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Vol. XLIII PHILADELPHIA, FEBRUARY 1863 No.2. |
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PICTURE FRAMES.--It is a
matter of regret that the very often elegant and tasteful drawings which
young ladies execute at school under the instruc- tions of their master,
while practicing the most interesting pictorial art, are laid aside and
buried in portfolios, merely for the want of some easy means of hanging
them upon the walls of an apartment in such a way as to preserve them from
the injuries of dust and atmosphere. We some time back gave an idea
of frames for this purpose; but as one even more simple may be found more
widely useful, we suggest the following as being perfectly easy for any
young lady to accomplish. First procure a glass and piece of pasteboard
the size of the drawing, lay this last between them, and bind the whole
round with a pasted strip of paper, so as to hold the whole securely together.
Then take four narrow strips of wood three or four inches longer than the
dimensions of the drawing, so as to allow the corners to wrap over and
project; cover these with either a black or a dark ruby-color velvet, by
sewing the edges together with a strong thread at the back, from thence
into a frame, so as to cover the edges of the drawing; secure them with
a screw at the corners, and then cover the head with one of those lacquered
curtain rosettes, which are made with a prong or nail at the back, and
which, being easily fastened in, form a pretty and appropriate ornament
for the corners. These frames may be made from one to three inches
wide, accord ing to the size of the article. They are particularly
suitable for flower draw ings, for pencil drawings, and for heads in crayons,
and have a very pretty effect for the boudoir, the morning-room, or even
the drawing-room of a tasteful country cottage.
HOW "PETERSON" MAKES ITS WAY.--A lady writes:--"When I came out West, I went to a book-store to get your Magazine, but the clerk said, 'He didn't know Peterson's Magazine. Where was it published?" On making inquiries at the post-office, I found that two copies were taken here in a town of four or five thousand inhabitants. So, last December. I went to work to get a club for Peterson. After awhile I succeeded in getting a club of eight. Well, this fall, when it was time for clubbing for Peterson again, the ladies did not wait to be called on to renew their subscriptions, but called on me, and, without the least effort, ten subscribers were obtained, and with a little assistance from another lady, sixteen were soon found. If I was able to go out, in two days time I would be able to send you sixteen more; but my health will not permit; so you must take the will for deed. I have set a young lady to get another club, and when last I heard from her, she only lacked one for a club of eight. One lady told her husband to see me and subscribe for Peterson, for she would not keep house without it." HEALTH DEPARTMENT INFANT NURSING.--A child, when it comes into the world, should be laid for the first month upon a thin mattress, rather longer than itself, which the nurse may sometimes keep upon her lap, that the child may always be straight, and only sit up as the nurse slants the mattress. To set a child quite upright before the end of the first month is hurtful. Afterward the nurse may begin to set it up and dance it by degrees, and it must be kept as dry as possible. FRICTION.--The clothing should be very light, and not much longer than the child, that the legs may be got at with ease, in order to have them often rubbed in the day with a warm hand or flannel, and in particular the inside of them. Rubbing a child all over takes off scurf, and makes the blood circulate. Rubbing the ankle-bones and inside of the knees will strengthen those parts, and make the child stretch its knees, and keep them flat. POSITION.--A nurse ought to keep a child as little in her arms as possible, lest the legs should be cramped, and the toes turned inwards. Let her always keep the child's legs loose. The oftener the posture is changed the better. It is injurious likewise to be laid always asleep on a person's knee. Her motions and conversation will disquiet him. |
During
the first fortnight or three weeks he should be always laid on the bed,
except when taken up to supply his wants, which will give him habits of
cleanliness at a very early age.
EXERCISE.--By slow degrees the infant should be accustomed to exercise, both within doors and in the open air; but he should never be moved about after sucking or feeding; it will be apt to sicken him. Exercise should be given by carrying him about and gently dandling him in his mother or nurse's arms; but dancing him up and down on the knee is very fatiguing for a young child EARLY RISING.--Rising early in the morning is good for all children, provided they awake of themselves, which they generally do; but they ought never to be waked out of their sleep. As soon as possible, however, they should be brought to regular sleeps in the day. WALKING.--Children, till they are two or three years old, must never be suffered to walk long enough at a time to be weary. SLEEP.--In laying a child to sleep he should be laid upon the right side oftener than on the left; but twice in the twenty-four, at least, he should be changed to the left side. Laying him on his back, when he is awake, is enough of that posture, in which alone he can move his legs and arms with freedom. Place the cradle so that the light may come equally on both eyes, which will save him from a custom of squinting. Infants cannot sleep too long; and it is a favorable symptom when they enjoy a calm and long-continued rest, of which they should by no means be deprived, as this is the greatest support granted to them by nature. A child lives comparatively much faster than an adult; its blood flows more rapidly; and every stimulus operates more powerfully. Sleep promotes a more calm and uniform circulation of the blood, and it facilitates assimilation of the nutriment received. The horizontal posture, likewise, is the most favorable to the growth and bodily development of the infant. __________ OUR NEW COOK-BOOK. Every receipt in this cook-book has been tested by a practical housekeeper. VEGETABLES Potatoes a la Creme.--Boil them, not so much that they will break easily; cut them into slices of about half an inch, season them with salt and white pepper; place them in a stewpan, with a third part of a pint of bechemel, toss them gently until done enough. Fried Potatoes.--Remove the peel from an uncooked potato. After it has been thoroughly washed, cut the potato into thin slices, and lay them in a pan with some fresh butter; fry gently a clear brown, then lay them, one upon the other, in a small dish, and send to table as an entremets. FASHIONS FOR FEBRUARY. IN SLEEVES there is very little change as regards the form; wide open styles, shaped at the elbow, continue the most fashionable; the style of trimming must depend on that of the dress. In Paris there is no decided change in the make of the bodice. The Mousquetaire dress has many admirers; it is trimmed with drop buttons made of steel. The Amadis bodice has a new style of sash, which is cut so as to form small basques all round the waist. There is a decided return to basques for morning dresses of every description, but all that have as yet appeared are very narrow ones, not more than an inch and five-eighths in width; these encircle the waist and terminate in front with two points.
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For
evening and house dress, skirts are made longer than ever, they should
form a train at the back, and positively trail on the carpets to be at
all fashionable. In Paris vestes are extremely popular for wearing
with in-door dresses; they are made of velvet, plush, or cloth, embroidered
or braided. Plush vestes have a good effect, and require no trimming,
but the velvet ones are generally ornamented with either fur, gimp, or
drop buttons. More stylish and expensive vestes are made of white
terry velvet, trimmed with a band of marten or Astrakan fur, but for ordinary
wear, they are frequently made of the same material as the skirt.
In all cases a chemisette is worn with the veste, and is made either of
white muslin, handsomely worked in satin, or of white or colored cashmere.
There is nothing so pretty and so useful as a plain glace silk dress, whether colored or black. This style of silk does not carrry its date; and, if not worn out on season, can, by a little alteration in the trimming, be converted the following season into really a very pretty and stylish garment. Not so with silks figured with various patterns, which are very handsome when worn at the time they really are fashionable, and then do not appear again. Of course every one cannot afford to discard a handsome figured silk dress so soon; and it is to those ladies we recommend the plain in preference. FRENCH MERINOES are again in great favor for home dresses, trimmed in a variety of styles. Some are embroidered in silk, others braided, and velvet is frequently used. The bodices of those French merinoes are made tight, and high to the throat, with two points in front and a small basque exactly in the center of the back. This basque, small as it is, is very becoming to a slight figure. The sleeves are made tight as far as the elbow, and then widen out to the cuff. The cuff is pointed and made of velvet, corresponding with the trimming of the dress. French merino has much to recommend it as a material for a house, or, indeed, an out-of-door winter morning's dress. It is soft, falls in graceful folds, and being made entirely of wool, is warmer than when a mixture of either cotton or silk is introduced in the fabric. With these points in its favor, French merino, like silk velvet, will never be really unfashionable. THE BLACK AND WHITE MANIA that has raged so long, both in London and Paris, extend even to the smallest articles, as that mixture is now very fashionable for aprons. We have seen some very tasteful aprons made of black moire antique, trimmed all round (for the corners were rounded) with a plaited black velvet ribbon, with a white edge; above this was a narrower ribbon of the same description, plaited likewise, carried along the bottom and up the right side. On the left side there was a pocket defined with the narrow black velvet white-edged ribbon. Dull and prosy as all descriptions of the make of fashionable attire must necessarily be, we assure our readers that when made up, these small aprons are exceedingly stylish and tasteful for morning wear. WHITE TOILETS are the rage abroad for morning as well as evening wear. For morning costume they are made of white English alpaca, the Zouave trimmed with colors, violet, or any favorite shade of red; the vest of silk, the same color as the trimming, and fastened with small, flat, fire-gilt buttons. White organdie and grenadine are favorite materials for evening dresses, and are elegantly trimmed with black guipure lace. FOR EVENING AND DINNER COSTUME nothing is more elegant and fashionable than lace trimmings, either black or white. Lace has the recommendation of giving a perfectly novel character to a dress which may have been already worn with another kind of trimming. The lace taken from a robe of white tarletane may be transferred with equal effect to one of pink taffety; thus making two dresses, totally different in style. HEAD-DRESS.--A simple, and at the same time a most becoming wreath for fair hair, is composed of daisies of two different shades of mauve-color. A wreath, effective with hair of any color, may be composed of small roses, separated by tufts of forget-me-nots or violets. A combination of moss-roses and myosotes also forms a charming wreath, especially for a young lady. On dark hair decided colors are most effective, and for a lady of dark complexion nothing is more becoming than a wreath of scarlet geranium, with its beautiful shaded foliage. PETTICOATS now form an important item of the dress. One thing is certain, that ladies will have to wear their dresses looped up out-of-doors, in consequence of the inordinate length of skirt which Fashion has decreed shall hold its sway. Pretty petticoats and well-fitting shoes are necessarily, imperative: so we have this winter petticoats of every imaginable shade and design, and boots that are faultless in their finish and appearance. White and colored French merino petticoats, braided (for this fashion is carried even to articles of under-clothing), are amongst the novelties for carriage costume. They are exceedingly delicate and elegant, and on that account are scarcely suitable for walking. Quilted silk petticoats are quite taking the place of woolen ones, and black ones are the most fashionable. Elder down, though more expensive than the cotton wadding, being lighter, is used in preference to cotton, but wool is also exceedingly light and warm.
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