Saint Mary's beacon., 1904-09-15

hucu anu curtains ana oed nttlngS.
One used TO have blankets and CON-
fortables just for warmth. There
was never much question of art ef-
fects or embroidery or becomingness.
| But for some time before this sea-
son it has been decided that all one s
outfit de Rsit must be attractive and
becoming. The American girl is
making a fad of dressing for Aerself.
Back many centuries ago women
dressed to please men, later ia .
lhi4ha x<sase LIBERALIZATION. a. wonasn
grew cleverer and more to be feared.
they dressed for each other, not so
much to gain fiattery as TO avoid
criticism.
But to-day, it is herself that the
American girl dresses for. and she
cares as much about the fittings of
her own room. her lounging gowns,
her pretty night robes and bed fur
nishings as she does her dancing
frocks and street suits. She wants
to please her own good taste.
Her fad about blankets and com
fortables is to have them all in one
color scheme, the one that is most
becoming to her and should domi-
nate her bedroom.
Each winter bed is outfitted with
one pair of blankets, one silk or
sateen comfortable and with asingle
blanket or throwover which is used
in place OF former crochet spread
and crazy quilts for a nap or for an
invalid's chair.
Usually the blankets are white,
with a striped border in the color
chosen, say pale blue which is very
fashionable this year. The ends are
bound with wide Liberty satin rib
bon just the shade OF the border.
The comfortable would be of blue
satin with wide border of blue,
lowered with white and lavender
lilacs, with branches of the pale
green May foliage. or with white
feur de lis, or wistaria. This is
very thick and soft and made up of
eiderdown, light as a feather, and
thrown over the foot of the bed for
frosty nights.
The extra single blanket would be
all pale blue, of real blanket Or very
thick eiderdown cloth plain, or lined
with satin and bound with wide
satin ribbon. In one corner is a
large monogram embroidered with
silk, the same shade or to match the
flowers on the comfortable.
These extra blankets embroidered
make very pretty wedding or Xmas
presents, one that is bound to be
welcome, useful and artistic. As
they soil easily, they are usually
put away on a convenient shelf
They will wash, of course, but are
always prettier before the laundry
visit.
Sometimes the double blankets
are also the same color, bound with
white and the comfortable matches.
Or the entire outfit, ribbon border
and embroidery, is all white.
Naturally the keeping clean of
these delicately lined blankets is q
matter of great consideration. In
fact. If there was not some way of
washing them easily without fading,
they would be very extravagant
household item.
1t is no longer considered hygi-
enic to dry clean blankets. It is
known that germs willlive for months
in the fieecy surface OF wooden goods,
and that the only way they can be
really destroyed is by the heat OF the
laundry. Hot water. borax, and
sunshine are death TO germs. A
very easy modern way TO clean
blankets without fading or shrink
ing is as follows:
| Fill tub full Of warm water. If
you have bath thermometer at hand
see that il registers Sc degrees. Add
two large tablespoonfuls OF borax,
and enough white soap to make a
good suds. Throw q blanket In and
squeeze it gently. Do not wiring
with the hands. and by no means
should a board be used, else the
fieecy surface will fluff up into little
Jumps and the blanket he ruined.
Rub through the hands gently, and
send through rubber wringer into
a second tub Of water OF the same
temperature, and with the borax
and soap added. Each rinsing water
must be of the same temperature.
Dry quickly in the sun.
The palest tints can be washed in
this way withoutinjury, and blankets
come out looking like new without
the drawn haggard look that usual
laundry work induces. And to feel
sure that ones dainty bedroom fit
tings can be kept clean for years
without the least injury or much ef-
fort is TO greatly increase ones en-
tioyment of them.