Great care must be taken to keep the corners and edges rubbed down smoothly. The sizing or paste must be put on very quick or it will set before the picture is put on. The beauty of this sizing is that it will draw tight as a drum, and will not stain the most delicate pictures. PICTURES. 311 To make varnish for varnishing pictures after they are mounted ; this is the same as used on all fine chromos. It will not lose its luster by steam or by rubbing with a cloth wet with cold water to clean it : Take best coach varnish one part and alcohol two parts ; put them in a bottle and shake them. Then pour a little in a cup, take a camel's hair brush, such as is used for varnishing, and spread on quickly for the alcohol evaporates very soon. The varnish must be shaken every time it is poured out, or the alcohol will not stay mixed with the varnish. If one coat will not do put on another in a day or so after the first has dried, brushing it the other way on the picture. This gives a beautiful polish if care is taken to keep it out of the dust while drying. HANGING THEM. It seems a very simple thing to hang pictures, but how few rooms there are in which they are hung so as to show their beauty. And in the fine art exhibitions they are hung as though to fill up space. In hanging pictures much depends on taste, some will have the bottom of all the picture frames on a line around the room, while others prefer to see it broken. Never hang a picture so that the shadows will come near a window, as the side that needs the light will not get it, and so a good subject may be spoiled, the owner not knowing why. Do not hang small pic- ture above large ones, for small objects have to be nearer the eye to be seen good, while large subjects look better a short distance away. Pictures should never be hung opposite windows if it can be avoided, as both glass and varnish reflect the light, so that when standing in front of them it almost totally hides the picture. Always be sure that the nails and cord are strong enough to stand the weight of the frames. Have the picture cord as near the color of the walls as possible. When the pictures are hung in more than one row, have the top ones lean forward more than the lower ones ; this can be done by putting the screw eyes nearer the bottom in the sides of the frame. When the common cord is used, it should be examined once every few months, as the weight of pictures cuts the cord where it crosses the nail, and by not looking to this simple thing hundreds of pictures have been ruined by falling. Wire cord is best, but it also has to be watched. Never hang paintings and chromos side by side, but put engravings between. Do not hang water-colors near paintings, chromos or other colored pictures. Get the best pictures you can afford, as one good picture is better than a dozen poor ones. Landscapes make a room look larger than most other pictures ; full length pictures, or large sized animals should 312 PICTURES. not be hung with other subjects, as giants and pigmies give too much contrast, and are not pleasant to the sight. EMBROIDERED PICTURE FRAMES.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Great care must be taken to keep the corners and edges rubbed down smoothly. The sizing or paste must be put on very quick or it will set before the picture is put on. The beauty of this sizing is that it will draw tight as a drum, and will not stain the most delicate pictures. To make varnish for varnishing pictures after they are mounted ; this is the same as used on all fine chromos. It will not lose its luster by steam or by rubbing with a cloth wet with cold water to clean it : Take best coach varnish one part and alcohol two parts ; put them in a bottle and shake them. Then pour a little in a cup, take a camel's hair brush, such as is used for varnishing, and spread on quickly for the alcohol evaporates very soon. The varnish must be shaken every time it is poured out, or the alcohol will not stay mixed with the varnish. If one coat will not do put on another in a day or so after the first has dried, brushing it the other way on the picture. This gives a beautiful polish if care is taken to keep it out of the dust while drying. HANGING THEM. It seems a very simple thing to hang pictures, but how few rooms there are in which they are hung so as to show their beauty. And in the fine art exhibitions they are hung as though to fill up space. In hanging pictures much depends on taste, some will have the bottom of all the picture frames on a line around the room, while others prefer to see it broken. Never hang a picture so that the shadows will come near a window, as the side that needs the light will not get it, and so a good subject may be spoiled, the owner not knowing why. Do not hang small picture above large ones, for small objects have to be nearer the eye to be seen good, while large subjects look better a short distance away. Pictures should never be hung opposite windows if it can be avoided, as both glass and varnish reflect the light, so that when standing in front of them it almost totally hides the picture. Always be sure that the nails and cord are strong enough to stand the weight of the frames. Have the picture cord as near the color of the walls as possible. When the pictures are hung in more than one row, have the top ones lean forward more than the lower ones ; this can be done by putting the screw eyes nearer the bottom in the sides of the frame. When the common cord is used, it should be examined once every few months, as the weight of pictures cuts the cord where it crosses the nail, and by not looking to this simple thing hundreds of pictures have been ruined by falling. Wire cord is best, but it also has to be watched. Never hang paintings and chromos side by side, but put engravings between. Do not hang water-colors near paintings, chromos or other colored pictures. Get the best pictures you can afford, as one good picture is better than a dozen poor ones. Landscapes make a room look larger than most other pictures ; full length pictures, or large sized animals should not be hung with other subjects, as giants and pigmies give too much contrast, and are not pleasant to the sight. EMBROIDERED PICTURE FRAMES.

The household (of the Detroit free press)