The record-union., 1899-03-19


what of an observer enter drawing
room, although never having met CT
seen the dweller, and he will at once
be able to analyze her tastes, her tenn
perament-I may almost add her vir-
tues and her faults. How much more
is shown in a boudoir or a womalis s
little den! Every trifie is an indica-
tion.
Every woman of refinement ought to
have such a den, be the space OF heI
lodgings ever so limited. She can, if
at all ingenious, always contrive to al
least reserve some corner of the draw
ing or sitting room for that purpose.
If no room can be specially allotted to
it.
Here, surrounded by screens, artistic
ally arranged, SO as to shut her off into
delightful privacy, in the midst of
plants and flowers, she can dream, or
write, or simply mediate. 1t is here
that, morally, she throws off all worldly
conventionality, and allows herself
without restraint the joy of being en-
tirely her own self, without the ever
ready smile of ceremony.
In the beudoir her intimate friends
come to tell her their secrets or GOSSIP
of the latest drawing-room news In
the little desk close at hand is locked
up all the precious correspondence OF
her dear ones, and in fit moments she
delights to peruse it once more.
The boudoir is forbidden to all casual
intruders. Milady lives in it for her
self only, with her favorite books, her
piano and her music. Everywhere else
she may seek to shine, to be queen In
her retired little nook she only plans
her happiness and how to keep it.
A boudoir is necessarily of small di-
mensions-the longer and narrower the
better. so as to allow the further end
to remain in becoming semi darkness.
Although everywhere else in the house
the most scrupulous order needs to be
observed. here an artistic confusion is
not only permitted, but is really imper-
ative As hangings and coverings, only
small figured, light dainty silks must
be used-never woolen or brocade ma
terials Only the airiest furniture must
be adopted. heavy pieces being entirely
out of place.
One corner, of course is to be occu-
pied by a comfortable couch, heaped
with pillows. draped with antique
shawls or costly furs, or with cheap
denim. as the purse allows. Near by,
a dainty little working table or an
enameled basket for the same purpose
looks we'll. Everywhere should be
pretty trif1es, softly shaded lamps. ex-
ouisite little cups No particular style
may be adopted, but let fancy dictate
the rest. The only inflexible rule for
the boudoil. is that it shall strictly har-
l,<, xx-1,o &c
little kingdom will then be one more
success if she appears in it more
charming to those who love her, and if
in their eyes she reads their admiration
when she admits them into it.
Among the latest walls over the ath-
letic craze among women is one from
the dealers in fine china and exquisite
table settings. Girls who love golf do
not care for masterpieces on English
platters, or the value of soup tureen-
Rousseau plates of marvellous beauty
at 81 600 a set go for naught with the
girl who finds delight in sailing boat
or hurrahing herself hoarse at foot
ball game.
Time was, am told, when daughters
accompanied their mothers on shopping
days to the stalls for fine china, ana
took no end of delight in helping choose
the rarest settings for their table. NOW
the athletic girl has no time to moon
over table linen and cut glass. Sne IS
too busy with out-of of-door things. Nor
has she a mind for changing her frock
half a dozen times a day, either, anu
SO the man who sells dress goods sends
up a little wall. too He says the sale
of cloths used for tailor-made gowns IS
heavier than ever, together with fine
silks for evening wear, but for the hight
woolens there has been serious falling
off in demand
1t would appear that so simple
thing as a dish of stewed prunes might
always be acceptably served, but they
are usually too sweet or insufficiently
cooked. All dried fruits-that is, fruits
that have been deprived of their nat
ural juices by quick evaporation or sun
drying-need to have this juice or
water replaced by a long soaking IN
cool water before being subjected 10
heat. This softens the cellular tissues
so that they can absorb the water, the
fruit swells out to nearly its natural
condition; and then by the heat applied
in cooking the softeningS process is con-
tinued until every particle of the skin
is. or should be, perfectly soft.
Just enough water to cover them, so
that all may be equally softened, is all
that is necessary. and when the prunes
are sufficiently cooked this should boil
down to a thick syrup. Except in some
of the most acid varieties, no sugar IS
needed. In fact, many prunes are so
rich in sugar that a little lemon juice
seems to be an improvement. 1t is un-
derstood. of course, that the prunes
should be well washed in tepid water
before they are soaked
Chatting over a cup of tea at Miss
Davies tea parlors, in the Boulevard
Haussmann, Paris, New York Her
ald'' correspondent CLEANED the opinions
of the proprietress on the subject of
making tea
Il agree perfectly" said Miss Davies.
with the communication of o. Shaw
in Mondays Herald except with re-
gard to Ceylon tea, which does not re-
quire four minutes to steep. would
not give it more than two or three
minutes If you want to drink It
stronger. then put in more tea. The
tannin comes out very soon when you
use this tea
China tea takes quite four minutes
to infuse, but Ceylon tea, as matter
of experience, infuses more quickly.
China tea has coarser taste, and you
might, under similar circumstances,
think it stronger, but in reality it is
not. At one time 1 had three varieties
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t<4E Kitty tV,axy@ - -