The Indiana State sentinel., 1894-08-22
WOMAN AND HER HOME,
SOME EXAMPLES SHOWING HOW TO
UTILIZE TALENTS.
Meats That Are DangerOus-DOmesti
Life in Persia--A Baby's Influence
A. to an Uatidy ROOm-ParIOr Con-
versation-The Value OF Fan.

This is certainly the day Of utilizing
ones talent. whatever it may be. a
woman who lives in another city found
herself. after twenty years of happy
sheltered married life. widow with tive
daughters, sixteen and eighteen, TO make
a home for, and an income so small as to
be scarcely worth mentioning. The elder
daughter was delicate. and the yOungeI
had two years of her college course tC
complete. To meet the crisis and tide
over an interval which would give one
child health and the other education con-
fronted the mother. For a time she saw
no way to pursue. Then clear-headed
friend came to her one day for a talk
over affairs.
Now. Isabel" she began, II know
your liabilities, what are your assets? ]
mean besides your little income. What
can you do absolutely well?"
''I've a general knowledge of many
things" was IsabeTs discouraged reply.
but the only thing 1 can do absolutely
we'll" and her laugh was mirthless, 'is
to make over old clothes. You know I've
always had a great aptitude at that for
the girls and myself"
ITO be sure you have, and I believe
you can do that now came the prompt
answer to astonish Isabel.
Further talks followed. and in the end
the friend persuaded her companion that
something could be done with this tai
ent. The beginning that spring was
small and merely among her circle OF
wealthy friends. She did not actually
make over the old clothes, but spent a
morning or a day with the family seam
stress, carefully inspecting accumulated
materials and suggesting designs and
combinations which permitted the con
tinued use of dresses and fabrics. She
charged by the day, and her rate was
not low. but she saved it often a dozen
times over to her patrons. The autumn
saw her clientele increased, and now.
after three years, she is busy nine
months Of the year at good prices.
Before ocher women embark in the
same occupation it must be understood
that this woman has little short Of gen
ius for her unique calling. 1t is a pos
tive peaSure TO see her at her practice,
for she loosely styles herself doctor OF
robes, and certainly her skill and deft-
ness are closely allied TO the surgeon
VINO fits and restores humanitys broken
! bones and displaced anatomy.
She is shown a fine Paris dress bodice
Of black satin, whose sleeves have van
ished, and of whose skirt is left a single
straight breadth. She looks them over
critically.
Have YOU any velvet or figured heavy
silk or silk and wool cloth or any hand
some black novelty material?" she asks.
A piece of frise velvet is found which
will do for fun sleeve tops with some
/ other cuffs and leave two or three
straight pieces. Then the odds and ends
trimming box is looked over and q few
detached jet ornaments and some black
lace are found. The waist is fitted the
long position back carefully opened and
pressed and left 10 hang. The pieces of
the frise velvet are set on for skirt
fronts and hip pieces Joined by jars of
the black satin skirt breadth The jet
ornaments are put on the waist and at
critical points on the hip skirts. Puffs
of lace laid over white silk and a collar
To match are made. and the end is a
costume jacket Of imported elegance that
I looks as If it might have cost $50 and
did not cost a penny beyond the seam
stresS's time and the designers suggas-
ton, as the black silk lining in this
case was produced from a discarded
coat.
If something extra is needed. she can
tell 20 The shade. quality and fraction of
measurement what il must be. And her
customers are no longer confined to the
wealthy. Persons in moderate circum-
stances realize that their need of her is
quite as great. Did space permit the recit-
al Of her many trumphs i'm evloving "A
Worth gown from the family rae-ba 9
would be most interesting. Her work is
carried on quietly, her patrons advertis-
1 ing her from one to another, and her eX-
cellent social position. which has un-
d0ubtedly much aided her. has never
been in the least impaired.-N. Y. Times.