Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-01-17

The HEATING OF Our HOUSES Entering
The door OF one Of our comfortable modern
houses what meets us? 4 puff of scorched
air from a register redolent .ot burning IRON
or of boiled air from a steam-he The
thermometer is standing at about -. We ad-
vance to the -parlor. There matters are even
worse, for no outside cold air has entered with
window look yellow and torlorn. Ominous
cracks are visible here and there in the fur
niture-nay strip OF ornamental veneer has
actually split off from the piano and lies on the
carpet Our hostess coming forward TO greet
us is wrapped in little shawl, and remarks
that it is an awful day that she hasn't been
out Of course but even Ill the warm house
has felt the cold In effect, she looks blue
aui piuchcd whercat we wonder, tor the
room feels inSuhrrabiy hot but We place our
selves beside her where she sits covering over
the register, and conversation goes on with
what spirit it may under these circumstances.
At the end OF an hour we are surprised to
lind ourselves little chilly. That is, our
head is hot enough-a little too hot perhaps
hut both hands and feet are cold, and We are
inclined 10 agree with our friend when she
upiur> that ''the girl must have let the fire 90
down. But gancing at the thermometer, we
stare to see that the mercury has risen instead
after all, why should we wonder? Nature is
inevitable in her retributions, and We, no less
than the poor geranum in the window,
ul:,st suffer the penalty ofa derauged circulate N
when We violate her laws of temperature.
Bad enough, if this were all One can live
and be useful under the triaing discomfort of
cold extremities as our worthy !o.eiathers
sufficiently proved. But how much OF life aud
Of life best energies of thought. of wit OF
good humor. of aspiration, goes down through
those holes in the floor into neither silence!
As from some kobolds cave, the Invisible
gnomes Of the furnance climb, emerge, aud
steal from Us the choicest, finest, most intaugl,,
bic part of ourselves No man ever lived and
worked his best III a roouI heated over 6S de-
yrrss-a sentence we should like TO engrave III
letters of gold on the iron plate OF every regis
Ter and the front of every seam heater IN the
land from this day forth and forever
The time may come when perfect system
If house warming, one combinug healthtuneSs.
comfort and economy. shall be introduced.
Bu, certain it is We have none Snch now. The
no, water furnace, in which large chamber
we'll supplied with fresh air is heated by coils
of pipe filled with boiling water. and the
warmth taken thence and difused over the
house approached more nearly to the Ideal
hau any other in all respects save one 1t Is SO
costly that only the most luxuriouSy, bnilt
mansions can atfored to enjoy it. Open fires
are uot sufficient, except in the most mod
crate. winter cold to supply the arthclaily
simulated demand for heat made by the
human race to-day and even in the case OF
that cheapest of fuels, coke, they cost more than
he furnace. The big base burning hall-stoVes,
which make many of our country houses so com
.or,able take raom which cannot be afforded IN
city euries where each inch Of space is pre-
.iouS And the air tight variety. warranted by
good deacon who dealt IN the article ID the
DAYS of our youth, to burn up every bit OF noX.
IONS gas. which. as he was informed, abounded
IN the air, and the name Of which was oxygen )
what can be said in its favor? 1t Is best lett
20 silence, and to that necessity on which 1t
bases its sole claim to human toleratiop
There remain, then, for the average house.
only the hot air furnace and the steam heater.
Both have inseparable evils connected with
them, both advantages equally lnseparaole. IN
nne, abundant moisture is provided, ln the
other an unialing supply, barring accidents,
of outer air and either can be made tolera6ly
comfortable and sufficiently wholesome only by
intelligent watchfulness, by strict regulation OF
heat, By obiervation Of thermometers BY peri
o}ical care of cvaporators aud water pans, by
renewing the air Of rooms through open win
lows, and that perpetual vigilance which IS the
price Of most OF the good things we enjoy and
above all, Of that healthful food which We con-
sume with our lungs, and without which we
can enjoy nothing dnd Soc'"tQ, Sr,b-
nrr for Friamry.
CHILDHOOD "A LA MODE Under the
above head lines the New York Standard pub
fishes au account Of juvenile entertainment
which recently occurred in fashionable quar-
ter of Brooklyn, which gives one VIVID idea
of the rate 1t which Young America is pro-
yressing-at least in New York and vicinity.
1t was a full dress party of misses and young
gentlemen between the ages OF hve and ten
wears. About one hundred guests were pres
eu,, and it is stated that the hostess, young
lady of ten summers received them with the
ease and self-possessiou Of matrou of forty.
But what we particularly desire to call atten-
ton to was the toilets on the occasion. The
dresses, it is said consisted Of white, pink, yel.
low and blue silk. elaborately trimmed and
.ieckcd with spanges The little misses had
their hair dressed in the latest style, trlzzed
putfed, powdered and adorned with flowers.
White kid gloves were generally worn, and the
only thing said to be lacking in the representa-
ton of an adult party was the enamel With
which some OF the female devotees OF fashion
ornament themselves. Paint and powder were
freely used, and one little miss attracted mucn
attention with her powdered hair aud dazzling
costume. She wore pair OF diamond earrings,
= yold chain and locket studded with diamonds,
willie mon each arm was bracelet Of elaborate
workmanship. lp regard to these she triumph
aptlv remarked to her admirers: There's no
Sham about these; they're the real thing,
which her auditors were quite willing to oelleVe.
Another little one, seven years OF age, was
l.rL ed nut in rose colored silk at s. yard
point applique, flowers galaxy Of diamonds u sn1S
and other expensive jewelry, including a gold 70,
belt the buckle of which was studied with dla
noudS; band of gold encircIed the head, anu
from pendent on the forehead sparkled 4
solitaire of great value Her mother was nearo
to cxclaim exultingly, that the price OF her
vhis outfit for that evening was IS. oOo. Al
cuvious mother, jealous of the sensation causeo Sc
by such display, remarked, that upon tns
,,... ,. hn tss,d IN ROSE