110 
THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
three-quarters to one inch in width. Bore a hole in the 
top of the frame to run the ribbon through by which you 
should suspend it, and cut notches in one of the upper 
corners around which a narrow ribbon to hold the pencil 
should be tied. Gild the frame with liquid gilding and 
paste a handsome birthday card on one side of the slate, 
if it is intended for a birthday gift. Where one can paint 
it is much handsomer to paint a bunch of flowers instead 
of using the card decoration ; such wayside beauties as 
golden-rods and asters are very prettily grouped together, 
or lilies-of-the-valley, as shown in our illustration. On 
the useful side of the slate paste a strip of white paper 
about one-third the width and the entire length if needed ; 
on this paper should be plainly written or printed a list of 
such articles as are generally sent to’the laundry, so that 
all one has to do in making up their wash-list is to mark 
the number on the slate opposite the enumerations. 
Where it is not needed for this purpose, it will be found 
very convenient for jotting down engagements or keeping 
a memorandum. It also makes a nice present for a young 
physician who is not likely to have use for more than one 
side of a slate. 
The Children’s Room. 
A FTER the woodwork had received the final coat of 
delicate blue-gray paint, the dainty pale pink wall¬ 
paper was hung; the gilded rose-strewn borders were 
added, and a starry airy ceiling hung above. But such a 
very little bit of money remained to be devoted to new 
furnishings ! and, how commonplace seemed the old yel¬ 
low set which had done faithful service in the old house! 
But fertile brains solved the problem of its renovation, and 
busy skillful hands effected a wonderful transformation. 
Four inches sawed from the legs of the bedstead made it 
low enough to suit the childish occupants. Bedstead, bu¬ 
reau and washstand were then thoroughly sandpapered and 
given two coats of paint, like that used on the woodwork 
of the room. When dry, they were decorated with grace¬ 
ful sprays and vines of wild-roses (painted in oils). The 
carpet was a well-worn, darned and patched ingrain, of 
dark maroon, but its transparency was visible only on the 
line at the annual spring cleaning. The curtains, counter¬ 
panes and pillow-shams for the little beds were made of 
open-striped, creamy scrim. The open work in this ma¬ 
terial strongly resembles drawn work, and shows the color 
laid underneath prettily—it is wide, washes well, and costs 
qut twenty cents a yard. 
The cherry rods on which the curtains were hung, har¬ 
monized nicely with the rest of the furnishings, and de¬ 
serve a special notice of all home decorators of taste and 
small means. These poles, with others of ebony, walnut, 
ash and mahogany, were secured at the absurdly small 
cost of twenty-five cents per window. This for a pole 
five feet in length, rings, brackets and ends complete. 
Aside from the artistic effect secured by using them for 
curtain-hanging, they are a comfort and convenience at 
all times to the housekeeper, on account of their easy 
adjustment. 
Two low book-cases were cheaply constructed by a 
neighboring carpenter ; stories of “ Little Women,” “ Lit¬ 
tle Men,” and histories adapted to little people found 
places on the shelves. A low table was made of a dry- 
goods box (shelved, to hold stories of juvenile literature 
also), and draped prettily with cretonne. Two box otto¬ 
mans were achieved in a like manner for the reception of 
tiny books and slippers. A microscope, a magic lantern, 
and a colony of dolls had to be provided for in this estab¬ 
lishment ; and after the small owners had arranged their 
“ card collections ” to their entire satisfaction, and stowed 
their respective belongings into their closets and drawers, 
they were a very contented pair indeed. 
Lucia M. Harvey. 
Brush and Comb Case. 
O NE skein of blue aqd one-quarter of a skin of pink 
saxony will furnish sufficient material from which 
to crochet the case. Begin with two stitches, single cro¬ 
chet, taking up the back of each stitch to give a ribbed 
appearance, and widen one stitch on each end until you 
have eighty stitches, or the width the same as the length 
of your brush ; then crochet the case, without widening, 
sixteen inches long. Turn up the square end to the depth 
of five inches and sew the sides together. One inch above 
this fasten a crocheted strip deep enough to form a pocket 
for the comb, and the same distance above this another 
for the tooth-brush. Crochet, all around the case and 
across the tops of the pockets, shells composed of seven 
stitches, and border them with the pink saxony. Line 
the pockets with thin rubber cloth or oiled silk. Ribbons 
are fastened to the point of the case to tie around it when 
rolled up. 
These cases are especially adapted for traveling uses, 
and will be found to be very pretty and convenient. , 
M. 
MANTLES AND BONNETS FOR EARLY SPRING. 
M ANTLES are generally made quite short in the back, 
reaching only a little distance below the waist line, 
the sleeves square, as in many of the small winter wraps ; 
dolman sleeves are also used, or the wrap may be cut to 
simply fold over the arm. The fronts are rather long, 
and may be either square or terminate in a point. The 
new wool laces gathered in full frills are a suitable trim¬ 
ming, and doubtless will prove more durable than the 
popular chenille fringes. New fringes are composed of 
chenille loops interspersed with silk tassels or jets. The 
wraps should be cut high in the neck with slight fullness 
at the shoulder-tips and the garniture extend up each 
side of the front, pass around the neck, and when square 
sleeves are made these only need be trimmed; a simple 
facing is deemed sufficient for the bottom of velvet or 
heavy satin wraps. 
