The record-union., 1896-05-03

Hgbt or anv odd little conceit of this sort
is possible in these days OF electricity.
Decorative electricity, one calls 1t, ana
with it all things are possible.
A garland Of pink roses placed around
the center piece on a dinner table can
each-that is, each rose-can be made to
look vastly prettier and pinker, even
though it does not smell any sweeter, If
each blossom conceals a tiny electric
light, and as to a garland of yellow roses
thus arranged the effect is brilliantly
beautiful, resembling wreath OF sun
shine.
An arrangement Of branches and twigs
with flowers and electric lights is an
other conceit for the dinner table-a
bunch of cherries, too, may be prettily
treated in a similar manner.
Large, shallow tin crescents, about
eighteen inches from point to point and
four inches wide in the center, may be
made very decorative when filled with
sand in which flowers appear to be
a-growin' and a-blowin', with here and
there an electric light, the tin, by the
way, must be painted dark green, in
enamel colors.
These tints, if we'll arranged, preserve
delicate trailing vines and foliage fresh
all dinner time and can be used later on.
The manner of using them may be
varied, say one at each end Of a small
table, or back to back in the middle of
the board To place the crescents face
to face with mirror laid on the cloth
to cover the space thus formed, with
maidenhair dropping over the glass
from the crescents, has a. pretty effect.
For a long table several crescents can
follow each other, facing alternate ways
and forming pretty serpentine trail Of
flowers, with electric lights cleaning
here and there.
Circular tins, eight or nine inches
across, SO as to look like wreaths when
filled, are also charming when filled
with pink roses. Place the tins sixteen
inches apart and knot them together
with a soft, pale blue liberty silk,
threaded through, and, as it were, tying
the garlands together; then if electric
lights, like glow worms of overgrown
size, can be introduced. every one will
exclaim: How lovely" and straight
way go home and do likewise. Red
roses, with a lettuce green sash; white
roses, with yellow ribbon, are happy
combinations.
Another delightful way to arrange
lights and fowers-violets, says TO
place at intervals down the center of the
table gilded wooden stepladders, about
u foot high. Have the violets rest on
the top and tumbling loosely down the
steps. If wired, the flowers can be easi-
ly arranged and lights can be intro
duced here and there.
The serious matter of picturesquely
lighting ballroom need no longer dis
tress the hostess. At late very fash
ionable function the effect of huge
blocks of ice, with electric lights ar
ranged cunningly behind SO as TO cast
brilliant prisms upon the floor beneath,
was exceedingly beautiful Draperies
of purple and gold, too, were exactly
what one would associate with such
scene.
Apropos to a cheerless window, If
opening on balcony, it may be treat
ed with Jectricity in most satisfactory
manner. First fill in the window with
lattice work and then outside in the
balcony hang a powerful electrical
lamp in a lantern, with the dark side
to the street. If the afternoon is dreary
the light is turned on and CLEANS
through the lattice, making 1t look like
wooden lace work. Some enterprising
housewives have even gone 10 the
length of having electric lights fitted
to high backed easy chairs. where the
light may fall upon the book one is
reading, and probably it will not De
long before some clever woman has a
vestibule light connected with the front
door bell so that the mere act Of ring
ing turns on the light which welcomes
you home.
Mr.. Edison's house, Glenmont. at
Orange, naturally is completely fitted
up with electric lights, and pressing
upon little knob in the front hall
lights up every part of the mansion
from cellar TO turret, and the effect is
something like a dream of Haroun al
Raschid.
The entrance hall of Mrs. Thurlow
Weed Barnes house is lighted by q pea
cock, all jeweled and gloriously radi-
ant with every color ever dreamed OF
by the ambitious bird. BY day it re-
sembles a handsome and respectable
fowl, adorning a corner and spreading
his tail in the most approved fashion,
but by night, behold a transformation.
Someone presses a button somewhere,
and then the peacock does all the rest
and shines as brilliantly as dozen
suns.
It is worth while to acquire the art
or salad making. someone nicely Sug-
gests that It takes four people to make
a salad-a miser to dole out the sugar,
q spendthrift to pour on the oil, q sage
to apportion the salt and a maniac to
stir. But the energy of the maniac the
wisdom of the sage. the liberality OF
the spendthrift and the frugality of the
miser are sometimes found combined
in one person, as in the case of Sidney
Smith. whose delicious salads, COM
pounded by his own hand, were the
delight of his friends, for whom he
wrote his receipt for mayonnaise dress
ing in charming rhymes.
The Jews invented salad dressing 70
disguise the taste of such bitter herbs
used at Passover as tansy, chamomile
and chicory. The ancients We're very
fond of lettuce, as ii was supposed 70
cool the blood after drinking WINE. In
the days of Henry VIII, If the royal
household craved a salad someone was
dispatched to Holland to procure the
dainty. And the King paid a liberal
reward for what he called lettuce F"
AS lettuce is devoid of antipathies and
has no self-assertion, but Incorporates
readily with its own mild flavor any
taste or smell that may be added. it
forms a most desirable basis for
salad. But there is no end to the mate