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MERRY CHRISTMAS ! HOW WE EN¬ 
JOYED IT. 
A FEW HINTS FOR OUR YOUNG FOLKS. 
Two oi- three weeks since, one of my numerous 
little nieces came in to visit me. She wore a very 
perplexed and distressed face, and upon my inquiring 
the wherefore, informed me that “ she had only two 
dollars and a half with which to purchase her Christ¬ 
mas presents; for Father, Mother, Aunt Bessie, her 
two ‘ hig sisters,’ Dick, and little Birdie.” This was 
truly a formidable number to be furnished from so 
small a sum; but Aunt Carry put on her thinking-cap, 
and after much consideration gave her the directions 
and hints furnished below. I will not take time and 
space to write all the pleasant talk we had over our 
work, but will go right on to give, in as few words as 
possible, the result. First, though, I will state that I 
have no doubt but the fancy articles and flower-seeds, 
mentioned in this article, may be purchased in many 
other places besides the one named, and that I only 
give' that establishment in full because I have found it 
a reliable one, and, also, that I feel sure that many 
persons in the country do not know, often, where to 
send for certain things. A friend in Boston, sending 
me a package of flower-seeds, Gould’s Catalogue 
accompanied it, and hence my first knowledge of his 
store. The seed (by the way) was pure and good, 
and the plants I mention in one of the directions came 
from it. My first suggestion to my little friend was to 
take a pencil and make out a list of articles, according 
to my directions, which I felt sure she could purchase 
for two dollars. She did so, and in the course of a few 
days the package came promptly to hand, from Gould’s, 
20 Bromfield Street, Boston, containing much more 
than was ordered. Then, after procuring white glue, 
10 cents; copal varnish, 25 cents; brass-headed nails, 
25 cents ; burnt umber, 5 cents; and demar varnish, 
we commenced operations. We had decided on the 
following articles: for father, a paper-case, to hold 
his Agriculturist, etc.; for mother, a foot-stool and 
shoe-box; for sister Ruth, a hanging-basket; for 
Aunt Mary, a set of framed pictures; for sister Ethel, 
comb-case and cornucopia for hair-pins; for Dick, a 
scrap-book, well stocked; and for the little sister, a 
doll’s bedstead and chair. 
Paper-Case. —Take a thin board, which, cut into a 
graceful shape, for the back, and cover with black 
glazed muslin, by gluing carefully around the edges; 
paste gilt paper neatly; make a front pocket, two- 
thirds as high as back, of strong paste-board, covered 
also with black glazed muslin; make triangular pieces, 
for the ends, of strong muslin, covered like the back 
and front, or of morocco; binding all with the gilt pa¬ 
per ; finish with cord and tassels, if available, or simply 
with loop at the top; ornament with a scene in decal- 
comanie, or a pretty paper picture, on the front of back 
and on pocket; varnish with clear or demar varnish. 
Footstool and Shoe-case. —Obtain a square box 
(rather over a foot each way) with lid, which fasten 
on with small hinges; rub the sides smooth with fine 
sand-paper and stain with dissolved burnt umber 
(dissolve in vinegar), when dry, polish with wet flannel 
dipped in powdered pumice-stone, rub well with dry 
cloth and ornament with a bouquet, on each of the sides, 
of decalcomania; put four drawer-knobs on the bottom 
corners—screwing from within—for feet; line with 
colored muslin or paper; cover the lid with coarse 
cloth and stuff with moss, fine-cut paper, or any sub¬ 
stance convenient; tack firmly down and cover top 
with a piece of Berlin embroidery, carpet, furniture 
rep, or any material desired ; finish with gimp, put on 
with gilt nails, and fasten a loop with which to raise 
the lid. With the sides varnished with clear varnish, 
this is a beautiful foot-stool. 
A Home-made Basket, or Case, for Plants. —Those 
who have kept birds for any length of time know how 
the bottom of the cages wear out, and, finally, render 
the whole cage useless. Take the upper or wire por¬ 
tion of such bird-cage ; and, having procured a strong- 
board to fit the bottom, make an edge or lattice-work 
for it from the wires of an old hoop-skirt; this is done 
by taking off, with a sharp-pointed instrument, all the 
clasps, etc., but leaving the cotton covering; shape as 
many pieces as will go around the board, by merely 
cutting pieces of the proper length, putting the ends 
together and fastening tightly with wire or spool 
thread ; fasten to a straight piece of the hoop, sufficient 
to go around the board; between these pieces place 
smaller pieces by putting the ends of the pieces to the ■ 
centre and fastening as before; paint brown, or any 
other color, and varnish with copal; when dry, place 
on it a pan filled with light earth, with a pot in the 
centre also filled; plant in them any free-growing 
trailer. The case here mentioned had slips of the 
so-called Wandering Jew (Tradescantia Yiridis and 
Zebrina), Ivy-leafed Geranium (La Elegante), and 
German Ivy, with two roots of Madeira Vine, planted 
in pan and pot November 5th, and to-day, December 
6th, the cage is almost covered with the green branches 
which are shooting through the wires and falling over 
the bottom. By Christmas, 1 think, the sprays will 
be long enough to droop at some length, and then it 
will be a beautiful object, suspended from a hook like 
a bird cage. Fasten the cage to the board with wire 
put through gimblet holes in the board. 
Brush or Comb Case and Cornucopia for Hair 
Pins. —Take the paste-board from old boxes, or the 
cheap blue kind of the shops; cut a bottom two-thirds 
longer than wide, and round off the comers; cut a 
back one-half longer than the pocket, making the 
pocket long enough to go around the bottom and meet 
the back ; pink the top of pocket and line with table 
oil-cloth ; pink also the top of back above the pocket, 
and line lower part as deep as the pocket with the 
oil-cloth; sew pocket to the bottom and the back, and 
both line the back with paper and hide the stitches 
with binding of gilt paper; select two card pictures, 
pink the edges, after cutting them of suitable size for 
front of back and pocket, make holes through both, 
on sides and bottom, and tie on firmly with gay rib¬ 
bons ; fasten ribbon bows and loop for hanging at 
the back. The Cornucopia is made to match the 
above of a triangular piece of card, also pinked on 
edge and with pictures with edges pinked tied on front 
and front of back with ribbons. These cards, put on 
in this way, answer for slipping combs in and other 
articles used about the toilet. A “ catch-all,” perfume 
box, powder box, handkerchief and glove, cases may 
be made to match in the same way. If the card¬ 
board used is not clean and white it must be covered 
with bronze or other paper. The pinking is a beauti¬ 
ful finish to any stiff substance, and an iron that can 
be procured for fifty cents is invaluable in a family. 
Little Cliromos in Colored Straw Frames. —Ex¬ 
quisite “ chromos ’ —so-called—of landscapes, flowers, 
groups, etc., can be obtained for fifty and sixty cents 
per dozen. Colored straws, scarlet, crimson, green, 
yellow, gilt, brown, bismarck, buff, and black, for five 
cents per bunch. These frames are made by sewing 
the straws together in clusters of six, more or less, and 
then putting together, the two sides crossing the ends; 
sew or glue firmly and ornament with bows or rosettes 
of straw on the four corners. These ornaments are 
made by soaking a few straws, for a minute or two, 
splitting open one side and pressing flat, then fold 
together in loops; place the picture on the frame with 
a few stitches in each corner, hidden by the rosettes. 
A Home-made Scrap Book .—Take the back of an 
old Atlas, or other large book, and place within it 
sufficient leaves to rather more than half fill it—news¬ 
papers will answer if care is taken to cover the entire 
page with pictures, ornaments, or reading matter. 
As the little boy in question was rather small, the 
book here mentioned was filled; but, if desirable, the 
contents can be given loosely and much amusement 
afforded by arranging the contents. Every short and 
interesting story and pictures from old magazines and 
papers, riddles, anecdotes, puzzles, charades, and, 
indeed, all sorts of things are suitable for these scrap 
books, but above all, that which adds the crowning 
glory, the exquisite pictures sold for this special pur¬ 
pose. The back should be covered with dark or 
bright colored cloth, with the back neatly'covered, as 
in new books. Then, the name of the recipient and 
scrap book, with other adornment in gilt, either cut or 
embossed, or, which is far better, the beauties that 
come in decalcomanie. 
A Doll's Bedstead and Chair .—Take a box of the 
desired length, and, after rubbing smooth, stain in 
imitation of blackwalnut; put on pretty pictures 
suitable for a child; make an edge of the arches, 
made of hoop-skirt wires, covering the places joined 
with thread with little slips of gilt or silver paper (the 
head-board should be rather higher than the sides); 
make feet by screwing on knobs of drawers; varnish the 
whole with clear varnish and then furnish with bed and 
mattress, pillow, etc. Any little girl null take delight in 
furnishing such a bed with ruffled cases, pretty quilts, 
etc. The chair is made of an oyster, or small nail-keg 
sawed out, and covered with pretty chintz, like the 
barrel chairs, first stuffing the back and bottom. 
As it may appear almost incredible to many, I will 
name the articles my little friend purchased for her 
two dollars: two sheets decalcomanie, viz.: two large 
scenes, four bouquets, and two sheets suitable for 
children; one dozen small chromos, lovely landscapes, 
bouquets,beautiful heads, children, etc., in soft colors; 
three bundles colored straws, brown, crimson and 
j gilt; five sheets embossed pictures; one dozen card 
chromos; five sheets scrap-book pictures; besides, a 
dozen beautiful little flags. These colored straws cannot 
be too highly recommended for fancy work of various 
kinds, and the pictures named are certainly exquisite, 
j I should be glad to tell our young friends of many beau¬ 
tiful and economical articles that can be made, but 1 
have encroached too far already. Aunt Carry. 
floral enigma. 
COMPOSED OF 47 LETTERS. 
My 37, 12, 11, 34, 7, 9, from the leaf of tills plant the 
capital of the Corinthian column is derived. 
“ 5, 16, 43, 39, 45,14, is a graceful ornamental plant. 
“ 19, 41, 42, 3, 13, 27, 17, 4, 32, 9, is a double im¬ 
perial pink. 
“ 26, 3, 20, 9, 1, 38, 37, 40, 24, an ornamental 
perennial. 
“ 6, 23, 2, 15, 7, 33, is an autumn flowering plant. 
“ 35, 36, 34, 18, 21, 45, 44, is a carmine pelargo¬ 
nium, spotted with crimson. 
“ 18, 7, 23, 30, 11, 40, 31, 10, 46, 31, 12, 9, 5, is a 
lantana. 
“ 16, 4, 12, 22, 7, 11, 25, 8, 13, 30, 34, 11, 15, 24, 
6, a cherry rose. 
“ 10, 9, 29, 22, 40, 47, 32, 23, a beautiful plant 
with velvet leaves. 
My whole is a welcome visitor. J. A. Graves. 
Gif 
