New-York tribune., 1906-09-23
Art" Atrocities of BySOne Days
UpoDate Workers Merciessy Dissect the Useless Houh
"Ornaments" That Women Wasted Hours and
Strength Making.


corner. and covered Il smoothly with sanapss
firmly glued onto the wood and stained Or IT
the natural color OF the sandpaper as sg
suited the design I was going 70 put on 4 Z
would then take a nice. large. soft lump
putty, work IN enough linseed oil and bur-
umber 10 make It smooth. pliable and OF a la
brown color. and then I was ready 70 hssa
on my decoration. Ny favOrits design was or
OF grapes with vines and leaves. P1nching Z
little bits OF the putty 1 would roll them b
tiny round balls and stick them one by q
onto the background Of sandpaper. until hats
fine bunch OF grapes formed. Then, cutting o.
the vines and leaves. ! would stick them q
form q graceful trailing border all around h
edges OF the framework, and set II away n
cool, dry place. When perfectly dry the puiT
was as hard as marble and glistesed nobly. On
this background ] would rasten bag wOrssi
IN brilliant chenille patterns, with brass neatsi
taCks for holding a whiskbroom. stn paste
board pocket. covered with plush or velvet tr
slippers. or whatever ether useful and beaur1
design had IN view, and there was win .
fine present at a nominal cost"
Lovely exclaimed the author Of a recent
novel But, after all. don't believe that ni
real true art it would quite come up 70 soas
OF my decorations. Did any Of you sver rsAs
any crystallized grasses?"
A shout Of acquiescenos went up ron %
writer.
Il did. Gathered all the weeds FOR nls
around our place" laughed the historian aaa
dipped them tn alum until the whole AMY
bitten into a green persimmOn."
YES" said the author taking OF her sassss
TO wipe her eyes. yes. but weren't they oFe.y.
When the process was over and the AMY 5t
their teeth apart and their lips unDueksl:a .nS
effect was fine. You had a magnificent sl1s,
tls bunch OF natural graS Sses, white as saON - -
giistenfng as IL covered with diamonds 70 na.s
up against the wall, OF put up IN a vase On ~
Right next to the scoop shovel. arts-1-
gilded. and adorned with O winter scene, go
IN oi.s and powdered with diamond dusL -
the teacher. -,
"Oh. l always preferred the cAopping 49,
said the doctor. tipping over her water 50
her enthusiasm. "f think a good sized -,
ping bowl sandpapered until smooth p-.-.I
green and then decorated with rura! a., ---
sCape, with q stream and a hill and 49, 81, y.
q church in the distance was far more A.. IT,
When this was hung UD against The van w., W.
large pink bow IL impaired ar air OF Fs~' "
ganCe 10 the apartment" -
"Oh, but what I loved was tho ar casu'9
chiFruped the magazine writer. - -
"Air castles?'' Queried the doctor. : 49,.
seem TO remember them. What were tney - -. a
Two or three OF the women began 70 -"
once. but the magazine writer got the hoo, ,.,-s
Don't remember them2' she cried -
surely you must! They were work Of -. - h,
and II required infinite pains and pat7IssS t-.s ,sr
make them well. You took narrow Strl2s -
white muslin. about half an inch VIDE g1tI gtI \
one end OF a strip 70 your knee, anu ~ bo,h
Pin proceeded 20 pick out the edges ,- - onlg
80,
four or five threads IN the middle 20 n1.,sss n1--
strip together. All this required much h.esl,h
precision and nicely. When the strips, O- ia ant
there had 20 be hundreds. were all ffihs~ s,,s 4,
three, four. sometimes even i've. sniiIl .tsrb.lT
graduated sizes were procured. wouna Isify Jsinry
with white muslin first. and then ths ,Vv-ss.
feathery strips OF fringed out cloth Wounu ~,
ly over them. Then from the smaIesI W ~ ,s-lps
20 the next In SIZE. were conducted my % - n
% the fringed out cloth wound IN anu .,s
all kinds OF intricate and graceful pa.',,, -,
These were fastened. and. then. hahs"ls ss,-rs
air castle onto a hook. The ch1nd tIe1 =. fovsr
other handy place. you began % ad- -. on ~ erfv
stories OF the castle until YOU had me Vt,. , n.
twisting creation completed rese.i1 i,.ss,nfy
ghost OF a Chinese pagOda when Fyu =, az
mounted on a stCpladGer and procee~es $500
TO the ceiling with n many ended gov =. "a rink
'Weu. we'll" said the doctor; suos+ nsg
II must have been wonderful BUT Nn-, Nnl--.,,sross
one ask, might be the use or tA4S "
CreatiOI2' ,,,,- a.
''Use?' said The magazine writer. .ilany i.ss as
cool. pleasant and attractive roost TUT ~
so far as ever / could ascertain ,-,i uss-
1T served the same purpose OK So So vr,rste5
fulness as the knitted and crochet t..os r,erslY
notices and other so-CaNed 'orlaii . ,r,ndsr
as dirt CatChcrs" said the doctor w.. N-t.-, thsr
was IL that women had no t.e ~ .-Cot things d
minds or take an interest IN the sfets -, no n
life IN those davst All our time WIS i teA sbings
making-and dusting-thCse Ei. .,.,- - thOsa
with which we filed our houses lni.,f lnil.e, SIX O
monstrOsities We used % can W. ,-. = rorner ard
seven deck afflirs. plastered up lh .sor took
loaded down with silly contraptiohs '1
q whole forenoon 20 dust ana rep'S,o..s S,o..s,t',, ~ws
Yes" said the historian thols srbe vel
certainly have improved sIiisc - - r-bsre cheap
furnished home now IS the hosie 49,, usefll
ornan,sDfoflon IA eliminated; where the.,Fs the On
durable plain and solid furniture ,t,, ~ for 10
its good lines and perfect cons1r rlC',o slsss %
beauty. and where dust eonecsSsa ss.soo.- os,.
teets are noticeable py tasis