Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1902-11-14
tbs Fad for LINEN cbex,..

The linen chest il once more as
Stunning importance in American
Tones. Housewives have always had
their household linen, but the linen
chest as an institution means more
that that In Europe it has always
kept its prestige, but in modern days
the linen of the American bride has
feen bought in wholesale fashion at
the same time with her trousseau.
Perhaps it has been because the mod
ern girl Is less prone than her great
grandmother was to consider matri-
mony and home of her own as the
great essential things toward which
all girl-life moves.
1t may be that the linen chest was
elbowed aside with many ar pther ira
6ition in the emancipation of the young
woman, aud that nigher education
rooted ont the old-time feminine taste
for boarding fine linen against day
of home-making Ii ell that is true,
then the new fad for linen chests may
be a harbirger of welcome reaction.
The day of a golden feminine mean
may be at hand. Everywhere in the
shops today one finds linen chests,
more or less elaborate. For a few dol
lars one may buy very plain oak or
cherry chest, and the price ranges
from that modest sum far up into the
hundreds.
Nothing but fine antique will do
for some young women, and genuine
old chests whose heavy wood is finely
carved and rich with the color and
lustre of centuries are not sold for
song. Imitation antiques are plenti-
full and some of them are attractive
enough If any one. buys them for what
they are and does not pay the price
of real antiques for them.
There are fine old inlaid chests
chiefly Italian, and ore recently impor-
ported for the daughter of New York
man cost thebuyer $500. Another of
French workmanship, inset with exqui-
site medallions of painted ivory, is vail
ued at $4,000. A strictly modern French
chest, made to fill New York order,
is of dark oak severely plain, but
mounted il wonderful art nouveau
metal work set with semi-precious
stones.
Here at home designers and artists
are turning their. attention TO the re-
vival, and one young Chicago artist
has made herself a name by her linen
chest designs. Handwrought brass
and bronze, cleaning enamels, hand
carving color staining, al are pressed
into service by her, and the results
she obtains are some times very beau
t.ful. One of her fancies is the decora-
ton of the inside of the lid in color.
The exterior of the chest may be dark,
heavily carved, unadorned save for the
carvings. Lift the id and one is con-
fronted by beautiful symbolic or con-
yentionalized design in glowing color.
Such chests are nor for all lovers of
linen, but linen all women must have,
and the earlier the collecting is begun
the more satisfactory the supply is
when its owners wedding Gay comes.-
The wise mother buys the linen chest
End begins stocking il long before the
daughter is old enough to take a vital
interest in the proceedings.
Later she initiates the daughter into
joys of linen buying ad linen owning.
This ought to be an easy matter even
with the modern, undomestic girl.
Down deep in every truly feminine
heart turks the love for fine linen.
One need only appeal to that love in
the right way to make linen entEusi-
asst out of even a senior wrangler'o or
golf champion.-New York Sun.