wife may have a pleasant view when she looks up from her kitchen work. It is not necessary to go into details concerning the construction of such a cabinet, because no two people would be satisfied

CABINET AT WINDOW

with the same plan. The plan shown is merely suggestive for the thoughtful wife and the handy man to work out to suit their own particular needs.

Many farm kitchens and dining rooms are dark and gloomy. It is not an easy matter to cut new windows in the outside wall, though this can often

be done to great advantage; but where there is an outside door in a dark room, conditions can very easily be improved, and that, too, at small expense. Doors vary greatly in the manner of construction, some having wide panels at the top and some having two narrow ones of varying lengths. But almost every panel door that was ever constructed can be treated in the way which we will describe. The two upper panels can be removed, and their place filled with two lights of glass. If the door is of modern make it will be found that the wooden panel is held in place by a narrow molding all about it, both inside and out. Remove the molding on one side, and take out the panel. Put in the glass and replace the molding, and the work is done. If, however, the door is of older manufacture the molding on either side may be found to be a part of the door frame. In this case, cut the molding away on one side, neatly and evenly, and remove the panel. Then insert the glass, and having made, or bought, a little strip of molding, fasten it neatly in place around the glass with brads.

In the case of some doors the two panels could be removed, and also the upright between them, leaving a large rectangular opening, into which a single sash of four, or nine, lights could be inserted, the joints being made tight about it with putty and white lead. Then tack a narrow bit of molding about the sash, both inside and out, and a door that will give light to the room will be the result. An outside door looks better with glass in the upper half, and the interior will certainly be made more cheerful and healthful because of it.

We know what we are, but know not what we may be.-Hamlet.

A BARREL CRADLE

Anyone who can use hammer and nails and needle and thread can make this inexpensive, accessible, easily moved, and cool yet sheltering cradle.

Secure a nice white sugar barrel, clean it thoroughly and remove half of both heads. Place the barrel on its side, removing half the staves, and leaving the other half to form the bed of the cradle.

BARREL READY TO TRIM

Next remove the hoop that is second from the bottom, and then two hoops will be left at the top to form the frame for the hood, and one hoop at the bottom to form the foot. (See illustration.) Carefully nail the remaining staves to the hoops, clinching each nail securely.

Now cover the frame thus formed, as shown in the accompanying illustration. Any thin cotton goods that may be laundered can be used. Figured lawn would be very pretty, and if economy is an item, a worn bleaching sheet will do. Place a little mattress or pad and a tiny pillow within, or

the usual cradle furnishings may be used. One yard of mosquito netting stretched over the opening of the cradle will prevent insects from bothering, and the netting itself cannot touch and awaken the baby.

FINISHED CRADLE

Winter months mean extra care for the mother of a baby, but possibly the greatest of the additional cares that winter brings in this regard is that of keeping the curious tot from the hot stove. Build a pen around the stove to protect him from it. The pen is a simple affair. It consists of four little gates, made just large enough to surround the stove, and covered with netting. The wire netting does not interfere with the free passage of heat and is very effective in keeping baby from getting burned. The gates are made of 14-inch strips, mortised or neatly fitted. For netting use ordinary poultry wire of 2-foot width. The gates are held in place by hooks and screw eyes. This arrangement is better than hinges, as it makes the

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taking down of the affair, for sweeping or cleaning the stove, much easier.

In the summer you may use the gate at the foot of the stairs, across the porch door, and in other places where baby is determined to go, and where he is in danger of falling and getting hurt unless protected in this way. For this pen, the lumber costs 25 cents, the netting 25 cents, and the hook and screw eyes 15 cents, making a total of only 65 cents.

A BOX FOR CLOTHES

In many of the furniture stores one may see pretty cloth-covered boxes that are used in bedrooms as a receptacle for various articles of apparel, the inside, as well as the outside, being covered with pretty figured cloth. The inside of the cover is fitted with pockets for slippers and slumber shoes. These little chests are so light that they may be lifted about with one hand.

To make such a chest, select one of the very light and well-made grocery boxes in which cereals and various brands of breakfast foods are shipped, which may be had at any grocery store. See that the corners and the bottom are nailed securely. The top will be composed of at least two pieces of board, and these can be made into a solid cover by nailing two cleats beneath them. But these will not look very attractive when the covering is being put on, so a more workmanlike plan will be to saw off a couple of inches from each end of the top boards and supply the place of the wood removed by nailing along the ends a 2-inch strip of the same thickness. This gives a cleat at each end, but the cleats in this way form part of the cover itself.