Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-10-18
our WEEKLY WONAN'S LETTER

them with colored or figured sateen
OF artistic design and you have a
beautiful, easy couch. Set 1t across
a corner or projecting from the cor
ner into the center of the room, with
u pretty rug beside it.
Setting things cornerwise, or In
odd positions makes pretty situa-
tions for brlck-a-brack, stands and
chairs. Cover your frayed-out
easy chair with large damask
towel, take off the rickety arms or
broken rockers. Don't have a tidy
on every chair and drape over
every picture. If your pictures are
not artistic take them down aud
rather have none. Have a few
photos of the masterpieces In your
minds eye and buy them when you
can afford it. If you are lucky
enough to have a piano, leave it un-
adorned. You would not tie bows
or hang drapes over violio, and a
pinno Is also Il musical instrument,
--an'individual in the funily,-and
ought not to be treated like a piece
Of furniture. Besides there is moth.
ing so sensitive to obstruction AS a
piano. 1t cannot give out rich, pure
sound through a covering of cloth
and paper severa! inches thick.
Lay The sheet music "a. u stand or
even on the floor rather than upon
the piano. A pretty way to treat
an upright piano, II your parlor is
large enough TO allow 1t, is to draw
1t out into the room TO let it extend
from the center of corner, hang
ing a pretty curtain across the back
to cover the unfinished surface. Ii
improves the tone to remove il from
the wall, besides it is less exposed to
dampness and atmosphere. Keep
your piano open and always ready
to join in the family communion.
The curtaiDiugs of the sittingrGom
are an important matter aud the
whole tone of the room depends
upon them. One pretty style is to
have plain shades of huff or olive,
and dainty sash curtain hung by
gathering string. There is an imi-
tation China silk made in gay and
tasty designs for about shilling a
yard, that is quite as rich and bcau-
ii 'ul 10 effect as the real. Lamber-
quins or heavy curtains are passe,
and pretty and quite rustic idea
is the latest. When you take in
the summer Lamnocks, string them
across the tops of the blinds, the
heavy net,ings adding more than
you would imagine. 1t must be
done artistically or it is atrocious
to the eye.
An artistic housekeeper can turn
everything she touches into beauty
and everything suggests some inl-
proveineut to her. All the Dds
aud ends of carpets are converted
into substantial and even pretty
rugs. She Is not afraid TO remove
the old for new ideas. Things out
of date are never beautiful, unless
they are of real worth. Cheap,
twadry furniture should not be toll
Rather have home-upliOl-
stored wooden boxes and wait until
you can afford the genuine. Have
it simple and plain but good.
For the dining room lake The dis.
carded parlor carpet aud use it for
that floor. If it is too small make
square mat of it, staining the out
side edge of the floor or painting
it. A very nice improvement can be
made on the old, original table, and
that very lnexpensively. Have a
square, pine top 6x6 or sAs made by
the carpenter and placing it upon
he old table you have a high, square
table, Il diningroom ornament in
the latest style, and really much
more desirable than your neighbor's
long coveted, old-fashioned "exten-
sion" Polish or stain the legs Of
the old table, if they need 1t, sews
two of your old table covers neatly
if you can't afford new
ones, and then invite your nighboN
in to see the latest, In the style of
tables. Plain, high-backed, hard
wood chairs are the most appropri-
ate for the diningr0om, and no other
furniture is necessary, except, per-
haps Il sideboard. A plain, oblong
table; with a neat cover, will serve
the purpose nicely. The dining
room pictures should be few and
and above all nos gaud-
ily framed. Little by little invest in
pretty pieces of china, handle the
l.ieces reverently and inspire the
same feeling m the minds of all the
inmates. In this age, when no two
pieces need to match, it is an easy
matter to gradually fill the CHINA
closet with dainty ware.
Phe upstairs rooms come next.
Paint the floors or mat theny ana
use plenty of rugs. Keep the rooms
as clean and airy and as empty as
by leaving off everything
un necessary; it is healthier and
saves work. Kalsomimed and tinted
walls are the most desirable, with
but few pictures and hangings. A
h,.droom Ia not u living room ana