The record-union., 1898-11-13

it'lHIBlI HlH MI Il WTIUXH5/l lIIfA
The den has been a development of
recent years They were at one time
the possession almost exclusively of
individual students who gathered
around them the treasures they had
accumulated in years of study and
research, and which were too precious
in the eyes of the owner to be scat
tered around the house, if not because
they were too uncanny to be pleasant
for other people to have around them
with comfort. 1t was only men who
had dens Women had boudoirs and
sewing But as women began
to do things in the world they began
gradually to develop dens for them
selves, and now every one who has
the house room must have one. If a
woman hasn't a hobby, which requires
q den to house it, she speedily hnds
one But the idea has about reached
Its limit 1t has gotten down to the
commercial field where dealers adver-
tise: "Dens furnished at lowest prices.
Hobbies supplied at short notice. 1t
is a poor person who is so much in
need of a hobby that it has to be pur-
chased.
For wear at school and at home in
the mornings young women use instead
of linen collars a broad band of white
ribbon, satin or taffeta, pinned in front
with two little stickpins. This was re-
sorted to as a relief from the constant
pressure of linen collars. The latter
worn daily leave an ugly mark upon
the throat which is not easily rubbed
off, and which is most unbecomlngIy
inl evidence where the throat is even
slightly open for evening dress. For
the same reason those who have put
linen collar beneath the lisse and
chiffon ties that wind twice around the
throat are substituting now band OF
white ribbon. A bit of economy, con-
fided by one young woman, is that
she puts to this use white ribbons
that have been washed.
A new departure this autumn at the
New York Woman's Exchange is the
furnishing of fir cones, fat pine kind
lings. and dry corncobs for open fires.
These. are sent in by consigner living
in the country who collects them for
that purpose. The cones and pine
kindlings, as is we'll known, give out a
spicy frgrance as they burn. The corn
cobs contribute a decorative effect to
the fire. as they sparkle like jewels
while they are being consumed. An
other novelty at the Exchange shows
the adaptation by ingenious women OF
q prevailing craze Pen-wiperS for the
library desk are faithful if grotesque
limitations of the popular Rough Rid
ers. The soldier is seated on piece
of fungus cleverly cut and inserted III
the pen wiper in such a way as TO
represent admirably a forest ground.
His dress is an accurate copy or the
familiar costume of the Rough Riders,
even to the long military boots Skill
fully fashioned out of a piece of thin
leather He is eating a piece of hard
tack with a cheerful expression that
betokens a rather better digestion than
the soldiers sent to Cuba last summer
are credited with. Patriotic designs
are still popular in needlework and
are seen in cushions, bags and many
other useful things An interesting
specimen of this sort of work is dis
played at the exchange and comes
from Japan. 1t is a square of silk with
q white center on which is stamped,
surmounting the American coat-of-
arms, a picture of Dewey The border
of the handkerchief is the red and
white OF the nag, with squares set III
at the corners of the white stars on
the blue field, the whole hemstitched to
the body of the square.
To lessen the dry heat in houses
heated by a furnace, some persons get
a small pan, which is kept filled with
water in the feeding-pipe through
which the hot air enters the room.
This is usually possible only where the
register is in the side wall. Occasion
ally, however, if it is in the floor, the
pipe makes a turn just beneath that
secures a firm resting place for the
basin.
Some alterations made in the past
summer in New York house enabled
it's mistress to carry out long cher
dshed idea. This was room specially
planned and decorated to contribute
every influence possible to rest and
concentration of thought. 1t is ac-
cepted now by many persons that ones
surroundings may exert a harmonious
and soothing influence or quite the re-
verse. AS the room in question had to
be fairly stolen from space needed fer