Ornaments and Fashions Old Oak Cabinet with Italian Carving. contained in the living-room of Theophilus Eaton, of the New Haven colony in 1637. During the following century came into vogue most of the forms we now know, the bow-legged chairs, the three-cornered ones, the easy chairs and cupboards of various devices. for the family linen and a great bed. There also appeared in the parlor the "scritoire," made of various woods and used much as our writing desks are now, some of them having shelves above for the holding of books and manuscripts, and drawers below for the storage of various articles. The rooms, as a rule, were wainscoted and painted, or sometimes hung in leather or tapestry. The ceilings were usually bare of ornament, but showed the cross-beams and "summer-trees." The old clock, now fashionable, was not known in New England before 1628. Among the smaller objects of ornamentation and use were snuffer-boats, candle-bearers, andirons and fire dogs and articles of china, which were often used as decorations. The great fire-place, a huge affair, was the central and pivotal point in the cold winter days, and received the greatest amount of decorative attention. In general, however, life was conducted on a scale of great simplicity, and all frivolity was frowned upon and thought to be the work of the devil. Carved Oak Chest. than a fad. Deeming this of interest to our readers we shall reproduce specimens of the best work in these pages. UT it is more than like B ly that the great dearth of good mahogany pieces will lead to a revival of interest in carved oak and walnut. These are even more rare than good old Sheraton. mahogany. But the fashion changes even in the renewal of olden styles, and a fondness for carved wood is quite likely to be the next progressive step. The English, French and Italian were all of them excellent in the production of such work, the French surpassing in fineness of detail, the English favoring a more massive treatment, and at the same time, greater crudity. For large and stately rooms there is certainly nothing more effective than a well-carved piece of furniture. A book-case, a chair, a sideboard, will, of itself, almost relieve a vast expanse of bleak and cheerless wall. AN excellent instance of the effect of form in the relief of great expanses was recently called to the writer's attention in the treatment of a dining hall of very large proportions. The room (really a banquet hall) was oblong, and some 70 feet in length, and wainscoted to a height of about seven feet in dark oak panelling. Above this and extending to a gilded ceiling, there was a green damask hanging. In this entire expanse there was but one article to relieve the eye, if we may except an occasional polished brass plate resting on top of the wainscot. This was a voluminous sideboard at the end of the room. It was large, bold and effective, dwarfing the huge proportions of the room so as even to make it seem cozy and habitable. We are indebted to Henri E. Watson and B. Herts & Co. for some of the furniture shown in this number, and to Messrs. Chas. Bullock and T. Takayanagi for silverware, pottery, etc. time was generally made of brocade, pelisse of satin, and the coat of cloth. The latter was embroidered, with long full basque, draped cape, and a high, square-shaped collar; this collar is one of the features of the style. The sleeves were wide and full, and slashed at the top of the arm. The skirt projected outward in somewhat marked fashion. Unfortunately, the skirt is ugly, and we hope will be laid aside in favor of the more becoming godet skirts of to-day. Original costume of white delaine and pale green embroidered canvas. Hat of reseda straw with pink roses and green leaves. EVER before was there a sea son when Dame Fashion devoted more of her attention to skirts. They are nearly always untrimmed, to be sure, but it almost seems as if a new pattern came out every other day. All of the great Parisian dressmakers have given their names to a different cut. There are Worth skirts, Felix skirts. Paquin skirts, etc.; the greatest difference between them being that the latest design out is always a little fuller than its predeces Gown of dark blue wool with a bodice of pale blue brocatelle arranged in a stylish combination with blue and white plaid taffeta, Louis XVI. hat of coarse straw. Young girl's costume:-skirt of brown and white striped cloth and coat of darker brown. been favored with a sight of some sors. F ULNESS in skirts is gradually spreading the whole way round, and many of the newest models have the godets setting out all round Idea from Paris.-Gown of pale yellow miroir satin used in combination with dark green velvet. Bunches of violets make an effective trimming. after the fashion of pen-wiper dolls. Needless to say, this style lends itself only to women of slender proportions, and the skirts are the reverse of comfortable from the pedestrian point of view. Stiffened pleats are not to be held up for any length of time without an arm-ache, and the hideous effect of a held-up skirt that has a steel at the edge can be easily imagined. As a house-gown, the wide skirt just touching the ground is perfect, but in the street it leaves its wearer no choice between enduring a stiff arm and acting as a pavement sweeper. TH HE new bodices are very varied in their fulness, and the sleeves also are as varied as they are immense. They are a "study," as the French say, being looped, twisted and beribboned and pinned in all directions. There is also a great variety in the cut of lownecked evening and dinner dresses, some being cut square, some round and some in mediæval style. It is still the style to make the skirt of one material and the bodice of another, one dark and the other light. N the other hand the blouse In is rampant again. deed, did it ever slacken its pace in its long and successful march? For the earliest spring were worn smart blouses of artistic flannelette or flannel beneath our coats; for the inevitable coat (of Empire Lamp. suiting, serge or crépon) has cropped up again. But ladies' shirt waists are charming this year. The dainty character of the new cottons helps to improve a little garment of which the cut is now as nigh perfect as it well can be. Very pretty indeed are the cottons. There are ribbed cottons of lovely æsthetic shades, white or colored cottons |