispensable, which should contain
nothing but lamp and papers, II the
comfort Of Q husband IL to Be consulted.
A man wants O lamp and wants
place TO put bis favorits newspaper and
magazine on, and the woman who fails
to provide that place neglects an i'm
portant duty. As means of keeping
that erratic individual at home have
a sacond sfand coverad with n naat