Mother gathered the fanciest every fall, dried them, and dipped them in melted alum coloured with copperas, aniline, and indigo.
Then she took bunches of the colours that went together best and made bouquets for the big vases.

They were pretty in the daytime, but at night you could watch them sparkle and shimmer forever.
I always thought the sitting-room was nicer than the parlour.

The woodwork was white enamel there too, but the bureau and chairs were just cherry and not too precious to use.

They were every bit as pretty.

The mantel was much larger.