Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-11

The Poison Of shade.
From Dio Lewis Monthly.
Some years ago suggested series Of ex-
periments upon number Of young ladies who
were great sufferers from indigestion. It
| seemed q family malady. There were four Of
the girls and they were all victims OF Q very
distressing form of dyspepsia, as their mother
had been from her girlhood. The symptoms
were severe pain In the pit of the stomach, &C.
companied by tenderness in that region, with
inability to digest any food except very limited
quantities OF stale bread and beef Even ripe
strawberries gave much distress, resulting often
IN vomiting. All Of them Qncluding the mother,
VINO had become bed-ridden invald) were
very pale and weak, nervous and wretcbed
Although possessed of fortune, friends and
| talent, they were as unhappy group as have
ever CHANGED to meet Not even the melancholy
| ward OF an insane asylum is more deeply des-
pOndent.
Twas called to see one Of the girls for bit of
surgical treatment, and became interested in
| the curious melancholy of their faces.
HOW THEY WERE POISONED.
They occupied a fine old suburban mansion,
surrounded by grand trees, one, overhanging
the south side of the house, being the largest
| elm IN all that region. The grounds, especially
| the old trees, were the pride of the neighbour
hood They protected the house from the sun
during all the hot summer. and, as the young
| ladies assured me with a sub0ued enthusiasm,
the cool shade kept them alive during the
n ln eat. term: But for the trees, they assured
me, they would have to live in the basement
during July and August. BY appointment, We
gathered in the sick mothers chamber q few
evenings afterward, and l discussed the func-
ton OF the sun In vegetable and animal life.
The outcome of our conversation was q re-
no rom of civ <hn
branches of which Overhung the residence.
THEIR HAPPY ExPEDIENT.
The garden, two acres in extent, was sunny.
l suggested that fence eight feet high,
thoroughly battened to protect the enclosure
from outside observation, should be made at
the back end OF the garden; that the enclosed
space should be IL by % feet; that it be divided
into four equal parts. each being by IL feet;
that In each room there be placed cot bed,
without mattress; that the inner surface of the
walls should be thoroughly whitewashed; that
during the hot, sunny season the young ladies
should go to this sun-bath. put on green glasses
clothing, they should walk about. each in her
own room, or lie down on her cot, remaining
as long as the skin would bear the suns rays
| advised that this be kept up during all the
! summer upon which. at the time we were just
| entering.
THE HAPPY RESULTS.
Every intelligent person, who has considered
| the subject of the suns connection with life on
this planet, is ready to anticipate the result.
Ten weeks SO changed the health of the girls
| that their own mother would hardly have known
| them II she had not seen the regeneration
going on from day to day. In ten weeks time
there was not a symptom of Indigestion re-
| naming among the girls, except I'm the oldest
| one. whose case turned out to be strangely OBJ
stinate. She finally confessed to me that she
| had been using minute doses of morphine to
relieve her gastralgia pain in the pit of the
stOmach). This was the reason, doubtless that
| she recovered so slowly.
The following spring. when the leaves began
| to appear. found no difficulty in having all the
trees standing within fifty feet of the house re-
moved: Some beautiful vines which covered in
| part two windows were likewise removed
| Finally convinced them that even the blinds
ought to go; that shades were enough, and
| that even shades should be used sparingly.
''THosE RUINED CARPETS"
1t is true that the carpets lost some of their
rich, deep color, but as this lost color passed
into the cheeks and lips Of the girls, no one
| mourned the faded carpets. had emphasized
the opinion that either the carpets or the daugh-
tiers would lose cOlOr-that either the one or the
other must suffer. These people thought it bet
ter that the carpets should become pale
The youngest daughter. remarkably pretty
bright and interesting girl, became so enthu-
| siastic about sunshine that she spent hours
every day out In the grounds, withou hat or
parasol. She even went SO far, and became so
heretfcal. that she thought pale girl looked
more like ghost than like a living woman
| The way that young thing went on was quite
| distressing. tried to explain to her that a
| pale girl was more beautiful and fashionable
than red-cheeked one. that pale one was
| more esthetic. ''Esgranny." she cried. And
ma nj fhl frorIn cl,a
| me the roses, with their beautiful shades of red
| and asked if 1 thought they would be more
| beautiful II their color were taken out And
she ended this little bout" Il was fond of re-
| by declaring that if she became as dark as a
Spanish girl, she did not care, for now she was
happy;
The blinds and those heavy draperies, 80 COM
mon IN our parlors, with shades, produce an at
mosphere most unfavorable to digestion and
| nerve tone
Some one has said that when he enters one Of
| these fashionable, dark parlors he has to walk
by faith and not by sight.
THE LITTLE GHOST.
Three years ago I visited my dear
young friend Susie. Although she lives
in the country, in the midst Of splendid
grounds. found her with very pale face, and
blue semi-circles under the eyes. Her lips were
as white as If she had just risen from sick bed;
usual. Susie was seven years old, and most
wonderful child.
said to her, well, my little chick, what
makes you so pale?"
She replied, ''oh, was always pale. Annie
says it is pretty"
When we were all sitting around the dinner
table introduced the subject again. for it was
very sadto find this beautiful and promising
child SO fragile Before l left 1 took little
Susies hand and we walked into the garden.
And now" said l, my little one, you must
s how me your favOrite flower"
She took me to a beautiful moss-rose. and ex-
claimed, ooh, that is the most beautiful flower
In the world; don't you think 1t lovely, sir?"
CURIOUS EXPERIMENT.
Z said, 'Now, SUSIE 1 shall come here
again In two weeks. 1 wish you would
dress up that rose-bush in suit of your own
c lothes and allow the dress to remain till
l return"
She laughed, and said, ''Why, how queer!
Why do you want me to do that?"
l replied, "Never mind, but run and get the
clothes, and will help you dress it up, and
Sc if it looks like you''
So off she ran with loud shouts to ask mamma
for suit OF her clothes. Of course mamma had
to come and ask if / was serious, and what