Many a home, now dark and cheerless, might be made bright and cheery
by a few plants in the window, or bunches of ferns and bright autumn
leaves, fastened on the wall, or on the pictures.
Homes cannot be made too bright and home-like for the husband and the
children; and these little things cost little or nothing, and add much
to the general appearance.
A novel and pretty window ornament can be made in this way: Take a
white sponge of large size, and sow it full of rice, oats and wheat.
Then place it, for a week or ten days, in a shallow dish, in which a
little water is constantly kept, and as the sponge will absorb the
moisture, the seeds will begin to sprout before many days. When this
has fairly taken place, the sponge may be suspended by means of cords
from a hook in the top of the window where a little sun will enter. It
will thus become a mass of green, and can be kept wet by merely
immersing it in a bowl of water.
"CHEER UP."