504 
AMERIOAE' AGRIOULTUEIST. 
[Novembeh, 
Closet Door with. Shelves for Toilet 
Articles. 
In small bed-rooms space may be economized by 
dispensing with some of the usual pieces of furni¬ 
ture. If the room has a closet opening out of it, 
we may do without the washstand, and fit up the 
closet door with shelves for holding the toilet 
articles as shown in the engraving. A shelf wide 
enough to hold wash-bowl and pitcher, soap-dish, 
and a few bottles, is fastened by small iron brack¬ 
ets to the door, at the bight of an ordinary wash- 
stand. Below this is a second shelf for holding the 
slop-jar. The shelves are made of inch boards, 
rounded at the corners, and painted to match the 
door. Places for holding bowl, pitcher, soap-dish, 
and a bottle are cut in the upper shelf, and one 
only is cut in the lower shelf. These are sawed 
out as they formerly were in the old-fashioned 
wash-stands. It is necessary to have the shelves 
firmly fastened; otherwise the bowl, pitcher, etc., 
would be likely to slide off when the door was 
opened and closed. Above the upper shelf is a 
towel-rack made by slipping the ends of a heavy 
wire through screw rings in the door, and bending 
it in to the proper shape. At one side of the shelf 
may be a small rack for brushes, and below it a 
pocket for the sponge. Beneath the lower shelf is 
a shoe rack, which may be made of boards or of 
heavy ticking. If the closet door is not a very 
strong one, or not well hung, bowl, pitcher, and 
slop-jar, made of papier maehc, may be used 
instead of China. They are very light, and wdll last 
a long time. They come in pretty patterns and 
look quite neat. 
Can’t You Sleep? 
Many persons find themselves troubled by wake¬ 
fulness. Some resort to the Hydrate of Chloral 
and other drugs to produce sleep. Such drugs, if 
tlieiruse is once begun, have to be continued, and 
in increasing doses, and every effort should be 
made to induce sleep in some other way. Among 
the methods that have been suggested, is the 
stopping of all study or serious reading, half an 
hour before bed-time, and to take sufticient exer¬ 
cise with dumb-bells or Indian clubs to produce a 
warm glow of the body, and then jump into bed. 
In winter sleep in a flannel night-gown, and 
between blankets instead of cold sheets. The 
attempt, when in bed, to read some amusing novel 
may be made, in order to divert the mind from the 
wakefulness. A second method is, instead of read¬ 
ing, to repeat a poem with which one is familiar. 
Another plan is, to draw in along, slow breath by the 
mouth, and force the breath out through the nose, 
imagining that the two currents can be distinctly 
seen. The mind is to be kept fixed upon the opera¬ 
tion of breathing, and the endeavor to see the cur¬ 
rents as they are expelled. One of our editorial 
associates finds relief by wetting a cloth with cold 
water and placing this across the forehead, and 
binding it in place by means of a towel. It is worth 
while to give either of these methods a thorough 
trial rather than to resort to drugs of any kind. 
Autumn Styles. 
“Partial culture seeks the ornate, perfect cul¬ 
ture, extreme simplicity.” If this be true, we may 
congratulate ourselves that we are making rapid 
advances toward refined and cultivated taste 
in dress. It has been noticeable in the various 
fashionable resorts the past season, that the 
toilets of ladies of all ages have been marked by 
extreme simplicity. Cambrics, ginghams, satines, 
and the infinite varieties of white fabrics, have, as 
a rule, been plainly made, often with a gathered, 
belted waist, and tucked skirt. These are worn 
through the morning, and in the afternoon changed 
for a fresh dress of the same material, or perhaps 
a light wool of some pretty shade. With them are 
worn ribbons of some contrasting color, which will 
harmonize with the dress. Not broad sashes, but 
ribbons two or three inches wide tied around the 
waist, and finished with a bow and long ends ; 
or made bows may be scattered here and there 
among folds and drapery. Another marked 
change is the absence of jewelry. Even those who 
are fortunate enough to possess precious stones 
of great value, wear few at a time, and these in a 
plain setting. A handsome gold button, or stud, 
with a single precious stone, fastens the high linen 
collar, and a bow of ribbon with long ends com¬ 
pletes the dressing for the neck. If jewelry is 
worn at all, it is not in sets as formerly. A long 
bar pin of gold, or of some fancy design, is used 
when a pin is needed. Ear-rings are seldom seen, 
except single stones of value. Bracelets are worn 
to take the place of linen cuffs, but they are small 
bands of gold, silver, or jet, with simple fastenings. 
Chains, lockets, indeed showy ornaments of any 
kind, are not worn by persons of refined tastes. 
Is there anything new for early fall ? One of the 
leading “ men milliners” of Paris says that “the 
man or woman who can invent anything absolutely 
new in ladies’ toilets, has a fortune at command.” 
Certain it is, those who can look back thirty or 
forty years, must see in the present styles a revival 
of those then worn, and not only is the style of 
making similar, but it is said the materials then 
used, which have been laid aside for years, are to 
be reproduced this fall. Among them are the 
handsome and durable Irish poplins, the soft 
delaines, and useful mohairs and alpacas. The in¬ 
dications are, that two or three fabrics will still be 
combined in one dress, as the importations show 
plain and figured goods to match. Many woolen 
stuffs have raised figures in velvet. Some richer 
goods have raised flowers outlined with beads. 
These are used for waists, and bands for trimming 
the skirts. Plain velvet waists will still be worn. 
Jerseys are used for morning and home wear only, 
except those made of silk, and extra fine and heavy 
wool, costing from eight to fifteen dollars each. 
Stripes are to be popular, even broad stripes of 
contrasting colors, as dark-red with green, ecru 
with brown, gray with black, etc. Blocks and 
squares are pretty for children’s dresses. A dress 
of bright, rich red, over a skirt of I'ed and dark- 
blue blocks, with dark-blue ribbons, is effective 
for a young miss. All the dark rich colors will be 
worn, also blue-grays, and moss and bronze-greens. 
The variety in W’oolen goods is so great, that one 
can suit herself as to color, quality, and price. 
Silk is little used for street wear, although a silk 
skirt is useful with an over-dress of wool. These 
are made in plain designs for the street, but great 
care is used that the corsage shall fit perfectly, and 
that the drapery be graceful. If the waist is round, 
there should be a belt ribbon, with bow in front; 
it should be long with high darts, short shoulders, 
and high standing collar. The sleeve is high, 
rounded up on the shoulder, but not gathered into 
so much fulness as of late. It is well never to 
adopt any extreme in fashion ; it is always short¬ 
lived. Bustles will remain, and the fashion which 
has prevailed in thin dresses, of two large loops 
and ends at the back, made of one width of the 
dress material, will continue for silks and soft 
wools. Basques will retain their place with or 
without vests. Polonaises also remain in favor. 
The back is in many cases like a princess dress, re¬ 
quiring only a draped front. Skirts of heavy cloth 
will be plain and full, without flounces; a broad 
band of velvet or Astrachan cloth, will trim the 
bottom and sides. Eor lighter goods, bias bands 
or tucks are still in favor. Ethel Stone. 
Protecting Pood from Ants, Plies, Etc. 
L. D. SNOOK, PLA. 
During a large part of the year, flies, cockroaches, 
or Croton bugs, and ants, are veiy troublesome in 
the pantry. I recently saw a cheap, simple affair 
Fig. 1.— THE H.VNGING SAFE CLOSEU. 
for keeping these pests at bay, and was so well 
pleased with it that I give Mie plan of construction. 
It consists of a box, two and a half feet long, one 
foot wide, and eighteen inches high, with a shelf 
dividing it into two compartments, as shown 
in the engravings. Figure 1 represents the safe 
closed, and figure 3, the same open. Each com¬ 
partment is provided with a light board door. The 
upper one, when open, rests against the wires which 
support the safe. The doors are kept closed by 
the use of a wooden button or other device. The 
Fig. 3.— THE SAFE OPEN. 
box is held in position by four wires, g, g, attached 
to the ceiling overhead, and by crossing them the 
hox will swing but very little. Where the wires 
cross at a, a strip of cloth is wound and securely 
tied, these are kept saturated with turpentine, kero¬ 
sene, or other fluid offensive to the insects. By the 
use of this safe the housekeeper can keep insects of 
all kinds away from the food. The cost is very lit¬ 
tle for the materials or the time required to make it. 
