NOW, girls, we must have practicable ideas in regard to our decorations; they should consist of something which we _know_ will be easy to make and at the same time look well; the materials employed must be within possible reach of all, and nothing expensive or difficult to obtain allowed to enter into their manufacture. What are commonly called Dutch curtains are very popular; they are short curtains of some thin, transparent fabric, fastened with rings to a slender rod of bamboo, and when drawn, cover the lower part of the window without intercepting the light. The curtains are very useful, but, while they do not obstruct the light, they do obstruct the vision. We all know that the front window is just the place to sit when sewing or doing fancy-work, and although few ladies care to be seen by every passer-by, yet they all like to see what is going on outside, and while their deft fingers ply the needle their bright eyes take in the landscape out of doors and derive amusement and entertainment from the birds and flowers, if it be in the country, or the ever-moving throng, if in the city. An ornamental screen, therefore, that will shield one and yet not interfere with the view is desirable. What might be termed the =Oriental Window-Shade= not only comes up to the above requirements, but is inexpensive, and not difficult to construct. [Illustration: Fig. 357.—Manner of Making Fringe for Oriental Window-shade.] [Illustration: Fig. 358.—Fringe of Macaroni and Beads.] Make a small lawn-tennis net, long enough to reach across the width of the window and about eight inches deep; make loops of the rope on the ends for hanging the screen to knobs or hooks screwed in the framework of the window; spread the net out and fasten it up on a door, between two chairs, or any convenient place; then cut a number of pieces of fine twine, about four feet long, and attach them, a quarter of an inch apart, along the bottom rope (Fig. 357); A shows a loosened loop and B the tightened ones. The ends of the twine hang free. On each double strand string glass beads and slender pieces of bamboo, reeds, painted clay pipe-stems, or macaroni broken in pieces of equal length and used in their natural color, or painted with oil-paints to any desired tint. Have the reeds four inches long, and thread them on alternately with the beads (Fig. 358); or you can form a design by cutting the reeds into different lengths; at the end of each strand fasten a large bead or glass button. A very simple =Ribbon-Curtain=