250 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
a quantity of English walnuts, we split them (one at a 
time) into halves; filled one-half with little “camway 
comfits,” glued on the other half, first slipping in a 
little loop of ribbon at the top, and laid each one aside 
till dry. Then each was gilded with liquid gilding. 
We used the “Bessemer Gold Paint,” and there are 
many other preparations equally good. These little 
“ rattle-boxes ” are lovely, and everybody will want 
one. 
A lot of tiny rosy-cheeked apples were polished up, 
and furnished with strings; also some red balls from a 
plant called .the “Solanum,” which grows wild here: 
they look very much like small, round tomatoes. Not 
having these, festoons of strung cranberries look very 
pretty. Owls were made out of peanuts, by putting in 
two long black pins for eyes, the pins projecting below 
for feet, so they could be stuck on the branches. 
Perhaps you could succeed with pop-corn balls better 
than I did; ours would not stick together, and we were 
much disappointed. We had some little tiny Japanese 
parasols among our knick-knacks, and some small pic¬ 
tures, and there were also fastened on to this remarkable 
tree some little bits of flags; you can get quite a roll of 
them for ten cents, and they are very showy. 
But the prettiest of all were the “ crystalized orna¬ 
ments.” First I made some small baskets of annealed 
wire, and wound them very profusely with bright- 
colored zephyr; the rose-colored and the light green 
proved to be the prettiest, also one that I wound in shaded 
gTeen, with little dots of red—but the light blue and 
lemon-colored were not to be despised. Then I pro¬ 
cured five pounds of alum, and a large stone crock. 
and made a hot solution of alum and put in the crock 
—laid a stick across the top and suspended my baskets, 
one at a time, in the hot alum water, leaving them 
about twelve hours undisturbed. 
Sometimes I had better success than others, but, gen¬ 
erally they looked like the most luscious French candy 
when taken out, as the color of the zephyr showed 
thro’ the frosting. Then I hung the basket up to dry, 
re-heated the solution, sometimes making it stronger, 
and started again. I also crystalized grasses and 
branches with lovely etl'ect, some of which ai-e on our 
mantel-piece to-day; I made fringe of bright zephyr, 
and crystalized that, and in fact, everything that bid 
fair to be pretty, I put into the alum bath. When the 
candles were lighted, how everything did sparkle! And 
so we had our “frost-work and icicles” even tlio’ we 
live in a Southern climate. 
Our way of mounting the tree proved very substan¬ 
tial and strong: Two pieces of scantling, six feet long, 
and two inches by four, were morticed and put together 
in the form of a cross. At the point where they crossed, 
the tree was fastened upright by being nailed on with long 
spikes. Four braces were then added, making the 
whole very strong. Laying stout brown paper under¬ 
neath, we covered the boards from sight with quantities 
of gray moss and trailing vines, and sprinkled all well 
with the watering pot, as a precaution against fire, 
should any ornament blaze up and fall. 
When the curtains were pulled aside, and “our tree” 
stood revealed to all the eager and expectant little peo¬ 
ple, it was truly a beautiful light. Louise. 
Altamont, Fla. 
WHAT WE SHALL WEAR. 
Among some pretty suits just now in process of com¬ 
pletion at a fashionable dressmaker’s, may be mentioned 
one in dark green cloth, so much worn last year, and 
promising to be as popular this season. The skirt was 
trimmed with a double box-plaiting eight inches deep, 
and fastened on two inches from the top of the plaits 
so they fell over as heading; above this, on the front 
breadths, were five deep tucks. The apron overskirt 
had on its lower edge a piece of the cloth cut wide at 
the centre tapering to each side, and ornamented with 
perpendicular rows of narrow black braid ; full drapery 
in the back, vest of basque, and sleeves trimmed also with 
the braid. Another suit was of black silk, and was very 
tastefully trimmed around the skirt with a box-plaited 
ruffle three quarters of a yard deep, having passemen¬ 
terie leaves arranged on each plait, commencing on the 
right side near the top and gradually sloping downward 
as it progressed around the skirt. A full apron over¬ 
skirt, back draperies consisting of two very long 
breadths sewed together half their length, the left side 
caught up to form a point on which were grouped some 
passementerie leaves, the other side arranged in a grace¬ 
ful loop; basque with passementerie vest. A seal brown 
cloth polonaise to be worn with a silk skirt was cut 
very long, and draped quite high away from the sides, 
and trimmed with silk embroidery of the same shade of 
brown down the fronts, around the collar, and on the 
close-fitting sleeves. 
Fashions in furs .—For young ladies to wear with close- 
fitting jackets, redingotes, etc., the favorite style is the 
deep round cape that extends over the shoulders half¬ 
way to the elbow, but not low enough to conceal the 
waist line. A small round muff is worn with them, made 
up perfectly plain, dispensing even with tassels. These 
pelerines are very popular in seal, beaver, and black fox. 
Fur lined cloaks are still considered a great luxury, 
but many ladies object to them as the hair is very apt 
to come oil when worn over a worsted dress, and so 
prefer their waps lined with silk or satin, which comes 
already quilted, and is sold by the yard at very reasona¬ 
ble prices; the cloak is then bordered with bands of fur 
which are also sold by the yard, and the pointed collar 
of fur finishes the neck. Such cloaks are usually in 
long dolman shape, and are readily cut and fitted by a 
competent dressmaker, and can be gotten up with 
moderate expense by making them at home as the fur is 
easily sewed on, and the collar can be bought at any 
large fur dealer’s unlined, and any ingenious lady can 
line one with the same quilted silk used with the cloak. 
For small children, white coney fur is usod, also krim- 
mer, a curled gray fur. Little coats for girls arc made of 
handsome plain cloth, trimmed with fur, and have a 
small fin - collar and muff to correspond. Deep plush 
collars, trimmed with white lace, are novelties for 
children ; little soft muffs to correspond are worn with 
them. * C. L. A. 
