Evening star., 1895-01-12


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>sTEMSkIb kind of a position to
I'M :: s; e; !: :: !: !;
/H HNNH life consists in learn.
ing something new. I got my knowledge
secondhand this time, but it doesn't make
much difference how you get it, so long
as you are able to acquire it.
Last week Dorothy and Jennie went by
invitation to a neighboring city to spend a
couple Of days with a newly married
frend-a lady who has been about four
months in her delightful little nome, which
Is furnished like a jewel casket from top
to bottom, and is just about as convenient
as judicious and artistic taste can make it.
l did not accompany them, and, as is
usually the case when I am not along to
attend to her baggage, Dorothy lost her
valise. AS the stay was to be short one,
she and Jennie took couple of evening
bodices and their toilet appurtenances in
one bag, so as to save bothering with two.
1t was midnight, because Of a delayed
train, before they got to Bessie's, and so
after exchanging few words of greeting,
they were shown to their room. OF
course, guest chambers in well-appointed
homes are pretty much all alike, but I
think, from the glowing description that
the girls gave Of that one that it must be
vastly different from any have ever seen,
though l pride myself on being thoroughly
conversant with the needs Of guests gen
orally speaking.
The girls informed Bessie Of their loss,
n
cerned. and did not waken her one maid
servant to attend to them, but did that
kindly act herself. as was perfectly proper.
When she threw open the door of the
guest chamber they saw that the gas was
burning dimly, and there was a fire in the
CRATE. Bessie glanced about the room. and
remarked that she thought they would find
everything that they needed, kissed them
good night and departed, with the injunc-
tion to get to sleep as quickly as possible,
as the morrow was to be busy day.
Plenty of Comforts.
Dorothy and I were paralyzed when she
shut the door," Jennie remarked. I'VE
had in mind the hotel like baroness Of the
average company room, and wondered how
on earth we were going to manage with
out combs, brushes, soap. night dresses
and the other necessary toilet appurte-
nances. We had mildly intimated that we
were minus those indispensable appliances,
but, beyond expressing regret at our an
noyance she didn't exert herself in the
least You know how it is. Sara, when
unexpected company makes 1t necessary to
hunt up extra combs and towels and things,
but Bess never left us for a moment, and
as she has but one maid, and we knew
she was getting her beauty sleep, we felt
when that chamber door closed, as though
we were not quite welcome, or else our hos
tess was lacking in good breeding
Instead Of which, she is past master in
the art" interpolated Dorothy. when I
have home of my own 1 intend to adopt
her method of entertaining guests. Why,
Sara, If we had been living in that room
for a year. we couldn't have gathered
around us any more comforts. Bessie's
husband has only moderate salary, so shs
has had plenty Of opportunity to exercise
economy, as well as to indulge her artistic
tastes. Her guests chamber has not
single costly thing In it. The furniture is
a pretty oak. matching the hard pine floor,
which is shellacked and covered by a hand
some Japanese rug, which was che of her
bridal presents, 1 think. The bed stood in
a corner, and had pretty tent-like canopy
of silkaline falling from ring in the cell
ing over a slender iron frame work about
the bed. which hid it entirely. There was
coZy corner with box couch in it,
which Bess confided to us she had manu-
factured herself from a long, flat packing
case. 1t was covered with cream and brown
cretonne, lined with cambria, and long
enough to hold lopg-trained gown, sup
plementing the closet which Bess has had
built in the corner beside the chimney. 1t
had piles of cushions, and was remarkably
inviting. There were a dozen pictures on
the walls, some of them framed in twists
of crepe paper, two or three fastened at
the corner with brass tacks and a bow of
ribbon, and some on stiff cardboard hung
with baby ribbon. There was an idea in
floor cushions that / particularly liked. A
square Of heavy dark bed ticking, sewed
with strong thread. was filled with bran,
just as tight as it could be packed, and
sewed up, then brown denim cover, en-
broidered in red, was put over it just like
a pillow slip, and buttoned at the side.
There were three Of those cushions, one
other in red and one in blue. 1t was such
a honey kind Of room, with an open
CRATE, and the mantel of hard wood held
comical little clock, just a common dollar
clock at that, but so furbelowed up by the
skirts of paper ballet dancer, from whose
belt 1t seemed to hang like a chatelaine
watch that it wouldn't have known itself
in the mirror"
Even n Work Basket.
you must not forget the desk" sug-
gested Jennie, as Dorothy seemed to have
run down. TT was simple little light
wood desk, that probably cost about S. |
out oh, the comfort of it. There were
postal cards, and paper and envelopes, |
Ink, pens, pencils, paper knife, blotter-
everything as complete as could be. Even |
10 all dlIldUdC, iuStedu VI d CdleItudT Iudl |
usually tells you nothing only that yester- |
day was. today is and tomorrow will be-"
1.-The toilet appointments were perfect, |
too." added Dorothy dreamily. as she drew |
a design on my new desk pad for her in
tended floor cushion
Indeed they were." responded Jennie |
with emphasis There was a dainty little
screen which completely hid the wash |
stand, on which we're soap - not horrid |
scented stuff, either-a dish Of powdered |
borax, nail brush, a box Of cold cream and |
one of vaseline, and another box Of French |
shoe backing. Har gins on the rack were |
two crocheted wash cloths, with bath and |
face towels, and back Of the pretty china
BOWL and pitcheril was a tiny little gas
stove about as big as quart measure,
with a cute Dutch tea kettle standing on it,
attached to the burner all ready to heat
water If we needed it, Oh, l came near
forgetting the tear serv1ce.
Back in the angle left by the chimney
stood a little tea table with tete-a-tete
china service. tea caddy, jar Of biscuits,
pot of jam and bottle of olives! Only
dear thoughtful soul like Bess would
nave remembered that Dorothy is devoted
o jam and that simply can't go to sleep
without an olive or two to nibble on Then |