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No close observer, who compares the homes of to¬ 
day with those of ten or fifteen years ago even, can 
fail to notice a most rapid and satisfactory advance 
in household art and taste. Those who remember 
the parlors of our childhood—with their formal ar 
rangement of furniture, their absence of anything 
which could tend to relieve the painful air of prim¬ 
ness and constraint—turn from the recollection with 
a smile and a sigh. 
More and more we are learning that our homes, if 
they are to be true 
homes at all, must ex¬ 
press our own taste and 
culture; not that of 
some one else. It must 
exhibit harmony, fit¬ 
ness to the family life 
and wants, if it is to be 
the means of culture 
and growth, which a 
real home spirit im¬ 
plies; an outward in¬ 
dex of true and earnest 
living which it is its 
highest office to foster 
and promote. Beau¬ 
tiful materials for home 
decoration are cheap and abundant, and direc¬ 
tions for their use are freely given. Our Floral 
Cabinet is an invaluable guide, and many will join 
me in acknowledging gratefully the pleasure and 
help they have derived from its pages. Some direc¬ 
tions for articles I have not seen here described may 
be of use to some one. 
Very useful vases or stands for the hall, designed 
FLOWER-STAND, OF CORK. 
white varnish. Place inside, to receive the droppings 
of umbrellas, a small tin basin, painted both inside 
and out; and this can be easily removed for cleaning. 
When all is done, you will have a handsome vase at 
very slight expense, which will be found both orna¬ 
mental and useful. 
Some pretty ottomans shown me lately were at¬ 
tractive enough to deserve description. They were 
about twelve inches square at the top and twelve 
smoothly in place; casters w> re added to the bottom; 
and a large tassel hung from each upper cover. Rem¬ 
nants of carpet for this purpose may be bought very 
cheaply, or any ornamented goods might be used in 
its place. 
The common printed woolen table-spreads may be 
made very pretty by outlining the figures and vein- 
ing the leaves of the pattern with coarse silk in 
chain-stitch. Various colors are used, the more strik¬ 
ing the contrast the better. A green and black spread, 
for instance, is greatly improved by chain-stitching 
the edges of the design with gold-colored silk. 
Another pretty way to make stand or table-covers 
is to use for the foundation ecru Turkish toweling 
Allow three inches all around for a raveled fringe; 
then just above this tack on three rows of dress- 
braid, scarlet, brown, and orange, one and one-half 
inches apart. Cat-stitch down the edges of the braid 
with silk, and between the lines of braid work feather¬ 
stitch in black silk or wool. A center-piece in ap¬ 
plique may be added, if wished; but the table-cover is 
very pretty without it. 
Turkish toweling seems to be well adapted to fancy, 
work purposes. Here is a rug made of the same con¬ 
venient material. A piece of the size you wish your 
mat has placed upon it, lengthwise and as far apart 
as the width of the strips, strips of blue or scarlet 
flannel, three or four inches wide. These are orna¬ 
mented before applying either in applique or by 
working on them some desirable pattern oyer coarse 
canvas, the threads of which are afterward to be 
pulled out. After these strips are nicely basted to 
position, lines of black braid, half an inch wide, are 
placed over these edges and cross-stitched on with 
gold colored silk. Similar bands are placed acrossthe 
ends of the rug, and the whole is bordered with a 
heavy worsted cord fringe. Such a mat, laid by the 
bedside or before the commode, forms a pleasing addi¬ 
tion to any bedroom. 
Alice M. West. 
ILLUSTATIONS OF THE MONTH. 
DESIGN FOR A LAWN SETTEE. 
inches high; but different from the ordinary box ot¬ 
toman, in that each side was an inch narrower at the 
bottom than at the top, thus removing the clumsy 
look they usually have. The sides of those men 
tinned were covered smoothly with tappstry carpet, 
tacked on with brass-headed nails. The covers, first 
hinged and cushioned, were covered with the same. 
The inside was lined with paper muslin, tacked 
Upon page 1 is one of the most beautiful sketches of 
Lake Scenery in the Rocky Mountains. It is a charm¬ 
ing body of water in Southwestern Colorado, called 
Cliff Lake, and the mass of rock and mountain rising 
up directly from its shores is named Bristol Head. 
These form a portion of Antelope Park, a most charming 
valley, full of verdure and flowers. Colorado possesses 
such lakes and parks in great abundance, and it is be¬ 
coming the most noted region for famous scenery in 
America. 
The illustration of an English Villa Flower Garden 
and a Fountain in an English Park show some of the 
elegancies which characterize the English love and way 
for rural decoration. This garden is at Stoke Roch- 
ford, near Grantham, England, and the reader will 
notice the elegant lawn and flower-beds on the terrace, 
with borders and lovely evergreens. Upon this page is a 
sketch of a little article, a Flower Stand, made of Cork. 
There is an article sold in the English markets called 
Virgin Cork, which is easily cut and molded into a 
great variety of shapes and forms very unique rustic 
hanging baskets and stands. 
The Lawn Settee can be imitated by any one who 
will hunt up the rustic legs in the woods. 
Upon pages 9 and 13 the joys of children are personi¬ 
fied in their love for the fields and their devotion to 
papa’s comfort. 
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