Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-07
YOUR SUMMER HOUSE
Begin Soon to Think Over
What It Needs.
&Ef
LEISURELY RESTOCKING
IF YOU INTEND TO RENT, NO
TIME TO LOSE.
Furnishings Are Cheap Enough and
Entire Outfits Are Rented Sess
From Some Shops.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
The average American is Just awakening
to the comfort of owning a summer home.
Time was that a summer cottage far from
the madding crowd, was the badge of
wealth. Today families possessed of mod
crate incomes can afford to take place for
the heated term, if they show wisdom in
making the selection.
And now is the hour to act before the
great majority begins to plan for the sum-
mer season.
In selecting the summer cottage, privacy,
a stretch of ones own grounds, shade and
large, airy rooms are of vital Importance
II the seasons rental is too high for one
family, two may club together for the
months of June, July and August, one fam
lily using the place during the first half of
the season, and the other taking it the lat
ter half
The idea Of simple home life during the
heated term commends itself in many ways
After the strenuous struggle of nine months
IN business and the social whirl, the four
walls of hotel bed room, the dress parade
of its dining room, and the interminable
gossip of its piazza are not conducive to
absolute rest The cost Of living in cot
tage is little, If any, higher, and the perfect
freedom, the right to come and to go, to
dress or to lounge as one likes, are not
within the gift of any hotel keeper
Inc one person who perhaps quails at the
thought of summer house is the wife and
mother. Once she has tried the plan or
thoroughly canvassed the situation, with its
simplicity Of living and lack of formality,
she will agree that the fancied difficulties
will vanish.
should begin at once, for the season Of
heavy reductions in furniture and household
goods generally is now on
If 1t has been decided to lease the cot
Or fnr nro1 acl1 ,l,@
manent furnishings which are stored in the
summer place from year to year and are
selected from stock that differs widely
from that on which she draws to furnish
her city home.
Leave Out Bric-a-Brac.
Among the essentials are furniture floor
coverings, bed and table linens. cooking
utensils and dishes. Do not take pictures
or bric-a-brac. Their care only entails use
less labor. The walls will thus be free for
the display Of the slowly gathered sum-
mer's spoils-a piece of fishing net, punches
OF cat-tails, strings of shells. cards of
pressed seaweed or mounted butterflies A
hammock or two, cushions In plenty, a va
rlety or Jardinieres and other flower hold
are necessary.
To meet these wants the housekeeper
should take tour through her own house
Is Sailying forth on shopping expedi-
tlon. rms should be done to find things
winch can be spared from the winter home
and left in the summer cottage from wear
TO year. Begin with the kitchen Are
there not several pans, a bowl or two, an
egg-beater and some spoons which might
be spared? In the dining room are there
not set of dishes from which MANY pieces
are missing, but which would do well
enough in the summer home? Perhaps
there are odd plates and cups and dishes
which, though Clipped are quite practical
pie Tor eating purposes. In the sitting room
Is ana an , od a. table which only occupies space.
ing-all will be useful in the cottage. In
the bed rooms is an offending chest of
drawers or dresser. Perhaps the house,
enamel or brass-the old wooden ones will
do very well in the cottage. Wa
But 1t is in the attic and store room that
me greatest treasures come to hght-dis-
carueu porch chairs and rockers a half
worn couch cover, unused pillows. strins of
oid carpet which may be fashioned into
rugs, and ends of mating and oilcloth which
will amply cover hall or kitchen
II. after this search, many things are
sui lacking, then 1t Is time to do some
shopping. But cheapness must be the or
der Of the day.
Plenty to Buy Cheaply.
Most OF the housefurnishing stores sell
Kitchen outfits. especially designed for use
IN the summer cottage. One such list con-
ta1ns sixty-three articles and costs SIS. It
may be supplemented or curtailed, accord
ing to the needs of the purchaser. An oak
extension dining table may be bought for
81 and chairs for LOS apiece For furnish.
ing the bedrooms, very presentable oak
bedroom set of three pieces is priced at
s2o. Iron beds of any size, painted white
are $5.oo with bed springs as low as $780,
and a fair mattress for 49, Good cots cost
only S1.5O.
White furniture is popular for the sum-
mer cottage bedroom. Odd white dressers
n y~oa-fs y,s,hJ yr1-
Washstands, painted white, come at $3.50
In the realm Of china, hundred-piece
blue and white dinner set. especially de-
$3.50, and plain white sets of the same size
for $3.50. An eight-piece white toilet set is
81 and twelve-pfece SET decorated in a
neat color design, $3.50.
AS regards floor coverings mating Is
the most sensible thing 1t be had
either plain or in pretty japanese patterns
at from 81 to 50 roll for the cheaper quail
Cotton rugs. 1Ox12 feet, In pretty patterns
answer the purpose very well and cost s..
Pretty Things, Too.
In selecting draperies and window cur
ta5ns, here IS bewldering variety from
w'a;ch to choose. Cheapness and beauty
are not always estranged. Only be sure
to choose those which will wash and thus
insure their use for a second or even
third summer. If Turkish effects are de-
sired, SllKol1neS, at 10 cents yard, are
admirable. They are q yard wide and
washable. Nothing is prettier for the bed
rooms than organdies, at IL cents yard.
They come in charming flower or fieur-de-
lis patterns on "a white ground. II more
expensive tastes can be INDUCED, there is
madras, delicate color stripes on white
or tan ground. forty inches wide and 40
cents yard. In cooEand refreshing blues
and whites are delightful Japanese cotton
crepes. in all-over designs, Stimulating the
waving tree tops, or the ripping water
along the beach. These wash perfectly,
are thirty-fve inches wide and cost IS
cents a yard.
AS to sofa cushions, cover old discarded
ones with fresh, washable materials. II
new ones must be provided for hammock
or boat, cotton-fiiled variety, covered
with gay cretonne or denim, can be bought
as low as 80 cents. F1oss-filled ones cost
81 and down-filled from SIPS up. 1t is well
to have some grass mats for porch or boat.
Bed and table linen, and silverware frorn
the family store may be carried back and
forth each summer. When packing the
boxes it is well to include a good store of
staple groceries and canned goods. They
may prove blessing in places where stores
are hard to reach and prices corresponding
ly high.
THE 0,,aar,o D~~Q,,,,.aJ