The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-22

foundation or in the wire springs. You
can get these for s., but the money comes
in the ems HONS. This woman has spent
500 in them.
THE neck cushion invented by me is
perfectly round. IL is like a musk-melon
all stuffed with down. II Is quite full
of feathers, but il can be compressed 70
the size Of an orange. Every inch of this
bit OF softness is covered with ribbon
bows. The ribbon IS the softest Lutte
string. / looked days before / could find
il soft enough and then | bought the
whole piece. Each bow IL a different
shade and the base is ox-blood. II looks
like sinking sun. | think that man will
put il upon a table and gaze at il as If
it were a hypnotic crystal. He will II
he appreciates IL rs his wife did
My speciality this Christmas is a
couch cushion for the back OF the couch.
II Is the under layer the foundation OF
an. ! have made the discovery that this
should be IN the color of the room. | have
placed in a green library a foundation
cushion of pale sage. 1t Is bigger than
a bed pillow and is tied In the middle
to make it look like two cushions. IL
presents a very ornamental appearance.
And. when absolute comfort Is sought. the
middle dividing ribbon is taken out and
"a long bolster can be placed at the back.
by way of making this my latest cush-
ion very pretty | scalloped the upper edge
in scallops a foot wide. stufiing each
scallop with a pad OF down. Feathers
fll this pillow
Il think have invented more stufiings
for cushions than any other dozen living
persons I found feathers hot, heavy and
costly. For summer cushions / began TO
use cotton, as it comes by the bale, in
big round rolls 1t was very good very
light, and it certainly makes good cush-
ions. TWO Scent bales OF cotton Will
stun n pillow OF large size into good pro-
portions.
For chair cushions found that curled
hair from mattresses, or even excelsior,
was very good il handled right. ] take
a double handful OF the excelsior. spat II
fiat and tack cotton 10 both sides Of II.
When the excelsior il hidden | lay loose
layers OF the cotton all over the inside
hard piece This makes a chair cushion
that is warranted to keep it's shape.
IL make for ladies cushions with pock-
cts. Ladies carry pocket handkerchiefs
less than formerly. But inside that blue
satin pillow which Is snuggied In at your
hack you viii find a creyice. Put your
hand in and you bring out a dainty
square OF embroidered linen. What. you
lieye you. Yes. ! must own up. That is
a reticule made TO look Ike cushion.
There is a smelling bottle, vial Of
cologne and a little box OF bonbonnieres
in there. These cushions are oblong. you
see, and are stuffed very full OF feathers.
i hole IS cut In the side Of the cushion
and a pocket slipped in. II the pocket
lies well In the middle of the cushion no
one ever suspects II is there.
How do | get my inspirations? DO
you see my windows? They look out
upon Union Square. with It's flower mar
ket in summer and its workaday or win
ter. Under my windows all the world
passes, and I get an inspiration Tor
cushion from the way l see woman
smuggling down into a hanson, or the
longing looks which the men cast at the
comfortable things in that Turkish BRIG
a-brac place over there.
IAN the only inventress OF sofa cust-
ions? That l do not know | can only
say that | am SO busy getting up new
models that I am lucky TO have time 10
make a pillow for my own coy SPOT.
HARRY GERMAINE.