Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/408

berth, and, by wrapping one around each leg, fastening them at the ankles with strings and at the waist with a shawl-strap, made quite a presentable pair of Turkish pants. The shawl-strap, worn with the handle in front, had the appearance of an odd-looking double belt; a pair of white stockings, drawn over a pair of slippers and the bottom of the pants, answered for white boots; his shirt served as a white waist. A sheet hanging from his shoulders, after the manner of a cape or shawl, combined, with a turban made of a towel, to give a decided Arab look. The boy's face and hair had been made snowy white by an application of flour.

The disguise was complete, and the costume pronounced by all to be the very best in the cabin. In a similar manner many characters may be personated, and the costume made up of such material as can be found about home.

Many proposed tableaux, masquerade, or parlor play is abandoned because the costumes necessary are either unattainable or altogether too expensive.

There is "lots of fun" to be had at entertainments of this kind and for fear that my reader might miss some such opportunity to have a "good time," this chapter is devoted to describing two or three costumes, and showing how first-class character dresses can be made without an expenditure of money.

can be clothed with modern garments altered to suit the occasion. Tights are necessary, and may be made of an ordinary suit of knit underclothes (Fig. 238) by the addition of a little trimming and a pair of trunks to cover the top part of the drawers. But let us commence at the top of the man and work down, describing each article of dress in the order in which it comes.