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Willow Seats for Steps 
MALL willow seats designed espe¬ 
cially for the stoops of city houses 
or for piazza steps are among the newer 
conveniences that promote outdoor com¬ 
fort. They are as substantially woven as 
are the willow chairs, and are like an or¬ 
dinary footstool in shape, except that they 
have legs at but one end. These legs rest 
on the lower step and support the front 
of the seat so that a firm level surface is 
had, and the seat fits snugly over the step. 
They are decidedly more comfortable 
than the straw mats sometimes used on 
The small willow seats are as substantial as 
chairs and yield as much comfort without 
taking up as much space 
steps and much cleaner than porch cush¬ 
ions, which are bound to collect more or 
less dirt. Several sizes are to be had with 
slight differences in the height of the legs 
and the depth of the seat, so that steps of 
varying width may be satisfactorily fitted. 
Their most attractive feature is that 
they are practically indestructible and can 
be used season after season. When soiled 
or worn looking they can be made to look 
as good as new with a coat or two of stain. 
; As pieces of furniture they are, of 
course, useful only during the warm sea¬ 
son, for their unusual shape does not per¬ 
mit of any indoor service, but they occupy 
so little space when stored away that they 
are of slight consideration when the dis¬ 
posal of the piazza furnishings for the 
winter is undertaken. 
Care of Screens 
HE durability of screens may be 
greatly increased by a little care. 
Store in a dry place — the attic is much to 
be preferred to the cellar under most cir¬ 
cumstances—and always clean thoroughly 
before putting away. Brush off all dust, 
repair any breaks, and if paint or varnish 
is required for the frames it is better ap¬ 
plied before storing for the winter. When 
this is thoroughly dried, brush over both 
wire and frame with kerosene. Frequently 
through the summer give them the same 
treatment—it may be quickly done with a 
broad paint brush and a small can of kero¬ 
sene. This cleans the wire of all dust and 
grease, prevents rusting, and proves dis¬ 
agreeable to flies as well. 
Brittany Pottery 
HERE are some charming peasant 
potteries to be had that are very 
unique, and for the housewife or hostess 
who wants something unusual nothing 
could be prettier for a breakfast or lunch¬ 
eon service or for an afternoon tea set. It 
might be possible even to collect a variety 
of pieces, enough for a dinner set, but one 
would experience some difficulty in doing 
this. 
The peasant potteries, of which the 
Brittany ware is perhaps the most charm¬ 
ing, are made by the peasants of various 
countries when the cold weather forces 
them to abandon their work in the field or 
on the water. The making of these pot¬ 
teries not being the principle occupation 
of the people and the time which they de¬ 
vote to its manufacture short, the quantity 
made is necessarily very limited. But even 
if little time is spent in the manufacture, 
none of them is without a certain beauty, 
which though crude is not without its 
artistic value. 
The headquarters for the manufacture 
of Brittany pottery is in the locality of 
Quimper, in the department of Finisterre, 
northwestern France. 
Brittany pottery has a high glaze, is 
made of heavy earthen ware and comes in 
various odd shaped pieces as well as the 
conventional plates, cups and saucers and 
bowls. The peasants originate new shapes 
each year, so that it is wise in buying to 
get all that one is apt to need at one time, 
at least of such pieces as cups and saucers 
and bowls, for the next season’s output of 
what is supposed to be the same thing may 
vary greatly in size and shape. 
Although all dishes which we consider 
necessary to a dinner set are not made in 
the Brittany pottery, there is quite a 
variety of dishes from which one may 
select those best adapted to one’s needs. 
There are plates of various sizes, charm¬ 
ing little cups which could never tip over, 
they are so squat. These have the quaint¬ 
est of designs: yellow flamingos, yellow 
birds, blue birds, roosters, quaint little 
ladies in full peasant skirts and peasant 
“Mr. and Mrs. Quimper” dressed in their 
quaint Brittany costume may be had on 
many of these pottery pieces 
caps, and little gentlemen in full breeches 
and broad brimmed hats. Each piece is 
signed with the initials of the artist and 
the name of the place where it is made, 
H. B. Quimper being a signature that is 
often seen. The signature often forms 
part of the design, and being placed under 
the little lady and gentleman, as it fre¬ 
quently is, it appears as if it were their 
name. I call them “Mr. and Mrs. Quim¬ 
per.” 
Though the design on each article varies, 
many arrangements of line — convention¬ 
alized flowers, birds and people being the 
motifs — all harmonize, for the same gen¬ 
eral style of design is followed in each. 
Blues and yellows are the predominating 
colors, with reds, greens and oranges. 
Some are very vivid in coloring and others 
are soft in tone. Blues, yellows and reds 
for the colors of a breakfast or afternoon 
(178) 
