1867.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
65 
ME »U§]ffl(D)]Lt0) o 
CZ3~ For other Household rtems, see "Basket " pages.') 
Household Ornaments. 
Household ornaments are not perhaps so essen- 
tial in the country as in the city, where people are 
necessarily cut off from the fields and woods with 
their thousand beautiful things. But every where 
pretty articles of furniture are prized, and perform 
au important office in the education of children. 
The only objection to them in many houses is their 
cost. We frequently give illustrations of such 
ornaments, and show howthey may be constructed. 
Any one iugenious with the kuife or handy with the 
needle can learn to make them, and thus add to their 
own usefulness, while they adorn their houses. 
Fig. 1, shows a match safe, made from a common 
cigar box, or any other thin bit of board. It is 
easy to have black walnut, butternut, oak, or other 
ornamental wood sawed thin for this purpose. The 
shield should first be marked out with a pencil 
according to the design. The cutting can all be 
done with a 
sharp penknife, 
and will af- 
ford very good 
amusement for 
a winter even- 
ing. The large 
star in the cen- 
tre forms the 
hole to hang up 
the box when 
finished. The 
box, made as 
6hown in fig. 1, 
can be put to- 
gether,and fast- 
ened to the shield with a little glue. Such a match 
safe, hung up over the mantle piece or near the 
stove where the fire is to be kindled or lamps light- 
ed, will help essentially in the formation of orderly 
habits. There will always be a place for the matches, 
and the matches 
can be kept in then- 
place. By enlarg- 
ing the pattern, 
boxes can be made 
that will answer 
other purposes. 
Fig. 2, shows a 
bracket shelf, con- 
sisting of three 
parts, and made like 
No. 1. The article 
may be suspended 
upon the wall in 
any convenient 
place by small brass 
rings near each end 
of the shelf, or up- 
on brass headed 
pins or common 
1.— MATCH SAFE. 
^*^A 
Fig. 3.— BRACKET. 
nails fitted for the tops of the groves under the shelf. 
The pins give the firmest support. B, in fig. 3, 
gives a side view of the bracket, which goes under 
the middle of the shelf to support A. 
This may be fastened to the back and 
to the shelf with small wooden pins 
and glue, or with the glue alone. 
The pins make the best job. After 
the work with the knife is done, 
fine sand paper may be applied to give 
it a finish. It may also be varnish- 
ed, or rubbed over with linseed oil. 
Fig. -1, shows a pattern of a pen 
wiper, and calls for the needle and 
scissors. It may be made of any con- 
venient size or material. The foun- 
dation piece may be of broadcloth, 
the lop of silk, and the intermediate F 'S' °- 
pieces, for the process of wiping, of less valu- 
able cloth. The mice are the nicest part of the 
work, and require mouse colored velvet, and sonic 
beads for the eyes. The bag of malt may be filled 
with any substance that will present a smooth sur- 
face. If shot or sand are put in it, the article will 
serve the double purpose of pen wiper and paper 
holder, quite as good if not as pretty as the manu- 
factured glass ones that cost a dollar or more. 
Fig. 5, shows another pattern of the same article, 
with a little different material to imitate the poodle 
dog's hair. The idea shown in these illustrations 
Fig. 4. — PEN-WIPER. 
will suggest many other patterns for the use of our 
readers. Such articles are a great convenience upon 
the writing desk and table, aud look much better 
than a white rag or old piece of newspaper be- 
daubed with writing iuk. They help to cultivate 
Fig. 5.— pin cushion. 
habits of order and neatness, and indirectly adorn 
the persons making them as much as the room. 
Leaves iVomi tlic Mary of a, "Voniig- 
Housekeeper. 
ritIZE ESSAY BY MKS. LACP.A E. LYMAN, STAM- 
FORD, CT.* 
Dec. 26, IS — . — It is now a month since I became a 
happy bride. We have been visiting our relatives, 
my sister Emeline and Edward's married brother, 
where I have been taking notes as to their modes of 
housekeeping, hoping to become better prepared 
for the responsibilities I have assumed. A few days 
ago we came here to our new home, and, while Ed- 
ward has driven over to the village with a load of 
wheat, I have been folding and stitching together 
some sheets of paper, on which I design to keep a 
record of my success, perplexities and observations 
* The Committee of Judges, on the Prize Essays, as 
noted last month, gave long aud patient attention to 
the seventy-nine essays sent in. The numbers refer to the 
marks upon the manuscript to distinguish them, the 
Committee being entirely ignorant of the names of the 
writers. The publishers very cheerfully acceded to the 
recommendation of the Committee, and will give three 
prizes of $100 each, instead of the one offered. We print 
the opening chapters of two of the Essays. The third one 
is. very fully and prettily illustrated, and it will be re- 
served for use hereafter, as the engravings will need time 
for preparation. Our thanks arc duo to the great number 
of intelligent and enterprising housekeepers who have 
contributed their efforts. We are only sorry they could 
not each receive a first prize. — Ens.] 
ItEPOKT OP THE COMMITTEE. 
To Messrs. O. JiKlcl tfc Co.— The ladles assigned tho task 
of examining the articles offered for your prize, liavo felt 
very much embarrassed by tho richness and variety of tho 
materials presented. There were seventy-nine of tho com- 
petitors, representing almost every section of the country, 
and every variety of country housekeeping. Theso com- 
munications have all been read, and tho nicrlls of the lew 
that camo near to the required standard of excellence, have 
been thoroughly discussed. After mature deliberation, wc 
have come to tho unanimous conclusion that the communi- 
cations marked No. 15, No. SG, aud No. 1. are of equal luerll , 
and, availing ourselves of your permission, we assign a pre- 
mium of one hundred dollars to each of these three, Instead 
of to only a single one, as at first offered. 
Several others show very marked excellencies, and contain 
many valuable hints. Unit we should like to see embodied in 
nvolumeon household economy. Wc have no donbi thai 
from the material hero presented a more complete work on 
housekeeping can be compiled, than has yet been given to 
the public. Yours, Respectfully, THE COMMITTEE. 
as a housekeeper. This idea was suggested by look- 
ing over Edward's farm books with him last night, 
in which he has an admirably-kept journal of every- 
thing he has done, and everything he has learned 
since he purchased the farm three years ago. An- 
other motive that stimulates me in this enterprise 
is the perfect manner in which he keeps up every- 
thing on the place, and I am sure I can do nothing 
that will more directly conduce to his happiness 
than to show him, within doors, the same evidences 
of care, system, and order, which he has stamped 
upon every part of the premises. 
Day before yesterday we walked all over the farm, 
and through the outbuildings. I noticed that the 
fences are all in good order, the gates on their 
hiuges, and the bar posts upright, which, I have 
heard my father say, are invariable signs of good 
farming. His implements are all in order ; the dirt 
scraped off the ploughshares, the harrows well 
stowed away, the cellars thoroughly protected from 
frost, and the axes ground sharp for a winter's foray 
among the timber. Now, I am determined to equal 
him in my department if I can ; especially as I find 
that, in the plan of the addition which he has made 
to the old farm-house he found here, he has made 
for me the best arrangements for doing my work 
easily and rapidly, that I ever saw. He has a map 
of his farm and buildings, which he spreads out be- 
fore him when he plans the next year's crops and 
improvements on the place. Why should not I map 
out niy domain, especially as it is a realm that I love 
to call my own ? The old part of the house is very 
mueli in the usual style — two large rooms below, 
and two above, with halls between, and bed rooms 
adjoining; but this £, which Edward planned, and 
much of which he built with his own hands, is a 
gem of a place for a diligent housekeeper, who 
knows what she wants. Hero is the plan: 
A is the principal door opening on the north side, 
B another door leading into the old house ; C the 
bed-room door, and D leads into the wood-house. 
There are two windows on the south side, between 
which stands my work tabic, aud one on the north, 
throwing light on Edward's business desk, which 
occupies the corner between the doors A aud B. At 
the right of B is my dining table, over which hangs 
a fruit picture, which I painted when I was a school 
girl. At the window on the left of my work table 
Edward has fasten- 
ed a couple of | 
shelves, where I 
can have my gera- 
niums, and they 
are blooming now 
iu that sunny ex- 
posure. S is my 
stove, standing 
just midway be- 
tween the sink 
aud the pantry. «-an of house. 
There is a pump in the sink, as well as a waste 
water pipe. At the right of and just behind the 
stove is a small sliding door, marked ;c, which opens 
into a box in the wood-house, containing split wood 
and kindling. Edward fills it when he does his 
morning chores. I never saw such au arrangement 
anywhere else, aud I find it in the highest degree 
convenient. There is no running out into the 
wood-house alter an armful of wood, aud there is 
no litter of chips or dirt about my stove. The 
pantry has a north window in it, and a wide shelf 
running all along just below the window seat. This 
serves as a cover to my barrels, which will just slip 
under it ; and here, without moving more than a 
step, I can lay my hand upon everything necessary 
to do all my cooking. By opening the door tho 
heat from the stove makes it comfortable to work 
in, and at night prevents my milk and provisions 
from freezing. In (lie summer, by keeping the door 
shut aud the window open, I shall find it a cool 
place for my milk. This arrangement of sink, stove, 
pantry and working table enables me to keep all 
my work in one end of the kitchen. My wood, 
water, provisions and stove are so near each other 
that a step or two will bring mo within reach of 
everything that I need. I can accomplish twice as 
much in an hour here as I could in mother's kitchen, 
p 
am- 
5 
D 
B 
1 
A 
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