New-York tribune., 1900-08-04
81 QUESTIONS Q[GOODFORrl

I intend having little play acted in my drawing
room by my children Can YOU tell me an easy a nd
inexpensive way of providing scenery? z. Z. NJ
At a successful little dramatic entertainment
given not long ago in private house the scenery,
which consisted of interior in room and an
outdoor scene in garden made as follows;
Three very large clotheshorses formed the back
and two sides. and were reversed for each scene.
In the first place. unbleached muslin was tackled
both sides and painted with house paints. In
the old fashioned fireplace, with
real chintz valance hanging from the mautel;
window with real curtains, which looked very
realistic. while real framed prints hanging on the
walls added the illusion. and of course. appro-
pirate furnishings of the room helped it out The
garden scene was more difficult. but that too. was
good. The three sides of the screens represented
high garden wall, and were painted in imitation of
red brick, through which green postern door was
arranged as an exit. Real fruit and leaves were
fastened TO the trained fruit against the
walls, below which low bushes stuck under the
edge OF, each screen did duty natural growth
while clevery arranged groups of flowers and foli-
age plants in pots suggested garden. Both
scenes were much admired. and the set of
clotheshorses did for both.
am invited TO join a house party at a large large
take in the evening. Should I wear
demi-toilet at dinner or a low necked gown?
The latter, without question. 1t is proper at the
smallest functions TO wear low bodice for dinner
4 high necked frock however dressy. is apt to
look very much out of place. This IS especially
the case in or near New-York where low necked
gowns at the smallest dinners are considered de
rtgueur, just they in England. They are ap-
proprtate for the family table. In other
places. however, half toilets saTe-Often worn So.
unless it is an UP to date RaFtyqjt is just as well
to go prepared for either, contingency.
have just completed a little cottage in which
the walls as well as ceilings. are finished in wood
you advise staining the walls of dining room Sit
ting room library and bedrooms. and how ought I
to treat the floors? SUBSCRIBER
II is TO be hoped that the wood you have used for
your walls is the Georgia pine, as that has such
remarkably pretty grain and takes with good ef-
feet a stain OF any color. The library would look
well in green. To make a stain all that is neces-
is to dilute ordinary oil paint with turpentne
and make it rather thin. and then give one coat
to the wood. For the library select bright olive
green. little darker than the color required and
thin it with turpentine to the consistency of or
dinary cream In putting II on do not leave the
wood too wet but, to bring out the grain use the
brush as long possible without redipping it into
the stain The mantle, doors and trimmings
should be Of the same color. In the dining room
single coat Of white be used as a stain. and
the coloring Of the wood shows through in faint
pink or mauve markings in a way that is ex-
ceedingly pretty and makes an effective com bina
ton II the doors and mantle and trimmings are
pure white
For the sitting room try burned sienna stain
This gives the color Of new mahogany and makes
most effective background for pictures old china
etc. good contrast in this case is obtained by
giving varnish polish TO the doors and mantle.
For your bedrooms you cannot do better than to
color them all IN white like the dining room but
IN case you prefer variety extremely thin wash
Of Prussian blue gives a lovely peacock blue stain
raw sienna a sunny yellow or Vandyke brown
biack walnut effect. But it should always be borne
IN mind that these paints must be diluted with
LurpeIltlne ana applied stain, paint.
Now Tor the floors: The most useful stain is a thin
soluuon or raw sienna. After this is thoroughly
ury NarnlsI with two coats OF hard oil finish let
ing each dry at least twenty-fnur hours. II pre-
Ierred, however. any Of the stains mentioned for
the walls. except white will do for floors only
ihey must be vanished afterward with the oil
tlnlsh or some other equally good floor varnish. To
keep the floors presentable after they have been
stained and vanished waxing is by far the best,
but they viii stay bright for several months if
rubbed on with a dry flannel every few days.