218 
THE zABI ^FLORAL CABIH^ 
I write, thus at length, for the little folks, because 
know, from my own home experience, how clearly tliey 
love to make “Clu-istmas presents,” especially if they 
can only surpiise Mamma; and I earnestly hope that 
older sisters and friends will encoiutige them, and keep 
them along with any of these things that they may at¬ 
tempt. 
Homemade Candies. —Perhaps you have spent your 
money for other gifts, and so cannot buy candy for 
Christmas. Perhaps, also, Mamma does not wish you 
to cook candy on the stove, for fear you will “make 
messes,” or get burned. So let me tell you a way to 
make it, sitting at the table in yoiu- chair, icitlioiit cook¬ 
ing at all. You will want some eggs, two or tluee 
pounds of powdered sugar and as many dilfeient flavor's 
as possible. If you can go to the drug store and get a 
little ten cent bottle of oil of wintergreen, or cmnamon, 
or peppermint, so much the better: and you will want a 
little tartaric acid. Put the white of one egg into a 
bowl; do not beat it, but make it quite thick with pow¬ 
dered sugar; put in a very little tartaric acid, and a few 
drops of lemon essence. It must be jirst like icing for 
cake, and very stiff. Put it iir little round dabs on a 
buttered plate, and set away till next day to harden. 
That is one kind. Then wash out your bowl and stai't 
again. It is all made the same way, only with different 
flavoring. Peppermint makes a very nice kind; but 
only use the least bit of those “oils,” for they are very 
strong. A little grated chocolate and vanilla makes 
another. Dessicated cocoa-nut, added to the frosting, 
makes another, and chopped nuts of any kind make 
another lovely variety. You just ti-y them ! 
FOR TIIE S MCT.T. BOYS. 
We all know the “grown up boys” prefer to buy 
their presents ready-made, but Mamma and Papa will 
dearly prize anything that the “little men” have made 
all themselves. 
Holders.—A piece of thick old blanket about five 
inches square, and two pieces of pretty calico, the same 
size, out of Mamma’s scrap bag. Baste them together 
and bind them aU arotmd with a piece of red braid 
The stitches will be pretty big, I know, for you are a 
hoy, but the holders will be rrice. especially if you sew 
a brass curtain-ring at one end, to hang them by ■ and 
if ever you grow up to be a bachelor, you will be'rfad 
you know how to sew a little. * 
3fo«oe* or Terfs.-The perfor-ated board with scrii^ 
ture text or motto ready for working, can be pr^ 
cured for five cents at almost any place where worsteds 
are sold. I know a httle boy nine years old who worked 
Blotting Pads.—Day a half-a-dozen at the book store, 
scollop the edges, tie them together witli a piece of 
ribbon, cut four little slits in tlie outside one, and ia 
these slits slip the corners of some pretty Clinstmas card. 
Jackstraws.—If you can whittle nicely, these are. 
a beautiful present. I liad one set made of hard wood 
(apple-tree wood, I think), and beside all little straiglij 
and crooked pieces that are always in the game, was a 
little pipe, a tiny ladder, a Irainmer, a cioquet mallet, a 
key, a pair of scissors and a spade. 
If you can run a scroll saw, there is no end of pretty 
things you can make, from a frame for some favoi'ite- 
“ cabinet ” photograph, or a bracket, to a lovely Swiss 
clock. If you have a dear little sister, make her a real 
little bedstead that will just fit her dearest doll; pamj 
or stain it and ijut a decalcomanie picture on head and' 
foot-board. 
FOR THE OLDER GIRLS. 
Should any brother of yours make such a bedstead, 
won't you please make a little mattress out of “ excel¬ 
sior,” just to fit; two little pillows stuffed with chicken 
feathers, and one set of sheets, counterpane and pillow¬ 
cases. One child will then be happier than a queen. 
Calico Bags. —Get about eight or ten yards of strong, 
rather dark, calico or chintz; it can be as pretty as 
you please. Make it up into five or si.x bags of dif¬ 
ferent sizes, with a string i-un in the hem at the top. 
Mark on a piece of broad linen tape, -in plain letters 
“■White Cotton,” “Colored Cotton,” Woolen Pieces,’’ 
“Linen,” “SUk Scraps,” etc., and sew one on the out¬ 
side of each bag. Your mother will be charmed rvith 
her sensible daughter—and the bags. 
Stocking Bag. —If you have never seen one, you will 
be surprised to find how convenient they are. Take 
two cup-shaped pieces of paste-board about four inches 
across, cover with pretty calico on both sides; take- 
about thi-ee quaiters of a yard of the same calico, and 
on each selvedge sew strongly six or eight brass rings at 
equal distances apart; gather the raw edges and sew 
on to^the curved edges of the cup-shaped pieces ; on the- 
outside of one of these pieces put a little calico p5cket,. 
v^th elastic m the top; there you will put your baUs of 
^T^g cotton; on the other paste-board piece put some 
S t£rh twopieces'^of di.ss 
evemw "P’ 
which like an ! stockings in the bag below. 
o^ in one day, and gave it'to his Sfemm at SS blf srte^to ^fif —^ suita- 
When lined with tin-foil and as you want and h' pockets, little 
mired. To keep the edges of Previouslv wn 
while being worked, baste a wid k- tearing the name of the thine- th^ ^ them in chain stitch,, 
around it. bmding of cloth inside the door • vo ^ Pocket is to hold. Tack up- 
Cigar Lighters.-Postal cards for string ’ convenient- 
make pid lightere, or you can Materials, dustSloth 
some httle strips of wood not tv,- i*'**^® ®f Pine embroidery cotton n t?’’ scarlet braid and 
cold winter nio-Ri- „ ®“ ®over to button outside. On a. 
Po the bag in a pan and -warm it to 
