bodiments of those heroes and heroines who have ble-so she sat down, and writing to the chamberhitherto filled our fancy. lain, sent the golden leaf to him, stating that she sent him the proof of her awkwardness, for which she could make no reparation. Sketching in water-colors is, too, a most agreeable art-for it enables us to recall, by a touch of the pencil, scenes, which whole pages of descriptive writing could not bring as vividly to our memories. In these days of rapid and universal traveling, this talent should form part of the education of young ladies. It is by no means a difficult art to acquire, nor an expensive one to cultivate. Nor does it require any great natural artistic genius. A person of very moderate taste for drawing, may reach greater perfection, and far more pleasing results, in the art of sketching, than a person of very moderate abilities can ever attain to in music, whether vocal or instrumental, after most arduous study and practice. There have been celebrities in France, in the art of miniature painting. Madame de Mirbel has left us a most interesting collection of the Napoleon era, his family, and all his generals. She painted several portraits of the Emperor, who was fond of giving away his portrait, set either in diamonds or in gold, as a reward to literary and scientific men, besides presenting it to foreign sovereigns and ambassadors. At one time, Napoleon desired to be painted with a crown of golden laurel leaves, presented to him by the Venetians. The chamberlain showed the note to Napoleon, who laughed heartily at the dilemma in which Mme. de Mirbel fancied she had placed herself; then, taking an elegant snuff-box, having on it his initials in diamonds, he placed the leaf within it, together with a slip of paper, and desired that it might be sent to Mme. de Mirbel. On the paper was written: "The Emperor returns the leaf, and desires that Mme. de Mirbel will keep it in remembrance of the only awkward thing he ever knew her to be guilty of." Mme. de Mirbel has been long dead; but her heirs keep this memorial of the emperor's kindness, together with the inscription which accompanied it— one of the very few legible specimens of Napoleon's autograph; for, though he might conquer kingdoms, he never conquered the art of writing. When his son-in-law, Eugène Beauharnais, was Viceroy of Italy, and dispatches used to come from Paris in the emperor's own hand, a courier was always kept ready to take them to the various ministers and officers acquainted with his hand, in order to get them decyphered. By dint of a word here, and a sentence there, this difficult task was at last accomplished, and the dispatches answered. NAMES ON HANDKERCHIEFS. The crown was sent by the chamberlain to Madame de Mirbel, in order that she might copy it exactly. She had had confided to her care many objects of value, and many regal ornaments, which she was called on to portray, and, of course, took the very greatest care of everything given to her. By some unfortunate accident, however, Madame de Mirbel, in moving the crown from one table to another, let it fall, and one of the leaves, of solid gold, was broken off. She tried in vain to have it repaired-no jeweler would undertake to do it without its being percepti-handkerchief itself. We have been told that the names and initials in our last, have met with so much favor, that we have taken pains to select another sample. It is a great satisfaction to work these beautiful patterns, for it is impossible to buy handkerchiefs embroidered with one's own individual name, and almost impossible to get them done neatly, without paying a sum for them which, in these cheap days, exceeds the price of the Esther This name is worked in satin stitch, and the dots in color as well as the small lines. Besoe This must be worked in one color. The lines merely ried across, it would produ indicate where the stitches should divide, for, if car-being almost impossible to it. It aning to ches diverge all from the Alfred This is a very unpretending style, suited to a gen- | in red silk, which can be had ingrain on a white I tleman's handkerchief. It looks well, embroidered dia silk handkerchief. Welly The centres in white, surrounded by a frame of pink or blue. R An artistic and beautiful design, either for the | It can then be worked in white saddler's silk on corner of a handkerchief, or for perfume sachet. colored satin. Agnes This will test the talent of the worker. Those leaf- precision; still they are most graceful and effective like arabesques require the utmost neatness and when achieved. Designs for trimmings. In working all these trimmings great attention should be paid to the scollops or edge so as to make it durable. This is to be done by using very coarse cotton to trace it. It should be traced several times before beginning to work. A very neat insertion. The vine leaf requires great care and neatness. The stitches diverge all from the lines, forming the veins of the leaf. |