What Do the Designs in Rugs Mean? Since many of the figures of ancient rug-weaving are retained in modern rug designs, the following list of meanings of ancient Oriental symbols used in rug-weaving may be interesting as a key to the stories that are said to appear in many rugs of Oriental design: Asp--intelligence Bat--duration Bee--immortality Beetle--earthly life Blossom--life Boat--serene spirit Butterfly--soil Crescent--celestial virgin Crocodile--deity Dove--love Eagle--creation Egg--life Feather--truth Goose--child Lizard--wisdom Palm tree--immortality Sail of vessel--breath Wheel--deity Lion--power Ass--humility Butterfly--beneficence of summer Jug--knowledge Ox--patience Hawk--power Lotus--the sun Pine-cone--fire Zigzag--water Leopard--fame Sword--force Serpent--desire Bird--spirit Owl--wisdom Pig--kindness Such are the traditions that the makers of modern rugs must live up to. The art of the centuries has been revealed in the rugs of many nations, and the rug-maker of to-day must uphold the standards of an art that undoubtedly takes rank with the great arts. Where a valuable painting goes into the home of one millionaire, thousands of rugs made from an original design of unquestioned art and beauty go into homes the country over to give warmth, comfort and beauty, delighting housewives and imparting a sense of coziness and elegance. According to students of the art of weaving, the perfection of this art was attained about the sixteenth century, after many centuries of slow growth. Since then weaving as an art has been broadened and given a wider scope by means of processes invented for a cheaper production of rugs in all the beauty of their original designs. But there also has developed a modern school of rug and carpet designing that in itself represents no mean standard of art. Many of the less expensive grades of American rugs and carpets, for example, are of designs created by artists of this modern school of weaving designs whose work is of a high degree of artistic excellence. [Illustration: HOW OUR GRANDMOTHERS MADE RAG CARPETS MAKING THE OLD RAG CARPET.] A quarter of a century ago many homes had rugs woven by the housewives with their spinning-wheels, or no floor coverings, except crude cloths made of rags. These homes, of course, were those of families in moderate circumstances, which to-day can have their attractive and comfort-giving rugs of the less expensive grades of tapestry carpet, Axminster or of the various other grades of carpet manufactured at a range of prices within the financial reach of people of modest means.