Tasteful flowerpot-covers may be made of four pieces of card-board the height of ordinary flowerpots, and from five to eight inches in width, according to the size of the pot. Lace them together at the sides with fine gold or silver cord, and tie the cords at the top in a bow, with a little gold or silver tassel attached to each end. The four sides of the cover should be ornamented in the center of each with drawings, colored pictures, groups of dried flowers, ferns, seaweed, or autumn leaves, as fancy may dictate.

Letter-cases to hang on the walls are made by cutting a piece of white card-board twelve inches long. Make a point at the top, like the flap of an envelope, and bind it all round with narrow, bright-colored ribbon; turn up four inches at the bottom to make a sort of flap-pocket; lace it up each side with ribbon or cord, and bore a round hole in the point by which to hang it.

Cases similar to these, on a larger and stronger scale, are useful for hanging in libraries or sitting rooms, as a depository for newspapers, periodicals, etc. They offer great oppor tunities for a display of taste in decoration. Pockets, the same shape, of holland or crash, are handy to hang in closets for boots and shoes, and larger ones, divided into compartments for patterns or scrap-bundles, are invaluable.

A strong and neat music-case is made as follows:-Cut a piece of the leather some inches larger than an open piece of music, bind it all round, double it, and sew together at the edges. The music lies flat inside. Another shape is to cut it the size of the music with a good margin, line it, sew elastic in the center, under which the music is fastened, and then roll music and case together.

In lamp-shades, one has quite a play for ingenuity. Cut a shape in card-board and ornament with pictures, or prick a design with a pen-knife, which has an admirable effect. Dried flowers or ferns arranged on silk or card-board, and covered with prepared muslin to keep them from breaking off, are lovely and somewhat of a novelty. For a silk or thin ground, a brass wire of given circumference for the top, and another much wider for the bottom, are required. Very elegant shades may be made of pink crape. Cut a circle of the crape; let the diameter of this circle be exactly double the depth you wish the shade to be; cut a round hole in the center for the chimney of the lamp to pass through. Ornament the crape with small bunches of flowers cut out of cretonne, tacked on and buttonholed round. Edge the bottom of the shade with pink silk fringe about three inches wide, and finish by putting a close ruching of pink silk round the top, and you will have an uncommon-looking shade, and one which will shed a pleasing light through the room.

Children's reins for play, made from the following directions, are strong and pretty :-Cast, on a pair of bone knittingneedles, twenty stitches in double Berlin, and knit, in plain knitting, as tripe ten inches in length, always slipping the first stitch of every row; cast off. To each end of this stripe is attached a circle for the arms, which is made thus: Take a piece of cord, the kind used in hanging pictures, and make circle the size of a child's arm at the shoulder; sew the ends firmly together, splicing one a little past the other; then cover the cord with cotton, wool, or flannel, to make it soft; then

cover lastly with a stripe of knitting, casting on eight stitches and knitting the length required, plain every row; sew it on overcast on the inner side. Before attaching the stripe first knitted to the armholes, there ought to be sewed upon it some name, such as "Beauty," or "Fairy," and to the under edge, should be fastened three or four little bells. When fastening the stripe for the chest to the armholes, do not let the sewing be seen, but overcast on the inner side to the overcasting on the armholes. Cast on eight stitches and knit, in plain knitting, a rein the length required, two and a half yards being enough, as it stretches in use. Attach the ends to the armholes at the back, sewing to the overcasting; then finish by knitting a stripe twenty stitches in breadth and ten inches in length, the ends of which sew to the armholes at the back, at the same place as the rein.

Dolls of all sizes, and dressed in every costume, from the bald-headed baby in long clothes to the young lady in Parisian attire, are not to be forgotten. One dressed in white cotton wool, or Canton flannel, as an Esquimaux, is an excellent toy for a baby. So also are the knitted dolls. These are knitted in fine worsted on No. 16 or 18 needles, and should be knitted to a shape. It would take too long to give exact directions, but you cannot go far wrong, if you lay a doll down and draw the outline. Knit, by this outline, two pieces and join them. A face is knitted with an oval piece of knitting, and drawn over an old face. With judicious dressing, you may have a fair result, even the first time of trying. Rabbits, cats, and dogs are all made in the same manner: they should be knitted in loop-stitch or looped crochet, then cut, combed, and stuffed. Rabbits, too, are very pretty made of gray velveteen and white plush, stuffed with wool, and pink or black beads used for

eyes.

Dancing-men may be made of cork, dressed up, and with black silk strings to make them dance. Men and animals cut out of card-board, painted, and joined together with strong twine, afford great amusement, and are just as good as any you purchase.

Balls are made in various ways, and use up the various odds and ends to great advantage. The soft, fluffy balls made over cardboard are the best for this purpose. For one of these balls you trace a circle, the diameter of which must be the size you wish the ball. Say the diameter is three inches: inside this, and from the same point in the center, trace a smaller circle of one and a quarter inches in diameter. Cut this inner circle out, draw another exactly like the large one, keep the two together, and wind the wool you use over and over these two pieces of card, until you can draw no more wool through, even with a crochet-hook. You next cut the wool just over the outer rim of the two circles and between the pieces of cardboard tie all the wool together securely with strong twine or with thick silk, if you wish to make the balls hang together. This silk must be left with long ends and crocheted up into a very fine cord in chain stitch. You next remove the cardboard and proceed to cut the wool and shape it round with a scissors : this is the only difficult part of the manufacture of these soft balls. Another method is to knit them in brioche stitch in one, two, or three colors, in single Berlin wool. Take a pair of No. 14 needles and cast on 28 stitches; knit back. The

first row: wool forward, slip the next stitch, knit the second; repeat from * to the end of the row. Second row: * wool forward, slip as if you intended to purl the next stitch, knit the 2 stitches together, lying over each other; repeat from * twelve times more, leaving 3 stitches unworked. Third row: Turn, wool forward, slip i, knit 2 together twelve times, leaving 3 unworked at the other end of the needle. Fourth row: Turn, work as before eleven times. Fifth row: Turn, work as before ten times, and so on, leaving 3 more stitches, or another rib, until you have only two ribs in the center; knit these two ribs, turn, and knit all the stitches off; then knit two whole rows of the 28 stitches. Join now your second color, knit two whole rows, and then repeat from the second row. Eight of these little pieces will be required; knit the two pieces together to join them, stuff it with lamb's-wool combed, or the shavings of other soft balls, and draw up the

centers.

A third kind of ball is made by cutting pieces of kid or leather in the same shapes as those described above. Draw a circle the size you require the ball, and divide it into four or eight sections; cut these out, then cut your pieces the same size, sew them together, stuff with hair or wool, and ornament with braid. Such balls may be made from old kid gloves.

Fancy Pincushion.-Take three small cane rods and put brass knobs at all the ends. Make the foundation of cushion of a large-size collar-box, cover the sides with velvet, upon which diamond-shaped pieces of perforated board are placed, worked round the edge with colored floss. Fill the box with bran, and cover the top with velvet. The canes are wound round, and the pincushion is crossed by a narrow strip of perforated card laid on to a narrow blue ribbon. Bows of blue ribbon are then tied on, and the stand is finished. A sharp knife is needed to cut the cardboard.

Box for Playing-Cards.-Materials: cardboard, wire, velvet, silk, ribbon, purse-silk or gold cord, and coarse sewingsilk. The box is intended to hold two packs of cards. There is an inner case, into which the cards are placed. This case lifts out, if desired; but a little half-circle is cut out on each side of it to lift the cards out more readily. Both the outer and inner edges are worked round with a small zigzag pattern, or a row of herring-bone stitch will answer. The inner case is covered inside and out with silk. The sides of the inner case measure four and a half inches in width, and two and a half inches in depth, with the half-circle cut in the middle. The ends are two and a half inches deep, and two and a half inches wide. The bottom is cut to fit. Cover all inside and out with silk the color of the velvet, and work round the top with a little pointed pattern. Ribbon is put on to lift the case out by, and the cards may be tied in to keep them in place. For the outer case :-The cardboard ends are five inches high in the middle, and are rounded off toward the sides. They are three inches wide. The front and back are each five inches long and six inches deep. The back is joined to the ends four inches in depth. Previous to covering, the cardboard must have a cut made in it, so that it will bend, and wire must be sewn on to the part above the cut, so as to give it a proper curve to fit the arch of the ends. The front is joined to the ends two and a half inches in depth, and the card must here

be cut. If by accident it is cut through, some hinges of ribbon must be glued on. The wire is put on from this part, and must be bent to the exact curve of the ends. The bottom is cut to fit. When the separate parts are cut they are all lined with silk, covered with velvet, and bound with ribbon. Ribbon is laid on flat, and worked down with the embroidery pattern at the hinges of the lid. The box is fastened at the top with two buttons and loops of cord placed under the ribbon bows.

Gentleman's Dressing-Case.—A straight piece of cloth doubled eleven inches broad and nineteen inches long. The ends are turned up to form pockets, and bound with ribbon or braid. A strip of leather with slits cut in it is stitched through the center of case, through which a strap sixteen inches long is slipped. Slope it a trifle at one end that it can go through readily, and make several buttonholes at the end, so that, after placing in the necessary articles, it may be drawn tightly and buttoned. On the outside is a strap bound with ribbon or braid to fasten the case when rolled.

Child's Worsted Horse-Reins.-Work with scarlet fingering wool over a crocheted chain as follows:-Make a long chain for insertion; then, on a chain of 13 stitches, work, passing over the first stitch a row of double on the front thread of the previous row, inserting the chain cord; at the end of the row, I chain, * turn the work, I slip stitch on the back thread of the previous row, without inserting the chain cord, at the end of the row, I chain; repeat from * ti. the reins are the required length. Now work over the loops formed by the chain cord along both sides of the reins as follows: * I double over the first loop, 5 treble over the following loop; repeat from *.

Comb-Case.-Take two pieces of silver perforated paper four inches long, and one and a quarter inches broad. Work them with purple and canary-colored worsted. Bind them with narrow purple ribbon, and ornament this binding at regular distances with little knots of canary twist, then overhand the two pieces together.

Child's Ball.-Take a large ball of yarn or a very thin india-rubber one. Commence the cover of worsted by making

a chain of four stitches joined to a circle, and work in double stitches, increasing at regular intervals till the work is large enough to cover one-half the ball; then work a few rows without increase, draw the cover over the ball, letting the wrong side of the work be outside, and work the other half to correspond with the first half, decreasing at regular intervals, and putting the needle in from the inside. A pattern of bright flowers worked with worsted round the center adds greatly to the ball's attractions for a child.

Glove-Case.-Materials: Silver-colored leather canvas; lilac cashmere or llama; 1 yards lilac sarcenet ribbon, I inch broad; black and lilac Berlin wool in two contrasting shades; twenty-four little enamel buttons; white sewing-silk. The outer covering of the case consists of a piece of silver-colored leather canvas, 21 inches long and 6 inches broad, sloped off equally on each side, and measuring 16 inches in length at the sides. The pattern is worked in cross and loose stitch in Berlin wool. The lining is lilac llama, fastened with wide button-hole stitch in white silk, ornamented with herring-bone

stitch of the same silk; 12 inches from the edge on each side are straps of white llama, inch broad, which button over each other to form six divisions for placing gloves. At the sloped ends are a ribbon with a knot and two uneven ends for fastening the case when rolled up.

Pretty, simple sachets for handkerchiefs are made in colored cardboard, crimson for instance. A square the necessary size is bound with very narrow black ribbon, and to this is sewed a ribbon about an inch and a half wide. Four semicircular pieces of cardboard are then bound with the narrow black ribbon, and sewed to the upper edge of the wide. Two of these have ribbon to tie, and on them may be designed any pretty device in gold leaf or otherwise.

SUGGESTIONS AS TO DRESS, ETC.

How to Dress for a Fair-Raffles-Bran-Tubs-Fish-Ponds-Articles supplied from Stores.

How to Dress for a Fair.-The dress of the stall-holder should always be as neat and simple as possible. Heavy material, profuse trimming, trains and fringes encumber and harass the wearer, making her hot, tired and dusty; the fringes catch in everything, the trains are continually in the way, and the thickness of the dress makes the whole business a weary work.

In these days of light and pretty fabrics, there will be no difficulty in selecting such as will be tasteful and appropriate, giving satisfaction to the wearer and to others. Washing materials are decidedly the best; they do not catch and hold the dust, and they keep a cool and refreshing appearance throughout. Cambric, percale, batiste, chintz, oatmeal cloth, holland, or sateen will afford ample variety of choice. Foulard, too, is exceedingly suitable. The dress should be short and as waitress-like as possible. It is customary to wear aprons or the pretty pinafore costume, giving a graceful effect. These aprons can be of any suitable material. Many are made of the bright-hued Indian handkerchiefs, others of shepherd's plaid, or muslin. We noticed a very pretty apron made of white muslin, with a bib and bretelles passing over the shoulders to fasten at the back. These bretelles are only an inch wide, and are edged on each side with lace. A belt or sash can be worn if preferred, but the prettier style is as described.

In the matter of head-gear there is no limit. Caps are sometimes seen, but hats are most in favor. These may be as large and eccentric as the wearer pleases. Any bizarre style, or a hat worn with a fancy costume, will be just the thing. They should

be profusely trimmed with feathers, lace, flowers, ribbon, etc. Gloves, of course, are not worn, though mittens may be.

Raffles, Bran-Tubs, etc. These require much patience and good temper, since there is great trouble in getting them up and much disappointment in the drawing of lots.

The ugliest and least saleable articles should be raffled at the commencement of the Fair, or they remain unsold and in the way.

Towards the close of a Fair a number of articles should be put in a giant lottery in which are no blanks, so that none go away empty-handed. This form of raffling is usually popular.

The manner of conducting these raffles is to make so many shares of the value of fifty cents, or twentyfive cents, etc. When the full value of the article has been attained by means of the shares, as many slips of paper as there are shareholders are put in a hat, a basket, or bag, and each in turn draws out a ticket. The one who draws out the slip with the word "prize" written on it becomes the owner of the article and the lottery is over.

Bran-Tubs and Fish-Ponds are, however, those most chiefly patronized, and especially by juveniles. The prices will vary, of course, according to the value of the articles. The usual charge is ten cents a dip, though sometimes it is necessary to make it twenty-five cents, or lower it to a cent. A bran-tub at which the charge is so low as this last is always a success. A large tub must be procured, care being taken that it is first well scrubbed and cleaned; then cover it with glazed calico of a color corresponding or contrasting with the prevailing tone of the room, and further ornamented with flounces of lace or muslin and bows of ribbon. The bottom is then strewn with sawdust, and the articles, neatly wrapped in white paper, are packed in it. Now put more sawdust, pack in more prizes, and so on until the tub is filled.

The drawing of prizes takes place on the payment of the fee. Each subscriber plunges his hand into the tub, withdrawing it on securing a parcel. The chief amusement derived from this lottery is the ab surd incongruity between the prize-winner and the prize. An old gentlemen may be seen parading with a toy drum, or a grandmamma of sixty with a rosy-cheeked doll.

MARRIAGE.

ARRIAGE may be entered into by any two persons, with the following exceptions: Idiots, lunatics, persons of unsound mind, persons related by blood or affinity, within certain degrees prohibited by law; infants under the age of consent, which, in the State of New York, is 14 for males and 12 for females, and all persons already married and not legally divorced.

The law relating to marriages, touching the prohibited degrees of kindred, age, and so forth, varies according to the statutes of the different States.

Marriage may be solemnized before any person professing to be a justice of the peace or a minister of the gospel.

But a precise compliance with all the requirements of law has not been deemed necessary; and in some important provisions it has been held that a disregard of them was punishable, but did not vitiate the marriage; as the want of consent of parents or guardians, where one party is a minor The essential thing seems to be the declaration of consent by both parties, before a person authorized to receive such declaration by law.

Consent is the essence of this contract, as of all other contracts. Hence it cannot be valid, if made by those who had not sufficient minds to consent; such as idiots, or insane persons. Hence such marriages are void at common law and by the statutes of several of the States. It is usual, however, for such marriages to be declared void by a competent tribunal after a due ascertainment of the facts. In some of the States this can be done by common law courts.

From the necessity of consent likewise, a marriage obtained by force or fraud is void; but the force or fraud must be certain and extreme.

The same is true if another husband or wife of either of the parties be living.

Bigamy or polygamy is an indictable offence in all the States, but exceptions are made in cases of long-continued absence, with belief of the death of the party, etc. But these exceptions to the criminality of the act do not change the question as to the validity of the second marriage, which is the same as before. And so if the parties are within the prohibited degrees of kindred.

The consent of parents or guardians to the marriage of minors depends on the statutes of the several States. Generally, if not universally, the marriage would be held valid, though the person celebrating it might be held punishable.

In the statutes of some of the States there are provisions to the effect that a marriage not lawfully celebrated by reason of the fraud of one of the parties shall yet be held valid in favor of the innocent party, as in case the husband imposed upon the wife by a forged or unauthorized license or a pretended clergyman.

FOREIGN MARRIAGES.

It is a doctrine of English and American law that a marriage which is valid where contracted is valid everywhere. But it is subject to some qualification. A marriage contracted elsewhere would not be held valid in a State the law of which forbade it as incestuous, although an issue might be made whether it would be held incestuous, so far as to annul the marriage, if within the degrees prohibited by the laws of the State in which the question arose, or only if it be between kindred who are too near to marry by the law of the civilized world.

If a married man, a citizen of one of our States, went into a Mormon territory, and there married again, he would not be held on his return to be the lawful nus

band of two wives; or if a Mormon came to any of the States with two or more wives, he would not be held to be the lawful husband of all of them.

Though the rule is true that a marriage which is void when contracted is valid nowhere, there are exceptions to it: as if two Americans intermarried in China, where the marriage was performed in presence of an American chaplain, according to American forms. If such marriage were held void in China, it would be held valid in the United States.

The incidents of marriage, and contracts in relation to marriage, such as settlement of property are construed by the law of the place where these were made; this being supposed to be the intention and agreement of the parties. But this rule does not hold when the parties are married while accidentally or temporarily absent from their homes, as then there is no domicile, and the marriage is regarded as constructively domestic.

DIVORCE.

The law and practice in relation to divorce differ in the different States, being exactly alike in no two of them.

Absolute divorce can be obtained in the State of New York for adultery alone.

rights of an unmarried woman, with regard to property, business, and contracts. The husband is relieved from his general duty of maintaining her, the courts generally exercising their power of decreeing such maintenance by the husband as the character and circumstances of the case render fit.

In some of the States it is the custom of the legis tures to grant divorces by private acts, and this is sometimes done for the feeblest of reasons.

As a general rule, a divorce granted in a State in which both parties had their actual domicile, and also were married, is valid everywhere. Again, every State generally recognizes the validity of a divorce granted where both parties have their actual domicile, if granted in accordance with the law of that place.

In the United States the law on this subject is generally regulated by statutes, and these differ very much. In the absence of statutory provision, the rule of the courts generally is that a divorce, which was valid where granted, and which was obtained in good faith, is valid everywhere.

1. Idiocy or lunacy.

2. Consent of either party having been obtained by

force or fraud.

3. Want of age or of physical capacity.

suffering and injury to conditi n and prospects.

Where the promise is mutual, an action for breach of promise may be maintained against a woman.

This action connot be maintained against an infant.

5. Inhuman treatment, abandonment, neglect or failure on the part of the husband to provide for the wife. 6. Such conduct on the part of the defendant as would render it dangerous for plaintiff to cohabit with defendant.

A divorce a vinculo annuls the marriage entirely, and restores the parties to all the rights of unmarried persons, and relieves them from all liabilities that grew out of the marriage, except so far as may be provided by the statutes or made a portion of the decree by the court. Thus the statutes of some States provide that the guilty party shall not marry again. The court generally has the power to decree the terms of the separation, regarding alimony, possession of children, and so forth.

Strict care is taken to prevent divorce being obtained by collusion. It will not be granted merely upon the consent or default of the party charged, but only on the proof of cause alleged.

The causes of divorce from bed and board are now very commonly made sufficient for divorce from the bond of marriage. As a general rule, a woman divorced from the bed and board of her husband acquires the

an adult.

A promise to give to a woman, or settle upon her, a specific sum or estate on her marriage, is valid.

RIGHTS OF MARRIED WOMEN. Any and all property owned by a woman at the time of her marriage, together with the rents, issues, and profits thereof, and the property that comes to her by descent, devise, bequest, gift or grant, or which she acquires by her trade, business, labor, or services performed on her separate account, shall, notwithstanding her marriage, remain her sole and separate property, and may be used, collected, and invested by her in her own name, and shall not be subject to the interference or control of her husband, or be liable for his debts, unless for such debts as may have been contracted for the support of herself or children by her as his agent.

A married woman may also bargain, sell, assign, transfer, and convey such property and enter into contracts concerning the same, on her separate trade, labor or business with the same effect as if she were not married. But her husband is not liable for such contracts, and they do not render him or his property in any wise