Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-08-03
DARK ROOMS.

Dark rooms are a source Of more IN
healthiness than the ladies, perhaps, will
be willing to believe. It Is a very unnat-
ural way of living, this being housed up
in a deeply shaded apartment, away from
the broad light of day, week after week,
and month after month. 1t may be o
proof of refinement and delicacy to be
unable TO endure the G0d-glVen sunlight;
but we have never found roses and lilies
deficient In either, and they are fond Of
light, and cannot bloom without it,
Light Is the source Of color, and to a
great degree Of life. A plant reared In a
dark place Is pale and sickly. So are
women. IF they wish the sweet tint of
the rose upon their cheeks, and the fair
hue of the lily upon their foreheads. they
must sun themselves and give themselves
fresh air. We hardly dare to hint our
supicion that one reason why the ladies
persist in loving darkness rather than
light" is that their artificial bloom and
fairness will not bear the penetrating gaze
of the loud, light, suspicious day" If
this should chance to be the case, we
wish to assure them that plenty of cheer
full light in their rooms, and plenty of
gentle exercise out of doors, will give
them the beauty they would otherwise
vainly emulate.
The air in rooms from which the sun
is forever shut out by fold after fold of
curtain, and the aid of shutters called in,
is not as healthy as in a light room, for
the sun Is magic physician. Then, ar
lists say that it ruins pictures to be kept
in dark rooms their colors all fade and
change, like plants shut up in cellars
One of the most serious injuries is the
harm done to the eye-sight; weak eyes
are abundantly on the increase-and no
wonder First, the eyes are made ex-
cessively sensitive by being kept indoors
continually in twilight, and then exposed to
the full glare of the broadest light when
ever they go out, by the face being left
unprotected-the bOnnets having degen-
| Grated into a dress for the back hair.
| Whatever wrong we may feel at liberty
/ to Inf1Ict upon ourselves, we have no
right to entail evils upon others. Moth
| ers ought to know that diseases of the
| eyes, or any other diseases, are hered-
/ itary and that In running their own
| health, they are storing up pain and suf-
! fering for their children. It Is fashion
able for some people to be near sighted
and some people imagine it is becoming
to stare through a jeweled eye-glass. But
/ the perfection Of all senses and faculties
so Old-fashiOned are we, IS preferable to
any refined defect, God IS better artist
| than the dress maker. We would rather
meet the bright and thrilling glance Of
beauty without any envious glass between
| those bewitching eyes and US.
Dust may make itself unpleasantly
conspicuous, and silken curtains may
sometimes fade, but health Is of more
Importance Rich draperies make room
beautiful, but some plan might be ar.
ranged in which the thicker fabrics should
fall around and not over the windows
Only lace curtains soften the light. Eve
would have thought it very absurd tC
have shut out all sunlight and fresh all
from her bower Cold water, exercise
pure air, and joy.giving sunlight. vii
make women so lovely that they vii
have no use for "Meen Fun"