he entrance can be contrived just out of
sight. _The stage will be brightened up by laying down a "crumb
cloth," or covering it with holland._ A drawing-room scene is made
very pretty _by hanging up pairs of the summer white muslin curtains,
looped with gay ribbons, as if there were windows in the sides of the
stage_.

If a fireplace is wanted and will do at the side, a mantelpiece is
easily represented, and a banner screen will help to conceal the
absence of a grate. A showy specimen of that dreadful thing, a paper
grate-ornament, flowing well down into the fender, may sometimes hide
deficiencies. The appearance of _hot coals in a practicable grate_ is
given by _irregularly-shaped pieces of red glass, through which light
is thrown from a candle behind_.

A very important part of your preparations will be _the dresses_.

Now of dresses it may be said--as we have said of scenery--that if the
actors are clever, very slight (if suggestive) accessories in the way
of costume will suffice. At the same time, whilst the scenery can
never be good enough in amateur theatricals to cover deficiencies in
the performance, good costumes may be a most material help to the
success of a piece. Very little wit is demanded from the young
gentleman who plays the part of a monkey, if his felt coat is well
made, and his monkey-mask comical, and if he has acquired some
dexterity in the management of his tail.

I think, my dear Rouge Pot, that you were taken to see that splendid
exhibition of stage properties, _Babil and Bijou_? Do you remember the
delightful effect of the tribe of oysters? The little boys who played
the oysters had nothing to do but to hop and run, and keep their
shells nicely in front of them, and yet how we laughed at them! Now,
in a large family, such parts as these afford an opportunity for
allowing "the little ones" to "act," and so to become accustomed to
the stage, before they can be trusted to learn written parts. Nor are
_comical costumes_ beyond the powers of home manufacturers.

You know those men--sandwich-men as they are often called!--who go
about the London streets with one board in front and one behind. These
boards are of simple shape and only reach from the shoulder, to a
little below the knee; they are only wanted to paste advertisements
on. But if you think about it, you will see that to have the boards
high enough to hide the head, and low enough to hide the legs, rounded
at the top like a scallop sh