davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28
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CURTAINING ones windows is a
problem. especially to the woman
who wanders into an uphoIsterer's
shop with the idea that she will see
there what she wants-and that she
VIII know ii when she sees it
Nothing could be more OF a delus,o,
She VIII see everything that is right
and wrong for curtains under any ana
al circumstances. and she viii go
nome with her head full OF Irish point
and madras, and net and swiss and
cretonne. and viii not be anv nearer
choice than she was in the bertn-
ming
In the first place. peopIe wor-, !.
great deal more about their furnish
ings than they used 10. There was
e tine some years ago when lace chr
tains al the windows and veivet car
pets On the floor spelled elegance and
INJURY, and this made the question ~
seiectlon very simple matter. 4.
could almost be done by telenhon..
only that the lace curtain ana velvet
SaFpet era antedated the phone by a
Few years.
Al any rate. the only problem in
EolVeo was that OF paying the bills.
ana tne choosing Of the curtains and
sell II
But IN these days people study over
lne matter q great deal: 1bev are
anxious 10 have the interiors OF tbefr
homes IN keeping with the exteriors.
they want all OF the furnishings OF a
room 10 harmonic. and thew want
70 nave ~HG
70 the use which is 70 be made OF n
4hey md, when they once really be-
gin 70 consider the matter. that there
are good many things involved. and
tnat u has ceased 10 be only q oues-
ton OF what pattern OF lace 10 choose
or what colors are best for the Garnet
We may as well say az once that
lace curtains OF any and all kinds are
slowly but surely passing away. and
this, We are assured on good authority
is not q lad or fashion OF the moment
but IS the result OF the Improvement
IN taste which Is slowly discardfnr the
useless and unsuitable. and substitut-
Ing for Il what is servicesble and ap-
propriate. Lace curtains are fnsanf-
tary; they soon become impregnated
with dust which a touch sends float
Ing out into the room: and they are
not the sort OF things that can be
made 70 really enter into a decorative
scheme or course, in a case where
q room IS so overlooked by the street
or by neighbors that some screening
is needed for privacy. then a simple
cross barred scrim, or something OF
that sort, OF deep ecru for the living
rooms or OF white for the bed cham
bers. might perhaps be used II neces-
Eary.
White curtaining should never be
employed for living rooms: II is too
much out OF key with the deeper colors
q ..ss CT. s-
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28

UTMOST all OF the really important
II new forms OF needlework come
from Europe; they have been at it
longer than we have here and they
are constantly working and studying
over the materials and methods to
produce new effects. And so it hap
pens that the new rafia embroidery is
imported from Germany. although Ii
has distiHctively American appear
ance from its designs, many of them
inspired by the American Indian orna-
ment. and its materials. which are
those used by the Indians in basket
weaving The colors are not the same.
however: they are pinks and pale
greens and lavenders and Delft blues
instead OF the strong colors employed
by the aborigines. A few of the pat
terms are done in the darker hues, but
on the whole the coloring in the new
work is delicate.
The foundation for the rafffa en-
broidery is special weave of Java
canvas in the color of the undyed fab
ric. 1t is woven in a crossbarred mesh
of little open squares with heavy
raised threads separating them. Into
these little openings the needle,
threaded with raffia, is passed, and as
the threads are quite wide they fill
up the spaces quickly ana the Work
is very rapidly executed.
Most of the patterns are done in the
over and over or satin stitch but cross
stitch is used now and then to diversity
parts OF the designs. The completed
work reminds one somewhat OF a fine
hand woven mating or grass cloth and
like mating, 1t can be cleaned with
soap and water and a scrubbing brush
whenever 1t becomes soiled. 1t is es-
rooms where there is mating on the
floor and the furniture is of willow, and
its delicate colorings have probably
been selected with a view to this use.
AS the fbers are dyed with the vege-
table dyes they are both waterproof
and fast color
The raffia embroidery is fascinating
TO do, like tapestry work or cross
stitch, and the rapidity with which it
can be executed makes the pattern
fairly grow under ones hands. Every
part of the background is covered just
as in tapestry work. so that the canvas
foundation is entirely concealed
All sorts of novel fringes and braid
ed borders are made OF the rama, and
handles for bags and baskets are
plated from several strands OF IT.
Bags of various kinds are among the
most attractive uses to which the en-
broidery can be put; 1t is at once so
dainty and so serviceable. so rapidly
worked and so novel in its effect, that
1t is quite sure to be popular for this
use as well as for a number Of others
The day before you begin the en-
broidery skeins OF raffla of each color
must be wrapped separately in thick
wet cloths and allowed to lie over
night in order to soften the fibers and
make them thoroughly flexible and
pliable.
A very coarse chenille needle. No.
II, is the one generally chosen. and this
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28

broad projecting window ledge or seat,
then IN either OF these cases the cur
tains should stop at the sill, but other
wise they should come down to within
& inch OF the floor
Velours or cotton velvet is another
excellent material for draperies, and,
OF course, this would have TO be lined
with silk or sateen.
Natural celored linen is not consfd-
cred desirable, because II is too cold
and featureless, but IL It is stencfled
with a border or other design in coIors.
which harmonize with the rest of the
furnishings. that will bring it at once
into the decorative scheme.
With draperies Of this sort II is not
necessary to use the rolling window
shades. The curtains are fastened TO
little rings which slip on the brass
rods, and they can readily be drawn
forward to screen the window or
pushed back at viii.
The material called craftsman cloth.
which is so often used for embroidered
sofa pillows and table runners. IS not
al all suitable for curtaining. It fades
and discolors in the strong sunlight
and It Is famous for catching and
holding the dust.
When the entire height of the win
dow frame is very great in proportion
TO its width. IL is sometimes advisable
10 use valance of the curtain mate
rial across the top. This will have TO
be mounted on a separate rod. so a not
to interfere with the pushing back and
forth of the curtains below it Now
and then decorators use a fat lambre-
quin across the top to reduce the ap-
parent height OF the window, but this
is not good thing for amateurs to at
tempt, for unless it is just right IT is
better not done at all.
For bedroom curtains cretonnes in
dowered designs and other figured cot
ton stuffs are excellent These should
be made and hung in the same way as
the curtains in the living rooms and
should have q two inch hem at the
bottom. yalances are sometimes
placed over the bedroom draperies and
in some OF the charming figured Gre
tonnes now used the effect is very
pretty Sometimes there are two sets
OF curtains at the bedroom windows.
a dotted swiss or crossbarred scrim
next TO the pane. and hangings of
Japanese crepe or some other cotton
fabric over these, and sometimes the
swiss OF scrfm curtains are seen alone
without the other hangings. When
the thin curtains are used they are
either allowed 10 hang straight, If
privacy iS the object, or they can be
edged with ruffies and draped back
with a strap Of the material in order
to give the view from the outside.
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28
S0z0F 6E0T q 1z7SzzzfF 81

CrO[<\< GCC@T &C /5<7C<2</>k< C2o<
be slipped. and there are two handles
OF braided rafaa by which IL Is car
rted- This is about as convenient an
arrangement as one could contrive for a
guide book. because it can never slip or
become mfslaid when in a cover OF
TINS kind. and it is easy 10 hold and
Open
There is another kind Of rama en-
broidery in which the background Is
not entirely covered. as II is In the
work Just described. This IS done on
a heavy linen canvas in conventional
designs and is worked either with raj
fla in long stitches or else with Sax
Onia braid. which gives a somewhat
similar effect.
The square pillow shown in the Illus
tration is done by this method. II
has octagons in green and yellow and
blue. outlined with black The effect
IS quite different from that OF the other
rafia work. although the patterns and
colOrs used are similar.
Each season brings with il new de-
velopments in the field OF embroidery.
some forms that are entirely new and
others. like the bead work. that are a
return to the things OF long ago The
rafia embroidery belongs among the
new things. as IL is a method that
has never been used nor probably even
thought OF before Applied 70 the right
purposes and placed in the right en-
vironment it is very attractive and II
will probably be done a great deal. In
common with all the other forms OF
embroidery, between this time and
Christmas
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28

The daffodils or narcissi are the most
desirable OF all the bulbs for natural
izing. both on account OF their great
beauty and also because they are very
easily grown. They become as firmly
established in the turf as weeds. and
Will bloom each year with as much
perseverance as the dandelions Another
of their good points is that they are
not expensive. A thousand OF the bulbs
can be bought for 81 or So Some varie-
ties of narcissi do well in dry loca-
tions, and some succeed where IL is
wet. Some will thrive when the ground
is hard and stony. and others prefer
a deep, soft loam.
Tulips will not prosper in moist loca-
tions. but stony hillside can be COW
cred with the unyariega sorts,
blooming among the tall grasses
Snowdrops are numbered in the list
of charming bulbs for natural planting.
because they bloom earlier than any OF
the others. and their graceful, delicate
little white blossoms look particularly
we'll in masses
The scilla is another delightful bulb
for planting in this way. and It's spikes
of blue or pink or white flowers also
appear best when they are closely
massed. Instead of being early. like
the snowdrop. this is one OF the latest
of the spring bulbs to bloom.
Some of the irises take kindly to
naturalization in wet places. and the
Japanese touch they give 10 the land
scape is especially effective IL some
low growing evergreen trees are
planted near them.
Hyacinths of certain kinds can be
established in the grass, and chiono-
doxa, which in the early spring covers
the ground with a carpet of blue and
white bloom. can also be used for this
purpose.
Although 1t may seem as though the
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28

is threaded with the rafia When the
fibers are too wide for the needle they
are split down their length to a con-
venient size. Then a knot is made and
the thread is caught on the under side
and the over and over stitch Is begun
The thread is used continuously as far
as possible and crossed over from one
place 10 another with a long stitch on
the back, so that the thread need sell
dom be broken. When all that is pos
sible has been done with one color an
other color is taken and used In the
same way.
In the piece of work imported from
Germany there is generally one corner
that has been entirely finished. and
this is copied by the embroiderer in the
other three corners All sorts Of bas-
ket and mat weaving designs can be
copied. and even the patterns from the
Indian rugs. There is no lack Of
sources from which the simple designs
can be taken.
One of the oblong pillows shown in
the illustration has an Indian design
OF diamond shaped figures. Some Of
the diamonds are in Delft blue and the
others are in pale green. rose pink and
violet. The center and the back
ground are OF the undyed rama A
straight border OF smaller half dia-
mOnds extends across the Design near
each end, adding to the interest OF the
pattern. The long straight fringe is
of rafia in the four colors.
The honeycomb design seems to be
very popular for this purpose. and is
frequently seen IN different forms and
colorings- The pillow illustrated has
octagons in red. green. dull yellow
and the natural color and these are out
lined with long. stitches of heavy black
cotton floss The odd festooned bor-
der is made of strands OF colored rafia
braided together and each corner is
finished with tassel OF raveled hemp
rope.
The veil box is another example Of
the octa gonal design. executed in pink.
green and the natural color and edged
with a narrow gimp. It is very neatly
lined with linen matching the undyed
raffia.
The guide book or magazine case
is a convenience for travellers and il
would make an attractive Christmas
gift for a friend who Is going abroad
1t has pockets of poplin on the inside
into which the covers OF the book can
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28

narrow confines OF a city lot would
not allow OF much in the way OF nat
uralistic gardening. some Of the smaller
flowers such as the snowdtops and
scilla and the grape hyacinths, could be
planted in this way on the smallest
Enclosures.
1t Is well to wait until a heavy rain
has softened the ground before starting
to plant your bulbs, and then an ordi-
nary trowel can be used. but wear
leather gardening gloves on your hands
to prevent them from blistering. Dig
a little hole for each bulb and cover
the small ones with from an inch and
a half 10 three inches OF soil. and the
large bulbs with about six inches. II
a special tool is made or bought for
the purpose the work can be done more
rapidly. but the trowel will answer for
ordinary purposes This tool. which
J.. Wilkinson Elliott in his article IN
Country Life in America. was. to use
his own words made by taking piece
or brass or wrought iron pipe two feet
long and an inch and a half or two
inches in diameter. One end OF this was
ground to a sharp and cutting edge; on
the other end was placed a fitting
which, | believe, is called a cross in
two openings OF this cross were placed
short lengths OF pipe for handles: IN
the pipe itself was placed a round piece
OF wood. a little smaller than the pipe
and a Few inches longer. and a nail
was driven in one end OF this to keep
it from falling out. This tool was used
by pressing the sharpened end OF the
pipe into the ground the depth desired
to plant the bulb: IL was then re-
moved and carried with IL a piece OF
sod with the soil: the bulb was then
dropped into the hole. the tool placed
on top OF 1T. and the soil pressed back
into the hole by pressing the round
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28
FIRST PRIZE
Lettuce Fork
Baked or Baltimore Chicken
CA Creole Dish)

Mrs. f. C. Clark, 1900 sixth Avenue.
Oakland
Cut chicken in pieces for serving
season with salt and pepper, dip in egg
and in soft crumbs taken from center
of bread loaf; arrange IN baking pan
and bake in hot oven 20 or 80 minutes.
While baking baste frequently with
either melted butter or salt pork fat.
When done II should be golden brown
in color. Arrange pieces neatly on hot
platter; pour a cream sauce around
chicken and garnish with slices OF crisp
bacon, parsley and small triangular
pieces of toast.
saImi of Game-Cut meat from cold
cooked game-any kind. Break the
bones and cover with four cups of cold
water and simmer. Brown two table
spoonfuls minced onion in four table
spoons of butter; add one tablespoon
worcestershire sauce. and the liquor
in which bones were cooked Season
with salt and pepper, color delicate
brown with kitchen bouquet; add two
cups of the cold game cut into neat
little pieces and simmer 10 minutes.
Serve on slices OF fried bread, sur
rounded with a border of seasoned
mashed potatoes. Garnish with par
sley.
Curry of Game is prepared same as
above with the addition of one table,
spoon curry powder. Serve in rice bor-
der.
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28
N CALIFORNIA GsARDENS NATURAllZNaC FLOWERS

HERE IS new kind OF gardening
which has come into use OF late
years and about which those who
have practiced IL are exceedingly en-
thusiastic- II is the naturaliztng OF
flowers by the hundreds and thousands
IN locations so congenial 10 them that
lney VIII require no care after plant-
ing- Nnen We were children. we who
are fortunate enough TO have lived in
the country have all tramped the
woods and fields in search OF wild
towers and have kept kind OF in
Nentory OF the places where the "a rlfeSt
spring beauties could be found wbsre
Tie carpet OF violets was thickest and
most deeply purple. and where the
anemones raise their pale tinted Guns
N the greatest numbers. Some times We
have walked miles 10 find the coveted
blossoms and have passed on our way
cozens OF Localities in which the plants
might Wen have blOomed II chance had
happened 70 SOW their seeds there. All
they needed was a hand TO place them
there IN the beginning. and they would
nave made themselves at home and
gone on blooming season after season.
And X Is exactly this helping hand that
people who advocate and practice the
Wild flower gardening are anxious TO
extend 70 nature, since she is at the
mercy OF her own processes and can
rot help herself
This is gardening in its most artistic
form because the flowers become Al
ouce a natural part OF the landscape
And nothing car surpass IN beauty con-
tiruous masses and sheets OF bloom.
of blossoms OF the same kind and color
~ The edges OF the woods or meadows
or beside the streams
Bulbs are especially in favor with the
gardeners, for when once planted they
are usually permanent and will in
crease in number and beauty year after
year. Il Is q sight TO remember, a thou
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28
Ducks
Mrs. John j. Dreyer. $50 Central Ave-
nue, San Francisco

Mrs. John j. Dreyer. $50 Central Ave-
nue., San Francisco
After the ducks have been prepared
for baking. wipe thoroughly dry and
stuff with celery greens or parsley.
Have the oven sizzling hot when the
ducks are put in to cook Meanwhile
readiness and platter. heated very
hot, to receive them Ca metal one Is
preferred Allow them to remain the
allotted time-1S minutes-and while
sputterfng place on platter for serv-
ing Have several lemons cut into
halves. upon which a little salt, black
and red pepper. paprika and several
drops of worcestershire sauce have
been placed.
In carving, several cuts should be
made In the breast, and the Juice of
the lemons should be squeezed into
them and the seasoning also. Boiled
rice or hominy should be served with
them. Be sure to have all dishes hot
in serving this course, and never allow
the ducks TO wait when once cooked
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28

stick The tool can rot be used -
rough. hard ground Il IS extremely
satisfactory for planting bulbs on the
lawn. as IL leaves no mark whatever
In smooth sod.
Besides the bulbs many OF the hardy
perennial flowers and shrubs are suit
able for natUralizing. Among these
are the primrOSeS. the asters. forget
me-nots. English and Shasta daisies.
sweet rocket. the wild grape and wild
elematis. azalea. laurel and rhoden-
dron
A good deal has been said and writ
ten during the last few years about
roadside gardening A number OF
clubs have been formed in dtTerent
parts OF the country for beautifying
the borders OF the roads These are
similar in idea 70 the town improve
ment societies. planned for the purpose
OF betterins conditions in the towns
In travelling over country roads one
viii often remember certain stretches
which were glorihed by quantities OF
flowers. and il is the purpose OF the
roadside clubs TO make every drive and
every stretch OF road memora bic in the
same way. Each member OF the club Is
pledged to plant a certain number OF
seeds or bulbs and 10 take care OF them
until they are established and growing
we'll
II Is an dltEulStlC SCItiIc 70 oeucHl
many by a little concerted EFFORT. and
much has already been done along these
lines
The possibilities here in California
for roadside gardening are absolutely
unlimited because when hardy flowers
are once planted in this favored soil
and climate nothing but digging them
up will ever stop their growing and
blooming The whole state could be
made a continuous flower garden II
only little effort We're made in that
direction
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28

Another material besides lace which
IS tabooed for curtains. is madras.
this shares In the disadvanta of
lace. and interior decorators will tell
You that they consider il an inartistic
material and therefore never use IL.
The fabric to be employed for your
window draperies must. Of course, be
CHOSEN with relation TO the other furn-
ishings and the purpose 10 which the
room is devoted If you have q IT,
brary or living room TO curtain, raw
silk or pongee IN color TO match the
upholstery would be attractive, and the
curtains should be hung in straight
folds from slender brass rods fastened
at the TOP, of the window. II the bot
tom OF the window frame is four feet
or more from the floor. or II there is a
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28
Game Stew
Mrs. Ramsden. 534 sixty-firsf street
Oakland

Cut four ducks or two geese in pieces
Chop fine one bunch OF celery, two
carrots, one onion, small piece OF garlic
and two red peppers Put game and
vegelaO PIES In 10 COOK WIZ h natl "a
add one can tomatoes and two cans
French mushrooms and cook half an
hour longer; then add half teaspoon
and three bay leaves. Stir and mix well
together. Take sweet and Irish pota-
tooes, cut IN small pices. and add to
stew when nearly done. Then add one
quart ripe olives and five tablespoonfuls
worcestershire sauce. Lastly. thicken
with -four. Let stand 80 minutes after
cooking to let the spices blend. Can be
made OF any wild game by using the
same quantity of meat. Fine.
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28
Selected Recipes for
|Modorn nhouookeQpor1

following acknowledgement
have receiving the OF the this
department:
m
a
al
then whe
for
ment H
OF wiIb
norest
Christmas candies
in
all
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-28

sahd or Two OF yellow narcissi growing
IN the grass; they are the poets daft
fodils and it was such a spectacle as
this that inspired Wordsworth's verses:
wandered lonely as cloud
lhat noats on high Ger wales and hills.
Nlen all al once saw crowd
host OF golden danodils
Beside the lake. beneath the trees
E.gllterlng ana dancing IN the breeze
continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way
They stretched in never ending line
Aiong the margin Of bay;
Ten thousand I at 4 glance
Tossing their heads in spFightly dance.
And any one can have this wealth
season after season. for the trouble of
planting the bulbs. The expense is
small, for the bulbs are cheap when
purchased in quantities. and as far as
the labor goes, with a special tool
made for the purpose. thousand can
be planted in an afternoon.
one OF the things TO be avoided in
TINS mode OF planting is regularity; the
buibs must be scattered in the uneven
groupings they are found in when in
ter natural state. Circular arrange
ments are bad. but almost any irregu-
lar outline can be used II 1t is longer
than il is wide. The edges of a meadow
can be bordered irregularly, or groups
of blossoms can be scattered through
It. The banks of streams or pools can
be fringed with flowers. and little
knolls and slopes OF ground can be
covered with masses OF color. Another
attractive way is TO group the plants
around the trunks Of trees in the open
woods.
The principal point to keep in mind is
TO select the plant in each case which
viii suit the situation. If you trans
plant your bulbs or flowers be sure
and select a location similar to that in
which you found them growing II you
buy them Of a scotsman he will tell
you in what sort of SURROUNDINGS they
viii do best