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FIRE-BOARDS 
The manner of forming these boards is to have a 
pine frame made that will fit closely into the chiin- 
Cover 
frame 
stout cotton 
made the evil is not so great; but when anything in 
the shape of fancy-work is eagerly seized on, and 
experimented with, .and henceforth has a place in 
the house, it is positively alarming. For in this 
way a house is soon filled with a multitude of arti¬ 
cles, many of which are neither useful nor ornamen¬ 
tal, but are the cause of much extra work in taking- 
care of them. With some this is carried so far that 
cloth; and if the Indian style is to be copied, 
cover with black glazed muslin or paper. Then 
procure a number of pictures of decaleomanie, 
or the German embossed pieces, which come in 
sheets; the greater the variety the better. Cut 
these all apart and fasten them carelessly upon 
the background. When these arc all dry var¬ 
nish with Demar, laying the screen flat and 
using thin varnish; when the first coat is 
dry give a second, being careful to keep from 
dust during the entire operation. Another 
style is made upon the same kind of frame, 
but instead of a muslin cover with net or 
tarlatan, upon which arrange the 
figures 
with gold spangles scattered between; fill 
the chimney with fine white-pine shavings; and 
place the screen in front. The appearance 
of the white shavings showing behind the black 
or colored gauze will be found extremely lovely 
and refreshing, presenting a pure, cool appear¬ 
ance, exceedingly appropriate during the hot 
weather. 
The frames for the Wedgwood boards are 
similar to those already described, but are cov¬ 
ered with white muslin, over which is pasted 
Fire-Board. 
To give you some idea of the excess to which she 
carried it, let me tell you that the first thing that 
greeted our eyes, hung conspicuously in the hall, was 
a mammoth wreath of worsted flowers, set in a 
heavy frame of pine cones. On entering the parlor 
what a bewildering sight met our gaze! In the 
farther corner hung a large cotton basket, under 
which stood a what-not which did not belie its name. 
On. one side of the room were two large pic¬ 
tures in Berlin wool-work, one a large white 
kitten, the other a fierce-looking dog. Oppo¬ 
site them hung a huge farmer’s wreath, made, 
as I suppose you all know, of various seeds. 
There was also a hunch of hair flowers framed, 
a specimen of feather flowers; these, with some 
portraits hung in shell and cone frames, com¬ 
pleted the wall decorations. On a marble- 
topped table was the inevitable white wax 
cross covered with flowers. The mantle held 
the usual number of straw-framed pictures, 
pansy mats with their accompaniments. And 
then the tidies of all kinds and descrip¬ 
tions ! One we remember in particular, as it se¬ 
riously disturbed our peace of mind for the 
time being. It was pinned to the back of a 
large black hair-cloth rocker opposite us. It 
was in thread crochet and represented some 
animal, but which or what animal we could 
not decide. Was it a wolf, a deer, a dog, or 
the famous missing link? It still remains 
a mystery. The windows did not escape, but 
were decorated (?) with paper crosses, doves of 
cotton-flannel, and pictures. Besides these, 
were the mats and rugs, ottoman and sofa- 
very evenly, and with great care, for fear of in¬ 
juring or marring the delicate surface, satin paper the house becomes positively hideous in the eyes of pillow; and when you learn that none ot them were 
of a Wedgwood blue gray, or a Palissy gray green. 
those who. do not share the passion. We have in 
uunnunnuncunnuunuunurunucnuunarjaDuannanD 
MODERATION IN DECORATION. 
“ Bv the way, the works of women are sym¬ 
bolical. We sew, sew, prick our fingers, dull 
our sight, producing what ? A pair of slippers, 
sir, to put on when you’re weary, or a stool to 
tumble over and vex you— 4 curse that stool! ’— 
or else at best a cushion, where you lean, and 
sleep, and dream of something we are not.” 
In the first place, we believe in fancy-work, 
and do all of it that is consistent with our other 
duties, taking pleasure in both the working and 
the work; but we also believe in temperance in 
all things, and think a little is needed in this 
direction as well as some others. Of course those 
who have experience in the work know how fasci¬ 
nating it is; and as fancy workers are notably in¬ 
dustrious, they soon form a habit which is hard to 
break. When only the best class of articles are 
Thirteen sheets of lace note-paper of five different mind a house we once visited, which was literally 
patterns are required, and some white embossed filled to overflowing with all sorts of specimens, and 
pictures; these are sometimes combined with 
the lace paper. Those parts of the sheets of 
embossed and lace paper which are to be used 
must be carefully and neatly cut out, keeping 
the parts exceedingly clean. The decorations 
are then painted upon the wrong side with 
mucilage, and fastened in position on the 
board. 
masterpieces, and some of them very ordinary, you 
may be able to imagine the effect. 
We believe, however, that fancy-work has its place 
in the house, and a place which nothing else can 
fill. There are many ornaments and convenien¬ 
ces which may he made that add much to the ap¬ 
pearance and comfort of the house. But how 
many things are made, and cost both time and 
money, when for the same amount we could pur¬ 
chase an engraving or really//he chromo, which 
would be much more desirable. For one dollar, 
or even less, we may procure a delicate bust in 
Parian ware. Many who think the}- cannot af¬ 
ford to buy one will spend twice that amount on 
a piece of fancy-work. And many take time 
for this work which should be used in improving 
the mind by reading or the body by exercise. 
Some take time which should be given to 
social or even religious duties. Let me say in 
conclusion that I do not consider this a grow¬ 
ing evil by any means, for there seems to be 
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Fire-Screen. 
in this respect, and, moreover, the girls of 
to-day are not so fond of the needle as their 
mothers were. S. E. Hi. 
the greater part of our hostess’ entertainment con¬ 
sisted in detailing the different processes of con¬ 
struction, with kind offers of patterns and any help 
she could give us in makin 
selves. 
Cheap Hanging-Basket. — Take an old- tin 
pan, punch a hole in the bottom, fill with soil, and 
encase in a wire frame coated with vermilion and 
the articles for our- beeswax and filled with moss. A strawberry gerani- 
i um will look beautiful in it. 
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