The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-01-06
ELBANoR K1RK's LETTER
BRooxLYN, N. Y, Jan. 1e

BRooxLrS, N. Y, Jan. 1888.
A tour among the fancy stores at
this season is wonderfully productive
Of ideas as we'll as bargains for Easter,
and birthdays, and even for another
Christmas. While it may not be al
together advisable to follow the ex.
ample Of one energetic lady who invari-
ably began on Christmas day to make
something for next year, yet those OF
us who cit up nights and wear our
selves out to finish our gifts In time,
might well utilize the stormy days and
long evenings of Jan. and Feb. in
making pretty trifles which will be in
readiness even for another Christmas.
The decorative craze" is said TO be
over, and yet there never were 80 many
pretty, ingenious and useful articles to
be found. Every thing can be utilized
by woman of quick wit To day l
saw hair brush which had outlived it's
usefulness 10 its original form, turned
into very pretty pin cushion. The
bristles we're clipped off with sharp
scissors, the wooden back after being
thoroughly cleansed in strong soda
water was gilded, and in lieu of the
bristles was thick padding of cotton
covered with yellow silk, the hue of the
gliding. Then pins were stuck in like
bristles, and there was the old brush
dainty enough present for any friend.
For tides, those necessary evils,
there is no end of fabric and design.
The danger is in making the tidy so
delicate and beautiful that 1t is no long.
er useful. l saw one not long ago made
of white boiling cloth Of finest texture.
The design. group of grasses, was
exquisitely painted, and the ends we're
finished with long white silk fringe.
AS a work of art it was beautiful, but
it was not artistic, simply because it
was not adapted to its supposed use.
A tidy is primarily light, easily re-
movable protection for non-remov.
able furniture covering, and may be
made as pretty as you like, but tidy
which needs protection for itself is an
offrnse to a really artistic eye.
There is great rage now for en-
broidered bedspreads. They are made
either of linen, or of Bolton sheeting,
both of which come wide enough for
the purpose. The Bolton sheeting ia
twilled cotton goods, which comes in q
soft, creamy white, and is very pretty
for the purpose. Tho design should
be bold, conventional one, and work
ed in outline with fourisbing thread, a
heavy linen thread which is manufac-
tured for this use. 1t comes in beauti-
full soft colors, and washes well. These
spreads are not cheap affairs. One of
them stamped with the work commenc-
ed, and materials for 6nishing, costs at
least twenty dollars, and from there
up to fifty, according to size and elab-
orateness of design. Thes are finished
with plain hemstitched hem, or with
fringe according to taste.
Bags are also in high favor. Large
bags to be worn at the side, long bags
to be thrown over the arm, dainty little
bags to be carried in the hand, sensible
looking bags to hang in some con-
venient corner--all sorts and conditions
of bags, and Of every possible material
from cretonne to China silk.
A young girl who "can neither paint
nor embroider" wishes to know how to
make pretty ap-baske:. A lady
friend in the same fix made one the
other day in this fashion. She got q
long rope, and sewed 1t round aud
round, moulding it over tile. When
finished, q thick coat of white paint
was applied inside and out with q
large brush. After this was thorough
ly dry, a small brush was dipped in
gold paint, and drawn around in the
hollows left between the successive
coils of rope, and presto, there was one
of the prettiest scrap-baskets ever
seen.
at would seem from your article on
Mrs. Cleveland's brown-bread as if
every cook ought to know something
of chemistry" "old housekeeper" writes
and perhaps my ignorance Of that
science accouts for my non-success in
the culinary line"
There are few practical chronical
principles which seem to me indispen-
sable. Still, I am forced to say that
some of the best cooks l have ever
known are entirely unacquainted with
this science. But they had common
sense and acute observation. They
never made mistake the second time.
And again, there are women of excel
lent sense, and knowledge of chemis
try, who can not cook well to save
their lives. The "knack" or talent is
completely lacking. "Old Housekeep-
er" adds that her daughter made some
bread from my 'dissolving a
Fleischmanns yeast cake in hotwater, y
and il was not as light as she could
wish. am inclined to think that both
mother and daughter fail from careless
ness, for if the latter had read straight,
she would have seen that was partio-
ular to say swarm water, not hot" If
my rule is followed intelligently, "there
is no sach word as fail"