The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-12-02
Put Aside ErivOlity.

The bleak, cold winter days are with
us, and the home-maker is on the alert
to have every corner and niche looking
cozy and comfortable.
To make ones home attractive with
shabby-looking carpets much worn, and
draperies faded, is great trial. but if
ones pocketbook has to do just SO
much, and one is limited in means, one
must put on the thinking cap and read,
inquire, and observe how others in SINH
lar circumstances get up such charming
results.
There is great deal gained in being
trying to live above them, as it were, i'll
stead of worrying the life out of some
Woodworking, painstaking, but unfortu-
nate provider.
There comes to my mind at this in
stance a most remarkable little woman,
who is now long past so years of age,
up Il large family of children. With linz
tied means this woman had faculty of
making both ends meet. When it was
an impossibility to have a new carpet
for this room or that room she would
invariably say, "Never mind, we will not
tolerate this old one now, it has quite
seen it's day of usefulness and would
then take it up and paint the floor her.
self, rather than have anything in the
two or three rugs taken downstairs from
Il sleeping room, the muslin curtains
freshly Numbered and replaced at the
windows, this woman, who secretly
!onged for good warm carpet for her
living room, made herself believe it was
quite as we'll for the winter, now that the
open fire was started and there would be
so much wear and tear on a new one,
silencing her ambitious children with the
remark, perhaps in the spring things
will be different financially"
And speaking of an open fire, have
you ever noticed in how many homes
nowadays one sees a beautiful tiled af-
fair, with all the paraphernalia for COM
fort in the way of brass andirons, shovel,
tongs, hearth-brush and fire-screen, all on
parade, as it were? On the mantel above
this ornamental fireplace, done in white
and yellow, perhaps, will be dainty bits
sketch in tints harmonizing wonderfully
we'll with the delicate white and gold fur
niture of the apartment.
Contrast this room-invariably the pet
one in the home Of a ncwly-married
couple-with the living room of the wom-
ans home before mentioned: One is the
shrine at which the young housekeeper
worships, and never must there be fire
lighted on the hearth except on very
state occasions. Outlines the man of
such a household drifts unconsciously into
the habit of going out to the club even
ings. where he can sit with his feet on
the fender in front of the big, wide, brick
open fireplace, which takes in three-foot
log, smoking his pipe and wondering why
women should have such foolish ideas
about a room.
Then bring before your mind again this
everyday room, with a large, open fire.
place, substantial cherry mantel, with two
shelves, the top one covered with stems,
silver cups and other mementoes won in
athletic contests, perhaps; the lower one
with dishes for pipes matches and cigar
ashes; the tiles about the fireplace rich.
terra Gotta, huge, blazing logs on the
andirons, the favorite fox terrier stretched
contentealy before the blaze, two long,
comfortable touches on either side of the
room piled high with pillows, all covered
with washa BILE materials; an ordinary
closet, from press Of circumstances util-
lied as a bookcase, filled with well-worn
books which show unmistakable Sims of
careful perusal. Plenty of comforta BILE
chairs, a table with reading lamp, news
papers and magazines scattered about,
and can you imagine more interesting
or cozy room in which to spend a quiet,
unmolested evening at home? When will
women put aside frivOlity in furnishings
and gather about them things only which
can be used every day, and in this way
make homes. instead of show places for
their visiting neighbors ?-Pittsburg Dis
patch.