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THE OLD ROCK HOUSE. 
At the close of a short article entitled “ Rugs," 
published in the June number of the Cabinet, I partly- 
promised its readers at some future time to tell them 
something more about housekeeping in the Old Rock 
House, and as my experience differs widely from any 
I have seen given in the Cabinet, perhaps while it 
may not interest some, it may prove beneficial to oth¬ 
ers under similar circumstances. 
A few words about, the house. It was built nearly 
forty years ago. Rock walls, clay mortar, oaken 
floors, small windows, warped out of shape by the 
walls settling; walnut doors, hung awry from the same 
cause; only one story high, still covering enough 
ground for a small mansion. 
In my girlhood’s delightful day-dreams and castle- 
buildings, this same old house occupied a prominent 
place, aud now after three years’ pleasant sojourn in 
sunny Nebraska, even now, my pen would fain 
drop idly down as face after face ot dear tried friends 
Hit past my mind’s vision ; and tears almost start to 
know how some of the most comforting and pleasant 
of friendships, together with the endearing associa¬ 
tions of Cedar Farm, must now be numbered with 
joys that are past. Separated miles from them, I am 
brought hack to occupy my childhood’s ideal home 
in eastern Iowa. 
How romantic, you say. Yet it was with a start, 
bordering on dismay, that I beheld the many changes 
visible in and about the house. The bright-hued fan¬ 
cies and fairy-like adornments had vauished, and 
Father Time’s ruthless traces were plainly seen in the 
crumbling plaster, uneven walls, blackened fire-places, 
and warped floors, and, when I add, that money was 
a scarce, almost minus article, you may imagine it 
took some courage to repress the “ Well, this is a dis¬ 
mal old place, sure; hut I really cannot see how I can 
make it look any better.” 
Then it was that the information gained from the 
pages of the Cabinet came to my aid. I took a dif¬ 
ferent view, and reasoned thus : While we all desire 
and would enjoy living in modern houses, some old 
ones must be occupied. I would look over my trunks, 
bureau, and boxes, to see what I could find with 
which to change the appearances of these gloomy old 
rooms. 
I gave the walls and ceiling a good coat of white 
lime wash, and put down the carpets. Finding there 
would he five places wanting groups of pictures, I 
arranged what I had framed as follows : two photo¬ 
graphs in oval frames, with my wax cross for a centre 
piece, and photographs in square frames above; two 
small walnut brackets, with ornaments on them, 
formed one group. Two landscape chromos in rustic 
frames, with a much larger chromo for centre, formed 
group number two. Two spatter-work pictures, one 
a cross, the other a deer in the act of jumping a 
chasm, with a colored picture of the Centennial 
grounds and building, each in gilt frames, formed 
group number three. 
A. medley of Scripture views, steel plates, with two 
certificates, each in walnut and gilt frames, with two 
quite large walnut brackets and wall vases, filled with 
painted grasses, formed group number four. My 
Prodigal Son, walnut and gilt frame, hangs over my 
work-stand. The Glee Maiden and Rustic Wreath, 
with a larger steel engraving, each in rustic frames, 
formed group number five. 
Now my sitting room walls looked quite pretty, and 
the unevenness scarcely noticed. I placed white mus¬ 
lin shades at the windows (Cap, my husband, trimmed 
me lath for rollers, and also made those brackets aud 
rustic frames I have described,), and old lace curtains, 
puffed on green stuff, with a ruching of green, formed 
quite pretty lambrequins. 
My flowers are sufficient ornaments for my windows. 
An old-fashioned cupboard, left in the wall, I con¬ 
verted into a huge what-not ; a green tidy and cush¬ 
ion for my rocker, a green cover for my music-stool, 
green covered footstool and mats or rugs for doors, or¬ 
gan, and work-stand, aud now my friends exclaim, , 
when entering this room, “ How cosy!” and, “ I j 
never thought you could make it look so comfort¬ 
able.” 
I will only tire you long enough to describe my 
bedroom. White walls, white windows shades, with 
scarlet lambrequins. A glass fruit dish, minus the 
stand, with crochet cover, cord and tassels, white and 
scarlet, forms a hanging-basket for vines or cut flow¬ 
ers. White mats for bureau, and a large mirror. 
Waslistand with toilet set of marbled oilcloth, edged 
with scarlet (a present), watch pockets, white, bound 
and embroidered with scarlet; two moss brackets, 
holding sea-shells, and collars and cuffs holder, made of 
brown paper, then stained and varnished. One quite 
large oil painting hangs in a nook, and four steel-plate 
Scripture scenes, framed in cherry-pit frames, hang i 
each side of the mirror. Two catch alls at the foot of. 
the mirror and comb-case between them at eacli side. 
Between pictures and mirror hang pincushions and 
match-cases, two of each, strung on cord, with scarlet 
halls. My braided rugs for washstand; bed aud bu¬ 
reau, barrel chair, with white tidy, log cabin cushion, 
and scarlet-topped ottoman. Bed draped in white, 
and, as friend Auna said, while visiting me, “How 
restful it looks.” 
And now, if in one single item I have encouraged 
any one, I am well repaid for striving to make home¬ 
like the Old Rock House. Emma Treichler. 
puff; for a bottom take zephyr and draw it back¬ 
ward and forward through from the small piece to the 
large one. If you want a back on it, take a piece of 
pasteboard and hind it down with ribbon ; flowers on 
the puffs look well. This will serve for a match-box ; 
nice for either. Myra Jones. 
ZEPHYR FLOWERS. 
A COURT PLASTER CASE. 
This is a handy thing to have about the house, and 
a most desirable adjunct to a gentleman’s shaving ap¬ 
paratus. A pretty and ingenious one, designed for a 
Christmas gift, was made in this way : From white 
perforated cardboard were cut two equal pieces about 
five inches long and four wide. A narrow border was 
worked on the edges of eacli with light geeeu split 
zephyr. On the piece intended for the front of the 
case was worked the following appropriate motto : “ I 
heal all wounds save those of Love.” The two pieces 
were then laid evenly together, the right side of each 
outward, and joined on the two sides and at the top 
with zephyr stitches deftly taken along the worked 
bordering. Cords and tassels of zephyr were attached 
to the upper corners of the case for hanging. Next, 
the holder for the plaster was formed of two pieces of 
perforated board, cut a little less than the case, worked 
around the edges, and joined at one end by stitches 
“ whipped over,” so that the pieces opened and closed 
like a hook. A piece of court plaster nearly as large 
as the holder was folded in the middle, and the fold 
laid in the hinge, as it may he termed, a zephyr cord 
fastened at each edge of the holder keeping it snugly 
in place, like a newspaper in a patent file or holder. 
The holder, being just the right size, slips in aud out 
of the case quite readily, hut does not fall out. When 
slipped in, the case is complete. 
Mrs. M. F. Adkinson. 
Since the article by E. A. R., to whom I owe 
thanks for the success I have had so far, I have been 
looking over my Cabinets for something more on 
the subject of Zephyr Flowers. Can Rosebuds, 
Fuchsias, and Tuberoses be made, and if so, will 
she please tell me how? 
I have read of various ways for washing flannels, and 
wish to tell your many readers my way. I wash and 
rinse in cold water, not cold enough to make the 
hands ache, hut. not at all warm, and I use as much 
soft soap as I wish, and never have them to shrink or 
fade. Try it some of you when you have soft white 
flannels that you do not want spoiled. 
M. J. Young. 
CARD CASE. 
Take a piece of perforated cardboard, say eight 
inches square, worked around the edges with zephyr 
(leaving one hole from the edge), notches one inch 
deep; work another niece of cardboard half an inch 
j deep, say nine inches long and three inches wide ; hind J 
all the edges with ribbon or silk, using the same color 
as you do zephyr. Fasten the small piece of card- 
hoard across the large one, making it so it will hang 
in the shape of a diamond; sew both ends down on 
the large piece, and directly in the middle, making a 
AH HOUR-GLASS STAND. 
I suppose I may tell you of my hour-glass stand, 
which has been very useful to me. It is simply a 
cheese box aud lid, with a strong upright piece of 
proper length or height between, small castors screwed 
on below, anu a covering of plain calico. I have also 
made an ornament to hang up in a window, or where- 
ever preferred. Mine is in the centre of a lace lam¬ 
brequin. 
One of my neighbors, one day, said to one of my 
little girls, “ What have you in your window ? They 
look for all the world like bunches of grapes.” 
I made them of old kid gloves by stuffiing the fingers 
with cotton, filling in enough to form one grape, then 
tying close up and firmly; and so continued, one 
against another, until fingers and thumbs were all 
filled, without cutting apart. If desirable, and you 
have old kids enough, these grapes can he made to 
resemble the remarkable specimens about which we 
have read that the spies brought over from the land of 
Canaan. 
Strong brown paper wall answer for leaves, with 
wire for stems; the tendrils are made of wire, also 
twisted into natural shape; the bunches are tied into 
as natural shape and size as possible, then painted 
with several coats of green paint (I think about five 
cents worth). The brush for the paint I made by 
tying a, hunch of short bristles, which were left off my 
air-castle, very tightly to a stick for handle. 
Mary Paster. 
