Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-28
THE OLD ENGLISH COSMETICS.
Simple Decoctions That Anyone Who Desires
Beauty Can Make.
THE VIRTUE OF A LEAF OF PARSLEY
WRITTEN FOE THE prsrArcH.l

death of me unless a
cool wave comes soon. IF you can bear any
addition to earthly burdens, look over this
bundle of letters and amuse yourself"
1 know man who once varied a check
cred existence by acting clerk in the drug
store of a country town, which he declared
had given him more insight into the secrets
and peculiarities of the population than he
could have gained any other way. Espe-
cially he gained knowledge of women's
| foibles which made him wiser for the rest
of his life. Pierre is undergoing similar
course in the study of women-Pierre, that
precious stone, who has been christened
thus because he is so sharp, hard, brilliant
and invaluable. A cynicism in drug clerks
and the compounders and sellers of cosmet'
les is inevitable. Perhaps you may be able
to determine why.
Confessions of the Fair.
The unreserve with which a distant
woman pours her desires and details of com.
p->~ On into her letter to the drug clerk has
30 parallel either with physician or priest.
One popularity of these confessions is that
most of the writer's sketch themselves as
possessed of every charm but the one point
of complexion, where they fail to suit them
selves. Or they had very nice complex
ion up to the date of a recent illness, or had
used some yaunted cosmetic which has dis
appointed them and must counteract its ef-
fects
For instance-'T am blonde with an ex-
ceedingly thick head of hair, 40 inches long,
of rich hue between brown and gold; a
very fine, delicate coloring, or so considered
by my friends. Eyes large, dark and blue;
brows and lashes quite dark; features fair
and regular" Now, what in heavens name
has this to do with the need of freckle
lotion, which the young lady wishes to
order? Does she wish to cnchant the sus-
ceptible correspondence clerk by letter, or,
which is more likely, is she so enamored of
herself she cannot avoid lingering over the
picture? The contrast to the self-admiring
beauty is the overfrank woman who COM
plains she has q yellow, blotched or greasy
complexion she thinks comes from stomach
trouble, in which she is Enthusiastically right,
and there are blackheads at the tip of her
nose. What is the use of drawing such a
horrid picture when five words would tell q
dealer all that is needed?
To Look Nice at Her Wedding.
A woman of % who wants face wash,
"as she is going to be married in 16 days
and wants clear complexion should be-
gin sooner by six months to make sure
work of her renaissance. The woman of 35
who writes for developer, because she is
in show room, and if she had q better
figure to show dresses and cloaks on she
would get higher salary, has more to
recommend her plea than any of the silly
women who wish to improve on nature un-
necessarily. feel like telling her at once
all the development she needs is two yards
of washing net, stifFened with gelatine in
the starch, and crumpled up lightly to fill
out her gown. 1t is cooler, fresher, and
looks better than the coarse, blowsy figures
made by suction with an air pump, in the
hideous, injurious patent processes
One girl wants to know if there is any ap-
paratus for tying the ears back, for hers
stand out like handles of a jar, and she
doesn't know that one of the surest ways of
correcting this habit is to wear the hair over
the ear, the steady, constant pressure train
ing the cartilage gently and safely to its
proper set. have known girls who have
fretted over such defects when they were 16,
and despaired, yet their unconscious efforts
had their effect years after Habit will
mold the very bones better than a plaster
bodice, and there is nothing it will not do
with muscles.
The Really Sweet Woman.
1t is relief to turn from these specimens
of nature to the really sweet and charming
women, who are not SO scarce as they might
be, after all. Do realize what the phrase
conveys-'a sweet woman?" Above all
that physical sweetness, which is not merely
the cleanliness of washing ones self twice
or thrice week, or more, but wholesome
state of the secretions from absence of in
ternal ferment.
In dyspepsia and consumptives, the per-
spiration is acid few hours after bathing,
and the body linen wears out sooner than
common, the fiber being attacked by the
acid secreted. The remedy is alkaline
baths of warm water-one dessertspoonful
of borax or ammonia in three quarts of
water. Night sweats in consumption and
extreme sweating in any case may be con-
trolled by an ammonia bath daily, and the
use of dusting powder, made of parts
of salicylic acid, 10 of starch and 81 of
Venice tale. The skin is first sponged with
weak alcohol, having little tannin dis
solved ip it, which astringes the skin and
allows the powder to adhere. In the morn
ing it is washed off in bath and may be re-
newed at once in those trying cases which
ruin dresses and make ones face fountain
Of waters.
Face Powder as q Protection.
Remember the recipe given is body pow
der, not dress powder for the face, worn
for looks sake alone. The stifest church
member could hardly object to face powder
in warm weather if he knew its protection
against road dust and cinders on the rail-
way. As one must have the face covered
with dust, at least let it be clean dust The
use of powder in such cases is no more
vanity than the deacon's use of bay rum on
his face after shaving.
I say this, for there are circles where to
appear with powder on ones face is to
write ones self Jezebel at once Draw
the line at paint, which is deceit for show
alone
Sweet women have the instinct of taking
care of themselves, for talk as you please
of natural beauty, little of it survives 16
without conscientious painstaking, which is
a virtue, as it all tends to health and peace
of mind. Can you imagine Solomon's model
woman with other than good complexion
and clear, open eyes? The great beauties
usually come of race of women who have
taken care of themselves for three or four
generations, refining and improving with
each.
Sleep as Beautifier.
Sound sleep is great beautifer. Sleep
in pure air, with windows wide open two
thirds of the year, and the bed not too far
out of the fresh current. find sleep rest as
much again taken in perfectly pure air, and
weakened hearts are strengthened by such
rest better than by any other tonic in the
world.
Instead of seeing how little air you can
bear, train yourself by degrees to all you
can endure without chilliness. Then comes
take who can. Alasi that 80 many who
crave and need it cannot have it at all My
doctor says all women ought to lie down at
least half an hour after lunch. 1t aids di-
gestion, rests the muscles and eyes, and re-
lakes the tension of nerves In which most