44 FARM HOMES, Itf-DOORS AKB OTJT-DOOBS. 



But if the latter is beyond the house-keeper's purse, she 

 can give the floor a border of paint two shades darker 

 than that of the gray wall-paper, and cover the center 

 with a large rug of some home-made sort. Or the whole 

 floor might be covered with the well-known "rag" car- 

 peting, if enough of pink and gray -rags could be evolved 

 for such a fabric. Balls of pink, and balls of gray, 

 loosely twisted together and woven with black warp, 

 would make a neat, appropriate, and very durable carpet 

 at a cost, including weaving, of less than twenty or 

 twenty-five cents per yard. 



A pair of handsome and luxurious rugs can be made 

 by lining two white lambs' pelts with suitable material 

 and placing a pleating of pink merino or flannel under 

 the edges. 



Pretty rugs, especially for summer use, are made of 

 Turkish towelling (a soft, shaggy, cotton goods), lined 

 with some heavier material and tied with tufts of pink 

 zephyr or worsted. One yard of the yard-wide towelling 

 makes two rugs. One should be placed before the toilet 

 table and the other beside the 'bed. They are easily 

 washed, and have a dainty and comfortable appearance 

 in a sleeping room. 



A very important item is a good bed. If you cannot 

 have a spring wire-mattress, a tick filled with soft, clean 

 corn-husks is one of the best foundations for a bed. 

 Over this, in summer, place a light mattress of cotton 

 or wool. In winter very few will be found objecting to 

 a soft, well-cared-for feather-bed, particularly when the 

 thermometer indicates large figures below zero. Pillows 

 about two feet long and eighteen inches wide are of good 

 size, both for use and looks. If feathers are scarce, I 

 Lave known quite delightful pillows made of "new- 

 mown hay," cut while the grass is young, with a hand- 

 ful or two of sweet clover or vanilla grass to enhance its 

 agreeable fragrance. 



