The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-08
Unclean Faces.

IT is startling and somewhat amusing
fact, that the majority of peoples faces
are seldom clean. Generally, the habit of
washing the face in the morning prevails,
but with many persons is the only time in
twenty-four hours that this ablution takes
place. With some women there exists a
prejudice against washing their faces at
all they believe that bathing and rub
bing produce eruptions-that the skin of
the face is handsomer the less it is washed.
Men return from business, and, before en-
tering the drawing-room, retire to their
dressing apartments to "wash their hands
and brush their hair" unconscious that
their faces are not clean. Ladies come
home from shopping excursion or
drive in the park. and arrange their tei-
lets without touching their faces, except
to dust them with powder as the last act
of establishment. We invariably send
the children to their nurse to have their
faces washed before dinner, or a dozen
times daily; but because we are men and
women. and have not streaks of black
across cheek or nose, we do not question
the cleanliness of our faces. 1t is taken
for granted that the faces of adult crea-
ton are clean, unless it be those of ma
chinists, chimney-sweeps or coal-heavers.
We are certainly impressed with the mud
dy complexion of Mrs. Slovenly, and re-
mark how " sallow'' Mrs. Slpshod has
become, but it did not occur to us that
their faces are always soiled. We meet
Miss Blank on the promenade, who has
risen late and washed hurriedly, leaving
the sleepy bugs in the corners of her eyes;
we exclaim: tHad Miss Blank clear
skin, how pretty she would be-" We
should not believe that it was rarely that
Miss Blanks face was thoroughly washed;
tbo If Ivac 11cna1lu opuara6 with tG O,iap-
tai Cream" and dust, which being slept in
at night, and but half removed in the
morning, soon changes the natural purity
of the skin.
There is noportion Of the body that re-
qulres so much care as to cleanliness as
the face. 1t is the receptacle for the dHst
from the room day and night. 1t receives
the siftings blown from the ash barrels
and coal carts, and all impurities in the
streets. Specks of oily dandruff from the
hair are hourly falling on the face, and
the most conservative of us are constantly
placing our faces against something that
who is the pet of the household, to the
shaggy coat of Romp, the dog, whom we
stOop to fondle now and then, saying
nothing of the kittens who brush against
the side of our. faces, from the backs Of our
easy chair twenty times daily, and whom
we know to have fleas. If the persons
who are otherwise fastidiouslv nice would
be as proportionately particular to keep
their faces clean we should see more of
the fair, glowing compilations, and less of
the yellow, faded skins, with sallow lines
about the neck. There is nothing that so
beautities the face as it's freshness and
cleanliness from the frequent use of water,
with gentle friction. There is more truth
than poetry in the stale observation of
per. ons looking two or three shades
whittier after their ablutiOns.
The face is fairer after washing, because
it is cleaner, and when it is not often
bathed it is badly soiled. That the face
be thoroughly washed at night, with a
little fine soap to remove any greasy SUBJ
stance that may have settled in the eye
brows or crevices of the features, is essen
tial for their perfect cleanliness. The
eyes require particular washing to pre-
serve their beauty and strength of sight.
How few persons consider this when they
wipe them over once day with a wash
rag or sponge! "Cleanliness is next to
godliness." Moses face "shone' when
he descended from the mount where he
had been talking with God. If ours do
not shine with a holy light, they may with
a glowing freshness from the frequent use
of cold water.-N. Y. Com. advertiser.