Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-16
STORES HAVE
NICE WINDOWS
SPRING OPENING OF LOCAL
SHOPS PRESENTS BEAUTi-
Full SHOW OF STYLES.

The cold winds and flying rain Of
the past few days have failed to pre-
vent the appearance of spring, riot
ously bright and gay, in the windows
of the city's shops. The bewildering
array of beautiful things in their
classic settings remind the beholder
subtly of the market places In old
historically recorded that the populace
gathered to select both necessaries and
luxuries from the brilliant booths.
After a study of the windows, an IT.
resistible impulse leads one into the
store where more beauties are re.
,, vealed
! The art of window decorating has
been lifted to a high plane and Ottum.
wa is lucky in having so many artists
along this line. No. longer are win
dows massed with motley array Of
articles, but chastely beautiful back
grounds afford a setting for careful
selection of costumes which are thus
shown to their best and most striking
advantage Mosaic patterns cover the
floors in such fascinating color COM
binaticns as lemon yellow and blue,
old rose and gray, dull blue and smoke
gray, and green and bronze. The hang.
ings match the mosaic and are In
variety of arrangements, some being
swept back and UP to afford charming
vistas beyond. others hanging in
straight, classic folds, while still
others are delicatly shirred and loop.
ed Soft lights from graceful, tall floor
lamps afford illumination and artistic
tabourets and tables, with chairs in
keeping with the design of the win.
dow, give an easy, yet marvelously
effective air to the whole. Messy green
velvet, suggestive of the woods in
windows decoration is centered, while
another window suggests the lure of
Toxic with it's gowns wraps and hats
of exotic coloring arranged in set
ting of oriental rugs, green dragons
twisting on golden background with
hangings in Chinese lantern design
and odd lamps to light the whole.
Simplicity in all its aristocratic
charm is characteristic of the design /
shown by one ladies' shop where long
mirrors, set demurely in nuniike gray
walls. reflect again and again the smil-
ing wax models who seem to be preen-
ing their Easter finery before each 9TH
er. The cool mountains to which o.
tumwans will hy in hot weather, with
yellow roads winding around and up
the purple gray hillsides, are pictured
in another pair Of windows. Purple and
white lilacs, pearl gray pussy willows,
crimson ramblers. peach blossoms, del |
icate pink and white apple blossoms,
with many pink roses and other spring |
flowers are used to carry out the chos-
en- color schemes in the various win
dows and in the stores, also. The flow
ers cluster in graceful reed and art
baskets and vases Of all designs clam
Der over gray imitation stone walls and
summary trellises with green vines
and lichens appear in realistic |
effects in all the windows.
Jewelry stores are patterns of dign;- |
fed beauty with the sheen Of silver
and cut glass on gray velvet, and
cleaning diamonds nesting in Grim
son rose petals. The mems shops are
not behind the department stores and
houses, and the bright colors
which are so good this year appear In
bewildering charm in all the windows.
Drug stores, novelty and shoe shops,
furniture and millinery shops are en-
ticing in their invitation to enter, in
spect and probably buy from their var
led and complete stock
Everything for the adornment of per-
sons and homes is to be found in the
Attest modes, popular shades and best
designs. Much credit is due to the in
lividuals whose taste and ingenuity
Ire responsible for the clever style
show now on and also to the mer-
chants, who in putting on the shows at
he changing of the seasons, boost the
'grea fer Ottumwao anirit