Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-17
FURNISHING THE HOUSE.
The Little Woman DID 1t With
$500.

"A woman can do great deal with 500,
IL she only thinks So" said the little wo-
man. "Of course, you have TO do some
thinking. and there will be great many
things 10 add as time goes on If YOU are
using only that amount Of money in fur
nishing a house but II can be done.
know from experience. Perhaps IL will
help some other woman If | tell some
thing Of what ] did.
There are two things that I must ex-
plain; the first one Offsets the other
had a good many odds and ends OF
things. a few pieces Of furniture. my
most beloved Iares and Penates, TO be-
gin with. But any one would have some
small things-One's little personal belong
ings, gathered from time TO time. the
things that express ones individuality
and do so much 10 give the home air to
the house. But against the few pieces Of
furniture that / had have TO set large
family with half a dozen children. one
can be almost luXuriant with 500. and
only a small house or fiat 20 furnish for
two people and a servant. NY big family
necessitated big pots and pans. and many
beds. The kitchen outlay for one who
has not a pot or pan is one Of the great
est. | had been travelling around the
country, and. as nothing Is so expensive
as TO carry household goods. | had not
so much as mixing spoon when | came
to 90 10 housekeeping again.
Il commenced with the kitchen. chat
cost me more than II otherwise would. as
! say. because. owing 10 my large family
! had TO buy my cooking utensils Of extra
size. However. / furnished IL complnte
for $50 and then started in with the
beds Those are always a great expense
one Of the largest. and / had 10 get
number Of them. ! bought the plaincst
kind Of'painted iron and brass bedsteads
They are pretty and clean. and anything
one gets later will go with them one of
my bedsteads ! had 10 hunt for. because
| wanted one painted black with the
brass balls. instead Of one Of the white
kind which are so common.
THAT was 10 match one Of the T.ares
that / had brought with me. a Japa csc
chest of drawers. something that have
never seon I'm this part OF the country.
They are Of light-colored wood. finished
with black iron. and are light and very
artistic IN appearance. The largest is
in two pieces, with two drawers each, one
chest being placed upon the other. and
giving the height and size Of a regular
bureau. but prettier than any bureau
ever saw.
For my floors. had all Of those on
the lower floor stained. and those on the
upper floor covered with mating. For
staining tho floors / went 10 a paint shop
| should advise every one TO do that aud
get a good filler. Ny nOors are not AZ
hard wood. but they are OF matched
boards, and they have stained excelently
well. / had the first coat of filler well
rubbed I'm by "a man. ana for three days
no one was allowed on II. Then another
coat of filler was put on. rubbed In, and
left not quite so long. After that there
followed a coat OF shelaceen. / believe
they call II, and my floors looked ex-
tremely well. Every week they are wiped
over with a furniture polish. and they
have worn wonderfully well. and look rs
good as they did when they We're first
stained
II believe in getting a moderately good
quality Of mating. l paid Sll.5O for forty
yards-a roll That is the cheapest way
to buy mating. in the first place. and the
most economical for i'm having all the
rooms covered alike. worn pieces can be-
taken out from time to time. and the
good pieces left from two rooms will
make a perfectly good mating for one
room. | like bare floors or mating. Tor
they can be kept clean very easily. and
one never feels that there is a quantity OF
dust stored away in the corners. We only
calculate at our first outlay to get chairs
fHbuEn 10 SIT Oh, Dfu1t anu the bdit He
cessties for housekeeping.
FOR the dinng-room | bought dining
room table. chairs, and a little buffet.
bought everything needed for the kitchen
first as being absolutely necessary. then
| tried TO make my dinng-roOm attrac-
tive, for that should be at least the most
cheerful room in the house.
Il bought two jute rugs M n bargain
sale. because they were inexpensive and
| could get good cOloring in them for the
parlor. i needed something for that
floor. ! had my piano and my writing
desk, and ! thought three rattan chairs
that / found at an Oriental shop at 81
81. and s. each pretty, and comfortable,
and inexpensive. \ big hand-painted
screen that / had came in a long. low
box that l turned over on its side. I;
was the shape Of a couch. and that. with
a big rug thrown over IT, and a quantity
OF cushions more of my packable pos
sessions, makes a very pretty couch stand
ing In front of the corner fireplace. The
mantclpiece and shelves above | lined
with books. l don't care for bric-a-brac
unless II is very good, ana 10 MI so much
space means large investment In any
thing good IL | had filed IL with cheap
china. 1t would have looked like Lar