The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-01-20
Comfortable Rooms.


The idea that becoming hardened to
cold IS beneficial to the human body or
good tor the soul, is thoroughly exploded
Our best physicians now advise that suf-
hcient clothing to keep the body warm
should be worn. If two flannel shirts are
not enough, put on three If one pair of
nose VIII not protect the feet sufficiently,
put on another pair. 1t is well understood
among FARMERS that if they would have
their cows give the greatest quantity of
mix IN winter, or accumulate fatness rapid
ly, the animals must be kept warm. Other
wise the body uses up what would 90 to the
production of milk or fat in maintaining
lts own temperature. Just so with the
human body. The force employed in
keeping the body at 9S degrees, unless as
sisted by food and clothing and artificial
heat, will consume the energies of the svs-
TEN, leaving little power to be exerted in
any other way. SO as matter of econo-
my, 1t pays to keep warm.
Another idea that the character is hen
eilted by the endurance of unnecessary
hardship, is erroneous If one cannot
have food enough they may increase their
virtue by patience under privation. or by
uncomplaining submission to inevitable
suffering. But we all pronounce that man
fool who thinks to starve himself into
virtue when abundance of food is provided
10 satisfy his hunger, or from false idea
OF pride refuses To dress with taste and
comfort when he has ample means for de-
ing SO. The fact is, the more perfactly
our physical wants aic supplied tho more
force and energy and cheerfulness we can
bring to the performance of our daily
tasks.
Comfortable rooms sufficient food and
proper clothing are essentials, and by no
false idea of the excellence of stoical phi
losophy, to be lightly esteemed. 1t is well
understood by those who have tested it
by careful and repeated experiment that
| comfort and economy alike require the
keeping up of fire in the household all
night. Then there is one room where the
family may be assembled in the morning,
and escape the inevitable chills they must
suffer from shivering over new lighted
fire. There is also saving of kindling
wood and the fuss of building fresh fire,
beside the increased heat necessary to
overcome the cold ofthe furniture and walls
of the apartment We by no means rec
ommend warm sleeping rooms. On the
contrary, our experience is that rooms
without fires, but open to sun and air all
day and used only at night, afford the
most hcalthful and refreshing sleep. But
for the sake of the little ones and of the
advanced in life let there be one room
where the fire never goes ont, and to
which, on these shivery winter mornings
they may go from w,rm bed, and find
the temperature all that the body requires
No light degree Of resolution is required
to spring from warm bed, dress ones
self in the cold and descend to a room al
the freezing point, perhaps several degrees
below it, and all the time feel sunny and
warm and jolly in ones heart, when the
fingers are numb and the feet like humps
of ice, and the cold making goose flesh
and playing hide and seek up and down
ones spine.
We housekeepers know how long il
takes to start things on these cold winter
mornings, and if you have ever tried it
my rural friend, just make the experiment
at the cost of an armful of oak wood or
scuttleful of coal, and see how much bet
ter of frosty morning things will 60 of
how your good temper will diffuse chez
and brightness over the family circle, how
quickly the breakfast will arrange itself
and how of sudden summer will seen
To spring from the arms of December
~ Y Tribune.