Through Rose and Other Colored Glass

Waxing a bit nostalgic, Mrs. L. of Mission Viejo would like to find some of the strings of colored glass (also the tracks that hold them) that were used years ago as room dividers or on small windows. She wonders if they are still being made. Can you help before Mrs. L. becomes glassy-eyed looking for the beads (or perhaps beady-eyed looking for the glass) and will begin to wonder whether someone is not stringing her along? Let’s hope the doctor is in--Dr. Scholl, that is. Nancy George of Ridgecrest is looking for Dr. Scholl’s sandals with arch supports, or at least a comparable item; she hopes that you’ll be supportive and not arch your brows over her request. And Frances Eisenberg of Hollywood needs to find no-heel, wooden-sole Dr. Scholl’s sandals. So far, no one has been able to locate any for her. Can you help, or will Eisenberg’s sole wish be to look forward to a Dutch treat? Ellen Beresford of Montclair needs to have an old cane doll buggy repaired, but she has had great difficulty finding someone who will do the work. Can you help with someone who’s “abel” to do this “cain” job, or will Beresford’s patience run out before she gets all the bugs out of her buggy? Mark Johnson of Artesia is searching for a refrigerator-freezer (new or used) that is mounted on a wall and is less than 20 inches deep. The only item that even comes close is made by Subzero and fits under a counter, but that one is 24 inches deep. Can you help Johnson come in out of the cold, or will he himself feel like climbing a wall? Reader-to-Reader Help Line: Lillian at (714) 525-5090 needs to replace the glass on the left tail light of her 1964 two-door Dodge Dart sedan. She’s been darting all over the place without success. Please help Lillian before her tail starts dragging. . . . Art at (818) 340-5011 (evenings) needs the rubber washer for an old Kidde Soda King siphon; the measurements of the washer are .065 of an inch thick, .26 of an inch inside diameter and .6 of an inch outside diameter; please help put the fizz back in Art’s life. . . . Mrs. Hof at (818) 347-7661 needs replacement pieces for her mother’s Booth silicon china made in England about 70 years ago; the pattern is called Springtime. Not even the factory in England could help. Maybe you can, and thus put the spring back in Mrs. Hof’s heart. Note: The Reader-to-Reader Help Line is only for one-time items and for products that are no longer available in stores. And you must give us written permission to publish your telephone number, so that other readers may contact you directly. The cup must surely be running over for V.B. Eddas of Alhambra, who was looking for Suzy’s Zoo lightweight coffee mugs and was told they had been discontinued. Eddas wrote us that Betty Spafford of Suzy’s Zoo found a Christmas cup she still had in stock and sent it to Eddas as a gift; it arrived on Christmas Eve. Needless to say, Eddas is once again a firm believer in Santa Claus. In addition, Rhea Godfrey of Huntington Park reports that she saw some Suzy’s Zoo mugs at the Owl & Pussycat in San Diego’s Old Town and at the Knott’s Berry Farm gift shop. Although Suzy’s Zoo is still out of mugs, they manufacture great original greeting cards based on animal motifs; the address is 9541 Ridgehaven Court, San Diego 92123-1624.

Santa Claus also has a gift (albeit late) for C. Brame of Van Nuys, who is looking for a zipper puller (for closing back zippers) for an arthritic relative. Vivian Ellingson of Sunland sent us a chain necklace with a heart that serves as a zipper puller; we will forward it to Brame as soon as we receive a complete address. In case others are interested in obtaining such an item, five readers said they had zipper pullers and were willing to part with them; please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the list of names. Jane Springman and Lorett Farel of Redondo Beach wrote that a zipper puller is nothing but a safety pin attached to a string or twine. And Susan Genelin of Sherman Oaks said a rug hook works just as well. And we’re not trying to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes either.

A pile of bedroom problems may soon be history for a friend of Mae Weiss who was looking for 13-EEE pile-lined bedroom slippers. Marjorie Edwards of Morro Bay states that these slippers can be ordered from Hitchcock Shoes Inc., 165 Beal St., Hingham, Mass. 02043, (617) 749-3260. Cost, including tax and shipping, is about $42, according to Edwards.

Herb Hain cannot answer mail personally but will, space permitting, respond in this column to readers who have--or need--helpful information. Write (do not telephone) to You Can Help!, You section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.