The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-06

A pretty way of reducing an extra
large doorway, which makes an awk-
wardly large opening, TO the normal
size is by putting in grillwork frame
at the top and one side. The door
way then may have a pole put across
under the top piece of grillwork, drap-
cries can be hung, and the effect is ex-
ceedingly pretty.
The chandeliers which are thickly set
with imitation candles that when light
ed shoot out of their hollow tops
broad glaring jet of gas, instead of the
soft light of burning wax, are con-
sidered by artistic folk as inelegant
as they are far from deceiving the
most blind-eyed. The experienced
hostess knows that the lights are one
of the most important items of rooms
decorative scheme, and many chate-
LANES, even those who rent their homes,
prefer to own their chandeliers as Wen
as their lamps and candlesticks. While
wrought iron is very popular and OF
ten most effective it is sometimes not
so easily assimilated by the other fur-
nishings of the rooms as unburnished
brass. A central chandelier for wax
candles of cut glass, with long pendant
chains of rejecting prisms, is taste
fully gorgeous accessory to drawing
room that needs some bright feature
There are others that are richly beau
tiful, found in warm blue china, trim
med with dull metal, and also antique
affairs of pewter that help wonderfully
in the arrangement of quaint apart
ment.
A fact worth recording is that the
female employees of many German fac
tories are forbidden to wear corsets
during working hours.
After the books no one thing sets the
key Of a homes refinement as do the
pictures hanging there, and when one
considers how comparatively few know
really anything about art and yet how
ready the most ignorant always are to
select pictures, it is not to be wondered
at that so many otherwise attractive
rooms are vulgariZed for the initiated
by clumsy compositions in gaudy col
ors, often richly and conspicuously
framed The excuse for this sort or
sacrilege once was, that almost any pic
ture was more pleasing than unbroken
expanseS of bare walls, but now, when
there are so many inexpensive ways Of
upholstering side walls, there need re-
ally be no bare spaces. A perfectly
pictureless room is more attractive
than one with inartiStic works of art
A safe course for those who are not
perfectly sure of their taste in this re-
spect is to eschew colors altogether.
Such a one may cover the side walls
of her drawing-room plainly with
fabric Of dull red or silver green of
middle tone, and on this hang very
few photographs, copies of old masters,
a monotype or two, and some small
etchings. One may sometimes find, at
a low price, pretty etchings among the
work of advanced students, and occa-
sionally that Of established artists
drifts into such sales. Another happy
addition to a collection are autographs
mot the gaudy chromo-lithograph of
the tea store, but the effective black
and white prints Of the strong work of
the best artists, who since the recent
centennial revival have taken up zeal
ously this long-despised branch of art.
A worthy ambition for an amateur col
lector would be towards the possession
of a Autograph of Whistler's, the ac-
knowledged master of this sort of work.
Mr.. Whistler stands supreme as the
interpreter of night. Why not secure
a nocturne of his? Although, of course,
the great men have no ambition to
commonize their work, and the prints
of any of the masterpieces will continue
somewhat limited, still they will cost
no more than an original canvas by a
poor artist.
The suburban resident may find the re-
hinder useful that laurel and sunfiower
are best to plant about houses which are
damp because of proximity to undrained
land. These plants act as efficient agents
in relieving the soil of undue moisture.
The fancy work of the moment of the
rnodish young woman is not with woods
or silks or any of the embroidery ma
terials On her light work basket is
piled a tempting array of sheer organ
dies. bolts of baby ribbon, and pieces of
one-half inch wide lace edgings. The
organizes are in various delicate shades
with small, indistinct figures, and they
are pale blue, pink, cream, green or other
tint, which is perfectly matched in the
ribbons. From these the busy fingers
are faShioning corSet-coverS to be worn
under the sheer shirt waists of organdie
and batiste which viii be included in
this same modish young woman's sum-
mer outfit The little slips are cut in
three pieces with seams only under the
arms. They are trimmed all around the
upper and lower edges and up the front
with a narrow beading, finished with
an equally narrow lace edge. Through
the beading the ribbon runs, and by it
they are drawn into a full and pretty fit
They are sleeveless, the armholes edged
with the same lace and beading to tie
up on the shoulders. The ribbon may be
run unbrokenly and tie around the gar
ment to draw it into a bolero effect in
front, or it may end at corsage and belt
line separately. They are dainty and
not unnecessary little CONNECTIONS of
summer toilet.
Physicians say that the fashion of
simplicity in summer homes is in direct
consonance with a craving of human
nature. The heavy furnishings of winter
drawing-rooms and living-rooms are
distasteful for systematic causes when
the breath of July is over the land. For
this reason the summer housekeeping
should be simple. Pine floors, covered
here and there with rugs, wood furniture
with graceful curves but no carving,
plain, almost unpictured walls, the
thinnest draperies, if any at all, are a