HOUSE AND GARDEN 
July, 1911 
To Prolong the Life of Leather 
EATHER furnishings from which the 
“life” has departed—in other words 
from which the gloss and firm texture has 
disappeared—will require special care to 
prolong their usefulness. The broad com¬ 
fortable leather couches, that have become 
more attractive as they have aged, to the 
householder who considers comfort only, 
may become very objectionable to the par¬ 
ticular housewife who deplores their 
growing dilapidation. 
A little understanding in the way of 
care may give them a new lease of life 
without interfering with their comfort¬ 
dispensing qualities. The couches and the 
big roomy leather chairs that are in con¬ 
stant use, need not be allowed to grow 
shabby. Their trimmings may have a 
persistent way of separating themselves 
from wood, but the practical housewife 
will find that they may be securely fast¬ 
ened by means of a paste made of melted 
India rubber mixed with shellac varnish. 
The leather can be kept from drying 
out and cracking, can be made to look 
almost like new, and can have its dura¬ 
bility greatly increased, by being washed 
occasionally with warm milk. A soft 
cloth wrung from a little warm milk— 
only a small portion will be required— 
should be rubbed thoroughly over every 
part of the couch or chair, covered with 
leather; and also over its trimmings. Then 
rub briskly with a dry cloth. This treat¬ 
ment will keep all leather furnishings pli¬ 
able and durable. 
Practical Bedroom Suggestions 
ABRICS for summer bedroom fur¬ 
nishings and trimmings need not 
necessarily be cretonne or the popular 
flowered cambrics. Some of the newer 
ideas display attractive and inexpensive 
jute tapestries and durable fabrics of 
striped cotton. These are not only used 
for window hangings and for bedspreads, 
and furniture coverings, as the cretonnes 
Three attractive designs in toweling. The 
right hand pattern is in shade of brown, 
and is appropriate for a child’s room 
One of the pretty flower 
designs in which the Jap¬ 
anese excel. The color is 
blue in varying shades 
are used, but they are also 
mounted as screens, and 
for covering foot-stools and 
shirt-waist boxes. 
A foot-stool in the bed¬ 
room is a convenience sel¬ 
dom found even in the 
well-equipped summer cot¬ 
tage. It is not only con¬ 
venient as a foot rest, when 
taking one's ease on the Sleepy Hollow bed¬ 
room chair, but it soon becomes a necessity 
when tested for every day use, in puttng 
on and taking off one's shoes. Then it is 
also decidedly convenient for moving 
about the room, and standing upon it for 
reaching high places in the daily dusting, 
for adjusting window shades and hang¬ 
ings, etc., etc. The best form is the little 
bench-shaped footstool about twelve in¬ 
ches high and twenty-four long. With 
the top board brought out flush with the 
end supports, and a narrow wooden strip 
of two-inch width, extending along the 
edge on both sides. The stool may be 
daintily and durably ornamented with the 
jute tapestry stretched over the top, and 
drawn down to cover the wooden strips, 
with a very narrow moulding to fin¬ 
ish it at the edge. 
A home-made shirt-waist box — prettier 
than the average canvass or wicker-cov¬ 
ered ones bought at the novelty stores — 
may be made of a norrow dry-goods box 
of convenient dimensions. Have the lid 
The animal patterns 
must be cut in the 
centre and reversed, 
with the design up¬ 
right. 
A sea-bird motif in black 
and blue. A beautiful ef¬ 
fect is obtained by the use 
of gilt on the wave crests 
securely hinged, and after 
placing castors at the four 
corners, cover the wood¬ 
work with the jute tapestry 
to match the foot-stool cov¬ 
ering every portion of the 
wood on top, ends, and 
sides, and finishing with 
the little strip of moulding 
on all the edges. The 
first essential in furnishing the little cot¬ 
tage bedrooms is to choose the furniture 
in proportion to the size and style of the 
room; to have only the necessary pieces 
for practical convenience, and to have the 
entire furnishing pretty and harmonious. 
A Banister Polish 
A DUEL grimy-looking banister railing, 
and nicks and scars along the lower 
sections of the banisters, will quickly give 
the appearance of neglect in caring for 
the woodwork of the home. A careless 
maid will soon get the banisters in an un¬ 
sightly condition in the weekly sweeping 
and dusting of the stair, unless the prac¬ 
tical housewife instructs her as to easy 
methods of keeping them attractive. Af¬ 
ter each sweeping it takes no longer than 
the usual dusting to wipe off the railing 
with a soft cloth wrung from hot suds; 
and at least once a month, both railing 
and banisters should be wiped with a 
flannel dipped in a polisher made of two 
parts linseed oil and one part turpentine. 
