THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
01 
waist together with No. 80 black cotton. Cut your 
darts open before basting up. Try on first with the 
seams outside, as it’s easier to make alterations if any 
are needed. If it fits all right, pull out the white or 
first bastings (as it is easier to get them out before the 
waist is stitched). Cut every seam at the waist line 
nearly as far in as it is sewed. Press all of the seams 
open. Face the buttonhole side with a piece of silk 
(you can save odd and half-worn pieces for that). The 
buttonholes work much easier and wear better. Heavy 
or thick goods need no cording for the arm-hole, but 
it is better to use cording for thin materials. When 
you get a sleeve pattern that fits your arm, keep it. 
Fashion does not necessitate a new sleeve pattern with 
every dress, but the sleeve needs to be fitted as well as 
the waist. It is impossible to get rid of all the ful¬ 
ness in the back of the sleeve, unless it’s tight-fitting, 
and with a tight-fitting sleeve you want to move your 
arms no more than is necessary. Your shoulder seam 
should come to the tip of your shoulder always. 
Measure the length of your elbow (as well as the length 
of your arm); sec that you cut your sleeve accord¬ 
ingly, as there is a great deal of difference in the 
length of people’s elbows. In putting a sleeve together, 
baste the inside seam first and lay the sleeve out 
smoothly, fold over the upper side, and pin the back 
seam together before basting, so as to be sure it is 
straight and smooth. If your sleeve draws in any 
^vay, it will not fit well. In fitting a sleeve, place the 
arm straight at the side, draw on the sleeve and fasten 
with a pin at the shoulder seam and pin it all around 
the arm-hole, then fold the arm up and back again 
until the sleeve looks smoothly and feels comfortable. 
The seams in the sleeve should be under just far 
enough to be out of sight. 
Experience. 
SPRING BONNETS. 
Among the styles recommended for spring bonnets, 
the poke, in its varieties, still claims pre-eminence, 
though in somewhat modified shapes, being smaller 
than those worn last year, and many of them having 
the brim and the crown on the same level. These bon¬ 
nets are of satin braids, serviceable-looking Milan straws, 
and fine English split straws, though chips will be worn 
by those for whom a light bonnet is a necessity. They 
are shown in their natural cream tint, but most of them 
are in colors, the preference seeming to be for the reds 
and browns in both light and dark shades. 
Trimmings are massed in clusters on top of the bon¬ 
net, and are composed of many looped bows of ribbon 
from one to two inches wide, of either velvet faced with 
satin or repped ottoman : few handsome bonnets being 
trimmed with either the bias velvet or silk cut from the 
piece. 
Feathers do not promise to be as popular as hereto¬ 
fore. Flowers made of velvet and silk will be used in¬ 
stead, and arranged in very thick clusters, their leaves 
and stems being quite a prominent feature in the mass. 
Roses will not be used as much as the smaller flowers, 
bunched in half-wreaths and clusters, Geraniums, Vio¬ 
lets, Heliotrope or Verbenas sometimes forming the 
entire front of bonnets whose crowns are composed of 
straw, lace or silk. The most popular white flowers 
will be Lilacs, Syringas, Marguerites and Thistles. 
Brims of these bonnets are either lined with plain 
velvet cut bias, or else with clusters of flowers or 
frills composed of lace, in colors, or black or white, 
as one’s taste may dictate as suited to the other colors 
of which the bonnet is composed, or which is most 
becoming to the wearer. 
Round hats are of varied shapes, those with sailor 
crowns and slightly rolled brims promising to be the 
most sought after. 
Short mantles in visite shape will be the choice for 
dressy wraps for early spring. 
HOUSE-GLEANING. 
BY MRS. C. G. HERBERT. 
The season is now approaching which is dreaded by 
most housekeepers, and to which all the gentlemen of 
the house feel like applying the quotation, “The mel¬ 
ancholy days are come, the saddest of the year,” as a 
very mild expression of their sentiments—the season 
when the house must be cleansed and rearranged from 
cellar to garret. Under the most favorable circum¬ 
stances house-cleaning makes great demands upon the 
nervous as well as the muscular system, and it should 
he the aim of the careful housewife to see that all the 
operations are performed with as little discomfort as 
possible. Good fires should be kept up even though 
doors and windows must be open, and more than ordi¬ 
nary attention should be given to the provision of nu¬ 
tritious food at regular intervals. It is not necessary 
that there shall be such a general overturning all at 
once that those members of the household who do not 
participate shall feel that “ dire confusion reigns," and 
that there is not even one room that does not show 
traces of the disturbed order of things. Do not at¬ 
tempt too much at once, but, if possible, arrange it so 
that only one or two rooms are undertaken at a time, 
and put them in order before beginning another. 
The first place to receive attention is the cellar. If 
you think you shall not move before another winter, 
now is the best time to jeplenish your coal-bins, and you 
