The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-04-05
MAKING ROOMS CHEERFUL.
How to Render House surroundings Pleas
ant and Desirable.

How to Render House surroundings Pleas
ant and Desirable.
We are so influenced by our surround
ings that it is very desirable they should
be as pleasant as possible. 1t is not al
ways in the power of the house-mother
to live in the locality She prefers, or to
change it's features to suit her tastes:
but she may so furnish and arrange the
interior of her house that it shall be
charming and restful. The charm of a
cozy home resides inherently in the mis-
tress, and not in what the furnisher and
upholsterer can do to make a house COM
Portable. If fine mirrors, and velvet
carpets, and plush-covered furniture,
and elegant carvings made happy homes,
what blessedness would reside IN fur
niture store. Not till loved faces have
been reflected in mirror is it made at
all precious to us; not till footsteps for
which we fondly listen have pressed the
carpet is its inanimate web dear to us:
not till chairs and sofas have been con-
secrated by holding the forms of our
friends do these soulless objects, how
ever costly have to us other than mere
commercial value. Unassociated with
human feeling and sympathy, the most
expensive and elaborate interiors are
like roses without scent; like marbles
without life. Every Thoughtful person
knows all this well enough; but, for all
that, we are too apt to fancy that pos
sessions like these bring happiness,
while we suffer to lie unused such as are
at hand, and potent to yield abundant
pleasure, if we value them justly.
A bird singing in the window, an ac-
quarium on the table, plants growing
and blooming, domestic pets moving
about as If at home, give life and bright
ness to an apartment, and afford con-
stant opportunities for pleasantest oc-
cupation and companionship Books
people room, and pictures on tke
walls, if selected with taste, are ever
fresh sources of enjoyment. You may !
gauge the refinement and cultivation of |
a family by these infallible tests, unless
they have been selected by some out
slider. Bits of embroidery, crocheted or
knitted work, and a thousand tasteful
devices may contribute to the charm of
a room, and make it irresistibly at
The room in which one lives
takes on the complexion and prevailing
states of the mind of the occupant. If
ono is sunny-hearted, cheerful, tasteful
and intelligent, these qualities will be
impressed on his surroundings, and you
will know him by them just as you
would know crab by his cast-off shell.
There are lovely rooms in which there
s not one piece of Inc furniture, one bit
'f elegant upholstery, but where the
,aste of the occupants has found beauti-
ul expression in calico, ingram, and
and such resources as
,ounteous Nature bestows on us all
erns, and flowers, and sunshine, and
lomestic pets American Agriculturist.
"A superb young woman, who had
Ugh birth and abundance of money,
aucily told girl in her set recently
hat she always kept callers waiting
wenty minutes before she appeared.
The girl who received this valuable
'iece of news called upon the golden
alf few days afterward. She sent up
or card, and the footman returned with
he message that Miss would be
own in few minutes. The caller took
Ut her watch, and, when seven minutes
xpired, wrote upon one Of her cards
i have been gone just thirteen min.
tes." Leaving this card on the tahla,
he young lady took her departure. u