The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-06-15
PUTTING Up THE SHADES.

IPUTTlNG UP THE SHADES.
1t was all on account of shade,
an ordinary, low priced shade with
spring roller and an inoffensive
air that concealed its real depravi
ty as the blaz0ned exterior of a
circus shldeshow bellies the actual
condition of affairs within. The
shade was green in color-not the
old time brilliant grass hue that
took its tint direct from the best
patch in the pasture meadow, but
fashionably green--olice, verdi
grIs, sage or some of that lot. Now
a-dayS when a good, honest color
has as many variations as "The
Maiden's Prayer" a commonplace
man who deals in coil rope and
link chain can't be expected to
work the combination right the
first time. If / we're to describe
the exact hue Of this particular,
sickIy green, deceptive and dia-
bolical shade | should say it resem-
bled nothing so much as the bilge
waller around North river ferry
dock at low tide.
You see, we moved the 1st of
May into a house that is rather
larger than any we have ever had
before, and we rattled around a
little on the upper floors, though
the parlOrS were fine enough and
the front door mat was solid and
substantial enough for the vesti-
bule OF a Vanderbilt mansion. OF
course, not single shade that had
interposeG a necessary screen in
the other house between the mad
ding crowd and our domestic al
fairs would fit by inches any win.
dow IN our new home, and along
with a good many other expenses
incurred in the effort TO live up to
hard wood floors and tiled mantels
we encountered that of new shades.
My wife is a clever woman,
though, and on this afternoon,
when l left the contemplation of
coil rope and link chain at on early
hour, lured by the memory of the
door mat and parlor furniture, she
met me with a smile of satisiac-
ton that was enhanced by the glow
Of the rose cOlored sash curtains in
the vestibule door, and was beautl-
fully reflected in the FURNISHED
brass of The lantern lamp with va
riegated cats eyes which was sus-
pended from the hall ceiling. l
merely throw in this bit of descrip-
ton to delicateIy indicate the sort
of style we live in and to accentu-
ale The distance, the chasm, so to
speak, between it all and the bilge-
water shade. AS | said, my wife
greeted me all smiles and tea gown,
and said, in her newly acquired
English way:
''John, (it's too bad my name is
JOHN | think the shade problem
is solved"
allows that ~ | asked, striving
to soften my link chain brusqueness
by throwing my oyercoat graceful
ly over the antique oak hall settee
and hanging my hat With an easy
air upon one of the brass jabbers
which occupied upper lofts IN the
same structure.
Ny wife did not reply. She was
standing motionIess, her lips apart
and her breast heaving with some
deep emotion.
''Stand right where you are,
JOhn," she whispered, "and look
through into the further parIor, we
lon't like TO say back). Do you
,atch the bloom on that Daghestan
'ug Is il moi beautiful in the soft
light OF that oriel windows A
ovely intermingIing of color like
he blending of many prayers they
Use to heaven ~
Her voice sank away and her
lands clasped in ecstacy. | shud-
lered in unison and bent over nv
little daughter, concealing gather
ng tears in the short waist of her
Kate Greenaway gown. After a
ew minutes of silence my wife
vent on as if nothing had happen
d, as indeed, nothing had.
but about the shades, john"
nd she led the way out of the
quare fre-placed hall up two (
lghts of stairs into the third floor, ]
Jack.
"In shopping to-day l ran across J
special sale of shades, and got
hese two as an experiment. If
hey shed the proper light we'll or j
ier enough for The whole house,
,ack and front, for they are really !
wonderful bargain, and the color, {
think, is just the faint soft tint I
re want" and she unrolled one s
nd held it up against the pane,
Tatchiug critically, with head at J
ne side, the light as It filtered |
hrough and fell with a kind of a
izzy seasickening effect upon the {
ins floor aud yellow stepladder '
hof 1ffha n,nrrauf rDoro H. l-..1.- 9,