The National tribune., 1882-12-14
WOMANS WORK,
Home, and How to Make It Beautiful
and Happy.

Says the Philadelphia Press, of the Sd inst:
Thirty women listened for thirty minutes lat
night, in the Franklin Institute, to Miss Mary
Hobart, who told them "How to Wash ami
Dress Baby" The lecture was illustrated.
The illustration was kindly furnished by
young mother in the audience. It had a very
red face, very bright eyes, wee bit of noe
and voice. The lecturer, fresh-faced, hand
some woman, began by explaining how to wash
and dress a newly-born infant, without drown
ing it in the basin, or causing it to burst BY
tight bandaging white CASTLE soap is the
proper thing to wash babe WITH said she
land the water should be at temperature OF
1902. The babe should not be washed a little
at a time. It's head, face, and ears should be
attended to first, and then the entire body
should be immersed in the water, like this:
The illustration was placed in deep loasin
filled with water, and the illustratioa mani
tested its dsapprobation by howl. In dry
ing the child" continued Miss Hobart, as She
lifted the squalling bit of humanity out of the
bath, "do not rub the child much but pat it
carefully until dry. Rub is back if you like
that pleases a babe. Then powder it with
starch or Bermuda arrowroot," and the squaller
was literally besprinklcd with white powder.
"Some mothers" said the lecturer, d" i'll drying
a childs ear dig it out this way The illus
tration blinkei its eyes, puckered up its mouth
and let out wild yell. "Use a soft rag wound
around the little finger" and as the action was
suited to the word, the illustration crowed
gratefully. In dressing" went on the speak
cr CHE bandages should be loose enough TO slip
tive fingers underneath" and as the babe was
Eeftly turned on its stomach it gruntcd a salts
fed grunt. Then came the ticklish operation
of pinning the band. Miss Hobart showed how
to do it without sticking the pin more than a
sixteenth of an inch into the baby's back-a
proceeding, she said that nearly all infants OBJ
.jected to. The lecturer advised that where ii
was practicable and could be done properly, the
broad linen straps should be sewed and not
pinned. "In putting on the babes socks"
continued the pro tenn mother, clevcrly thrust
ing little pink foot into its woody covering
abe careful about tootSey-woOtsey's little toes.
Z don't like e little toes all turned up do e?"
and the illustration lifted up its voice and
howed a denial. Miss Hobart then took 4
small piece of soft rag, and washed out the
child's mouth, something, she said, that should
be done after each meal. General advice was
then given on keeping the babe away from a
strong light; how to handle it properly, and
how to soothe it to sleep when fretfGl. The
lecture was concluded by practical ilustra-
tion showing how to change the bed clothing
expeditiously and without discomfort to the
mother. The babe was comfortably dressed,
and, Growing with delight, handed back to its
mother, and the audience dispersed.
BOYS AS BRIDESMAIDS.
The New York correspondent of the Will
mington Erery EreniRg says: Boys are the
last fashion for bridesmaids statement
which, now that it looks up to me from paper,
scarce seems logical. Nevertheless, you know
what l mean-that sufices I do not mean.
however, that boys are the only fashion, but
one of the fashions; for in the fall epidemic OF
weddings peculiar to 1882 no fact shows forth
more plainly that there are many facts, all
equally true 1t is curious to read in the differ
ent fashion magazines the directions as TO out
fits whether of the young lady, who according
to Beecher, is abont to marry divinity and
sadly thereafter consent to live with man."
or of her equally poetic bridesmaids, whether
girls or boys. One says dresses are made sim
ply and of one or two materials; another says
they are rich and varied, and display combina-
tions of three or four fabrics, etc. Which is
right? All, l answer; and great, therefore, is
your liberty of conscience.
But boys should be fancifully dressed as
pages, copied after old pictures, and unques-
tionably It's the revival of by-gone ideas that
bring up a really pretty thought. Then, too,
the present notable seeking after color has
caused an attiring of bridesmaids in different
dresses of pronounced hue, such as crimson,
blue, yellow, green, etc, the grouping to imi-
tate old paintings.
MARRIED PEOPLE IN LITERATURE.
There is an impression anoat that society in
this country is presided over almost altogether
by young people; the chaperone being dis
pensed with, and the fathers and mothers put
to bed at dark, so to speak, while youth and
gaycty hold high carnival with none to moleSt
The capabilities Of our young people, as leaders
of the social rush for enjoyment is a theme
with which we do not propose to entangle our
pen at present; but we would like to ask, in a
genuine fever for infOrmaton whether the
father and mother of this day and generation
are really considered Trustworthy protectors
for the charges they have to keep. If the mar
ried people who gambol through the pages of
the average American novel are fair represent
atives Of their class, we rise to protest against
them as being unfit guardians for the young
and thoughtlcss. Marital Inconsistency, as the
popular diversion of the average matron now
adays, has become the all-absorbing theme Of
our best novclsts-the gifted writers who are
supposed to bc building up a national literature
as an intellectual legacy for future generations
That modern novel which contains the great
est number of unhappy married people to the
square inch has been voted the banner book of
all our Libraries and reading. clubs.
FREAKS OF FASHION.
new and beautiful shoe is intended TO
evening wear, and is especially suitable for
fancy costume. 1t is of cream satin, striped
with gold braid, and embroidered on the front
with gold. Still another novelty is the harle-
quin shoe, of black glazed kid, with patent
leather fronts and steel buckles. The toe is
hand painted, with any design or in any color
10 match the dress Worn at the time These
painted shoes open up a new industry for
women with artistic tastes and accomplish
ments, and, therefore, should be patronized by
ladies with means to crafty reasonable desires
fnr bpautiful objects in dress