The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-08-07
Charms and COuntercharms.

ucle IN childhood $ creeu, IL taught duihoh
ishingly to the hayward beauty, encouragg-
ngly to the ill-favored little girl, who Is
happy in spite of her ugliness, until years
broaden the vision and observation teaches
that the preference and favoritism which are
.beautv's prerogatives, are something to be
priced and coveted.
When a young girl finds herself forsaken
for fairer friends when even her own glass
tells her she may wait In vain for one adj
hiring glance, disappointment must needs
follow and sometimes, envy, Immature, sar-
casm and jealousy fill up the measures OF an
unlovely life, and a disconnected, unhappy
soul marks it's lasting impress on the unin-
teresting countenance of an ~ill-tempered wo-
man. Even Beauty's Self will lose her
sharm unless beautifed by a loving, kindly
heart, while the outshining of a noble soul
will glorify the plainest c%ountenance. Ma
ture may have dealt niggardly by many OF
us so far as personal graces are concerned,
but she has forbidden none to seek for them
selves the ornaments of meekness and
charity, a lofty purpose and a noble life.
No womanly woman can say %truthfully,
that she would rather not be pretty. 1t is
every woman's duty, be she plain or pretty,
to make herself intelligent, likewise as love-
ly as circumstances will permit. Mans
Glory is in his strength, wOman's in her at
Effectiveness, and who shall blame her, if, in
the fulfllment of her mission, she remembers
this errand of adjoining her beauty and cul-
t~ivating the gifts that Providence has be-
slowed?
One of the recognized features Of beauty
ia a fine complexion however laudable the
enterprise of attaining this lacking requis-
lite, the means most commonly employed
cannot be too strongly Condemned. When
-, IL r-o~Iore, ~. ~ @ln
human skin; it's delicacy and sensitiveness !;
its remarkable absorbent powers, and the
necessity of its functions to health, it is diff
cult to understand, how, for SO transient a
beauty as a simulated complexion, even the
vainest of vain women can suppress her
bushes long enough to paint her checks, or
the most foolish, tamper with cosmetics that
produce wonderful effects, among the last
and most remarkable of which will be the
ruin of her skin, and possibly of her health.
Leaving paints to savages and poisonous
lotions and powders to those who are con-
tent to bear beneath their masks, a skin like
yellow parchment, there still remains to us
the cosmetic which is beyond a chemists
skill which nature intended we should find
in pure air, clear water, nutritious diet,
healthful exercise and a cheerful heart. Co!
ye who doubt, and test their power, and
grow r~osy-cheeked and charming as you
grow healthy and strong. We read of an
ancient process by which Medea, with the
aid of herbs and boiling caldrons and magi-
cal charms, produced wonders in the way of
rel lvenatlOn, which was, no doubt, a heath
enish system similar to the more modern
Turkish bath a luxury that constitutes one
of the greatest of complexion beautifers.
since it opens the pores of the skin and en-
ables that wonderful and intricate piece of
mechanlclsm to perform its allotted duties
without interruption.
Cleanliness is a necessity to a clear skin,
but may sometimes be observed as religious
ly as by ancient Jews and Mahommedans
without producing that desirable result. and
or external applications. Even such a CON
dition of affairs does not warrant the lids
criminate use of drugs and lotions. If one
must employ any but simple remedies it is
best to use them understandingly and with
. physicians advice.
Barley water, oat meal, bran, ETC., will no,
IN ure the SOtteSt skin sweet cream has
been found very soothing to blistered noses.
and mutton-suet and CASTLE SOAP excellent
for chaps and eycoriations. In the latte
case Fuller s-earth made into a paste with
water Is a painless application and possesse.
wonderful healing properties. A mixture 0
leulon juice ana D0faX is as good a tan an(
freckle lotion as can be found, but even j
should not be used to excess lest it iniur,
the texture of the skin. If one must us,
powder-and there are many who conside
it indispensable to both comfort and comli
ness-the ordinary laundry-starch so ia
from proving harmful, will produce the mos
satisfactory results if used in the followin,
manner: Wash the face invariably previon
to powdering it, then rub it vigorously witt
a coarse towel. Put some Of the powdere,
starch into a coarse cloth, rubbing it we
over the surface, and apply to the face a
rapidly and persistently as time and muscl
will permit this treatment may seem sever
but it is sensible and eficacious too. am
that is more than can be said in favor of al
plications that clog and close the pores q
the skin, even if they do no greater harm
There are occasionally persons who ar
intent on having as fine a complexion as car
will produce, and are willing to devote the
sleeping as well as their waking hours to til
pursuit. For such, an article has been il
vented called the "Medicated Toilet MASK
to be worn during the hours of sleep.
Without InuuIrInp into tho merits Or lonoo,