The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-07-30

one OF the most common obstacles
presented to the house decorator is
that of cheap woodwork. Sometimes
1T is extremely difficult to give a good
finish to the common doors and frames
that are found in many residences, CT
1t happens that just the shade of paint
needed is impossible to blend. To OBJ
viate either of these conditions, dec
orators are now covering woodwork
with chintz or burlaps, and the effect
. is exceedingly good.
The vacation schools, which are be-
ing established now in almost every
community of size, are affording a new
outlet to summer philanthropy. AT
one seaside boarding house, the ladies
spent the mornings of an entire week
making and filling bean bags for use
in a vacation school, in which two or
three of the number were interested,
and for which they speedily secured
the cooperation of the others. Most
enough to pay the instructors. The
enough to pay the instructors. The
municipalities usually donate the use
of school houses and grounds and de-
tail an officer to look after them in
general way. AS soon as the schools
are started, however, a number OF
pressing needs are discovered. 1t is
here that anybody interested can help
most appreciably and often with only
trif1ing cost to himself. Gifts of toys,
games, paper dolls, shells and picture
books are asked for; remnants of silk
or calico keep little fingers employed
and children's summer clothing is
found very useful These schools are
a good supplement to the fresh air
work which has been long and benef-
Gently conducted.
A young woman who found it neceS-
sary to add to her income utilized an
idea whose benefits her sister and her
self had long enjoyed. This was the
mounting of tiny powder puffs in a
little silk bag drawn together with a
shirr string. The whole outfit could
be carried in the palm of the hand, if
necessary, or tucked in any convenient
place about the dress for handy use.
A considerable sale of these articles,
both at the shops and the women's eX-
changes, has been the reward of her
enterprise.
An Englishman visiting New York
not long ago sharply criticised the
habit of many of its summer residents
of sitting out in the evening upon the
stoops of their homes. To his conser-
tive British mind this. seemed a
great offense, and one which he rank
ed with a toilet paradox, also of New
York, that he pronounced hateful
that of wearing a shirt waist with a
ell Sl- ir-f fro "a hi on q a
New York. is not, as a rule, in town
to sit out on it's front stoops during
the hot weather; New Workers who re-
main, however, exercise their indie
pendence and do exactly as they please
about it. The practice is such a nat
ural and universal one that various
appliances especially designed for the
comfort of the city stoop contingent
are to be had in the shops These are
not only light camp chairs that take
up little space and are easily handled.
and the familiar mats of Oriental
weave, hut also stoop seats adjusted
to use on the front steps of lily
houses. The cheap Italian silk blan-
kets are kept in the drawers or hall
racks in many city homes to be car
ried out as carpets for the front stoop
uuTiliS the evening. "A lOul liilohS7 II
the residence district of upper New
York and Brooklyn will show numer-
Gus other devices. Sometimes, to pro-
vide the most seats at the greatest
economy of space little hanging seats
are attached to the guardrail of the
stoop, sometimes after the manner of
of the bath tub soap and sponge racks.
=
in a shop where antiques are sold is an
old Dutch milk pail. The vessel is
over two feet high with tight-fittinS
cover and side handle, and is a par
ticularly richly colored piece of metal.
The wicker satchels, which were a
special novelty of the Oriental shops
a year or two ago, are now to be had
almost anywhere and at very reason
able prices. They come in many sizes,
from the suitable for shopping, to a
really capacious one equal to SIX
teen-inch Gladstone bag. To, carry
bathing suits to the shore for an after
noon, they are excellent, their 1ghtness
being one great virtue, while their por-
Gus weave is an advantage for the re-
turn trip, when the suit is wet AS
luncheon baskets for any sort or out
ing, they are admirable. For the usual
uses of a travelling bag, they are, per-
haps. not entirely adequate, owing to
the fact that dust will work its way
through on a long journey. Many wo-
men prevent this, however, by fitting
a silesia, or better still, an oil-silk lin
ing in them.
AZ a recent luncheon pineapple was
offered as a first course in rather un-
usual way. The fruit had been pulled
from the pine. in small pieces the size
of each scale, the scale being left on,
something in the nature of a hull.
These were piled five or six on plate
with a. little mound of powdered SUI
gar. and were eaten with the fingers.
They were very cold, having evidently
been thoroughly chilledk.before serv
ING. 1t might be well, indeed, to offer
them resting on little pile of Clipped
ice.
An ideal closet which is a part of a
recently built suburban house, opens
out of the bedroom of the mistress of
the home. 1t is entered by two doors.
separated by the width of the apart
ment. Each door has on the room side
a solid panel of mirror plate glass
reaching from top to bottom. Within
the closet at the right hand door is a
set of box shelves, each fitted with
hat rest. Opposite are low shoe shelves.
Near the other door are wide swallow
drawers, scarcely more than the depth
Of trunk trays, in which the skirts of
good gowns may be laid away. Above