The Donaldsonville chief., 1886-08-14
OUTLINE PRINCIPLES OF DEcoRA.
1iON AS SEEN BY A NATIVE.

| such fan into an elegant decoration will ele
vate the graceful tone of the place. Other.
wise we will never bear to see a bundle Of
mere wind producers let loose, tackled against
walls, spread over bureaus, hung by posts,
and, in short, scattered all over an apart
ment as if they were goods for sale. Nay to
call that dainty fan decoration!"
| Nor do we pretend to appreciate those
costly fans much admired by the ladies of
this country. The broad frames OF polished
| ivory, on which are wrought extravagant
carvings, and the shining fringes that ndorn
their edges, may be grand" but, honestly,
they look only awkward to our eyes. When
summer comes the bulk and weight Of fan
of this description necessarily require certain
amount of muscular exertion to draw any
draught; but then it is found out that the
heat generated in this exercise will generally
be more than con be famed away by the
drowsy flaps of this not easily manageable
! weapon; and after all tho Indies are obliged
to relate the history and the skillful work
manship OF this favorite fan amid fainting
breath and running perspiration!
LANTERNS AND UMBRELLAS.
Now hasten to mention lanterns and un-
brellas. Well, lanterns have some charm Of
their own For instance, take plain glass
cased lantern and hang it in the deepening
shades of green bower on summer evening,
there YOU will perceive the very spot where
pearly dews lodge, and in the stream of its
pale rays, you will even imagine you were in
presence Of Goodness herself Or hang out a
lot of paper lanterns i'll q gay row, over your
windowsills and along your store fronts. The
burning candles will send out from every one
of your houses the air of joy and hilarity to
join tho pcvailing festivity of any occasion.
But the umbrellas are very charmless things,
and l have nothing to soy about them Any
way it was beyond the genius of japanese
people to bring either lanterns or umbrellas
into a richly decorated hall, and to dream the
harmony with the glittering surroundings
If it were in Japan should have good reason
TO be offended at my being led as a guest into
place where lanterns and umbrellas are
lying scattered.
Ina time and circumstances have led the
Japanese to acquire that peculiar taste Of low
ing simple things with imaginative concep-
tion:; and hence an aversion to the childish
love of mere sho*iness and gorgcousness.
Thus, the Japanese arc totally disgusted With
painted picture panels and silk embroidered
Screens although they arc above others, we'll
known i'll tho foreign market as japanese
goods. They are altogether too vulgar for
our taste, though we manufacture them, ond
we supply the demands abroad 1t is true,
the sliding doors, the movable screens, tho
hanging panels, arc all favorite and necessary
furnitures of the Japanese household decora-
ton, but the point hero is that we would
rather have them framed and finished in q
gentle and tasteful manner than have them
debased with glaring and ostentatious colors
USy>+~ ~
have them painted with a serene mountain
scenery or poetic cuckoo flying in moon
than have them covered with cheap-lookins
embroidery work.
The same sentiment forbids us to overload
our rooms with mere curios. For this reason
our bronze flower vase, however unique and
rare thing it may happen to be. we always
appreciate it better with fresh cut branches Of
trees planted i'll it than when it is kept topside
down on a special stand just to satisfy tho
visitors curiosity.
FURNITURE AND LANDSCAPE.
condescend to say that our dwellings, gen
orally lack glaring contrast OF hues and of
abundant furnituring Of chairs, sofas, mir
rors. stands, etc, which are so many sources
of western comfort But it must be owned
that it is not the japanese temper to extort
''SAANASA
arc satisfied, if we find pleasure in looking
into our yard, where hill rises in perfect
likeness of serene nature, and cascade rip
pies down rugged precipice into pond be-
low, enjoyed by pair or two of happy ducks,
fishing peacefully at the roots of growing
reeds. We feel proud if the landscapes and
birds and flowers upon our doors and screens
are vivid enough to transport our guest into
nm uucOnSriOlu itafi cf n ly-r;n M,
shelves, running not uniformly, but artisti-
cally; the carved figures, not grotesque, but
quaint; the exposed posts, neither shaven nor
stained, but polished until it is shining; tho !
nails, Insignificant and yet ornament headed,
one by one, as they come into perception, will
work immeasurable charm into the mind of
an interested observer.
We have sometimes been ridiculed at the
lack of geomstrical uniformity in our decora-
tion, but we never look over the harmony.
For instance, we will hang up our valuable |
pictures with a costly silk string instead of |
wires, and the uxuriant plants we /
will keep in proportionally beautiful pots, in
tead of crude wares of reddish brown earth,
Nor do We overlook that important principle
It art OF decoration-the change and refresh
ng; neither do we overcrowd our rooms with
he wholesale exhibition of all beautifu;
hings we have. We display panels and pic
ures spariissly at a time in their number;
,ut we never allow the same ones to remain
lung at the same spot over season; they are
lisplace1 with the reserved ones from time to
ime, thus giving the place the fresh and
hanged airs 70 suit the season and occasion.
II fact, this system of spare and changen
splay is very sensible portion of Japanese
decoration, for our visitors will ALWAYS find n
hance to do honor to the correct taste of the
Takahashi i'll Inter Ocean.
Breaking Bad News in Bavaria.
The Bavarian idea of gently breaking bad
ews is peculiar. When King Ludwig COM
litted suicide the court chaplain was depu-
zed to convey the sad intelligence to his
lother. The chaplain hunted up a text in
ac Bible suitable to the occasion, and having
btained an audience with the kings mother
cad the text She seemed to rather enjoy
whereupon he read it over again. Then
,e looked puzzled, whereupon he read it tho
lird time, and the attendants who knew the
ing was dead, began to weep. The royal
dy trembled both mentally and physically.
be tainted away, and the chaplain consider
ely wi:hdrew.-Kansas City Journal
Satan's business goes on widout any trouble
r de ole rascal, but it peer like de erfairs o.
! Lawd has ter be allus tended to. De weed
.,,,t.i