Evening star., 1901-12-14
M ON GIFTS
Where the Giver's Skill and Taste
Find Play.
PRETTY SUGGESTIONS TO FOLLOW
Good Ideas for the Presents Young
Girls Exchange.
COST BUT LITTLE. TOO

Written for The Evening Star.
The love OF money may be the root OF all
evil, but money itself seems to be the root
OF all good. especially about the holiday
season. when ones wishes are all in dol
lars and ones outlay must be in cents"
This was the plaint OF the impecunious
young girl who wants to remember all
the home circle and her special school
friends, and somebody really poor" as
she puts it herself, with a small gift at
Christmas. Perhaps for her and others
like her-alasi only too numerous-some
suggestions may be given which will prove
helpful L have seen a pretty booklet made
or number of sheets OF cardboard. In this
case green in color; on each was pasted a
paragraph or two cut from a column OF
some magazine, the subject being Margaret
oglvy--Barrie's beloved mother. A DOR
trait print. evidently from another book or
paper, headed the sketch sThe printed
article was cut into paragraphs which
Were pasted irregularly on the cardboard
pages, ana connecting them were pretty
little flowers. mostly country or field flow
ers. as suited the subject of the article.
Inc arrangement Of paragraphs and flow
ers was Individual, very graceful and
pretty, but delicate rather than profuse as
TO the ornamental part. The sheets were
perforated with two small holes each AT the
pack ana laced together with dark green
cord. II was dainty thing. given to a
lover OF Barrie's writings. the reading mat
ter an interesting bit of writing and the
personal touch in the painting and making
up. 80 many charming articles are printed
ABOUT authors, actors, singers-all the peo-
pie who are OF interest to everybody-and
IL not illustrated some other publication
VIII furnish portraits or other illustrations
OF homes and haunts, so the possibilities OF
oil
Make a Selection.
All young girls have their favorites-actors
and actresses especially-and while little
taste and ingenuity many pretty booklets
could be made. With some backgrounds
flowers in natural colors are pretty with
others poster style may be adopted for
the decoration, or IL one is really clever
scenes and portraits may be done by hand,
the two points TO make a success being,
hrst, to select an article the subject of
which is a known favorite of the future re-
cipient and then to have the decorations
harmonize with the subject treated In the
printed artcle-only keep the ornamental
ton subordinate to the reading matter as n
general rule to be observed.
Another pretty little conceit is to take a
book which has title page. initials, etc, In
the style OF old missals, and illumlne them
by hand. A charming example OF this
have seen. a paper-covered book on Joseph
Addison being selected
The portrait frontispiece Is beautiful the
text delightful and with the illuminating
done in the strong blues. brilliant scarlets,
purple and gold of the monks work in old
en- time in their cells. An exceedingly
unique and artistic gift had been prepared
at the cost of 25 cents for the booklet and
the time necessary for the small amount of
painting available In It.
where Taste shows.
A little hand work so very much enhances
the value of anything in the line Of artistic
gifts that it may well be employed by the
impecunious givers, a practiced hand In
painting or needlework being able to accom-
plish much at small cost. The pretty gift
Of one young girl to another last year was
large desk blotter of gray-green with small
blue prints OF scenes and people. taken by
the giver the summer previously, when the
two young people had been together at a
summer resort. The photographs were not
put on in set border style, but irregularly
grouper, and not crowded, so a good effect
was gotten. 1 know what delight this gave.
and only the other day saw 1t on the desk
where 1t was placed year ago, and heard
Of how many times the pleasures OF the
summer outing had been lived over again
in having these reminders so constantly in
sight
II one can e1nbroider, many pretty and
inexpensive things can be made, useful, too,
and so serving a purpose.
heai convenience
A great convenience is a small writing
pad at hand In drawing room hall, SO
that an address may be given a visitor,
message left by a caller-for put in writing
a maid will not forget to give it to her mis-
tress. when a verbal request would never
be thought of again-or a memorandum
1otted down for future reference. It is only
by having something like this at hand that
one knows the satisfaction to be gotten by
such a small convenience, and the ways OF
making them attractive are many; a PASTE
board back to any desired sized pad may
be embroidered with a slight design, pasted
to the pad to be firm. and a pretty little
pencil. silver or otherwise, tied by a ribbon
to the pad.
Other Handy Ways.
Another pretty form is quite a large heart
shape, with q band of ribbon diagonally
across the back. into which few sheets OF
note paper may be slipped. Even IL one
cannot embroider the same idea may be
carried out with figured silk or ribbon:
while white linen with bright flowers is
daintiest when fresh, one Of pink or blue
linen will outlast several pads and they
may be renewed over and over. A pretty
novelty for a young girl is bolt OF mar
row ribbon, which is used for running
through beading on underclothes, with a
round top of pasteboard covered with en-
broidered linen, an ivory ribbon needle
threaded with ribbon thrust through knot
on top. These are only suggestions for
those who have more time than money,
and any or all are certain to give pleasure
in the receiving, and of such small outlay
that something for charity will probably be
saved after all
HydrOphobfa and st. Hubert.
1t is well known that ST. Hubert (died
~ Or-N