strange house.

There are traveling clocks in small leather cases which can be bought
very cheaply indeed now, and one of these clocks should be a part of
everyone's traveling equipment. The humble nickeled watch with a leather
case is infinitely better than the pretentious clocks, monstrosities of
marble and brass and bad taste.

A CORNER FOR WRITING.

One of my greatest pleasures, when I am planning the furnishing of a
house, is the selection and equipment of the necessary writing-tables.
Every room in every house has its own suggestion for an original
treatment, and I enjoy working out a plan for a writing-corner that will
offer maximum of convenience, and beauty and charm, for in these busy
days we need all these qualities for the inspiration of a pleasant note.
You see, I believe in proper writing-tables, just as I believe in proper
chairs. I have so many desks in my own house that are in constant use,
perhaps I can give you my theory best by recording my actual practice of
it.

I have spoken of the necessity of a desk in the hallway, and indeed, I
have said much of desks in other rooms, but I have still to emphasize my
belief in the importance of the equipment of desks.

Of course, one needs a desk in one's own room. Here there is infinite
latitude, for there are dozens of delightful possibilities. I always
place my desks near the windows. If the wall space is filled, I place an
oblong table at right angles to a window, and there you are. In my own
private sitting-room I have a long desk so placed, in my own house. In a
guest-room I furnished recently, I used a common oblong table of no
value, painting the legs a soft green and covering it with a piece of
sage-green damask. This is one of the nicest writing-tables I know, and
it could be copied for a song. The equipment of it is what counts. I
used two lamps, dull green jars with mauve silk shades, a dark green
leather rack for paper and envelopes, and a great blotter pad that will
save the damask from ink-spots. The small things are of green pottery
and crystal. In a young girl's bedroom I used a sweet little desk of
painted wood, a desk that has the naive charm of innocence. I do hope it
inspires the proper love-letters.

I always make provision for writing in dressing-rooms--a sliding shelf
in the dressing-table, and a shallow drawer for pencils and paper--and I
have adequate writing facilities in the servants' quarters, so that
there may be no excuse