The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-30
For. the -
- Women.
IS for the Summer


Girl.
A thought for others often helps to
relieve ones mind of her own little
burdens to a wonderful degree at the
same time proving real help to those
about her.
The mother of four grown daugh-
tiers, each of whom considers herself
som ething of a critic on dress, recent
ly purchased for her best summer
frock simple checked silk in brown
and white, with five yards of ecru lace
for ruffies in the sleeves.
M other, cried three of the girls
in chorus, "how could you get any
thing SO cheap-looking, and for best,
too?"
The fourth girl sat with her head
on one side, studying the silk and lace,
and said nothing. She was the family
embroiderer. But when the house-to-
house dressmaker appeared on the
scene to make UP mothers gown, she
found, among the trimmings provid-
ed, vest and stock of cream-colored
chiffon, embroidered in small silk
disks, shading from cream to golden
brown and dashed here and there with
gold. To outline the vest was a gall
loon of ecru lace, showing daisies,
the hearts of the flowers embroidered
to match the disks in the chiffon. The
lace for the wrist ruff1eS had the prin-
cipal design run in gold thread. A
crush girdle with a gold buckle was
added, and, thanks to the family en-
broiderer, mothers gown of inexpen-
sive silk was transformed into a "con-
lection" merely by well chosen and ex-
cellently executed handwork.
The up-to-date embroiderer is above
all things adapta BILE. She can make
the best of things and the most of
them. One of her kind came home
from weekend party recently to find
her younger sister in tears. The fam
lily dressmaker had come and gone
and left an unsatisfactory memento of
a Of Iii
waist suit for the younger sister. The
color was porcelain blue and the deco
ration hollow squares built of the ma
chlne-embrotdered dots, which can be
purchased at eighteen cents a yard
dots less than half an inch in diameter
ana detachable, a very popular mode
of garniture for linen frocks this
summer.
had come off a bargain table, walled
the younger sister.
The elder sister could not contradict
and be truthful, so she did something
better. She bade the mourner wipe her
eyes and buy two dozen skeins of mer-
cerfllzed hoOSS, and the two set to work
The family embroiderer filed in the
hollow squares with the simplest of
basket weave stitches, the floss woven
coarsely in and out, until each square
was solid mass of quickly wrought
handwork, with the machine-made dots
softened by the floss. AS a result, the
counter air, for at the head of each
plat in the skirt, on the box plated
band down the front of the blouse on
cuffs, collar and belt were what passed
for hand-worked motifs in silky floss.
Then there are ones guests to be
thought of. Try to choose people to
visit you at the same time who are,
you know, congenial-that is one great
secret of a. successful house party
The guest room is apt-to be the least
attractive room in the house, because
however prettily it is furnished, there is
none of those little things about it
which make ones room honey
In the furnishing of a guest chamber
take care to put IN a little workbasket,
with needles and thread, linen and
glove buttons, etc, in case weekend
visitor may not have her own repair
ing kit" with her and require it. Take
care to give her a small tin of biscuits,
SO that she might. if she felt hungry
between meals, have a little refresh
ment.
An important matter for visitors of
all ages and both sexes is that they
should be provided with something to
read. No ancient and fuusty volumes,
turned out from other rooms, should
be found on the book shelves in the
guest chamber, but the most interest
ing and up-to-date books and maya
zines that the hostess can provide.
These will afford amusement at those
times when the guest retires for a lit
tie rest, and during the weary hours of
the night if he Cor she) be unable to
sleep, a state of affairs which often OBJ
tains for the first night or two in a
bed, even in the case of a US
usually good sleeper.
The guests, on their part, should
try to upset the routine of the house
hold as little as possible. If there
are domestic disasters, smile at them
and do not allow the embarrassed
hostess to suspect you do not appre-
ciate their hospitality
Remember that you do not have to
go again if you do not enjoy yourself
this time. Try and enter into what is
going on, as nothing is more dfsap-
pointing than a half-hearted interest
to people who have taken the trouble
to do something they thought would
give you pleasure
If you are nimble-fingered, concoct
some trif1ing neckpiece or a little
piece of embroidery in idle moments,
and present to the lady of the house
as a token of appreciation when you
leave, and, above all things, never
fail to write at once after leaving to
thank your friends for your pleasant
visit, and try to make it as sincere
as possible
Still further there are those who
are dependent on our gifts more or
less-the poor who are about us.
There are two ways of giving away
old things, a moral and immoral.
Those who are guilty of the latter
are the people who use the poor as
a sort of garbage barrel, something
in which to dump everything that is
useless. They are people who give to
their waSherwOman old ball frocks
and soiled white satin slippers and
things too ragged for any human be-
Ing to make use of. They are the
people-it seems incredible, but it is
carefully cut off all the but
tons on any garment that is to be
given away, and never think of mend
ng anything. With such persons CIV
ing is not virtue, but a convenience.
They feel they can rid themselves of
much rubbish and vet obtain a repu-