Evening journal., 1900-03-13
HOMES OF COMFORT
THE ART OF MAKING A FiREsiDE
ATTRACTIVE.


Rather In Using the Things One
Has Freely-Why Men Like the
club-Drlftins Apart.
"No wonder man enjoys his club"
remarked one woman to another as
they were taking advantage Of LA
dies Day" to inspect a new club house
FRO mthe roof to the swimming pool
In the basement III were a member
I'd be here every night. wouldn't
youg"
"Not II | had n nice home" retor;ed
the other
listened and pondered.
]. too. had been revelling in the
perfect appointments, feasiing my
eyes ON the exquisite rugs. admiring
the lovely woods and rare marbles,
and. in fact, absorbing the artistic en-.
Eemble TO my utmost capacity. Were
member. | thought. the temptation
10 go often would be a very strong
one
This club house which Is representa-
tive Of the best New York can offer.
not only because of the wealth but the
intellectual attainments Of its mem
bers. seems to me to typify two things
merely comfort and congenlal com
panionship.
From the instant the servant holds
back the entrance door the sense OF
comfort Is pervasive. A Cozy fireplace
beyond a columned lobby suggests
warmth and good cheer Red. the mas
cullne favorite il the keynote of the
decoration and furnishings Of the
building. various shades being used
for the different rooms and the warm
tones suggest welcome. All is bright
and CHEEKY No lace curtains keep out
o ray Of light and the glare of the
electric lights are softened by brilliant
| silk shades. Some of the walls arc
frcscoed. others hung with leather or
TX or burlap. or panelled from floor
to ceiling with costly and beautiful
wood
Rare and valuable paintings adorn
the walls. but there Is not a single SUI
pernuous ornament; none Of the little
knlcknacks that women think essen
tial to the coslness of a room. Every
where are smoking parties for there
Is no woman around TO object and the
non.smokers have room to them
selves on the library floor. In the read
ing room and library. are books pa
pers and magazines. and all are so
conveniently arranged that even the
ordinary reader Of books longs to sink
into an easy chair and TO be let alone.
with such attractions as these il is
little wonder that many husbands use
their own homes merely as places to
9 eat ana sleep. OF course. there Is not
e 80 much of this In the country and
I | am wandering from my text But
the point Is. if homes were more com.
: Portable using that word In the sense
n of being more easy they would be
o more attractive 10 the male members
a OF the family.
e / fancy that one OF the strongest at
e fractions Of the club Is the fact that
I, there Is nothing too good In It to h'
y used every day. This is not the case
!, in many homes. We make ourselves
. va others uncomfortable In trying tC
n ~ rooms and furniture for com
d y. The guest has right to your
e Il. but nothing in your home should
q too good for you yourself to enjoy
7 Il you have anything that is too good
y 10 use. Il is too good TO have. BE 4
!, eyer 80 humble. there is no place like
" home" but be it ever so fine there arr
q many places better than home
r. Then again. some OF us like Mrs
1t Jellyby. are so occupied with move
b. ments for the alleged advancement 0
y women IN general that we lose sigh
y OF commonplace duties. forget tha
!. Johnny's stockings need mending, o
u that Mary is backward in her arith
h metic or that poor dear William ha
IN dyspepsia and needs care In the choic
ID and preparation Of suitable foods. TIL
n other class goes to the other extreme
and while Johnny's stockings may b
~ darned and the house kept spotles
y and shining, there Is no intellectua
"a cllmmer in the home, and husban'
n and children seek companionshi
L, wherever they can find it.
re A young wife came to me the othe
II day heartbroken because aside fror
y their material interests, she and he
y husband had not a single taste in CON
~ mon. II is usually the wife who fall
,e behind in the race. and her husban
/ finds no intellectual enjoyment in he
m companionship. 1t IS for the most par
d. after the children are partly grow
v that the mother or father realizes tina
le the cares Of one or the other hav
w caused them to drift apart
" AGNES OLCOTT.
or