Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-10-27
THE USE or PERFUMES.
A Delightful Practice, II Not Over In
dulged Ira Pitiable Mistake.

dulged Ira Pitiable Mistake.
The refinements Of the ancients varied
in almost every way from those Of a
modern age, except, perhaps, in some of
the uses appertaining to the toilet, and
the Scriptures, as well as other records
of ancient customs, bear testimony that
baths and clean linen, perfumes and
sweet odors were regarded quite as much
ola luxury then as now. Few are, per-
haps, aware that the origin of the use of
manufactured perfumes had a sacred
character, yet they were an invention of
the priests who officiated at the sacrifcial
affairs in the olden temples, and, doubt
less, great necessity must have been the
mother of invention, for from the
slaughtered beasts must have arisen most
noxious emanations, which all the water
in the land would not have washed clean
without the aid Of the perfumes Of Ara
bia. Moses leaves a record of the exact
perfumes and incense which were used
in the temples, although in biblical days
the latter was termed franllincense, and
was, moreover, with nlyrrh and gold,
the most valued article of commerce.
The incense which contained nlyrrh
was especially reserved for the purifica-
ton Of the body after sacrifice and used
by both men and women, though, of
course, the latter were only anointed by
the former. 1t has very aromatic
odor. For other purposes frankincense
was mixed with charcoal and little
saltpeter. The same burning Of incense
continues to this day to be part of the
ceremonious rites in certain religions.
Moreover, the sale of pastiles Tor little
cones or sticks of incense) for burning in
private houses is growing largely, and
many of our rich families live in an at
mosphere as heavily laden with sweet,
subtle odors as Cardinal Richelieu of
Pompey. Moses is also said to have in
structed the Egyptian priests in the
science of extracting scents, and they
grew most proficient in the art of per-
fumery and invented most eXtraordi-
nary variety. In fact, to this day has
descended the custom of declaring any
faint, sweet, strange odor to be like an
Egyptian perfume.
Opinions differ about the use and abuse
of sweet scents. Certainly there is an
incongruity in their use by men, but
woman who leaves behind her a subtle
sense of redolence carries always double
charm. Strong, active, energetic natures
are apt to scorn an indulgence in what is
so grateful to their opposites-lanSuid,
luxury loving people. Yet the natural
odor of flowers about the house are CRATE
full to all for their sweetness, as well as
for their beauty, and to those flowers to
~ hoe Fr,
GRANGE we give but half the care which
is showered upon those that can crafty
double sense. To some poor unfortu-
mates the scent of certain odors, and even
of flowers, is distasteful, and not always
from association. Even further than
that, the disliked odors render some per-
sons quite i'll.
With age the sense of smell is affected,
and, like the other senses, grows weak,
and some elderly ladies, especially those
who have been beautiful, worldly women,
much flattered and admired, absolutely
reek with the strong bouquet of some
perfumery. Their Inconsistencies is
pitiable, their vanity deplorable, for it
would wound them too greatly to sug-
gest lessening of their indulgence, and
they must be allowed to reek on. The
olfacto-y nerves are capricious things,
and the aroma which makes them dilate
with pleasure at one time is quite disa-
greeable at another. They easily become
surfeited with an overdose.
Women generally have habit Of tuck
ing little bags of sachet powder in their
bureau drawers and pinning them in
their dresses, but they as generally arc
indiscriminate in choosing tho odors,
sometimes buying ,heliotrope, sometimes
violet, and again rose. There is much
more refinement and laintiness of feel
ing, beside quaint, and certainly sweet,
coquetry, in keeping always perfume
of ones own; it becomes then always q
part of ones being. If one is fond Of
the fragrance of the rose an investment
in few Of the long peculiar walls con-
tanning altar Of roso and keeping them in
various places amid the possessions is q
much more enduring way Of pertaining
than using sachet powder.-''S s. e.
NJ" in Chicago Herald
Rest When You are Tired.