Citcranj. 
ART IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 
Modern decorators and artists cannot en¬ 
dure imitations of any kind; but if those who 
cannot afford to purchase the genuine articles 
choose to exercise their ingenuity by xnajk-’ 
ing things which are pleasing to the eye and 
will l ender their homes more attractive, I do 
not. see that their tastes will be lowered there¬ 
by. Even a crado imitation shows an appre¬ 
ciation of the beautiful, and ’tis more to the 
credit of a fanner’s daughter in a remote part 
of the country to make her rough surround¬ 
ings as pleasant ns her innate taste and love 
of color and form impel her to do, than for a 
favorite of fortune and leader of society to 
influence “ the styles” by her fancy for some 
particular kind of old china, antique furni¬ 
ture or “ bric-a-brac.” 
Amateur artists have employed themselves 
in imitating the Limoges ware. Vases of 
simplest form, and without handles, are most 
suitable for this style of decoration, and, as 
the surface is to he completely covered it will 
not bo worth while to buy those of the finest 
grade of terra-cotta, Tlui coarser ware is 
more frequently made in forms most suitable 
for this work. A small cylinder jar will be 
a good thing to experiment, on, before more 
elaborate and ambitious attempts are made. 
The jar (or vase) should be rubbed with fine 
sand-paper, brushed carefully to remove any 
dust after the rubbing, and then well coated 
with linseed oil, and allowed to stand until 
tho oil lifts been absorbed by the porous sur¬ 
face. When it is well “dried in” prepare 
your colors for painting. White or delicately 
tinted flowers are most pleasing on these 
vases, and the general tone or ground color 
used—and against which the flowers make 
best contrast—should be slate-grey in¬ 
digo, or olive shading to darkest brown. 
The color generally shades darkest towards 
the base of tho vase, and on the upper part. 
If dark tints are used on those portions where 
tho white or brightest flowers are to bo paint¬ 
ed, and the lighter shades against the shadowed 
portions of tho flowers and leaves, it will throw 
out in bold relief, and be very effective. Tho 
colors used in this work are the tube oil paints, 
and they should all be mixed with turpentine 
instead of oil, as they will dry more quickly 
and work more easily; and when the vase with 
the ground color on it has been set away in a 
warm closet for a day or two, so as to be 
perfectly dry, it should receive a coat of car¬ 
riage varnish. Use a flat brush for this, turn¬ 
ing the vase and coating it rapidly horizon¬ 
tally so that the varnish will not drip or run 
down and settle in drops at the base. This 
varnish should bo allowed to dry thoroughly 
before the flowers are put on, and the flow¬ 
ers should be painted in broad, sketchy style, 
with strong lights mid deep shadows. When 
the flowers have become quite dry the whole 
vase should bo rubbed with powdered pumice- 
stone, applied by a soft linen rag, moistened 
slightly with water, then after wiping it off 
with clean, soft doth tho bright lights should 
bo touched up again and a coat of copal var¬ 
nish should be given. Perhaps a second coat 
of the copal varnish will bo found necessary 
after a few days to produce the effect of a 
brilliant glaze, such ns the Limoges ware lias. 
Articles ornamented in this stylo will not hold 
water, as the moisture penetrates, and rains 
tho painting on the outside. 
Transparent paintings produce an excel¬ 
lent effect on lamp shades, on lamp screens, 
etc, especially under a rtificial and transmitted 
light. The appliances, tools, and materials 
required are oil or moist water-colors in tubes, 
a set of flat and pointed brushes, gold draw¬ 
ing pens, and pencils of various degrees, of 
hardness, pieces of strong and evenly woven 
muslin, ami a stretching frame of wood. The 
further requirements are a supply of the best 
white gelatine, of powdered gum arabic, and 
pumice stone. 
First the muslin has to be prepared for 
painting by fixing a piece of the required di¬ 
mensions in the stretching-frame, and sizing 
the surface with a solution of gelatine in hot 
water with the aid of a flat and moderately 
stiff brush. The first coat of gelatine is then 
allowed to dry, and thp muslin rest,retched to 
receive the second coating, which is geuer- 
erallv sufficient, although in some eases three 
or more coatings may be useful. After the 
coated muslin is perfectly dry the surface may 
be rubbed gently with a piece of pumice-stone 
to make the pencil-marks, the pen drawings, 
and the colors adhere better. 
The outlines of tho painting can then be 
drawn with a pencil direct on the muslin, and 
afterwards traced out with pen and ink. This, 
however, has to bo done very carefully, as 
mistakes can only with difficulty la- erased or 
corrected. Tho safer plan, is, thorefofe, to 
sketch the outline in ink first on a piece of 
paper, place the latter under the muslin, and 
from it trace with pen and ink the sketch or 
pattern to the woven surface. 
Tho frame is then placed on an easel in a 
slightly slanting position, and turned against 
a window or against a source of artificial light, 
such as a gas or an oil lamp. For judging the 
effect of the color on a lamp shade, artifi¬ 
cial light for working is preferable. 
Before using the oil colors they must be di¬ 
luted with a medium, which can bo bought 
ready prepared, or made of turpentine and 
siceatif in equal parts. This makes the colors 
more transparent and prevents their running. 
Moist water colors can likewise be employ¬ 
ed after having mixed them with gum water, 
but they are less easy to handle for transpar¬ 
ent paintings on muslin than oil colors. 
Tho general rules for transparent painting, 
are, of course, the same as for any other kind 
Of painting, but the following special hints 
may be found useful: 
Leave untouched those parts of the sketch 
which are to appear white, or in a strong 
light. 
For laying grounds, skies, and all large, 
flat tints, use a brash called “ dappler,” or 
better, even, a bit of fine sponge. 
For mottled tints and pale foliage, tho 
sponge device will answer equally well. 
Another expeditious plan to produce the 
effect of heavy foliage and foreground is to 
cover the surface with a comparatively thin 
layer of green, and pick out the lights with a 
knife or with a pointed piece of wood. The 
required details can bo painted in afterwards 
with a pointed camel-hair brush. 
Balls of cotton wool covered with pieces of 
soft silk can be likewise used as dabblers in¬ 
stead of sponges, only a separate ball must 
then bo kept for each color, whilst brashes 
and sponges can, and ought to be cleaned 
with soap and warm water. 
Correspondent. 
-♦ » »- 
A VISIT TO THE ALBANY PENITEN¬ 
TIARY. 
I had formed the opinion that prisons were 
all dark, damp, dirty places, and was there¬ 
fore pleasantly surprised at the exterior, and 
interior of this one. 
The building stands on a hill, in front of the 
structure is a beautiful sloping lawn ; the 
grounds are large and well kept. Imme¬ 
diately in front of the building and on either 
side of tho avenue is a number of handsome 
old trees, and in front of the entrance is some 
well arranged beds of choice plants. 
The building is large and constructed to‘ 
form a hollow square. It is painted a light 
yellow, which gives it quite a cheerful appear¬ 
ance. The square or court, inside is fresh and 
green with a fountain playing in tho center. 
The cells, in spite of light, air and cleanliness, 
oro damp and cold, owing, I presume, to tlio 
prevalence of iron and stone in the construc¬ 
tion. The walls are all glitteringly whito with 
white-wash and all the wood-work—even in 
the work-shops—looked clean enough to eat 
from. 
The bedding of the men is of some dark- 
colored material and during the day hangs up 
against the wall. In tho women's cells, how¬ 
ever, the narrow beds are neatly made and 
covered with a light spread and tho pillow¬ 
cases looked ns smooth and white as if new¬ 
ly put on, although it was Friday, There 
were many little pictures and ornaments on 
the walls of tho majority of the women’s cells, 
but 1 noticed t hat few of the men’s cells were 
so ornamented. 
One large room contains twenty bathtubs, 
with a cold and warm water fdueet to each 
tub, and once a week, every prisoner is re¬ 
quired to take a bath. 
In the kitchen and bake-shop, order and 
neatness prevailed. Rows and rows of large, 
nicely browned loaves of bread that smelled 
as if delicious, had just been taken from the 
oven, large Tables held stocks of the tin-pans 
and cups in which the prisoners receive their 
food. A number of women were sitting on 
benches paring potatoes. As the immense 
range was red-hot and the day very warm, I 
thought it would have been more humane to 
have allowed them to sit farther back, for they 
were quite close together and facing tho range. 
In the work-shops the men were working 
under contract making shoes ; in one shop they 
were making boxes in which to pack the shoes. 
We were shown specimens of the convicts’ 
work ; the shoes were as handsome, fino and 
well-made as any I had ever seen. One man 
does not make an entire shoe, but each one 
does a certain part of tho work. When one 
part is finished it is passed on to some one else, 
perhaps into another shop. I have forgotten 
the exact number of shoes made in a day , but 
I think it was several thousand. 
It was impossible to form an opinion of the 
prisoners, for they all sat with their backs to 
us, and the prison rules forbid them looking 
up, or around when visitors enter. Should a 
prisoner be at work in a room which you en¬ 
ter, or you should meet one, he will im¬ 
mediately turn his back to you, clasp his 
hands and l>mv Ins head until you have passed 
out of sight and hearing. 
Tho men’s faces are cleanly shaven and their 
hair closely cut. Their dress consists of a 
coarse, whito cotton shirt, a pair of coarse 
grey pantaloons, a bluo, cloth jacket and a 
round sailor cap of the same material as the 
jacket. 
The women are allowed to retain their hair 
and arrange it to suit themselves. Their dress 
is of dark, red calico, high in the neck, and 
short in tho sleeves for warm weather. Some 
few wore aprons and some handkerchiefs 
around their necks. In their workshops they 
were employed with sewing and various other 
feminine occupations. 
There were few women, compared to the 
number of men, and I noticed quite a number of 
colored prisoners of both sexes. Two colored 
female prisoners had toddling babes with 
them, and the little things looked healthy and 
happy. 
Tho gentlemanly official who accompanied 
us, gave us some interesting statistics of the 
prisoners and their labor, but I have forgotten 
most of them, or I might give them here. 
In general, the prisoners obey the rules 
readily, and tho officers have very few punish¬ 
ments to inflict, for aside from tho fear of 
punishment, they understand that good be¬ 
havior and obodicnco to the rules will shorten 
their term, and to a man confined in prison, 
one day off his term is something. 
This is a United States Prison, and there are 
convicts from many states confined here. 
Prisoners cannot see any one—outside of the 
officials—until they have served thirty days ; 
then they may sec their friends for a short 
time. They cannot write but once a month, 
and then only one letter. Friends may write 
when they choose, as the prisoner’s receive 
their mail every Sunday morning. Friends 
may also send anything in the line of eatables 
onco a week. 
I had almost forgotten to mention the chapel 
and hospital. Tho former is a large well- 
lighted, and well-ventilated room or hall, with 
a seating capacity of about a thousand. A 
large platform held a. pulpit anrl an organ, and 
when wo were there, tho room was nicely 
decorated with flags, etc. 
In tho hospital tho rows of beds were clean 
and fresh. Only a few beds were occupied. 
One poor fellow was propped up in a chair, 
evidently in tho last stages of consumption. 
In this portion of tho prison there is a library 
from which the inmates of the hospital have 
free access ; others who wish may obtain one 
or two books once a week. 
Tho work-shops are light and airy, none of 
tho men looked overworked, and altogether 
wo came away well impressed with the strict ) 
yet humane management of this prison. 
Not many years ago I visited a prison in a 
large city in this State, where all of the offi¬ 
cers or guards in the workshops carried a 
small “ eat-o’nine-tails,” and the men looked 
sullen and rebellious, but I saw nothing of the 
kind in Albany. Mrs, W. V. A. 
-» » » 
JUDGES AT AGRICULTURAL FAIRS. 
The ideas that govern the action 'of some 
judges at our fairs are, to say the least., very 
original. I remember a case where there 
were two articles of the same kind exhibited; 
one was the work of an old lady, the other of 
a young fanner’s wife. The old lady's article 
took the premium, but was so manifestly in¬ 
ferior to the other that tho awarding commit- 
toe felt called upon to explain in this vise; 
“ Tho other piece ought to have token the pre¬ 
mium, but the exhibitor of this is tui old 
person and probably will never compete 
again, and wo thought it best to give it to 
her.” Yet according to the rales of tho so¬ 
ciety the names of the exhibitors should not 
bo known to the judges. On another occasion 
a certain committee refused to consider an oil 
painting exhibited among others because it 
had no frame. “ Very well,” said one of 
them, “ l am not acting on picture frames and 
you can proceed without me.” This brought 
tho matter before all in a different light and 
they went about the duty properly to which 
they had been assigned. 
Exhibitors often lose sight of the real ob¬ 
ject of a fair. I heard a man remark to his 
wife once, as she drove up in front of the veg¬ 
etable room, “Sarah, there are larger beets 
there than ours and maybe 1 had better not 
take ours out at all.” Looking at the dollar 
he expected to get for his beets, he forgot that 
mutual improvement by the exhibition of 
One’s best specimens is one great object in 
holding fairs. Many have a jealousy of those 
who do take premiums and will say: “O, 
there is no use in taking anything to the fair. 
This one or that one is always sure to take 
all tho prizes.” 
Notwithstanding all the small drawbacks 
nothing ever drew the bard-working farmers 
into as close good feeling for one another or 
brought ns many congenial people together 
and brightened us many lives as these same 
agricultural fairs. About so much humbug 
will exist in everything, and probably there is 
i as little in a country agricultural fair as will 
be found in any other institution of its size. 
B, c. D. 
FASHIONS. 
Marigolds are now the fashionable flowers in 
London. First the daisy, then the sunflower, 
next tho lily and now the marigold It is 
timo tho hollyhock was brought into service; 
no one seems to have remembered that old- 
fashioned flower. 
Among tho newest trifles in jewelry are 
tho microscopic watches attached to tho neck 
by a serpent coiling upon, the skin. Grecian 
necklaces composed of fivo rows of variegated 
pearls with diamond claEps, and arrows, which 
aro again worn in tho coiffure and corsage. 
A decorative and at the same timo useful 
disposition of a painted tile is to insert it in 
one of the little wooden baskets especially 
made for the purpose. 
Ladies addicted to art embroidery' prepare 
themselves work aprons of pongeo silk. A 
breadth of silk gives sufficient width. The 
lower edge i3 embroidered in silks and crewels, 
with simple flowers, as violets, buttercups and 
daisies in groups, end fastened down, forming 
pockets five,or six inches deep. 
Alligator-skin, belts aro in style. 
Sots of door furniture in Egyptian style— 
handle, pull-bell, knocker, and letter-plate— 
are being made for large houses in London. 
FIG. 431 — THE COMET DRESS. 
“It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any 
good,” so the oft thought instigator of trouble 
has benefited the ladies by setting a fashior. 
-♦ »->- 
SANITARY NOTES. 
In cases of dysentery be careful that outside 
air does not roach, tho body directly. Bind a 
piece of flannel over tho bowels. 
Bedrooms and bedding should be well aired 
every morning. At night one or more win¬ 
dows should bo lowered to allow the fresh air 
to enter, and foul air which rises, to pass out. 
Health depends much upon those observances. 
A basin containing chloride of lime or a 
solution of carbolic acid (a teaspoonful of acid 
to a quart of water) should bo kept in a room 
where contagious disease exists, or in fact 
anywhere that impurity of air may be known 
to be. 
In the selection of wall paper the subject of 
health is not as often brought to bear in the 
matter as the idea of beauty and suitableness. 
But since the discovery of so much poisonous 
matter in this article of adornment, it is but 
right t > consider the result of an indiscreet 
selection. 
--- 
l^-QUESTIONS^jg 
A forcible answer to which xoill be found 
by turning over the leaf. 
1 . What rural paper has no axe of its 
own to grind? 
2 . What rural paper has the best contrib¬ 
utors in the land? 
3 . What rural paper gives 500 original il¬ 
lustrations per year? 
4 . What rural paper conducts an Experi- 
I mental Farm in tho interests of its readers? 
5 . What rural paper plae -s the interests of 
its patrons beyond its adverising patronage? 
i 0 . What rural paper tests all new seeds 
and plants, and renders impartial reports 
thereupon t 
7 . What rural paper is the farmers’ friend 
and conscientious adviser? 
8 . What rural paper should all progress¬ 
ive farmers subscribe for? 
