lour-study; and harmony, applied to
things of sight instead of conduct, was not looked for; but when we copy
the beautiful old furniture of that day, we may as well demand with it
the quality of washableness and cleanableness which went with all its
belongings.

It is always a wonder to the masculine, that the feminine mind has such
an ineradicable love of draperies. The man despises them, but to the
woman they are the perfecting touch of the home, hiding or disguising
all the sharp angles of windows and doors, and making of them
opportunities of beauty. It is the same instinct with which she tries to
cover the hard angles and facts of daily life and make of them virtuous
incitements. As long as the woman rules, house-curtains will be a joy
and delight to her. Something in their soft protection, grace of line,
and possible beauty of colour appeals to her as no other household
belonging has the power to do. The long folds of the straight hanging
curtain are far more beautiful than the looped and festooned creations
which were held in vogue by some previous generations, and indeed are
still dear to the hearts of professional upholsterers. The simpler the
treatment, the better the effect, since natural rather than distorted
line is more restful and enjoyable. Quality, colour, and simple graceful
lines are quite sufficient elements of value in these important adjuncts
of house furnishing and decoration.

CHAPTER XIII

FURNITURE

Although the forms and varieties of furniture are infinite, they can
easily be classified first into the two great divisions of good and bad,
and after that into kinds and styles; but no matter how good the
different specimens may be, or to what style they may belong, each one
is subject again to the ruling of fitness. Detached things may be both
thoroughly pleasing and thoroughly good in themselves, but unless they
are appropriate to the place where, and purpose for which they are used,
they will not be beautiful.

[Illustration: COLONIAL CHAIRS AND SOFA (BELONGING TO MRS. RUTH MCENERY
STUART)]

It is well to reiterate that the use to which a room is put must always
govern its furnishing and in a measure its colour, and that whatever we
put in it must be placed there because it is appropriate to that use,
and because it is needed for completeness. It is misapplication which
makes much of what is called "artistic furnishing" ridiculous. An
old-fashioned brass preserving-kettle and a