^TCLtlies" Starui fexEiiiei uut! ^Pictorial ffiansie iBaHi[maiaii. 
Was ever a haven of rest and comfort to her chil¬ 
dren. Her constant effort was to make it cozy, fresh, 
and bright; feeling amply repaid when she knew 
that it was the “ dearest spot on earth ” to us. Dur¬ 
ing the absence of any of us from home, she would 
take such an interest in having a surprise awaiting 
us in some new ornament. And what a bustle every 
one would be in on the day of our return, trying to 
make home as attractive as possible. And she had 
her reward ; for as long they lived—even after they 
had pleasant homes of their own—the hearts of my 
brothers would turn toward home and “ mother’s 
room,” feeling when they got there perfect content. 
Since I had a family of my own my highest aim 
has been to follow in her footsteps; and I thank you, 
dear Cabinet, and all other papers published for the 
same purpose, for the good influence you have exert¬ 
ed in helping us to utilize the beautiful tilings so 
bountifully scattered around us by a loving Father, 
in making our homes attractive, and thereby adding 
to our happiness. 
But to my subject. In my efforts to render “ my 
room” attractive to my children I always have used 
a few flowers ; would take such out of my pit as look¬ 
ed prettiest, or were blooming, and set the pots on 
some shelves I had made across the south win¬ 
dows ; but the heated and dry air would injure 
them so that in a short time they would cease to give 
pleasure. So a few winters ago I concluded to try 
the effect of glass doors in shutting them off from 
such hurtful influences. I set an old bookcase, with 
the back taken off, against a window; took out some 
of the shelves, filled the remaining ones with flowers, 
kept the front doors closed. My plants flourished 
beautifully, and were such a source of delight to my 
husband that he declared we must have a permanent 
arrangement, that we would feel was a part of the 
room itself. So for my next winter’s “ Christmas 
gift ” he had the south windows made into inside bay- 
windows, which was an easy matter, as the chimney 
is built inside the house, and all time was required 
was to run a facing or partition across from each 
side of the chimney to the wall, making a kind of 
closet furnished with shelves and glass doors. But I 
assure you no closet ever gave half the pleasure that 
our “window conservatory” (as we call it) gives us. 
It had been our habit to have our blinds closed the 
first thing after supper; both to secure us from pry¬ 
ing eyes outside, and because we felt a greater sense 
of comfort and snugness within. But we soon de¬ 
cid'd those blinds must not be closed, for we could not 
bear to miss the dear pleasure and delight of seeing 
the first morning light shining through the beautiful 
green, and the flowers, which seem friends and in¬ 
mates of our home, in their smiling greeting serve to 
lift our thoughts above the cares of life. 
The children hurry to get in early so they can see 
the beautiful tracery of the vines photographed upon 
the outside window-panes by the mist or frost, and 
each new bud is the occasion of a family party being 
formed to discuss its beauties and wonders. I firmly 
believe that my husband, children, and myself would 
be willing to give up half of the house rather than 
be without “ our windows.” 
Another expedient for making home attractive is 
to light up early and well. I do not close my blinds 
until after dark, and always feel that the bright glow 
within cheers my husband and boys who are com¬ 
pelled to be out of doors at that hour. An old lady 
! friend, who has no daughters, said to me not long ago, 
“ When dark approaches I always go to the door 
and look up toward your house; your light looks so 
bright and cheerful.” I felt pleased that I could add 
some cheer to her heart, let it be ever so little. 
HOUSEHOLD DECORATIONS, 
We clip the following suggestions from the pages 
of the Art Interchange , as valuable hints from an 
authority which cannot be doubted in matters of this 
nature: 
SILK RAG CURTAINS. 
A curtain can be made of scraps of silk which 
will be very effective if woven in with a proper re¬ 
gard for the color effect. It is necessary to cut the 
silk into strips about half an inch wide (a little more 
or less makes no difference), either straight or on 
the bias. Sew the pieces together strongly, and roll 
into balls, keeping each color and sliadc in a ball by 
itself. Pieces of narrow ribbon, old cravats and 
sashes, old waists of dresses, in fact, every scrap of 
silk can be made of use, whether soiled or fresh. 
After making a number of balls, send them to a rag- 
carpet weaver, who will weave them for about 
twenty-five cents a yard. It will take one and a half 
pounds of silk to make a yard of material three- 
quarters of a yard wide, which is the width of al¬ 
most all looms. If the balls of silk are given to 
the weaver with directions how to place the colors, 
and the width the stripes are desired, the stuff when 
finished will have a very handsome effect, and is 
very heavy and suitable for portieres, curtains, rugs, 
or table-cloths. 
MANTEL LAMBREQUIN. 
Indian embroidery may be transferred to a back¬ 
ground of deep maroon plush, or sage-green velvet, 
and embroidered down with point-russe in colored 
filoselle. A mantel lambrequin, done in this way, 
makes a superb piece of color in the room, and 
transforms the commonplace marble chimney-piece 
into a thing of beauty, especially when shelves of 
ebonized wood, backed by the same plush, are added 
to the chimney-breast, and serve to contain all one’s 
choicest bits of Venice glass, Dresden china, minia¬ 
tures, and old Satsuma. 
CURTAIN BORDERS. 
Curtain borders may bo worked upon greenish 
blue serge, with an applique vine of oranges and 
leaves, or sunflowers, and stiff, conventional foliage. 
The curtains should be of a deeper tone of the same 
green blue. The patterns used are cut out of man¬ 
darin yellow cloth on serge, with two shades of j 
green for the leaves, all buttonholed on with ■ 
crewels. The stems may be worked with several 
strands of coarse crewels. Such blooms as poinset- \ 
tins and amaryllis look well adapted to the border 
of a curtain. Bold designs in outline work are 
satisfactory for this purpose. 
There is no direction in which the active energies 
of women need guidance and assistance more than 
in their efforts in decorating their homes. The pre¬ 
sent wild rage for decorating everything and any¬ 
thing, which has been so keenly satirized in Scrib¬ 
ner's Monthly in the illustration of the week’s wash, 
geometrically arranged upon the clothes-line, has led 
to- most ludicrous and lamentable results. Flat-irons 
have been pressed into service as easels, and horse¬ 
shoes promoted to ornaments for the drawing-room, 
while the latest freak has transformed huge dinner- 
pots, swung upon three poles after the manner of 
the gipsies, into a lawn vase for rare plants. These 
frightful affairs are painted bright scarlet, and sug¬ 
gest no other idea than that of boiling the beautiful 
flowers they contain. 
That such things should ever obtain sufficiently 
to become fashionable, is sad evidence that the zeal 
exhibited in the cause is not according to knowledge. 
The society draws a sharp line of distinction be¬ 
tween decorative; art and fancy-work, a distinction 
of which many ladies seem to be wholly ignorant. 
It is this ignorance which has given rise to so many 
absurd and useless fancies. The sense of fitness is 
one of the first elements of beauty, and there is such 
an apparent incongruity between the associations of 
such homely things as flat-irons, and dinner-pots, 
and the ornaments of a boudoir, that it would seem 
impossible any one should be insensible to it. De¬ 
corative art ought to be confined to such articles of 
use or luxury as are of serviceable character, and 
can never be worthily bestowed upon what is in its 
very nature of such fragile texture as must inevita¬ 
bly be speedily destroyed. Nothing which can be 
done mechanically, without thought or appreciative 
purpose, comes under the title of art at all. There 
must be scope for original talent and taste, and to 
be true art there must be adaptedness to its pur¬ 
pose. Ornament in excess, improperly placed, or of 
inferior merit is always offensive to good taste, for 
the reason that it seems an impertinence, it is not 
necessary, and therefore, as our French cousins 
would say, no raison litre. 
Hanging-Basket.—To make a pretty hanging- 
basket take a wooden bowl, bore it full of half inch 
holes about two inches apart, fill it with soil, lay a 
board over it, and turn it upside down. Plant in 
each hole what is called “ old lieu and chickens” 
reverse the bowl, suspend it by three chains, plant 
German and Kenilworth Ivy with a Geranium 
for centre. Each old hen will soon bo surrounded 
with little ones till the bowl will be a solid mat, and 
the vines will do their part, too, if you give it a 
dip in the rain-barrel every evening. Try it, ladies, 
and you will be surprised. ’Tis prettier than rustic 
or moss baskets. 
J. Marion S, 
To Destroy the Cabbage-Worm.—Mix pepper 
and coal-ashes together, and sprinkle the mixture 
over the plants in the morning while the dew is on. 
This has been tried and found verv successful. 
