It is a Pretty Fashion now to have one or two low seats about a
drawing-room or boudoir in the form of two large square cushions, one
upon the other. In two colors, such as blue and black, red or black, or,
indeed, of any colors to suit the furniture of the room, they look well.
They are joined together at right angles, with or without tassels. Col-
ored satin sheeting is a good material to cover them with, or a pretty
dark-flowered cretonne.
This footstool serves also for an ottoman, in which case the cushions
are called hassocks ; made of bright-colored cashmere and stuffed with
feathers they have quite an Oriental air about them. A very pretty
combination is cherry, white and light blue, or old gold, black and
crimson. Some are of zephyr-work and stuffed with hair, but these
lack the airy grace of the others. A pair of these adjustable footstools,
with the cushions of light blue silk damask, make an elegant addition
to a parlor.
A Case for Holding Clothes-Brush, and something new and pretty, is
made in this style : It looks as if made of some kind of Japanese work,
and no one would ever think from just looking at it on the wall that it
was made out of table mats. Yellow straw table mats, such as can be
bought at any house-furnishing store, and are used for setting dishes
on. One large mat forms the back of the holder ; about an inch from
the edge all around a vine is worked in scarlet silk; the edge is not
finished with anything, for the mats always have a smooth edge and a
quilling of ribbon would take off from the effect. Three mats of the
very smallest size are fastened to the back by scarlet silk elastic bands ;
the center mat is about four inches across, those on each side about an
inch smaller; on each side of these is worked a figure in scarlet silk ;
the elastic is fastened in two places on each side, then passed through
holes made in the back and fastened on the under side so that when
the brushes are slipped through it will hold them firmly. It is to be
hung on the wall by two curtain rings fastened on the under side.
Pretty Cushions for wicker rocking chairs are made of felt cloth, of a
dead wood color, embroidered with scarlet poppies and tied in the
chair with bows of bright scarlet ribbon.
186 HOUSE-KEEPING.
HOUSE-KEEPING.
THE KITCHEN.
The kitchen is the working room of the house ; here the orders are
issued for the day ; from here are the meals produced for the family
table, and for this reason, if no other, should it be light, airy, clean
and well furnished with everything that will enable one to systematize
or economize in work and steps. Here the housekeeper should study
and contrive to have things convenient, and let the head save the feet
and hands many hours of labor.
If the floors are made of hard wood, and simply oiled a few times a
year, no grease spots will stick on them, but can be easily wiped off.
If the wood-work can also be made and finished in the same way, it is
advisable ; if not, the floor and wood-work should be painted in cor-
responding colors. If the walls have never been papered, they may
be tinted and varnished, and then they can be wiped off at any time
with a damp cloth ; if they must be papered, choose a medium-colored
paper, neither very light or dark, and have the ceiling tinted a very
light grey, or buff.
Page 165
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
It is a Pretty Fashion now to have one or two low seats about a drawing-room or boudoir in the form of two large square cushions, one upon the other. In two colors, such as blue and black, red or black, or, indeed, of any colors to suit the furniture of the room, they look well. They are joined together at right angles, with or without tassels. Colored satin sheeting is a good material to cover them with, or a pretty dark-flowered cretonne.
This footstool serves also for an ottoman, in which case the cushions are called hassocks ; made of bright-colored cashmere and stuffed with feathers they have quite an Oriental air about them. A very pretty combination is cherry, white and light blue, or old gold, black and crimson. Some are of zephyr-work and stuffed with hair, but these lack the airy grace of the others. A pair of these adjustable footstools, with the cushions of light blue silk damask, make an elegant addition to a parlor.
A Case for Holding Clothes-Brush, and something new and pretty, is made in this style : It looks as if made of some kind of Japanese work, and no one would ever think from just looking at it on the wall that it was made out of table mats. Yellow straw table mats, such as can be bought at any house-furnishing store, and are used for setting dishes on. One large mat forms the back of the holder ; about an inch from the edge all around a vine is worked in scarlet silk; the edge is not finished with anything, for the mats always have a smooth edge and a quilling of ribbon would take off from the effect. Three mats of the very smallest size are fastened to the back by scarlet silk elastic bands ; the center mat is about four inches across, those on each side about an inch smaller; on each side of these is worked a figure in scarlet silk ; the elastic is fastened in two places on each side, then passed through holes made in the back and fastened on the under side so that when the brushes are slipped through it will hold them firmly. It is to be hung on the wall by two curtain rings fastened on the under side.
Pretty Cushions for wicker rocking chairs are made of felt cloth, of a dead wood color, embroidered with scarlet poppies and tied in the chair with bows of bright scarlet ribbon.
THE KITCHEN.
The kitchen is the working room of the house ; here the orders are issued for the day ; from here are the meals produced for the family table, and for this reason, if no other, should it be light, airy, clean and well furnished with everything that will enable one to systematize or economize in work and steps. Here the housekeeper should study and contrive to have things convenient, and let the head save the feet and hands many hours of labor.
If the floors are made of hard wood, and simply oiled a few times a year, no grease spots will stick on them, but can be easily wiped off. If the wood-work can also be made and finished in the same way, it is advisable ; if not, the floor and wood-work should be painted in corresponding colors. If the walls have never been papered, they may be tinted and varnished, and then they can be wiped off at any time with a damp cloth ; if they must be papered, choose a medium-colored paper, neither very light or dark, and have the ceiling tinted a very light grey, or buff.