The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-04-28
NOVELTIES THAT HIDE
THE UGLY TELEPHONE


piece of necessity?
Does it rank in your mind with
the furnace or the storm door or
the kitchen sink? Something that
you couldn't be civilized and COM
Portable without, but something
nevertheless that is a blot always on
the otherwise charming landscape
of your house?
Some persons simply ignore the
stiff little black instrument that
mean so much Of convenience and
pleasure in our modern lives. They
dot see it. Every other object in
the room, in the house, may be put
there with care as to its line and
color, but the telephone-that is
just a black, stiff, little necessity.
To be sure, it would jar on ones
sight, if one saw it-but one simply
ignores it, doesn't see it.
So are some women.
Other women fret and fume
about its ugliness.
Why fret and fume Why not
beautify it, v it up?
There are many ways of doing
this. You can, for one thing, have
one of these little dolls to owe it
with. However, don't use a doll I'M
less your room is suited to it. A doll
dressed in silks and satins is quite
out of place in a % furnished,
for instance, with mission furni-
ture. 1t is really out of place in a
great many rooms. 1t looks most
suitable in a room furnished in
Luis XIV, Louis XIV, or Louis XVI,
stlye. 1t is only in place in a rather
elaborate, dainty room.
So don't try it in a room simple
in line and detail. 1t is much out of
place.
In a more simply furnished room
YOU can use a scree of some kind
to hide your telephone. One cover
ed with the chintz of the hangings
is good. Or, if you have no chintz
hanging, a screen of parchment
decorated to match the lampshades
or with some motif of the rooms
furnishings is in good taste.
You can make both dolls and
screens at much less cost than that
of tn. ready-made kind. But Of
course it may be economy for you
to buy the finished product, for
you may have neither time, taste
nor ability to make it.
The dolls, Of course, come in all
sorts of prices, but some of them
cost SIS. Ridiculous, of course. But
the saleswoman points out that the
dill is a French one, very difficult to
get, very a Her few curls are
cal ones, and the bit of lace draped
about her shoulders or iouncing
her stiff silk petticoats is real, too.
Therefore, you see how absurd it
would he to ask a smaller price?
It is really, a fascinating bit Of
work TO dress n of these dolls.
You can do it if you have any knack
at dressing rdinary children's dolls.
And it is easier, for, of course, the
clothes are sewed on and don't need
tiny hooks and eyes and button
holes or French seams or such sew
ing as makes them strong for
childish fingers to put on and off.
You just pin your fabrics into posi-
ton and take a few strong stitches
and the job is done.
You can even put strands OF tiny
pearl or other beads around the
dolls neck and wrists, you al con-
coct a fan out of a few fronds from
an old ostrich feather, you can
make a little bag of silk and lace,
or a tiny handkerchief of fine mus
lin, you can put together a little
hat of diminutive flowers and a few
puffs of silk.
It is all very delightful and, OF
course, you can carry out any color
scheme you wish to use.
Sine houses are constructed with
special telephone cupboards or
| hooths. fitted with an electric light,