The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-05-19

| was Just pialn, Hllu- iStoiiai
structure on a village street, tur
nished with the comfortable, II MOI
artistic, accumulations OF years
The Colonel had his old easy chair
his tobacco jar on the mantel, al
old hassock for his feet. MADAM
had her low rocker and sewing ia
bic and confessed to a tondneS'
for chenille portieres and iramet
notices worked in colored worsted
Rover, the old collie, had appro-
priated the sagging haircloth lounge
and no one said him nay. The Col
onel and his wife had grown old to-
gether in this home, and they were
quite contented, but they had theiI
dreams, still.
SO when legacy at last fell into
the Colonel's lap, they decided tC
build new home. They bought a
lot on the hill, in the fashionable
part OF town, where many OF theiI
old friends now lived. They were
warmly welcomed, and an architect
friend designed handsome brick
house OF Georgian type to rise Oh
the spot as their home.
This having been complete, the
Colonel went duck shooting, leav-
ing the matter OF furnishing to his
wife. The house was so big, and
she was such a poor shopper that
she sent for Mr.. Professional Deco
rator and laid the case before him.
She told him what they wanted
Elegance was to be the Keynote
The Colonel was man greatly
esteemed in the community, and he
deserved something exceptional tor
his declining years. She showed
| pictures of the sort OF thing she
had in mind-all rather fine and
elaborate and snowy,
Mr.. Decorator looked around AT
the comfortable, worn, old furnish
in'gs that were to be abandoned,
and shook his head in decisive
manner.
81 wouldn't do it." he said. "You
haven't been used to anything OF
that sore. 1t wouldn't seem like
home and you wouldn't be happy.
Why, the good Colonel would have
to go down to the kitchen to enjoy
! his pipe
But you wouldn't take these old
worn-out things up to that new
house," she protested. They would
seem out of place"
"Of course" he replied, eve must
have something worthy of the new
house and of you. Wen have new
things, good things, beautiful
things, but they mustn't be just
like the things Mrs. Hitone has. nor
like those in the pictures. They
must be just suited to you and the
Colonel
We'll, then" she answered,
"what?"
Il don't know yet" said Mr.. Dec
orator. "PR4oing to ask you to
let me visit you for two weeks
after the Colonel returns. That will
be too short a time, but it will help.
The upshot of it was that Mr..
Decorator, being something OF a
practical psychologist and student
of human nature. made it his busi-
ness to learn all he could about the
tastes and habits and home life OF
the Colonel and his wife when they
did not know he was observing
them. Then, when at last he did
furnish their home. he was able to
introduce such styles and colors and
objects as to produce an atmosphere
in keeping with the character and
lives OF the owners.
The furnishings were new and
of good quality, but comfort was
the keynote rather than the ele-
gance that Madam had thought they
wanted. Somehow the home breath
ed the very spirit of the Colonel
and his wife, and all their friends
were charmed. As for the Colonel,
he threw away his corncob pipe
and bought briar root, but aside
from that he found himself set
Ting quite naturally and contented-
~ in the new quarters, and their
new home proved lasting salts
faction to them till the end OF their
days.
The decorator who really takes
his work seriously and cultivates
ideals is like a family doctor. He
knows that a certain kind of fur
nishing, like a certain kind OF med
icine, may or may not prove Ell
fectivc. 1t all depends on the con-
stitution Of the patient, and he
must know his patient before he
can intelligently prescribe. What
is one mans meat is another mans
poison. and he must be able to dis
tinguish. In making a home he IS
dealing with something which is
not of the passing moment. His
mistakes may have a life long eff
feet. He is dealing with something
almost as important as bodily
health, something not to be trifled
with. He cannot reach his conclu-
sions lightly or hastily.
The materia medica with which
he works are furniture, rugs. styles.
and color schemes, and it is little
short of criminal to misuse them.
The chief disease that he must freaf