Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-08-14
Small Iusaries Wished for by Some
Refined Women.

Curious, isn't II, what queer ideas
some women have of luxury? Probably
most men suppose that all women think
alike on the luxury question If asked,
they would very likely say that To-
women luxury with big l. means
horses, laces, diamonds and nothing to
do. This is looking at 1t entirely from
the outside and taking sgeneral view of
it; wrong way TO judge, for there are
many details TO be considered Doubt
less to many women horses, laces, dia-
monds and nothing TO do does mean
luxury; but not to all, for all women do
not think alike on this question
4 writer In the New York Star re-
lateS the following incident:
A group of women were talking to-
gether the other day, when one of them
started the question, What Is your idea
of luxury? Without a moments hesi-
tation a very bright woman answered:
The possession of something don Z
own" A silence had fallen ON the
group when the question was asked, but
this answer was received with applause.
And then they entered into detail
They were all clever, refined women,
but none of them owned distended
purses They generally wore pretty
gowns, stylish hats and neat gloves and
boots, but as a whole they did not
sWathe themselves in lace, nor did any
Of them own horses; there were not
more than dozen diamonds among
them all, and they were none of idlers,
nor did they wish to be.
One of them. noted for her extreme
ueatness of dress, said that her idea of
luxury meant clean linen twice day
and u Russian bath once a week She
declined to say how often she indulged
in clean linen; but no member of the
group had ever seen her when her
ruches at neck and wrists were not I'M
mnculate. nor when there was the
tinIest speck on her snowy petticoat-
As to the russian baths, she said that
she managed to take two "A year. in
stead of fifty-two. They are expensive
luxuries to a woman of small means who
has her own bathtub wherein she may
splash by the hour without extra
charge.
The next woman, who was the envied
poSsessor Of a magnificent quantity of
hair, said that she wanted a maid To take
care oft: that would be luxury to her
The care of her hair required time and
strength, and quite exhausted her, But
she met with no sympathy: She was
.lmptly told 10y all the women pres
I
hair without a maid she did not need
one. and should be willing 10 undergo
any amount of fatigue 10 be able 10
possess her Grown of glory" The un-
limited supply Of clean linen and the
baths appealed 10 every woman present,
utthey seemed to think that women with
hair did not need maid 10 take care of
1t, only women with scant hair needed
one To brush and shampoo, and SO I'M
prove what little they had.
Woman number three said that her
i,,yI o.. luxury was having plenty of
pocket money; not money for household
expenses. nor for gowns, boots and
bonnets, but money To spend on little
things. For instance, If she went into
a shop and saw anything prctty-a pic
ture, vase, scarf or glove boX-she
would like TO be able TO buy II without
stopping To ask; Can l afford 1t? And
without stopping to say, viii give up
such a thing that / need for this that Is
SO beautiful; L must h,veit- She cared
neither for diamonds nor horses, but
she did enjoy spending money, and
spending 1t on pretty things: 1t was
hard for her to pass by all the beautiful
things in the shop windows, but her
limited purse compelled her to do so
SHE MET WITH SYMPATHY.
The next woman said that she wanted
a maid all the time. Shoe buttons were
troublesome; dusty dresses played havoc
with her temper, neck ruches were re-
fractory, and mending kept her nerves
In constant state of irritation She
said that she could face a great and ter
rible trial with calmness and courage,
1. u. II Il I
quail She openly confessed her cow
ardice In these matters, and said that
she wore a pair OF shoes until all the
buttons were offand then put on another
pair, and SO on until all of her shoes
were buttonless; and so on with mend
ing and brushing, She did not care
anything about that stitch In time that
saved nine; she never had the time un-
til she was reduced to a state of almost
nudity, and then she devoted n day to
putting things to rights, and 1t was
equal TO a surgical operation.
This woman met with a great deal of
sympathy; there are very few women
who enjoy these small details of toilet;
they put up with them because they
must, but there Il hardly n woman who
would not have maid If she could.
There are, of course, n few examples of
total feminine depravIty who have de-
clared against maids; but such cases are
rare, and they are generally y women who
are rich, but too stingy to part with
sufficient money 10 pay maid Often,
too, the strong minded declare them
selves quite independent of any such
help; they would scorn To have done for
them what they cannot do themselves.
But the average woman dearly loves to
have maid; 1t Is such relief TO get
. nd of ones back hair.
There was another woman who said
that her luxurious soul would only be
satisfied with an opera box; she was
passionately fond Of music, and she de-
sired an opera box for every operatic
performance during the season. And
vet another woman wanted q saddle
horse. She did not care for driving, 1t
was tame work; but she liked the excite
ment of swift canter three or four
times n week.
These are modest luxuries enough,
but they represent the ideas of the aver
age woman of refinement All women
do not crave diamonds; they are baub-
les, and do not add materially to ones
comfort; they excite the envy of other
women, however, and that Is why they
are sometimes worn