THE OBSERVER. DRYDEN, ONTARIO. fe i grt wa ur Zopular than Ever £€€ EAR me, I just hate to fix fiowers. I never have just the right thing to put them in," said, plaintively, Nancy Upton, a young bride, one morning, as she looked in dismay at a large tray of flowers sent in by the gardener, "Now wouldn't you think, with those dozens of cut-glass bowls, silver pitch=- ers and pottery jugs I got for wedding presents, I'd always have something my flowers would look well in--yet here I go, falling back on these two old pressed-glass vases I had in boarding school, and that hideous old majodica thing that looks like a soup tureen.'" "My dear, you will have to start a school of instruction for weddding pres- ~givers in--what vases not tov buy," laughed Sally Blair, her guest. J "You know the only reason you cling to those old relics is because of their big mouths. I wonder 'why not: one person in ten ever thinks of usefulness 'in buying bric-a-brac or vases. It's the more remarkable since you can get such perfect pottery and glass in the most delectable shapes. '"The other day, when I was mousing around in a china store, I saw any amount of new vases and bowls that would have delighted your soul. I don't suppose they cost half so much, for in- 'stance, as that Satsuma jug of yours that has an opening about as big as a thimble; but if you had them now you wouldn't be letting all those perfect flowers get faded while you hunted for something to put them in, and scolded steadily meanwhile." : NEW TWO-TONED POTTERY 'What were they? Do tell me, and I'll make Billy buy me some when he goes in town tomorrow," cried the little hostess in the supreme confidence of bridehood in "Billy's" willingness to do her shopping. Well, ES a lot of the most fasci- nating German two-toned pottery new this fall. The colors are gay, yet not the screamy kind--bright shaded orange with vivid green arabesques on it, and queer deep reds with designs in grass greens or bright blue, pale yellow with a blue all-over pattern, and a beauty in green and white. They are just the things to brighten that dark corner over there, or to make your sit- ting room look cheerful on a bleak ay. > § But the shapes are the best part of this pottery; all have great, wide mouths, no matter if you get some of the many-bhandled, squatty jugs or the tall jars, just the thing for that golgen- low. E But the cost, Sally, the cost! Re- member, I'm just going to housekeep- ing." \ | B irangs to say, this pottery is not so very expensive. I saw a dream of a bowl in queer salmon pinks and green for $5. "Then there was some interesting English pottery, too, in more solid col- ors, dull, crackly looking, highly glazed yellows and cadet blues, and one stun- ning little vase, bright Prussian blue, Just the thing to bring out those yellow marigolds Billy is always raving over, "But if you do not wish to buy as ex- pensive things as this pottery ware, there are any amount of vases and Flower Baskets Are 770. NEW VASES Tree Decorzltive BzLs bowls in glass that will cost you next to nothing, They are in all sizes and shapes, and lots of them can be bought for less than $1. : : "There are fascinating baskets in clear glass with a heavy ribbed handle, just the shape of those tall, slender- based, spreading-mouthed ones you see in Watteau's pictures. Any kind of flowers look lovely in them, "Other baskets, just new this season, are flat with broad gilt rims and color- ed handles, pink and blue, green and lavender. They will be splendid for the centre of the tabie to hold sweet peas or nasturtiums "The Colonial vases might suit you, I think, they are s0 substantial and roomy, yet the lines are so simple and graceful. (Other vases in clear glass had queer, bulging shapes, or low bowls with curl- ing rims, and there were only one or two, very slender stemmed and widening into flowered tips, that will hold a dozen lilies or a few iris blooms. ; "Those iridescent vases that have a flat, solid base, then grow rather slender and spread like a cone to a very broad, fluted rim, are just as popular as ever. For my part, I do not think you can find any vase that is prettier or more gen- erally useful. "They are cheaper than they used to be, too, 1 am glad to say; and so is that other glass that is almost clear, save for the faintest glittery touch of irides- cence. "A glass of a yellow brownish tint has some charming shapes, especially in rather tiny vases modeled in flower petals to hold a few violets, "Most flowers look well in the yellow radium glass, which has many Gr cr Shape In x few Ware u Fora Sin 37 ©. Gregt Kose. of the same designs and a good deal of the rich tinting of that awfully ex- pensive art glass that Mrs. Jones sent you. There is one vase in a rich deep yellow, with a top that turns over a slender stem like a great .yellow lily, ~ that is particularly pretty for a flower or two. "Of course, cut-glass vases are always lovely, but they are usually heavy, and somehow the shapes, as you know to your sorrow, are never just right. But there are some pretty new ones shown this season that have floral de- signs cut on plain glass, something on the rock crystal order. They are shaped like an old-fashioned = quart measure, \ "Oh, Nancy, 1 almost forgot! You must tell Billy to stop at a Japanese store and get you some of those frogs, turtles, fish and crabs that are hol- lowed out and make a few flowers stand up splendidly when you put them in a shallow dish. \ | Haler can make something like them yourself by getting strips of tin and twisting them into shape, only, of course, they will not look nearly so ar- istic in the vase, "By the way, if you have not for- gotten your raffia lessons you might get some cheap quart or pint measures and weave a covering and handle to them to make them look Japanesey. They would be fine to have out on nanda. There, Nancy, don't you ever tell me I'm not your friend; I've talked myself hoarse over your old vases; but I'll for- give you if you only got Billy to buy you something that will keep you from in his pc ies." ! pale '@ growling every time Patrick brings you Leong I A / OMEN are born home-makers, / and every intelligent, happy ; woman enjoys adding in every way to the beauty and comfort of her surroundings. She desires her home to be attractive, It is the background of er life, and she wishes to work for it by organizing, managing, studying and endeavoring in every way possible to add to its homelike qualities. We know what an influence environment has up- on us, and how important it is that it should be restful and cheerful. This is especially so in regard to children. It is, therefore, necessary to have their rooms bright and free from unnecessary adornment, so that they can play hap- pily without being in danger of spoiling the furniture and having to be con- stantly reminded by that bugbear of childhood, the word "don't." The influence of good coloring and fiarmonious surroundings will have their »effect upon the young minds, always Homs and Its Influence on Children ready to receive impressions, Some mothers, with a view to saving their carpets, will keep the shades constantly lowered, and the dreariness and gloom caused by this prevailing habit cannot, fail to leave its impress on the young minds. in J It is necessary to realize the impoxe tance of setting before children good examples of form and color, Uniformed minds and undeveloped senses must be preserved from contact with bad in art as well as in morals. They must have high ideals in beauty, and the impor- tance of truth can be taught by the absence of shams in the home. It is also important that the home aims at simplicity and does not exaggerate any of the prevailing styles. It is SO easy for children to fall into the habit of exaggeration. They have such vivid imaginations that all kinds of illusions pass through their young minds ind constant watchfulness is needed to pre- vent them from exaggerating too freely, ~ KEEP YOUR OWN COUNSEL HIS applies to everybody, Lut the . young married woman should take it to heart especially. I Bay the young married woman, be- cause those whe have been married several years have long ago discov- ered that it is the best policy. It was all right to have a girl con- fidante before you were married, but much better if you ceased to be so confiding from the time you got en- gaged. Men dread these intimate friendships, for they know just how much trouble is likely to arise from hem, "» One young man, 4s soon as he had popped the question and been accept- ed, said to his fiancee: "Who is your girl confidante?' Another, more ex- acting than the first, asked his sweet- heart as a favor to him not to be so intimate with ber girl chum as she ad been. ) PROPORTION IN COLOR AND FURNISHINGS ROPORTION in home decoration cannot be much understood, else why is it so conspicuously absent from most homes? Occasionally we find 8 perfect home, where proportion was not thought of, but instead the home- maker had an inborn sense of fitness which stood her in good stead. J Proportion, in decoration, is not very tangible; most of us can understand it 8s regards size, but proportion in color is more difficult to grasp. Most of us know, if we only stop to think about it, that a large, heavy chair should not be placed beside a Small, dainty table, and vice versa; that a small room should not be crowd- ed with massive pieces of furniture, and that the walls of a low-ceilinged room should not be divided or broken four or five times. : Proportion in ornamentation is ane other important point to be considered, and to determine just how much orna. mentation and how much plain surface €oes to make the best sum-total is a difficult proposition. A small box is richer with part of it carved and the rest left plain for contrast than if it were carved all over. And this is true of the treatment of walls and ceilings, for costliness and elaboration require a plain setting to appear to the best ad- vantage. Proportion, in color, is the hardest to determine, and requires a trained eye &nd sensitive feelings. Those who do not possess these two things would do well to put themselves in the hands of a 800d decorator or trusty friend when choosing their color scheme. It is hard to know just how much of one color goes best with another. We all know that there should only be a limited amount of a strong, heavy color in a room, but just how much that lim- ited amount is few can estimate cor- rectly. ! Sometimes a color when put with an- other detracts from it; others set it off. So it is important to choose colors or shades that are mutually advantageous. Green and blue, when in the right pro- portion, are-a perfect combination. But often we see the two together where the green is too strong and the blue looks weak and insipid, or where the blue is too intense, so that the green looks sick and dirty. 4 The intensity and conspicuousness of a wall or background should be govern- ed by the furniture and hangings. If a room is to have heavy furniture, uphol- stered in plain dark materials and heavy, dark curtains and portieres, the walls may be somewhat gay; but if the room is to be furnished daintily and with light, figured materials, the walls should be subdued. ! The home-maker 'who possesses the sense of proportion, combined with a sense of fitness and suitability, cannot go far Wrong; and her home should have a feeling of rest, of comfort, which is one of the surest roads to health and piness. DOROTHY TUKE. WHAT DO PEOPLE READ IN LIBRARIES? = tne reading room of the public library in a certain city there are five large tables. The other night the Impertinent One was curious enough to examine each of these tables, to see what books her neigh- bors had left there. The library was nearly empty, and she had plenty of opportunity for observation. On table No. 1 there lay six books. Two of these were late novels and three others light or sensational fic- tion a few years older. But quite in the corner, looking rather ashamed of' the company he was found in, lay dear old Mr. Pickwick, and as the Imperti- nent One picked him reverently up a Strip of paper covered with Greek characters fell out, The Impertinent One thanked heaven for one scholar and passed on. Table No. 2 had evidently been occu- pied by a student preparing his next day's work. There were literal transla- tions of Latin, French and German masters and an 'Introduction to Plane Trigonometry." : But the only open hook was 'The Bab Ballads," open at the tale of Alice Brown, the robber's lovely daughter, and the Impertinent One smiled all the way across to Table No, 3. WO persons of widely varying tastes had recently used this table. On cone side were three detective stories and a treatise on "Camp Life in the Woods"; on the other were two "General Histor ies," a 'History of Natural Philoso- phy" amd a translation of the Koran, which last stood at the boundary line, and rested confidently against the most lurid of the detective stories. Table No. 4 was exclusively poetical, Keats, Wordsworth, Tennyson and Spenser here held sway, and as the Impertinent One glanced at them a piece of paper fluttered to the ground. As she picked it up she read on it 'Oh, heart of poesie and soul of fire!" The carnest-eyed young man at the end of the table claimed it at just this minutes: "I'm sure the next line ended in 'Iyre,'" muttered the Impertinent One to herself, as she hastened away. At Table No. 5 more light novels caught her sight at one side, but the other looked strangely familiar. There were 'a volume of 'King Lear," a biog- raphy of Heine and Henry George's 'The Land Question," and a copy of that dear poet who accompanies the Impertinent One wherever she goes. Then, all at once, she realized with a start that she was back to her own table again, and that the fifth volume, on which her hand rested, was the copy of Poe she had been'reading be-: fore she left. NN : : "Well," remarked the Impertinent One, settling down to a half 'hour of solid enjoyment, 'they have better taste than I thought they had!" iN \ AS OTHERS SEE US standing, I don't believe there are many of us lying awake at nights pining for a chance to see ourselves that way. - It wouldn't add materially to Mrs. Jones' happiness when she started down the street, filled with the con- viction that her new fall costume was a dream, if she could know that Mrs. Brown, who was watching 'her through her sitting room window, had decided that her skirt hung badly and her hat was atrociously unbecoming. It is never soothing for the mother, who has spent ten years trying to put into practice the theories she imbibed in her college days for the develop- ment of the infant mind, to be told that her Jimmy and Sally are the slowest children of comprehension in the primary grade. : Eavesdroppers never hear good of themselves, but there is something almost pitiful about the jar that comes to the innocent and involuntary eaves- dropper who hears her best friend's opinion of herself. "That's an awfully flattered picture of J," remarked a friend of this type to J.'s sister, "but, of course, I wouldn't tell her so," and J., passing the door at this inopportune moment, patches the words and spends an un- "Swmfortable quarter of an hour. he had been a little afraid at first that the photograph was flattering, but every one had assured her that it was merely an excellent likeness of her at her best. Now she is sure it was all said to please her, and there is a reflection upon her intellect, as well as upon her looks. 'Who is there among us who doesn't begin to tremble at the frst sound of the words: 'Now, you mustn't be of- fended ih me Jos saying a and please remember only came to you as a friend." It is only the Thao of rare serenity who can refrain on such an occasion from repeating King Louis' whimsical cry: "God protect me from my friends--I can take care of my ene- mies myself." Now, of course, there are times when peasy out" is necessary. If the workers in the world were not told of the faults in the wares they carry to their special markets they would never know how to improve. If the young girls just starting out in life could never be 'yarned of breakers ahead by those whe, are wiser and more experienced, thei'e would be more tears shed than theie are already. L A word to the wise is sufficient, and Boe to the contrary notwith- ' move with us? Gol 1 LS when we have sufficient wisdom to ake the timely hint or suggestion for what it is worth and profit by it, without. g getting our feelings hurt, all well and £ood. But the vast majority >f foolish mortals are better contented to jog along through daily happenings, not seeing themselves as others see them. SELF-WORSHIP queer, isn't it, how each one of us adores his own personal self much more than any other person or any other thing in the world? We are all of us self-centred; we see every- thing in relation to ourselves, so much 50, indeed, that it is often very hard for us to *"put ourselves in somebody else's place." 7 If some one else says an unkind word to us and also to the person with us, we have a certain amount of sympathy for the person who is with us, but noth- ing like the sympathy we have for our- selves. Indeed, half the sorrow in the world is caused by excessive sympathy for one's self, whereas, if we had looked out and seen how many other people were suffering from much keener sor- rows, we should really have considered ourselves blessed. Of course, there is really some excuse for us, for do we not see ourselves as the centres of the universe? Does not the sun rise on one side of us and set on the other side, and when we move do not the sun, moon and all the planets Why, then, should we not deify ourselves? : Self-worship is really necessary up to a certain point, for without it we should never get along in the world at all. But don't let it go so far that you become. selfish and incapable of sympathy, . ALT 3O parties, which flourishe@® , a few years back, are bein superseded by tramp balls, I you have a capacious barn for your ball so much the better; if not, clear your rooms of all their pretty jrap- pings, cover the carpets with a duck- ing, or, if you have rugs, take them up, leaving the floors bare. Festoon the walls with hay and bring in boxes, nail kegs and rough benches for seats. 'I'ell all your guests to come as hoboes, organ grinders and mendicants: of various kinds. Serve a Dutch lunch, and offer a prize for | the most effective costume. The more old-fashioned country reels and dances that are introduced ' into the pro- gramme the better, Wine ----,, Caring for Your Brushes toilet use wear longer and do bet- Bis for either household or ter service while they last if they are well taken care of. Put your nail and tooth brushes in such a position that all the water will drain from them. The tiny nickel hoolés which are sold among bathroom appur- tenances nowadays make very satis- factory resting places for toothbrushes. A camel's hair flesh brush should be thoroughly rinsed from soap, dried and aired after each using. The hair should. be combed out with a coarse comb every few days to prevent its matting. Hair brushes are best cleaned in warm water and ammonia, or warm water and borax, or even warm water and washing seda, but they must be rinsed thorough- ly in clear water. If you can dry them in plenty of sunshine, so much the bet- tar Housenold brushes should be washed regularly. A good solution ior this burpose is made by dissolving :+ pound of washing soda in a quart of hot water. This may be bottled and used at any time, When you are ready to use the solu- tion, put a tablespoonful into a quart of water and wash your brushes in this. A little soap in addition for the soft one is a good thing. Rinse in cold water and dry in the open air. Long-handled brushes must be hung up by the heads and, the short ones can be suspended by a piece of twine. Don't let them rest on their bristles, and remember that a hearth brush will last twice as long if it is kept hung up. Clean paint brushes with turpentine and varnish brushes witt spirits of wine. ; my ky