The Portland daily press., 1892-01-11
THE HOME.
ETIQUETTE IN NoTE-PApER.


If there is any one thing in the world
that may be said to denote the breeding
of person, it is in the taste displayed in
the use of note-paper. Fashions change
but slightly in that line, and artistic sim
plicity is the form to be sought after.
There is nothing so offensive as eccen-
tricity in styles of paper, for it is one of
the little things that seem so trivial and
count for so much in the eyes of the
world. The height of bad form is in the
use of anything startling or pronounced.
Paper that rivals the sunset in gorgeous
ness Of hue, odd-shaped sheets and en-
velopes, or gilt-edged paper, stamp the
user at once as one who is not familiar
with the precepts of fashion,. And not
fashion alone, by any means; it is refin-
ment that is shown in the use of proper
stationery and refinement aud fashion
may not always mean the same. Never
use paper that is decorated with flow
ers in one corner, the leaves of which
wander all over the sheet Avoid any
thing in that way. A landscape resem-
bling Christmas card or fancy figures
for headings are not in their proper
places on note-paper. There is nothing
artistic in such forms, nothing refined,
simply a display of bad taste and i'll
breeding that is shocking to the person
well informed on such matters.
The etiquette of note-paper is dictated
by taste. Ladies should use only the
smaller size of paper, requiring but one
fold, and the envelope should be square.
The single correspondence card have
Oh II y
nowadays. The paper is generally linen
or cream-laid, as best suits individual
taste, and should be unruled. White or
cream paper is the best, although gentle
shade of blue is permitted. Other tints
are not desirable, neither are they proper,
Do not use paper that is ragged at the
edges, nor envelopes with curious flaps.
The best linen paper may be purchased
at the same price as is paid for the fancy
varieties, and the best is the cheapest; it
is guarantee of refinement. If mono
gram is desired, have it engraved-never
printed. In this country coats of arms
and crests are out of place, but you may
have a neat monogram or your initials
for a heading with perfect propriety.
only be sure that the work is in keeping
with taste, and not too prominent or
glazing. The name of your country
place is very good, the name of the vii
lage in which you live, or the street num-
Der if you chance to reside in a city. In
the latter case, however, omit the name
of the town, and in either case the State
should not be given, This is but glance
at the etiquette of note-paper; it is very
simple when you think of it, but so many
people seem to be ignorant of the rules.
The one great thing in note-paper is to
avoid vulgarity or show in any way, and
then you know that you cannot be wrong.
The simplest is the best. Oddities of
tint OF ornament which are the caprice
of a day should be used with caution
Harper's Bazaar.
THE FLEUR DE LYs.
Seldom has the decorative idea been so
dominated and possessed by any ono de-
sign as it is just now by the emblem of
the golden lilies-the fleur de lys of
France, which isn't lily at all by the
way, and whose story is as interesting as
anything in a story book. The fieur de
lys is the iris or blue flag so well known
in this country and even better known in
France. 1t was Louis VII, who adopted
it as a part OF his own coat-of-arms and
gave it the name of fleur de lys, OF Louis
flower, causing the national standard to
be thickly strewn with it. Two hundred
years later Charles VI. reduced the num-
Der, and it then took the present con-
ventionalized form in which it appears
to-day 1t doesn't look much like the
iris flower now certainly. And its lack
OF definite resemblance has troubled peo-
pie before now. There was time when
the idea that it was intended fol- the blue
flag was wholly repudiated. Givilim,
who wrote about heraldry and who even
knew more things than lie put into his
books, declared that the device was never