The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-08-21
THE HOUSEHOLD.
Table Decorations.

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wise woman does not mind what
the foolish one thinks. How often
does it happen that the very
thought of the flowers on "mother's
table" helps the son or daughter to
a better, purer life?
In these days when fancy table
linen is so much in vogue we all
wanta few pieces for our company"
table, but let us not put it all on
for comprehension can we best
honor save our own? Then even
for our every day tables, if we can,
let us have neat and tidy, and at
least in summer time a bit of a
bouquet as a decoration.
1 know a farmers wife who is
one of the busiest of women,
though L must confess that her work
does not all lie in drudging about
her kitchen and feeding pigs and
calves,-the latter she seldom does,
though she is willing to do any
thing the need of the moment de-
mands. She has never been strong,
but she plans her work so she &C
composites good deal, generally
reads some every day, and uses
flowers on her table most of the
time. In the winter she has potted
plants and Towering bulbs; some
times there are but few in bloom,
but the prettiest one has the pot
draped with tissue paper, and is
placed in the center of the table
upon bit of linen embroidered
with Asiatic wash silk. In this
way her table is seldom without
flowers in the winter; she does not
necessarily cut them unless she
wishes to. In the summer sweet
peas form one of the chief table
decorations; she does not try to
have anything elaborate,-just a
small flower glass filled with the
graceful blossoms, or sometimes a
rose bowl overfows with wild roses
or other common flowers.
In embroidering table linen for
common use she does not try to
have elaborate pieces; she uses a
common white linen of firm texture
and costing forty cents a yard, forty
inches wide; by getting a forty inch
length she can make four medium
sized center pieces. She always
uses the Asiatic wash silks as they
are durable and beautiful even after
laundering; yellow is a favorite
color when color is wanted, because
this harmonizes prettily with so
many other colors, so this is used
for a number of the common pieces.
There is one of yellow daffodils, out
lined with gold colored Asiatic
etching silk; as it is only in outline
it is quickly made. Another piece
has yellow buttercups powdered
over the surface, worked with
Asiatic floselle; the flowers are
worked solid and are very beautiful.
All silk embroideries should be
ironed on the wrong side, and it is
not known to all that linen napery
should be ironed before quite dry,
it looksso much better and smoother.
1 was about to say "Teach the
children to love flowers" but we
hardly need to teach them this
love, it is generally inherent in
every child heart. The love OF
flowers is ennobling and refining.
Give growing plant to woman
who is untidy and uncleanly and
she will involuntarily clean the
window that the plant may have
light; then the clean window seems
out of keeping with the rest of the
squalor and untidiness, and she
willgradually, almost imperceptibly,
learn better ways and more tidy
habits. We cannot be too careful
in our own lives and ways, for it
may be unconsciously we shall help
some one to higher and better
things.-Vick's Monthly.
Great Use of Buttons.
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