, 1885-04-14

10 is perhaps more difficult to find a pretty
hand thinIa pretty face, not that we are born
with an uglier hand than fnce, but because
the hand becomes coarse and rough from the
work It hns 10 do. Curiously enough, also,
less attention Is given 10 the hands than to
tho face, although they really require more
care, precisely ON account Of their exposed
position and the hard work they are fire.
quently called upon to do. And yet
a white and delicate land is very
charming. and worthy Of quite as
much Intention AS the face. If not more; and
even "a cook may have less coarse hands IL she
will by always using glycerine or honey
after washing her hands, and by never using
coarse yellow soap, but a little bran or cat
meal (which one can keep in tho soap stand
instead OF soap, and which will clean the
hands quite as wen as soap and keep them
soft at the same time, whatever may be the
amount OF work she may have to do, and 70
whatever exposure to heat and cobb the hands
may be subjected. These same precautions
may be adopted by ladies who occupy them
selves with any rough work in the house, and
moreover they should always wear gloves,
which viii more than anything, keep the
hands soft and clean, and thus dispense With
the necessity OF too frequent washing.
Many ladies, however, who never do any
kind of work have coarse red hands, espe-
cially during the cold weather, and they make
them worse and redder by holding them to
the fire, causing them also not unfrequently
to crack and chap. Better rub them with a
little lavender winter or eau de Cologne to re-
store warmth and aid to make them more
delicate and soft. / would, moreover, advise
ladies who have naturally rough, coarse
hands 70 rub them at night with cold cream,
and 70 wear loose, long gloves. Another
thing, never use soap, unless this be mixed
with ALMOND paste or meal. II Is better In
any case 10 use only almond paste or honey
and almond paste, which you can procure al
ready prepared at any Of our great perfum-
ers. The only objection 10 these pastes and
meals for the hands Is their expense, but
economical ladies can dispense with them by
using glycerine and honey instead of almond
pastea, and plain bran and oatmeal instead of
almond and other fancy meals.
Should the hands become hard or horny
through any unusual work, the best thing
Is to wash them for the time with pumice-
stone and lemon. Lemon, indeed, is al
ways good for the hands. 1t cleans them as
well as soap, and makes them soft.
1t also prevents the sldn growing up the
nail, il the fingers be well rubbed with 1t
nfter washing. Apropos of nails. never use
a pick or file to them. Clean them with a
brush, II required, but they should never be
ioWeu 70 require a brush, nor VIII they re-
quire one II the hands are frequently washed
and the fingers well rubbed with the half of
a lemon, into which the fingers are thrust
and turned until the nails are perfectly clean.
Lemon not only prevents the skin at the root
Of the nail from growing upward, but it also
prevents the skin shedding at the sides Of the
fingers. When cutting the nails care should
be taken TO cut them OF the shape of the fin
gers themselves, and neither longer nor
shorter than the fingers. Very long pointed
nails are as ugly in their way as very short
and square nails. The use of cold cream
and gloves at night will also preserve the
nails soft, and prevent them from crncking,
which they viii do II the nails are hard.