$4a,3ies’ S’tornt BudSiaet mn,3 J^ictoimt 
*onie feompojiioii. 
NEW YORK, NOVEMBER, 1876. 
HOW TO UTILIZE ANT OLD PITCHER. 
As the time approached that we devote to the cele¬ 
bration of the birth of the Christ-child, we desired to 
brighten np the house-furnishings. We had brought 
our orange and lemon trees in, and set one on eacli 
side of the hearth. We prize these, as we have raised 
them from the seed, and they have now attained the 
height of five feet or more, with fine bushy tops. In 
the fall, when we removed them from the spot they 
had occupied all the summer, we found the long tap¬ 
root had penetrated the bottom of the heg, and entered 
the earth to the depth of six or eight inches. They 
had often drooped during the previous summer, and 
had needed to be watered frequently, and this summer 
they had flourished uncommonly. We found they had 
escaped from their prison-bounds and gone foraging 
for themselves, verifying the old adage: “Help your¬ 
selves and your friends will help you.” The kegs 
were formerly paint-kegs, made of oaken staves and 
bound with iron, like Woodworth’s “Old oaken, moss- 
covered, iron-bound bucket that hung in the well.” 
Just here we will say a good way to get rid of any 
extraneous paint within the keg is to put a few live 
coals in and roll it about; when it is well on fire, and 
you fear the keg will burn up, turn it bottom up. It 
works well. We have tried it. 
The door-sills and window-sashes were repainted; 
vases and hanging-baskets looked beautifully with 
fresh autumn decorations. We hung up a bracket 
made in this wise. Cutting the back out of an old 
pasteboard box, we took the cover, and where the rim 
was still firm we cut the shelf part and the support 
thereof. Cut notches in the rim part of the supporting 
piece an inch apart, turning every alternate piece back¬ 
wards after the manner of the paper-doll furniture. 
By sewing it on the back of the bracket it was firmly 
united; then served the shelf on; this needed no notch¬ 
ing, the rim being left entire on the underside. Then 
we sewed on the edges of the underside of the shelf, in 
a fringe-like position, a row’ of those hard, gray, shell- 
like fungi which grow 7 on old logs, fence-rails, etc. 
Another row turned backwards on each side of the 
support. Covered all the rest with beautiful green 
carpet-moss, which was pressed dry to preserve the 
color, and then raised a little by sprinkling with water 
and then confining under a glass. On the shelf we 
placed a group of chestnut-burrs, acorns, horse-chest¬ 
nuts, and one scarlet ball, the fruit of the Solanum, 
and sprinkled the whole with the berries of the straw- 
! berry-tree (euomjmous latifolia), a native of the woods 
in this latitude. Rising from behind the back, maiden¬ 
hair ferns, etc., which looked very pretty against the 
wall. 
Then we looked about us and saw a dull corner in 
this our sitting-room, where, placed corner-ways, the 
old time-keeper swings unceasingly its ticking pendu¬ 
lum. If anything should happen to it, we should miss 
its soft, silvery tones at the time of striking the hours, 
albeit we have never sufficiently venerated this ancient 
piece of furniture. It is an heirloom, manufactured 
one hundred and fifty years ago. It stands over six 
feet in height, in a fine, old, dark mahogany case, with 
silvered countenance; but has withal a dull appear¬ 
ance, as old things will have. In the sides near the 
top, which is a gothic archway, are oblongs of glass; 
these we had reglazed, and in one placed a spatter- 
work cross set in shaded fern-leaves; In the other a 
panel of black with white Hyacinth and Blue-bells. 
This we made with flowers, cut out and pasted on a 
black ground. 
Here is a pitcher, of graceful, vase-like form; not 
as ancient as the clock, but old enough to contain 
pleasant memories. A severe frost opened a crack on 
one side, so that it would hold no water, but it was 
still firm and handsome-looking. We made a quart- 
pan of common starch, and into it stirred, previously I 
wet with cold water, a table-spoonful of redding, such j 
as we use on the brick garden-walks, adding to this ' 
half a teaspoonful of unadulterated rose aniline. This 
was applied to the pitcher, the neck of which had a 
cravat of newspaper, and on the side a large oval 
patch of the same—this was neatly pasted with the 
starch before coloring. Before quite dry the newspa¬ 
per patches were removed, and a band of gilt paper 
substituted round the neck and edge of white oval. 
In the centre of the medallion v 7 as placed a delicately 
tinted picture (Tea Company’s Indian Queen), cut out 
from the card. Filled it to exuberance with grasses. , 
leaves, ferns, etc., placed it ou top of the old, old clock, 
and are no longer ashamed of the corner. 
Aunt Marian. 
P. S.—When you open oyster-cans, lay them flat 
down and cut out the entire upper side. Put away 
till you need boxes to jilant seeds in. Aunt M. 
ILLUSTRATION'S. 
The first page is illustrated with a pretty view of 
1 Constantinople and the Bosphorus. The scene is un- ; 
usually lovely, the minarets and Turkish residences 
' contrasting strongly with the glossy, green foliage. J 
| The foreground is a portion of a Moorish garden. 
On page 164 are several pretty designs of Hanging ! 
Baskets; one is made of rustic work, another is a tin 
can made over, the third sawed out of a fret saw pattern. ; 
On page 169, the littfe folks are helping mother to 
i stir the Thanksgiving Pudding. The little ones are 
; full of glee, hut the mother is thinking of old and dear 
ones who used to he at the thanksgiving dinner, hut 
j will never he with them again. 
On page 173, a sweet face is aglow 7 with bright 
j thoughts of “ over yonder,” and cheerful visions lead 
j her soul to think of its home beyond the skies. 
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COMPLIMENTS. 
We rarely publish any compliments since we prefer the Cabinet 
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of thousands of testimonials which How upon us every day. 
lean hardly wait for the month to pass by to get it, and I drop 
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line out.” 
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beautiful among my friends.” Mrs. C. Bristol, Milford. O. 
T assure you it affords me many hours of sincere pleasure. Its 
perusal is a perfect feast. I know of no paper that contains so much 
information and so many valuable suggestions in regard to beautify¬ 
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I have just learned how to express myself about it: it is what the 
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I hope to see the Cabinet enlarged; am willing to give double the 
price now paid A long, happy life to you, Mr. Editor, you make 
others so happy.” Miss L. T. Short. 
*1 
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