The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-10-31
SECRET or COMFORT.


expensive Eurui8n1nE8-
The comfort and attractiveness Of
home does rot depend upon the amount
OF money spent in building and fur
nishings. A clever woman said re-
Gently that wealth frequently served
only to advertise vulgarity.. The say
Ing should become d provcrb. Tkose,
whose resources are narrow are apt to.
think with envy of the superior ad-
vantages Of the rich. Money is a con-
venience, and may be blessing. but
OF itself it does not create beauty or
pure base happiness. There are houses
throughout this country that arc bar
barrie in their ngliness. They-Ahave
been furnished from top to bottom
with two ideas In view costumes and
show. Carpets blaze. and ch airs and
tables present an array Of awkward
angles. fringe and knots.-.sTbis is
where the house-furnisher buys reckz
iessfy whatever suits his uncultiyated
eye. fatally attracted by gand md
| inharmonious colors. Where he mis-
trusts himself he mary become the VIC
tim OF the dealer, who prof IS by his.
| ignorance and makes his house the re-
ceptacle OF all the unstable furniture
be has in stock.
On the other hand the humblest
/ little snuggery may be made so bright
and so inviting that it impresses ono
like spring landscape all freshness
and fragrance. In these days OF cheap
house furnishings there is no excuse
for ugliness. All that is needed is
care in the selection and a proper re-
gard for harmony. Stained floors and
rugs, pretty draperies, graceful wooden
chairs. few good bits OF bric-a-brac,
a half dozen good prints or photo
| graphs, with few boolSrshelves. are
material enough out OF which a clever
woman may produce most satisfactory
results.
The house furnished. the next two
urgent requirements are cleanliness
and order. There is no need to enjo;n
cleanliness upon the self-respecting
and intelligent. But there are degrees
in both. and that to be attained should
be proved by the sense OF smell, rather
than by the sense Of sight There are
houses that are like whitened scpuf-
cheers. The outside is we'll enough. but
rat and roach -co75Hiid tetf of ihiitden
drawers and undisturbcd hooks where
the Strengthening out process IS cul-
pably neglected. From these hidden
cor ners go forth odors, imperceptible
to the family, who have become in
ured to them, but which are instantly
detected, above the odor OF the flowers
in the parlor, by the casual visitor.
j As to the next essential, order, there
can be little comfort where the good
old rule, "a place for every thing, and
every thing in its place" is not carried
out to the letter. Human virtue is
frail best..The- average temper.
whatever fine traits of character may
offset it, is variable. Many an excel-
lent man, who has risen tranquil and
happy, haszgone to his business vexed
and disturbed, because some necessary
article has been misplaced. With his
wife, lost thimble or scissors, cats-
ing annoying inconvenience and waste
Of time, has unsettled the nerves; an
CRY words have been spoken in the
hurry and Irritation that may be for
given, but can not be forgotten. A
disorderly household can never be o
comfortable one. 1t is place whore
the unexpected always happens-an
unexpected that is monotonously en-
barrassing, annoying and painful.
A good deal OF marital unhappiness
which eliminated in crime 35has grown
out of uncomfortable home7life. Men
are not to be excused because they
find solace for domestic discomfort
where and as they should not while
women are expected TO endure in pa
ttience But, where means havc"bcen
provided, women are responsible foi
the charactersof the home. Whether
it is a preventive of vice and intern
perance or not, a clean, attractive. or,
derby house, presided over by an in.
telligent, cheerful woman, is dan
geraus rival to the saloon and the
I faperite loafng=place. Chicago Inter,
Ocean.