Bath and Bedroom Towels.
In nothing relating to the supplies of her house does the average housekeeper make so many errors as in the matter of towels. It has not been wholly her fault in the past, but it certainly will be in the time to come, if bright borders and deep fringes decorate the towels with which she furnishes her chambers and bath-rooms. As in the past, so it is now: there is nothing so satisfactory for general use as the huckaback towels. They are excellent for absorbing water, and the slight friction is both pleasant and healthful. They are now hemstitched, and cost from twenty-five cents to a dollar and a half apiece, according to size and quality. The goods can be bought by the yard if one prefer to make her own towels. There are huckaback towels of fancy weaving, which, hemstitched, cost from fifty cents to on dollar and a quarter apiece. Some of these are fringed, at thirty-seven and a half cents apiece. Damask towels, which are really more for show than use, cost from twenty-five cents to two dollars and a half. For the bath-room there are really so many good things that it is a difficult matter to choose. There always should be soft coarse towels that will absorb water quickly, and at the same time cause a slight friction. The towels also should be of generous size. The huckaback is always good for drying off, but there should be a good friction towel after this. Among the good bath towels are crash towels, at twenty-five cents apiece. Oxford towels, something like huckaback, but very large—26 × 50 inches—are one dollar apiece. Imperial bath towels, of a peculiar style of weaving, absorbing water like a sponge, cost a dollar apiece. Turkish towels make an excellent friction towel, and are within the means of all. They can be bought for even less than twenty-five cents; but I would not advise anything cheaper than twenty-five or fifty cents, as a towel of this kind should be large. An article which to me seems ideal as a friction towel is the kind made of linen tape, which costs one dollar.