Evening star., 1896-12-12
TABLE DECORATIONS.
Suggestions That VIII Re Valuable
to the HOasekeeper.

From Harpers Bazaar.
Every true housekeeper is always on
the lookout for new receipts for cook
ing and new ideas for table decoration. IL
there is great deal of money In the fam
ily eXchequer. much of the real personal
interest IN housekeeping is done away with
OF course labor and time are saved when
ole simply gives carte blanche 10 chef and
outler. but there is the feeling OF being
merely a guest in ones own house not
knowing at all what the decorations nor
the bill of fare Is to he. After all con-
siderable pleasure is lost when one does
NOT personally superintend the details OF
ones housekeeping
1t Is now as much a part of the table
turnisf ings as spoons and forks to have
some mowers or plants on the table for
each meal. The ferner.es in white metal.
emma, or silver baskets always look fresh
and pretty, and If care is taken about the
watering. Will last a surprisingly long time
There should always be an inner dish in
which the mold is put and the plants
planted, and this inner dish must have per
forated sides. fact not known to ali
amateur florists is that In our heated
houses plarts, small or large, will not
thrive II in a flower pot or basket that is
not porous. The common earthen flower
pot Is the best of all, and can he made
possible In dining room by being put in
larger china one. Those who are most
successful with their plants discard all at
tempts at decoration. and use only the
Hover pot. preferring the beauty of the
plant to snythmg else.
hen one lives in the city. even the sim
pest daily arrangement of flowers or
leaves is an expense: and IL should he
horne In mind when buying vases etc. 10
choose those which will look well with
ohly hanorul OF howers. An old fashion
lately revived is the placing of fiat mir
rors on the table. These are to be bought
al almost all the shops, and can he had
IN squares. oblongs. round pieces. and va
rlety OF fancy shapes as we'll A round
mirror of this sort, or indeed a square
equally as we'll, is an immense improve
ment TO the table. and also helps as re-
gard the howers. In one case a bowl
placed in the middle of the mirror gains
greatly in beauty and size by its reflected
image. Glass bowls 10 he had in most
dainty shapes; and four small ones at each
side OF the mirror. with larger one In
the center, VIII have the appearance of a
most lavish display of flowers even N
only few flowers are used. Geraniums
ard chrysantheml ms are the cheapest
blossoms to buy during the autumn, and
either makes most satisfactory decorations
IEe scarlet geraniums. with their beauit-
fully marked leaves. give a warmth and
richl ess Of ccloring which seem 20 sci off
the hren. glass and silver TO the best pos
sible advantage.
There are glass dishes which hold ONLY
few flowers. They are long and narrow
almost two inches high and two broad
These have open wire covering which
is capital scheme for making each indi-
Vidual flower show to advantage ard
WHICH also requires very few blossoms 10
look well filled
High and low decorations are both fash
ionable just at present. If one has taste
fHr arranging flowers, that taste can ba
PIT forward as the very latest thing only
the taste must he there. A pretty dinner
table the other day was decorated with
roses. There was large center piece the
edge embroidered in different colored roses
A miro covered the center. and in the
middle of the mirror a glass bowl filed
with roses was reflected in the glass Four
small mirrors were placed at each corner
OF the table, also on mats with the en-
hroidered roses, each holding a few nat
ural roses. The dinner was for eight peo-
pie, and by each plate was laid a long
stemmed rose. The four glass lamps which
lighted the table had pink paper shades
made to look like roses and four glass
bonbon dishes were filled with candied
rose leaves. The effect of IL all was most
charming and Individual and of couse the
same color scheme could perfectly be car
ried out in cheaper flowers and embroid-
cries.
The embroidered center pieces, tray
cloths and doilies are favorite fancy work,
and while the more elaborate work is, OF
course, more effective, the simpler pat
terms are extremely effective. and il 10
really better to have two or three simple
ones than one very handsome one for oo-
casions. 1t is nice to have something IN
reserve when one wishes to entertain for
NAL guests, but no greater mistake was
ever made than to slight everyday living
and only make some great splurge for yis-
itors.
Even outline patterns look well on CEN
ter pieces, and leaves, in particular are
desirable. for Shen the natural leaves can
be used to fill the vases-a much cheaper
everyday decoration than flowers and
then, Too, the planted fernery can be used.