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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1904)
The ' THE GIRLi itiAHORATR, made to order trous E seaux are going out of fushion, and the good old Oermun runtom of ufclng the dower chest la fast coming In. In New England the is dower chest has long been a concrete ex pression of a pretty sentiment, but It la only recently that the Idea has spread over the whole country. This revival has Inaugurated a new fem inine type the charming Power Cheat Girl. Unlike her Gormen cousin, she dota Dot exist solely for marriage even bachelor girls have the fad but, nevertheless, she tucks a hope down snugly In her heart that some time she will meet her Prince Charming. Fortunate la alio If her mother has In stilled Into her a sentiment to put much value on association Instead of ever look ing for the new. If so, she will take to her future home a store of things, every ' one of which will bo dear because of some sentiment connected with a special event Of her life. It will, therefore, be an ever recurring pleasure to use or handle them In her married life. The dower chest girl, as an American type. Is distinctive. As a rule, she acquires her cheat by purchase, rather than by In heritance, as does her German prototype, but she takes quite as much pride In Its possesion aa If It were an heirloom. If she can afford It her chest will be of ma hogany or oak, carved or plain, to suit her fancy. In any event, It will be cedar lined and r-avo crdnr trays, the pungent odor of which motha eaehew, and which clings to the garments ehe places therein as per sistently as her favorite sachet perfumes, her bureau drawers. Sometimes she buys her chest ready made, but more often Bhe plans it herself and has it conatructed to suit her Individ ual preference. If she Is an enthusiast about wood carving, she has her chest handsomely carved, or does It herself. Her Idea, la to have It so decorative that It will never be awkward or out of place In the reception hall, living room, bed chamber, or wherever she may choose to keep It, for ornament as well aa use. Whether decorated or plain, It must have her mon ogram on It In silver or copper to match the trimmings, or carved on It. An artistic burnt wood cheat waa made out of an old oak bedstead, which had been In the family so long that It had be come endearod by association. It was made to fit under a wide window, where It served aa a commodious seat. The design waa burned by the girl herself, and waa a conventional one of pop plea sprawled over. the cover and down the sides. Copper mountings were used, and a lock, made after an old-fashioned model, decorated the front. The wood was stained to look like weathered oak. and the chest itself was lined with cedar. Another cheat was of mahogany, pol ished so highly that It reflected like a mirror. It was perfectly plain, except for brass mountings and the monogram of its owner In brass at ono end. It aud the trays were lined with pale blue quilted satin and delicately scented with sachet powder. This chet sat In an alcove In the hall, which was furnished in mahogany, and It gave an air of elegance to the room. These cheats may be Inexpensively made, and aerve their purpose, or they may be con atructed with a view to using them as heir loom. In which case they are best bound In copper or brass. Next to the question Of the chost itself, the contents are of the moat Importance to ths dower chest girl. If she la thrifty, sths will turn out many dainty bits of needlework. In an of which she will take tnuch pride. It is quite the fad at present to hemstitch linen towels by hand, scallop the hem and then buttonhole stitch them. Zh monogram of the worker or, bolter 13 f S L TTIE ILLUSTRATED BEE. Dower Chest Girl of 190l AND TUB CHEST." still, a design of flour de lis, shamrock or clover is worked on one end to stamp thj owner's individuality. Even wash cloths are treated in the same manner. Tho dower chest girl makes all her bed linen by hand, for she knows that nothing can tako the place of hemstitched sheets and pillow slips. On those, too, she dain tily embroiders her "crest," whatever it may bo. Even her bolster slips are marvels of daintiness, und quite ns much caro Is expended upon them as on sheets and pil low cases. Tho latest adjunct to such an outfit was a moucholr bed spread, pillow shams and dressing table scarf, all made of pure em broidered linen beaded handkerchiefs, such ns come for corset covers. It took twelve dozen to make tho spread, but when it was finished, with white wash ribbon run through the beading, It was worthy of re posing In the dower chest. The pillow shams and dresser scurf were made like wise, joined neatly and with ribbon run through tho beudlng. The finishing touch was a flcur de lis design worked in the center of each handkerchief. This samo chest contained table cloths, napklna and doilies, all exquisitely hand imide and embroidered with a fleur de lis design in the corner. There were also embroidered hands of ribbon for holding each set, which added to the charm of posHesxIon. On these were painted the words "Towels," "Table Cloths," "Doilies," etc. There were also "Bridal Bets." made in the same way for holding the lingerie. Tho dower chest girl will be a feature of the summer. Instead of tho Inevitable dolly or centerpiece, she will be seen on the piazza with some dainty bit of nainsook or sheer linen In her hands, turning by del icate stltehcry her lingerie Into beautiful creations. One autumn bride Is making exquisite handkerchief lingerie for her dower chest. A corset cover, for Instance, Is made of three men's white hemstitched handker chiefs, used on the bias. Each bias hem stitched edge is Joined by hand-made fag oted beading of heavy white crochet silk. A row of this bending finishes the side of each front. The beading is also edged with luce. One row of beading waa used for the armhole. Two rows were used for finishing the top, and four stranda of white wash ribbon were drawn through this. The entire garment ia feather stitched with fine white silk thread. The Christian name of the owner Is embroidered .on the right hand side with white silk thread. Another corset cover, made of three women's embroidered and hemstitched handkerchiefs, has the Initials of the owner on tho fronts. Kimonos, sachet bags, moucholr bags .and hatpin holders are also made of handkerchiefs. A pleasing combing negligee waa built of a big white silk handkerchief, which had an opening cut in the center to thrust the head through. It was embroidered all about the border with forget-me-nots and bound at the neck with pale blue satin ribbon. Brier stitched, buttonhole stitched and feather stitched lingerie of all sorts finds its way into the dower chest, and nothing la considered of too much trouble to make by the energetic dower chest girl. It la also quite the fad for the father and mother to preaent their baby daughter with a dower chest early in her career. Instead of making her useless gifts there after, which nre perishable and soon for gotten, all the presents are selected to take their place in the dower chest. These are marked with the monogram of the re cipient and the date of the gift This cus tom solves for generous grandparents, god mother and near relatives the problem of making appropriate gifts. Any piece of handsome household linen, from sheets or pillow cases to lace or em broidered table cloths or dollies, Jewels, m MAKING THINGS silverware and choice fabrics, are eligible for admission to the dower chest. A for tunate baby recently received the title deed to a valuuble piece of property, which is to become hers on her twenty-first birth day. This precious document waa sent by a doting grandfather in a beautifully carved chest which had been in the family for generations, and which still left abundant room for more Bhowy gifts. LOUISE E. DEW. Carpenter's Letter (Continued from Page Two.) as such, but from union men, so foolish that they overreach themselves to their own hurt. I heard the other night of two instances in connection with the National Cash Reg ister company of Dayton, O. That com pany has been noted for its kindness to Its men and for the sanitary condition and conveniences of its factories. Among other things, it has free bath houses for its employes, and it had furnished not only soap and towels, but a certain amount of tlmo off when a man could take a bath during working hours if he wanted to. As the union grew strong in the shops its members began to object to trilling things aa contrary to union rules, and one day a complaint waa made aa to the bath house. The union complalner said that the men could not use the baths because the towels were not washed by union labor. "But," said the manager, "don't you know that those towels are washed by the widow of one of our old employes? We pay her just as much as wo would have to pay at any union laundry. She is poor and needs the work, and we thought we should like to help her." "That makes no difference," said the unionist, "the woman don't belong to the union and we are bound to dry ourselves on union-washed towels." To this the boss dkl not reply, and the men went away. The next morning there were no towels, and when the employes asked for them they were told that the company preferred that every main should furnish his own towel so that lie could have it washed where he pleased. A somewhat similar trouble arose later on in regard to a swinging door between two rooms. In one of the rooms the work demanded processes which produced cer tain ill-smelling fumes and the door was put in for the comfort of the workmen in the room adjoining. One day a union me chanic employed in this second room in passing through to the ill-smelling place happened to notice that the hinges on the door were made by nonunion labor. A pro test was at once filed and the men said that the hingea must come down. "All right," said the manager, "we can take them down. We don't need the door anyhow, and we can just take it away." And ao they did. "A few actions of this kind showed the company that sooner or later there must be a strike and they prepared for it. They said nothing, but pushed the work and laid up a large amount of extra stock, Thea Magr. 1. 1901 1 TO GO IN IT. when an extravagant demand was mad with the threat of a strike they refused to submit and the strike came. The company said nothing, but shut down the works and supplied the trade with the stock on hand. Two weeks went by and nothing was said. A month passed and there was no sign of opening the shops. Then the workmen began to be worried. Many of them had little homes which they had partly paid for. They needed money for interest on their mortgages and other things, and when they heard that the com pany was considering the moving of the shops from Dayton to a place of better labor conditions they asked to go back to work. They did go back, and from that tlmo to this, I understand, there has been no complaint about petty matters in that factory. FRANK G. CARPENTER. A Bachelor's Reflections It's very easy not to believe in divorce if you've never been married. If a woman hasn't any children it com forts her to act as If she were going to have. A womnn proves herself n good house keeper when she worries for fear If the house burns down the neighbors would talk nbout the Ptate in which she left tha ruins when she ran out. New York Press. S40.00 A WEEK. Re Labi man or tomu euh county aa maneaef to exhibit, Uk orders, appoint aaento fur lUue rim VolrelrasOlUOai Btona. WMaerftil la. AotttmaAicaJIrgnnwiitee ilatave M werka Abao. lullT aafa Knormovi demand Mateaei far aamBia cuaii Ltellunl ouatonera inie&p, ejoen, amle fuel. Vaeelta lm aeaseroua. falaleene aS Writ toda. U arld mrm. la-. ST WerM Ulfg. CtmalaxaU. . WF5 NOW HAVE OPENING for thre salesmen In each state. Salary or com mission. Experience unnecessary. OM established house. W. C. Hurt Tobaoos) Co, DeuivtUe, Va BAKERBROSl III l&jt&38& 1 1 III t :Mu,kU-nmU. i 111