Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-04-08
HOW CELIA GARNER MADE I
HOME.


than q place to stay, said young wife
the day she began house keeping In the
new little cottage round the corner; land
If not in one way, then IN another / mean
to make it-beautiful. > The pause before
the word beautiful was not accidental
in any sense.
The mistress Of the m9nse," commenc-
ing her home life in the quaint ga5ed-
roof house Of I've rooms, had little money
to ezpend IN furnishing. The young
husbands salary as bookkeeper for q
wholesale hardware house, was not large
enough to do as be vould have liked
hand her roll Of bank bills with the re-
minder that she bad only ''to let him
know when these were gone. You vii!
better understand the thoughtful hesita
ton Of her pledge to make her home beau
tifuj when tell you just what Mrs. r IL
dOph Garner had so begin on, and y nat
10 expect.
There was one set OF bedroom furniture
in oak, two ingram carpets, several pretty
rugs, an ancient buffet and s0indle-egged
table-heirl0oms in the Garner family
sofa lounge, set Of book-sheIYes, and
their bridal presents Of crystal, bronze
and silver, none oil them too costly for the
II.
husband had gwen her. that very morn
ing, one hundred dollars for all other nee
essary articles, remarking as he did 0
that he was very sure his clever little wife
knew how to make a little money 90 a
long ways" and it was truly fortunate
thing that she did Then he sighed and
kissed her and went away, leaving her
active young brain to ponder the problem
Of making their home more than "a place
10 stay"
1t was a genuine pleasure 20 watch the
cheap bare rooms Of the gabI3d co tagH
grow home like and lovely under Celia
farmers magic, w0manly touch; but sick
ness IN my own household kept me away
for several weeks. Then she sent for me
to pay her a visit, limiting that the de
lightful task OF nest building" was COM
pIete at last.
This is our sitting room, Helen, said
Celia, her soft eyes inviting mine to look
about rue; you see we don't need par
lOr-stitf ceremonious looking affairs;
think sitting rooms are much nicer, don t
you?'
did, at least this one, for fought, as
! warmed at my friends hearth-stone,
that had rarely seen lOvlier room, or
one that said more plainly to the heart
the words OF the quaint old motto.
East or west, home is best"
The carpet was golden brown, the
sheen an oak,l leaf takes in October: the
curtains of English silesa We're brown, too,
but a rich ardbesque of autumn leaves in
their most radiant hues. formed a border,
and threw a warm light over all The room.
The lining OF these unique draperie8 was
deep cream surah, an extravaganza | no
longer wondered at when Celia smiled and
said, my first and last evening dress :;
aon' you remember? 1t was not gored,
JUST full, long skirt and So"
81 understand SAID, too eager to be
polite, 'but these exquisite Ieayes?"
Il cut them all from piece of French
cretonne, bought from the remnant coun-
ter at Cover s for tWenty-seven cents. |
applIqued them on With silk floss to make
them look finer, as a drummer had given
me great box OF samples of every shade
under the sun
The walls were m-tinted, and on
either side the low mantel hung a fine
water-cOlOr, a study of sea shells, MOSES
: and coral, bridal gifts FROM an artist
friend. On each side of the door there
was an exquisite panel of wild flowers,
1.-THE work of her own gifted HANDY for
which her husband had made frames, and
she had stained and gilded them. Opposite
the double windows, VIII Sc perfection
w8s completed 10y wire stano of bloom
ing plant, placed between, was group
OF choice engravIngS and photographs,
quantity arranged IN what Celia called "a
flight Autumn leaves and English ivy
clustered and trailed about them. There
were no other pictures, save the portrait
of Celia's SANITY faced mother, which
smiled down upon her from its place above
the mantel.
A ong strip of brown plush. showing a
copper Inning OF soft silk, fell in sculptor
esqUe folds over the mautel, IN which I
recognized a liberal portion of my friends
once rich street suit, even to the lining of
the ''antle' SIZE had worn with it, On
one end of the manteI of the room was a
small! bronze clock; on the other, an an
hque vase, filed with feathery pampas
plumes; between, . Turkish rOSe-jdr in
pale blue, and gold and crystal case for
matches
Bridal gifts, every one" said Celia
with 4 sweep of her hand, land so are the
bamboo easel and clover leaf table over
there. They helped out 50 much, for |
had very little furniture beside, as you
can see, to put III this room"
Yes | saw, but had not thought OF
any lack. Tuera was certainly no stint in
Neauty, and its charm bad taken posses.
sion OF me. Her own hands had re-up.
holstered 4 shabby Sofa-lounge into an In
vlting, resJfut couch. with gold an6
brown cover, and az,, silk-bound pillows
She had worked wonders too, with three
camp rockers, bought at auction s-le ''fOl
a song.
Il never dreamed you were such gen
ius.' | exclaimed.
Nor that any body could make reall,
beautiful home with only one hundred
dollars to speno. she laughed. But no
all girls, she added. in the "honor
bright" way she bad at school, have a
much help In home making as | had
We were engaged two whole years, Ran
doiph and |, and it mode me happy I
save odds and ends, remnants and scrap
of this or that; to put by the knick
knec6S, and pretty things a girl uncon
when we tad a little home of our own
like tols. Then grandmo; her let me rum
mage IN her attic and chests, and mOthe
had savei-but come and look at what
call, IN my most dignifed words, tn
guest chamber, and then will show yo
my own and the dining room, pantry an
every thingi'
lie guest chamber was a trihe Smalle
than the sitting room, and an alcove an
Gothic window gave just a touch OF quain
ness to the modern aud simple fuTnts hing
There was no carpet, but the floor ba
been painted the very p3lest shade Of blue
and two of the treasured rugs laid befor