The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-24

| covered with ferns and roses, forming a slight
mound, and trailing down to one rose at each or
alternate plate, or, If other floral favors are to
| be given, from each corner of the mound will be
sufficient
The fashion in many artists studios at present
is to have large vase for brushes or umbrella
stand, which is made of common earthenware or
clay, costing from 90 upwards, according to
the size This is kept in convenient CORNER and
each day receives the scrapings of the palette
which are put on roughly with knife. In a
little while the vase is covered with rich and
irregular coating of paint, which may be var
nIshed and left as it is. or glazed with bitumen
and Antwerp blue at the bottom. Cadmium and
madden lake are added at the top and some
large decorative design painted on the front if
desired The rim and inside are gilded or paint
ed red.
The ordinary pail that is used for scrubbing in
the kitchen does not sound very ornamental,
but If 1T Is painted black or any other color,
with bands of gold on the hoops and wreaths of
flowers painted between them, the pail lined
with satin of a contrasting shade, with drawn
bag top, it makes a very good scrap basket, or
as pail without any lining, it makes a stand
for a large plant The milking pals with one
handle at the side, painted and lined, make
waste-paper baskets, and if painting is found
too difficult, scraps can be bought, with flowers
and butterflies ready colored, which, if carefully
arranged and then vanished, will answer the
purpose
Bacon dressing for salad is preferred by many
to that mixed with oil 1t may be made accord
ing these directions: Cut three or four ounces
of streaked bacon into very small dice and fry
them in stewpan pale color, but crisp. Beat
the yelks of three eggs with spoonful of -four
small wine glass Of vinegar and half as much
again of water; add spoonful of made mustard,
some salt and pepper. Put this to the bacon in
the stewpan and stir it over the fire until thick
and smooth. The bacon fat supplies the place
of OIL When quite cold use it for potato or any
other salad It may be stirred while cooling
Should it be thicker than cream, thin it with a
little vinegar and water well stirred In.
Persons to whom the usual spring dish of
stewed pie plant is distasteful may like it when
prepared in the following manner: Take one
quart of red rhubarb and cut it in pieces put it
In a sauce pan with lid, and let it boil till quite
pulp; melt half-ounce of geletine in hot water;
when dissolved, put it with one pound Of pow
dered white sugar to the rhubarb, and boil for
fifteen minutes; add few drops Of essence of
lemon; pour the rhubarb into mold. Next day
dip the mold in hot water, turn out into glass
dish, pour round it some custard made as fol
lows: The yelks of two eggs, tumbler OF milk,
four Jumps of sugar. simmer till thick; add a
few drops of essence of vanilla.
The latest fancy in the way of decoration is
German embroidery, done in linen flosses and
washable embroidery, silks and cottons. The
patterns are quaint arabesques, scrolls and in
termingling of conventional flower forms. The
favorite colors to combine with white linen
floss are dark red and blue; pale blues olives,
orange browns, old gold and other colols are
also used The effect is more or less rich or
simple, according to the stitches .and combina
tions used. A design may be embroidered in
button hole stitch wide or narrow, with white
linen floss inclosed by an outline of red, blue,
or other color in outline stitch in working cot
tons, or it may be filled in with tapestry stitches
or lace stitches; basket stitches in great variety
are also used.
The awning cloths in black or gray, alternat-
ing with bold stripes of rich colo rs, are put to
use for fancy bed-covers, the plain spaces filled
with bright embroidery, the whole set off with
velvet OF silk border, and the shor. cashmere
fringe in blocks of different clors, which now
finishes many decorative articles. This work.
combined with velvet, furnishes striking effects
in curtain headings and bracket falls; it is also
durable and handsome for chair backs and screen
curtains now used for dividing chambers which
have two or more beds The fashion of curtains
| screens and door hangings is not merely orna-
mental, but adds decidedly to the comfort Of
houses, allowing airy interiors while shutting off
| drafts and sounds with delightful feeling of
| snugness and privacy.
| A Pittsburg housekeeper, who has just recov-
cred from season OF vigorous spring cleaning
| gives utterance to the following vehement re-
| marks: Women should make up their minds
| that it is utter folly to work and worry them
| selves into the grave over housekeeping. No
| husband under the shining sun appreciates such
sacrifice. No woman ever achieved happiness
by being housekeeper after the : ,itest sort
| 1t a woman should keep house like Il angel the
| nelghbors would say she was 'pernckity and
nasty nce;' if she kept house so that everybody
| is comfortable and has good time she, the
| same authority, is set down as below par in the
business; if she keeps house SO as to insure her
| own health and comfort we'll as the rest Of
| the family, she is pronounced poor And so it
goes. Our advice on this point is to pursue hap
| piness so as to catch up with it, and let the
neighbors so hang"