The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

n sentimentalist, yet he had one
i y amiable weakness. He was PAS
sionately fond OF flowers and IN.
one he loved best was the violet Thai
was his mothers favorlte too and when
he was only a shy Lieutenant OF artll.
lery his first gift to the beautiful Creole
who was afterward to share his thron.
was a humble bunch OF Neapolitan VIC.
let's At the zenith OF his power he pro.
claimed the violet the emblem OF the
imperial family and had It worked into
the design OF his coronation robe. In
his miserable exile at st. Helena n.
planted violets in the garden at Long.
wood where they still flourish. and he
used to say their scent recalled ths
happy days OF his childhood In Corsica
on the anniversary OF his death great
wreaths OF violets are hung around his
tomb in the Invalldes.
II was Napoleon who established IN.
cultivation OF Italian violets in the south
OF France. now grown into an enormous
and highly profitable industry. and Il
!s striking evidence of the strength
OF the Napoleonic legend that after the
lapse OF a century the violet vogue lie
more widespread and persistent than
ever. Is there any other instance OF
so close an association between a mod.
est little flower and a mighty historical
figure?
We think OF Solomon and the lilies
OF the field and st. Louis and the heur-
de-lys and we do not forget the roses
Of York and Lancaster, but we actually
owe It to Napoleon that varieties OF this
delightful flower are within the reach
OF all classes which long after his time
would have been regarded as fabulous
for their size and beauty.
OF the value OF violets for tabe dec
Grafton on certain occasions nothing
| need be said, but with all their charm
they must be used with great dis.
erection else the effect ds likely to be
strangely disappointing. 1t must never
he forgotten that tho electric light Ia
extremely trying to all purple flowers
so much so that some OF the finest
and most expensive violets take on a
dull, inky appearance when exposed to
IL and require very special and difficult
combinations to make the best OF them
On the other hand, with the right choice
| of colors and forms most beautiful and
artistic results can be obtained by means
VI INC blllpltSt utSlBuf.
The art lies in the decorators sktltul
blending of tints and the tasteful way In
which the flowers are arranged. For ex.
ample. take two mauve pottery troughs
filled with moss. flowers, pink carnations
OF different shades, with their own 70.
liage and asparagus fern and with the
material used a delightful effect Is oh
tainablo. How dainty and pleasing "a
the eye. II the table Is a long one sew
eral troughs of different sizes can b.
used, each placed at some anglo OF a
zigZag plan all down the centre, get
ting lower and lower toward the ends
The effect will cause the hostess 10 BE-
satisfied with her handiwork and her
guests will be charmed with tho color
scheme-mauve. pink, the blush greer
OF the carnation foliage, and then IN,
light green OF tho asparagus fern
Apple green or pale blue troughs as.
look very well with pink flowers in them
or II self-colored design IS preferred
pink china should be used.
Another fascinating ARRANGEMENT
made OF st. Brigid anemones in noth!nl
more elaborate than a French pad, a.
they are called in London. These pads
with their natural cane interlaced viii
brown twigs make quite useful and con
venient receptacles for cut flowers. .
course only small pads about flfteel
inches long should be used. The har
edges OF the basket are softened by let
ting II stand on a few fronds of presse
bracken. Christmas roses look season
able at this time OF year and very prett
decorations can be carried out in then
either pink or white. A pad OF thI
kind filled with almost any flower make
a very acceptable floral gift.
little while ago at a fashionabl
wedding the bridesmaids carried thes
French baskets slung across their shoul
ders by narrow pink. mauve and blu
ribbons and Allied with loose pink car
nations, which were after the ceremon
distributed among the guests. The rib
bons were also in knots and long stream
ers on the baskets. A very pretty an
novel effect was arrived at by this sim
pie deceive IN lieu OF a bouquet.
Another effect is dark brown Nv
basket, planted with maidenhairs an
fuchslas, for tho breakfast or luncheo
table. Such a basket is pleasant t
/ i,nly unon