Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-05-14
Air for the HOuSe.PlantS.

the DdlHly spring air coming IN through
the open window and tempting us Out
into the sunshine, we are reminded OF
something we months ago promised to say
to our readers We talked to mothers
then, in our plain way, about Numbering
the Infants" and intimated, at least, five
did not promise, that when the warm sea.
son Should come again we would make a
special plea for air for the ouse-plants
Now, we are pleased to believe, the warm
season has in reality returned. Coy, CO.
quetish May is deceptive, perhaps, and our
Just-budding summer fancies may be rude
ly nipped by frosts before they develop
into June blossoms; but it is pleasant to
think that the sunlight will not again yield
to chilling blasts, and that if showers come
they will be warm and tender, and will
make glad the violets. Therefore, one and
all, we plead in behalf of the house plants
lend us your ears.
But, says one fair-faced young matron,
I've. set my plants out OH the front piazza
and they are doing handsomely. What
more is necessary 2"
Pardon us, Madam; we do not refer to
those beauties which you have so vigilant-
ly guarded through the winter, but to
other house-plants which need sunshine
and pure air as much as they That little
girl of yours is being made a complete
house plant of, and her colorless cheek and
delicate form are an earnest protest
against such treatment,-a protest that
you ought TO heed. Shall she not be as
well cared for as your floral pets? They
droop and wither, indoors, you have seen,
when the bright spring days come so does
She She will get sun-burned and freckled.
If you let her go out much, you think.
Very likely she may, but better SO than
pale and sallow, and with all elasticity
bleached out of her being
Human house plants are abundant, and
they all need pure air and warm sunlight.
1t Is said that certain French physician
conceived the idea of administering sun
baths TO his patients, by exposing them to
concentration of the suns rays. The
idea was not such novel one Thousands
on thousands of good people have taken
sun-baths, in mild way, for years and
have kept free from disease thereby while
thousands more have done the same thing
when close confinement and bad air had
enfeebled them, and have been cured.
Put half our invalids out of doors, and
the graveyards will defer their claias upon
them.
We shall rejoice when something beside
pale, white countenances is considered
fashionable among our lady friends. 1t is
a foolish notion, girls, that you are hand.
some and more attractive the whittier and
paler you are A poet might admire your
chalky hue possibly, and even might rhap-
sodiZe over your clear complexion; but if
he were sensible man, (for poet might
be such,) he would question much if,
physiologically speaking, you were as
perfect as YOU seemed. SO pray don't
shut yourselves up in the house to ac-
quirea delicate color of face, or no color at
all, thinking thereby that the masculine
order will fall in love with you Those
who are worth your consideration would
much rather see you with red lips and
rosy cheeks,-aye, even tanned and
freckled, If you will. There is no
sadder sight than the girl with colorless
face and sunken eye, moping in shaded
rooms through all the CHEEKY summer
days. To such an one croquet is perfect
blessing. Air and sunlight will in. her case
work wonders; let her have them, some
how,
When the walking fever ragged so high,
last autumn, we hoped that it would CON
tinue till this spring, and that all woman
kind would catch it, A good brisk walk
is a splendid tonic. The house plants
everywhere cannot take the air in any
better manner than by walking mile or
more. Don't saunter down the shady side
of the street, carelessly twirling your para
sol, and call that walking Make walking a
business; start off at lively, exhilarating
pace and let the exercise invigorate you,
and give glow to your cheeks. Every
village and hamlet ought to have its walk
ing club, made up of ladies alone, or ladies
and gentlemen both, if that be deemed
pleasantest, and let the recreation taken
by it he thought not only an amusement,
but a duty We knew one such, years
ago, and it was not an infrequent thing
for the ladies and gentlemen composing it
to walk four miles and back at a time.
How many of the delicate house-plants
could do the same?
Woman's duties-her sphere, if you
choose to use the term-Of necessity keep
her much within doors, and deprive her of
many opportunities fer enjoying the free
an without But her carelessness, or mis-
taken ideas. do quite as much toward
taking the bloom from her beauty and the
yigor from her life. Our plea for the
house-plants is for all who neglect the
good there is in air and sunlight, as well
as for those who are prohibited from i'm
proving it. Mothers deal unjustly with
themselves, also, even as they deal unjustly
with their children. They closet them
selves in close rooms, and over heated
stoves, day in and day out, deluded with
the idea that care for their families de-
mands it. They pay too dearly for the
bread they eat and the clothes they wear.
In their ears, for their own good and that
of their little ones, we would earnestly
and continually make our plea Air
for the house PLANTS !-Rurdt NeD Yorker.