Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-28
Written for TEE EvrstSe STAR.
ATTRACTIVE HOMES.
suitable Floral Decorations for Fall
Luncheon Parties.

Suitable Floral Decorations for Fall
| Luncheon Parties.
THE eoIDES-RoD AND cRYsANrHEMuMs AND How
| TO ARRANGE rHEM--rHr ART WORK LEARNED Br
| SUMNER rRAvELERs-rHE BEAUTIFUL AND USE
| FpL THINGS TO BE MADE IN DRAWN WORK, ETC.
Social entertainments have to bide their time
in climate like this, where people are just re-
opening their houses, which have been de-
serted during the summer months. Then
there are SO many stragglers, too, among the
home corners that it would be difficult to col
lect enough guests for any large gathering,
| even IL each housekeeper we're not absorbed in
| her own particular affairs. Sometimes would-
| be hostess can get together a number of friends
| who enjoy each other for a delightful luncheon
party where the conversation consists Of ex-
change OF experiences as to various and
varied wanderings OF course the most suit
able and attractive decorations for an autumn
| luncheon table are the open-ssir flowers OF the
season. Golden-rod in all its glory makes a
| brilliant table and now its aspirations on the
| national flower" question bring il more prom
inentiy than ever to the front as a favorite. A
way to arrange its feathery blossoms. which is
| botn novel and pretty, is to have the whole
center of the table a square of goldan-rod-
snort stems set close among gray-green grasses
Abouquet OF golden-rod is placed at the plate
OF each guest but instead of being tied in a
punch graceful arrangement is to have two
sprays OF the flowers crossed and the stems
| tied with gray-green ribbons, making half
wreath in effect. This encircles the plate and
Is very pretty on the table, as well as equally
50 later when worn as corsage bouquet.
| Chrysanthemums will soon be the flowers of
the hour and they could be similarly arranged
to make beautiful appearance, ether keep
ing to one shade or with several mingled, by
which gorgeous color effect might be at
tanned.
ART WORK.
This season of autumn generally brings other
things besides glowing fruits and flowers for
Identifying the luncheon and dinner tables
wherever women most do congregate at sum-
ner resorts there are always more or less Of
the number interested in what used TO be called
by the comprehensive name of fancy work.
NOW, however, much that is accomplis he'd by
these industrious workers is of such good
quality as to be elevated into art work.
PEOPLE from different places bring new ideas
10 each other. and the results OF a summers
outing are often most advantageous to the
beauty OF the homes to which the travellers
return. Many morning is passed on the
piazzas of summer hotels by those who prefer
to look at the distant points of interest from
there and pursue their latest embroidery infat-
the said distant points of interest! So many
persons visit Mexico in these latter days that
the present fancy for
MAKING DRAWN WORK
can be traced directly to the inspiration of the
beautiful work done by the nuns there This
art has been popular in California for q longer
time than with US, through their earlier ac-
quaintance with this Mexicane work. as it has
been called 1t is not at all fast work. and only
patience VIII achieve much success at it. If a
| small specimen Is all one feels equal to there
are many articles which can be decorated with
IT, 1t was never more in favor than lust now
and unlike colored embroidery. for instance
there Is no danger of having too much of it
about. The little napkins for keeping warm
various edibles on the table are both pretty and
useful. They are about the size OF q lunch
napkin of fringed linen, with drawn-work in
side the fringe to as great an extent as the
worker desires. Baked potatoes, corn on the
ear, not biscuit, and sometimes eggs, are all
served IN them. Still smaller bits to decorate
are the doilys for bread and cake plates These
are often entirely Of drawn work and il put
over plate OF dark, rich color are especially
pretty.
LINEN WORK.
So much interest is revived in linen work of
all kinds that bridal presents of handsome linen
are in high favor. These may take the form OF
expensive towels with drawn work and heavy
lace inserting, OF table damask-always fasci-
mating to the feminine taste-or of bed linen
The decoration of the latter should be wids
mems hemstitched, with monograms or initials
on the sheets, while the pillow cases NAV be
more elaborate. Hemstitched tucks are very
pretty, especially SO when made an inch wide,
with rather more than that space left between
From three to five of such tucks make very
handsome pillow cases. Those with a wide
hemstitched hem and little drawn work above
are also pretty and less work. The ornamental
ton of the sheets should always be confined to
the hens. Once house keeper thought differ
emily, however, and all over the sheets of her
guest-room bed an outline pattern in white silk
was embroidered This, instead of q delight
proved penance to the unfortunate guest. who
was affected by sleeping on the ridges of work
as the delicate princess in Hans Andersens
fairy tale was by the pea under the twenty mat
tresses of eiderdown.
COMFORT ALWAYS TO BE CONSIDERED.
1t is well to make comfort the most promi-
nent thing in house furnishing, and not let that
be absorbed in luxury. The carved chests that
have found their way to this country from
Holland, Belgium and other places make re-
ceptacles for fine household linen that are most
attractive. One feminine soul who longed in
vain TOR such possession invented substitute
by which she made an heir loom presentable
ana added pretty piece of furniture to her
belongings. Among the relics Of her mothers
youth was little wooden trunk which had
held the simple wardrobe of the then yopng
girl when taking her first journey from her
fathers house. 1t had been painted a dark
green originally, but that was worn off in
patches, the hinges were broken and there was
nothing inviting about it. To the present
possessor OF this generation, however, il
showed possibilities; accordingly she made the
most Of them. She bought lincrusta walton in
the first place, which she glued all
over the outside; this was then var
nished until it looked like brown carved
work in low relief. Large brass-headed nails
were put here and there, in one place form
Ing her initials. The inside was made into one
large sachet with first layers of cotton on the
bottom, sides and top. having sachet powder scat
tered over 1t and dotted muslin tackled over
that. When it was finished this was q dainty
resting place for fine linen pieces, with their
handwork establishment as well as a reminder
OF the mothers early days, that always gave
the owner special pleasure to Contemplate. In
some families are odd pieces of hand-woyen
linen which have been preserved in one form
or another, sometimes having never been made
up into articles OF household use but kent ms
they came from the loom. To those who have
any sentiment in regard to these reminders of
long gone-by days, there il an attraction in
making them by further hand labor into
MEMENToEs OF THE PAST
that can still serve purpose in the busy life OF
| today. One lady who had bit of this sacred
linen--a mere strip-put narrow band OF
lovely drawn work across it with, also. a little
darned work in pale yellow silk, finishing il
with raveled fringe, and now it adorns a shelf
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