Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-01-18
MAY HAD A SCHEME.
PEACH BASKETS WERE TO BE UTILIZED
ENORMOUSLY.

0eOIkS, utkou uIHs SOuEtucy, Cokct-
", ~ her husband returned home to
dinner one night, "rve just learned how
you can make the loveliest little table
for your dressing room out Of two old
peach baskets. You"
mo, May" interrupted her hu:band,
sternly, !" that won't"
"Yes, yes, but It doesl You nall the
two bottoms together, then cover them
the baskets, / mean-with pink calico,
or blue, II you like. You just love blue,
don't your"
May, tell you It won't do. We've
got"
20, but l know Il will. And over the
calico you put the loveliest white mus
lin, and tie Il with the dearest little rib
bons you ever saw; and the top baskets
lined"
mo, no! It's out Of the question. In
future all peach baskets"
George, what nonsense are you talk
ingt tell you the upper ones lined
with blue, too; and there's board top
covered with the calico and muslin, of
course--thst lifts of, and gives you the
suggest, cutest little place to put your
brushes and shaving things In you can
imagine. know you'll just love 1t
when you get 1t done"
"But, my love, the great trouble see
with your scheme Is that In the future
all peach baskets have To be kept to
make you bonnets. I've just heard OF
a way of fixing them up that's perfectly
splendid"
Mrs. Courtney's pretty brown eyes
opened wide with surprise, and her scis-
sors dropped with clsng to the floor.
"You take the basket" went on the
long enduring husband, with a twinkle
In his eye that, fortunately for him, his
wife did not catch, "and cut II of at q
point to 1T the owners head. II too
large, pad with newspapers neatly sewed
In place with strong linen thread -wsxed
IL best. Then twist daffodils and roses
all around the edge, and pour over the
top anything from peck TO n bushel
and half Of ses-green spinach, accord
ing to taste OF wearer."
Mrs. Courtney gssped feebly and
owned her eyes, II anything, tribe
wider.
Next" continued Mr.. Courtney,
warming 10 his work, "you take from
ten TO twelve yards OF Virginia creepcr
and arrange them gracefully around so
much OF the sides Of the basket as the
spinsch hasn't covered"
Indeed" almost shrieked Mrs. Court
ney, now fully alive to her husbands
inquiry. Perhaps"
mo perhaps about II. Wait till tell
you about the inside. You line the whole
thing with cabbage leaves, alternating
them, though not too regularly, with q
row Of hollyhocks sticking out st the
bottom. But, O, | forgot, You crown
the whole thing with something that
looks like miniature fl,gpole emerging
from any place hut the centre OF the
basket, snd sticking up a, any angle but
\ right one"
Permit me to-
mention the laces or course, you
must have lace and ribbon or two.
Well, then, take the gauzs that formerly
covered the fruit basket, tear II into
strips from two TO three inches wide,
notch one edge Of these in irregular seal
Tops, carefully hem the other and dye
the whole thing In strong coffee till your
next door neighbor wouldn't know II
from your great-grsndmother's lace II
she were to see It under microscope.
Now run these strips Of lace In bands
from the top OF the miniature fisgpole TO
about two-thirds OF the way down the
peach basket and end 10 little clusters OF
ribbons daintily fastened In place with
the string used 10 sew on the cover OF
the basket"
George"
Feathers To be sure. How stupid
Of me to forget them They come In n
bunch at the end OF the fl,gpole, with
imitation birds running up and down It."
Might l."
Might you have squirrels instead :
Certainly. And II It's intended for n
theatre hat you can change the peach
basket for a piano case, and have stuffed
elephants on top OF It,"
1T
III you want anything further just
look II up 10 HoOper's latest fashion
plate, and let's not say another word
abou, It till dinners half over
Dinner Was nearly wholly over before
Mrs. Courtney had fully made up her
mind just what she wanted TO say, but
when once she had made up her mind
she said II with force and clearness
that so surprised Mr.. Courtney that to
this day he views q woman's bonnet
with rather more awe than Turk with
a not too thick neck might the sultan,
or policeman, with not too secure
situation, an economic slderman.-Har-
per's Bazaar.