oming head-dress derives its name from the beautiful
sister-in-law of the Emperor of Russia, the Grand Duchess Helen, who
introduced this style of coiffure at St. Petersburg.

* * * * *

INDIAN ORNAMENTAL WORK

69. SCREEN.

Beautiful cabinets, work-boxes, work-tables, fire-screens, &c., may be
painted in imitation of ebony inlaid with ivory by the following
means:--Let your screen be made of an elegant form, but merely of common
white wood or deal, prepared as below.

_Composition for the Surface of Wood_.--Steep one ounce of glue in a
pint of cold water all night; throw off the water in the morning. Take
six ounces of finest white lead in powder, mix it by degrees in a
mortar, with about half a pint of cold water, till it is perfectly
smooth, then place it, along with the glue, in a clean pan. Add half a
pint more water; set it on the fire, stirring constantly till it boils.
Let it boil three minutes; take it off, and pour it into a stone jar,
and continue to stir it occasionally till cold. When cold, but before it
congeals, take a clean paint-brush, and paint your screen with the
composition. When it is quite dry, rub it over with sand-paper, to make
it quite smooth; then give it another coat of the white composition,
repeating the rubbing with sand-paper as before. Repeat this same
process five or six times, until you obtain a smooth, equal, white
surface. When that is accomplished, dissolve the fourth of an ounce of
isinglass in a quarter of a pint of water; when cold, but liquid, give
the screen a coat of it with a clean brush, and do not use the
sand-paper after it.

_To Ornament the Screen_.--Lay a sheet of black tracing-paper on the
screen, with the black side downwards; then place a pattern above it,
with the right side uppermost; place a weight here and there, to prevent
it slipping; then trace over the outline with a rather blunt stiletto.
On removing the paper, you will find the outline of the pattern
transferred to the surface of the screen. Trace over the outline,
and shade, in lines, with a fine camel's-hair pencil dipped in Newman's
lamp-black; fill in with the same.

_Varnish_.--Place four ounces of rectified spirit of wine in a
wide-mouthed bottle; add one ounce of gum sandarac, a quarter of an
ounce of gum mastic, and a drachm of camphor, all in powder. Put a
stopper in the bottle, set it near a fire, and shake it occasionally.
When all the gums are quit