The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-10
FOR FEMININE READERS
NOT EVERY WOMAN MASTERS THE
ART OF ARRANGING FURNITURE.
Where British housekeeping Differs
from Ours-What the Girls Read
advantage Of Flattery.


Many people, says a writer in the Phil
adelphia Times, have a natural gift for ar
ranging rooms, and may be called artists In
the art, while others have no idea at all,
ard their rooms despite costly or really
beautiful articles of furniture or ornament,
are always prim-everything is so very bad
ly placed.
A table In a drawing room should never
be in the center Of the apartment. Let it
be pushed away and the chairs disposed In
such a manner that it may be seen that
they are intended to be sat upon. Chairs
placed against wall or rammed into cor
ners is an ugly and inappropriate arrange
ment. Have what the French call little
Establishments in the room. If 1t be large
enough. For instance. near small or large
tables have two or three chairs or chair
and a lounge, enabling those visitors. should
several call at the same time, to talk COM
fortably, which is impossible If large par
ty have to sit in a circle and join in gen.
eral conversation.
A table upon which ornaments and books
radiate in a star-like shape is very ugly.
Let the books and ornaments be placed in
studied carelessness and avoid primness in
every way.
~ 10 TIC rage piCSCHt udy W
decorate rooms with trifes. This is a mis-
take, and often really pretty ornaments are
not seen to advantage because of this. AL
low sufficient margin of space between your
picture and ornaments. so that each may
be properly seen.
A superabundance of japanese fans, COM
mon knickknacks. bits of pottery. china
animals, cheap frames and gimcracks gen.
ha
other hand, much that is tasteful in the
way of ornament can be had nowadays
very inexpensveiy. The mistake is in the
crowding of too many of them together and
having geegaws which are really rubbish.
| scattered ali over the room. Let the old
| ones be put by and the latest be laid on a
table kept for that purpose. Unused lamps
| Should never be kept in drawing room,
| especially when they dffuse. an .odor of
| kerosene. They are out of place by day
light, and should only be brought in lighted
| when necessary. Candles should always be
| should look as if they were. Candles not
ana look as if placed for ornament. Which.
to be. $1,000 - ''' my ~ ~ ''''''
| clock will not do its duty send it to be re-
| paired, and II it declines to go after judici-
| Gus treatment then put 1t aside, for silent
clock is depressing object.
! Brackets are very inexpensive, and with a
| little taste can be made to look very pretty
Of ood covsTe OF %t Seye Or
are excellent backgrounds for china. They
are better draped.
In fine, with books, natural flowers, a
| work basket, pretty. hangings and little
| care and taste expended In the general ar
rangement the drawing room may look
| charming, and be In perfect taste. even
| though 1t is very small, indeed, and the in
trinsic value Of its contents be trifing.
Fashions for Fall.
| New York Post.
There is still a great deal of rumor and
| discussion about the shortening Of dress
| skirts for general wear, but Notwithstanding
the fact that many high-class tailors and
modiste5 are making walking-skirts for the
| autumn considerably shorter than those
| which have been universally worn during
the summer, the >dsmi- trained dip" skirt
is likely to flourish again on both sides Of
the water. Word has just reached America
through returned importers that some of the
leading ateliers of Paris have declared that
they do not intend to shorten, by even so
much as an inch, the skirts of either their
walking, visiting. or even travelling cos.
tunes and that with the best authorities of
! both London and Paris, with the exception
! of an occasional rainy-day costume, or on
gowns for golf or cycling wear. skirts with
| a dip or slight train will be everywhere con-
| s!dered indispensable TO costumes with any
pretensions to style and elegance. 1t is to
| be hoped, however. that opposing powers
will yet prevail against this unwise and un-
tidy custom. 1t will really rest with the
wearers themselves whether their skirts
shall conveniently and neatly clear the
ground all around or whether they shall
sweep the street-crossingS.
In some OF the very handsome costumes OF
ladies' cloth, bengaline, OF heavy costume
silk or satin, a species of Directoire dress
has appeared which Is novel and artistic In
its ensemble. 1t consists of a very close-fit-
ting underdresss. This IS made of satin
matelasse, either In rich Persian effects OIL
of green, brown, or gray designs on cream
or white ground that is almost covered by
the satin figures. This underbodice is in
one continuous close-ftting length, from
neck to hem. and is untrimmed. Above 1t Is
a long, straight habit-like princesse redin
cote. open-fronted In Directoire style. and
cut out low in the neck, back and front, the
edges finished with circular shoulder revers
of dark velvet Silk fringe the shade of the
velvet is put on the sheathlike sides ant
hack of one overdress to simulate three
flounces, one row of fringe below the hips
one midway of the skirt and one at the
hem. On another model the clinging out
lines of the straight undraped redingote are
left unbroken. and nothing but the omni
present edge of silk Notwithstanding com
pleteS the finishing of the stately garment.