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silk braid of a darker tint. A navy-blue apron | bronze-colored plush; the puffed trimming, which may be ornamented with two rows of wool braid, is stuffed with horse-hair, is of moss-green silk either black or white, and embroidered with a reps. Beautiful passementerie tassels complete the monogram to match the braid. work.

EMBROIDERED FOOT STOOL.

Fig. 4 gives a design for a foot-stool in embroidery and appliqué, which, though very beautiful, is simple and can readily be copied from the full-size pattern of one-quarter of the work shown in Fig. 5.

The appliqué is cut out as usual, and the work is edged by a thick double silk cord. The ground is old-gold color; the principal figures are of moss

EMBROIDERED COVER FOR WHISK-BROOM.

A new mode of decorating whisk-brooms is to fasten an embroidered cover on the broom itself, instead of ornamenting a case for this useful article. A pattern is cut from paper to fit the broom, after which, commencing about two-thirds of the distance from the top, it is shaped to a point, which almost touches the bottom of the broom. Next cut from scarlet or blue felt, by this pattern, two

pieces, fasten an appliqué flower, geometrical design, or Japanese figure on each, and pink the bottom. Work a row of feather-stitch with embroidery-silk above the pinking, then stitch the two pieces firmly together so that the cover will fit snugly over the broom. Gather a piece of ribbon about two inches wide, matching the felt in color, with three rows of shirring, two a little distance from the edges to form tiny frills, and the third in the middle. Conceal the top of the handle under a piece of ribbon or felt, and to this

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FIG. 8.-RICHLY CARVED WOODEN CHAIR WITH EMBROIDERED CUSHION.

fasten the puffed ribbon. Choose a broom with a straw handle, to which the ribbon or felt can be firmly sewed. Finish with a cord and tassels, the latter made of strips of felt in the method described in a previous number of the MONTHLY. Knot the cord to form a loop, by which to hang the broom.

EMBROIDERED RETICULE.

Reticules of every variety are so much in demand, that the writer is glad to be able to furnish readers of the MONTHLY with the charming design

FIG. 10.-HALF OF RENAISSANCE EMBROIDERY FOR FIG. 9.

of flowers has been embroidered or painted. A cluster of pink moss-rosebuds or scarlet poppies

and daisies is often chosen for blue satin, and the red may be ornamented with a spray of white jasmine, with a butterfly or bee poised above. The second piece, which should be slightly hollowed at the top, must be sewed to the fan, leaving an opening at the bottom, through which the broom is passed in the usual manner. Border the edge of the holder with cord, loop it at the sides, pass it across the outer front of the case and tie in a bow knot. Bore a hole in the handle and slip a fine cord through, making a loop by which to hang the holder. Tassels or balls finish the cord with pretty effect.

CARVED WOODEN CHAIR WITH EMBROIDERED
CUSHION.

Perhaps some of the readers of this article may be fortunate enough to possess an oldfashioned carved chair, somewhat similar to the one illustrated in Fig. 8. If so, it can be converted into a quaint and charming parlor ornament by adding a nembroidered cushion. The cushion shown in the engraving is made of dark-brown plush, embroidered with filoselle silk of different colors, and finished with cords and tassels in the manner clearly shown in the accompanying print, but the material and designs. can be almost indefinitely varied to suit the purse, skill, and taste of the maker.

A cushion in the ordinary cross-stitch, embroidered in some Persian design, would have an excellent effect, or, with less expenditure of time and trouble, a handsome covering might be made of old-gold-colored sateen or felt, worked in outline-stitch with dark maroon, if this combination would harmonize agreeably with the other furniture in the room.

Another variety of ornamental chair now quite popular is obtained by upholstering the rattan chairs, which can be purchased for a reasonable price at almost any furniture store. The seat and one-half the back

-the lower half-are covered with satin, a row of fancy worsted fringe is fastened across the top, and another row passes entirely around the chair several inches below the seat. This second row is allowed to hang its full depth at the corners, but midway between them is cut off to about one-half its width, from this point curving Vol. XVII.-6.

gradually downward to the corners, thus forming half-circles around the chair. Many persons, however, prefer to allow this second row to remain uncut, like that across the top.

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FIG. 11.-TAPESTRY WORK FOR CHAIRS, CUSHIONS, ETC.

DECORATED STRAW-WORK.

Many ladies are now purchasing the pretty straw-work articles to be bought at fancy-goods stores, and decorating them in various ways for their own use, or for dainty little remembrances to friends.

One of the favorite designs is a pair of cornu

copias, resting on straw supports, which serve, one for a hair-pin, and one for a hair-receiver. Placed on each side of a bureau or dressing-table, they are really very ornamental.

For the hair-pin-receiver the horn of plenty is stuffed with hair or shreds of wool, and covered at the top with a piece of crochet or knitting, through which the pins can be easily pushed. The other end of the horn is decorated with a bow of ribbon, matching in color the piece of knitting or crochet.

The hair-receiver, which is of precisely similar shape and size, is finished at the opening with a satin bag, drawn together with a silk cord and tassels, and ornamented at the other end with a bow of ribbon.

Another pretty design for these little articles is a pair of high straw boots with heels. They are finished at the top in the same manner as the horns of plenty, one for hair-pins, the other for hair. A band of ribbon passes around the top of the boot, tying in a bow in front, and three small bows, extending to the instep, appear to serve as fastenings.

The graceful willow-ware furniture is also adorned with needlework, bows of ribbons, etc., and thus decorated is very effective in lending a bit of bright color to some dusky corner.

A willow foot-rest may be prettily ornamented by covering the top with coarse Turkish toweling, across which a strip of bright Roman ribbon is diagonally fastened. Tassels made of wool of the shades of the ribbon are then knotted into the open-work spaces around the top.

A handsome work-basket can be made by purchasing a plain willow-basket, supported on a stand of tripod shape. Line the basket with satin, and fasten a row of worsted balls of the same color under the outer rim to form a fringe. Then tie a bow of ribbon around the centre of the stand, as if to hold it together.

INK-BLOTTER WITH RENAISSANCE EMBROIDERY.

A specimen of embroidery on leather, which . is one of the latest fancies, is illustrated in Fig. 9, which gives one-half the pattern, Fig. 10 showing it in full. The foundation of the work is black leather, the embroidery being done with filoselle silk of olive, green, pink, blue, and yellow-brown, each color in three shades. Fine gold cord is used for the outlines of the different figures.

Many persons will doubtless put this pretty design to some other use than that to which it is here applied-the ornamentation of an ink-blotter.

DUST-BRUSH-HOLDER.

Now that the whisk-broom has been accommodated with holders of every description, its cousin, the feather-duster, is beginning to emerge from retirement, and occupy a place on the wall in some convenient corner. A case made for it which really serves to convert this useful article into one of ornament is on the same plan as those modeled for the whisk-broom, except that it is round instead of flat. The lining may be either scarlet or blue satin, and both the top and bottom of the holder are trimmed with fancy fringe, headed by a ruche of satin ribbon, matching the lining in color. A band of satin ribbon crosses diagonally from the top to the bottom, and is caught in the middle under a bow. A cord and tassels fastened at the top serve to suspend the holder.

TAPESTRY-WORK FOR CHAIRS, CUSHIONS, ETC. The method of executing the fashionable and pretty tapestry-work is so clearly shown in Fig. II that no one can have any difficulty in following the pattern, which will be found very useful for many purposes. The embroidery is worked in Gobelin-stitch over silver or gold braid, which closely covers the canvas. Each row covers two threads, and is fastened to the canvas by a few stitches at each end. The embroidery is then worked with zephyr wool in two shades of red in Gobelin-stitch, as shown in the illustration. do the work neatly, and avoid "puckering," the canvas should be placed in a frame.

FAN WALL-POCKET.

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Still another purpose to which the ubiquitous Japanese fan is applied is that of serving as a foundation for a wall-pocket. Cover one side with silk or satin, and above this sew a full, flat pocket, concealing the stitches along the edge under a ruche of satin ribbon or pinked silk. Fasten a bow of ribbon or cluster of flowers in the centre of the pocket, and bore a hole in the handle, through which pass a string to form a loop by which to hang the pocket. Finish by adding a knot of ribbon tied around the handle, to hide the loop.

CURRENT TOPICS.

The Revised New Testament. The most important event in the world of letters this year is the publication of the revised edition of the New Testament Scriptures. This event is noteworthy not on account of any revision of public knowledge of the precepts of the scriptural writings, not because new truth has been brought to light in the various alterations made in the old accepted text, but because of the progress of the Christian world out of superstitious reverence for mere words, and the growth of the sentiment that Christianity does not depend at all for its power or truth upon any words or sets of words. The revision and the changes made are evidence of a growth away from bigotry and toward a far broader belief. Whether or not the alterations be accepted and the new book be adopted by the various religious bodies, the present feeling of the great body of church members and of the world at large proves that men are far more willing than they were a quarter of a century ago to accept an enlargement of scriptural truth. The trouble of the past has been that divines and denominations have been unwilling to grant that the mere patent truth, easily discovered on the outside of the New Testament page, could be enlarged, and made more powerful by a complete understanding of the text. Some denominations have even declared that to alter a word was to mutilate the Scriptures. It is within the recollection of one who has not passed his allotted days, that the great "body of believers" would fling the stones of malice at the man who would for a moment doubt that King James's version was the most perfect, truthful, sublime, in fact the only version that would be sanctioned by God, and that to alter it in the slightest particular would bring upon the daring vandal the anathema, which was written, “God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

But gradually there has grown among followers of the Christian faith a trust in the Scriptures which cannot be shaken by any alteration of sentence, phrase, or word which honest students of the original could possibly make. People who once looked upon the very letter as sacred have come to believe that the letter and the word are but symbols of the great truth which lies above and below and around both, and that the word may change, but no decay of truth will follow. On the other hand, the progress of knowledge has shown that even the simple word may open vast mines of knowledge. The study of words has established beyond doubt the identity of origin of the whole human race. The study of language has proved the brotherhood of mankind and the truth of history which was once little more than legend.

It is not our purpose at this time to discuss at all the nature of the revision, the wisdom of the changes, or to predict the results. In fact, such discussion cannot at present be indulged in with any degree of wisdom. It is too soon to estimate the effects; it would be unfair to judge the motives of those who made the alterations, and it is not best

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to enter upon any discussion which might seem tending toward theological dispute.

But the mere fact of a revision having been made, and having been so kindly received by the great body of followers of the Christian faith, is in itself evidence of a vast progress toward a broader interpretation of the elements, purposes, and ends of Christian doctrine as taught by the Saviour. The revision argues a growth away from mere creed to faith; from doctrine to the source of doctrine; from theories to the foundations of these theories; from trust in words to trust in the truth which the words express; from rudiments to developed truth. It argues among Christians everywhere a greater readiness to depend upon the great principles which Christ taught by word and act than to rely upon the narrow interpretations of those principles by men warped by prejudice, circumstance of birth, religious training, or what not.

As significant of these changes in the attitude of the Christian world toward progress, the revision of the New Testament is a most noteworthy event. It may, and does, point to other changes perhaps equally notable. The results may work a moral revolution within certain limits. The alterations of the text in conformity with the laws of literary taste are not the least important. They will tend to bring the book into more frequent use as a model of pure English. The elimination of some passages which have been walls of rock on the boundaries of denominations will tend, if accepted as revised, to make these denominations overlap each other. The more literal rendering of certain other passages will bring many doubters closer to the borders of Christianity, and may result in tearing down some of the walls of partition between the world and the church. But these speculations are verging on fancy. Mere word changes are not likely to alter the force of Christianity as an element of human progress in its aggressive aspect so much as in its subjective aspect. The changes made will affect the faith and stimulate the life of the church far more than they will modify or affect the belief and the attitude of the world.

What the various bodies of the various churches will do yet remains to be seen. No matter what they do, the old Bible and the new will stand side by side, will be read side by side. One will not give entire place to the other for years to come, if indeed it ever does. One will not make the other untrue. And after all is said and done, it makes little difference which one accept as the true exponent of the word of God. As knowledge advances, as men learn to measure words not by letter or sound, but by the amount of human life that is crowded into their etymology, as the scholar and the Christian reads between the letters of each word the struggles of creeds, the battles of beliefs, the wars of tenets, the cruelties of persecution, the customs of centuries, the habits of thought, the history of human progress, the influence of technical alterations grows more narrow, though their importance may still be great. The influence will be rather to enlarge the application of the truth to life

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