Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-04-18

Sue a1 once Ooiuiy Apply Cne proper Teue-
dy, to wit: Immediately vote More Money
and More Power to the noble band of sci
entlsts who compose our board of health.
AN OLD SANITARIAN.
THE FLEETING SHOW.
Some OF Its Facts and Fancies.
Written for the JOURNAL CouRIKR.l
PEws VERSUS OPERA CHAIRS.
The use of opera chairs in churches is
being advocated to some extent, partly be-
cause space is thus economical and partly
because it is thought that in this way the
free-seat plan can be more conveniently
carried out. They are already used in
many churches in the large western cities
where religious matters are pushed for
ward-one is almost tempted to say 'thus-
tled"-with the same degree of energy and
ardor with which business enterprises and
competitions are conducted in those brisk
and boastful regions.
But the pew will probably not yield the
floor to the opera chair for many a Sunday
to come, in staid New England at least,
where there is yet lingering feeling that
the house of God should in many points
differ consp;cuously from the playhouse.
The opera chair suggests the program, in
fact, makes it necessity, and these are
supplied in churches where chairs are
used, the psalms and hymns for each ser
vice being printed and distributed, and
Bibles and hymn books may therefore be
left at home
A certain gaiety in dress would natural
ly seem to be encouraged by the opera
chair. Thoughtful people generally con-
slider this incongruous, agreeing that while
| Sunday garments must be neat and may
be richly and costly, they should not be
| too snowy. A number of English ladies
| of high position are seriously recommend
The movement will probably never gain
many followers, since those who love the
striking in dress, and those who have few
| opportunities to display their fnery, will
| always err by overdressing to attend re-
| ligious services.
| AS there will be no convenient corner
| in which to place umbrellas and sunshades
and no place for wraps and overcoats, q
| cloak room must be provided with a sys-
| TEN of checks, and person to take charge
| of the same. One theatrical effect pro-
| ducing another, it might be that the min
lister would find opera glasses levelled at
| him by admirers or critics from all parts
| of the 'sauditorium" Opera chairs are
| certainly not conducive to devotional at
| titudes; they tend to separate members of
| families, and instead of decorous passing
forth after the benediction, to strains of
sweet music, the thoughts of the worship
pers would be disturbed by the resounding
clatter of the folding seats.
| Let us not yet give up the pew, at least
not until we do away altogether with the
family. What pleasant pictures of family
life we sometimes see at church! Here at
| the end of the pew sits the serious, gentle
mother. ''The baby's" curly head is in her
lap, his sturdy little legs are extended up
on the seat; flushed like a rose, and as
sweet, he lies asleep. Next him is the eld-
est daughter, her fair young face little
| shadowed by anxiety lest the restless boy
beside her should disturb their neighbors
With motherly solicitude she strokes his
fat brown hand, feeds him with
peppermints, and at last opens the
Bible for him at the picture of Cain and
Able, and hopes 'now he'll keep quiet"
The youngest girl presses her round cheek
| against her fathers arm and is not content
until he turns his head and looks at her
with smiling eyes, She likes to find the
hymn for him and when they stand to-
gether and sing from the same book, she
is very happy and proud He, the father,
strong and forid, has an air of resolution
mingled with affectionate satisfaction
One almost fancies that there is an old
musket grounded at his right hand, and
imagines the alacrity and courage with
which he would seize it and rush to defend
church, wife and children should the wal
| whoops of attacking savages disturb the
holy calm of the Sabbath morning.
Over there in another pew are some
dear old people with worn but peaceful
faces. 1t is true that grandfather is ASLEEP
and grandmother mods occasionally, but
they will hear and appreciate part Of the
! service and enjoy the whole of it. Thei,
children and grandchildren are near them
their home life is continued and sanctifet
by this assembling under the consecratec
roof, and they will return to it comforted
and refreshed.
, Will the opera chair bring to us any sucf
scenes and suggestions! Does it not seen
rather to hint at worldly affairs and a
enjoyments not of spiritual nature, loft,
and refined though they. may be? Let tn
opera house keep its chairs, but let tn
church stand by its pews, even at the risl
. of being called conservative, old-fashione,
: and slow.
2 THE HOUSEHOLD REFEREE.
s Kate Tannatt Woods, in discussing tn
: value of the classes or schools for cultiva
l ting the memory, says: "Any good mothe
Q who can remember the hour for breakfast
the cover on Johnny's book, the button o
Susie's cloak, orders for the market, al
rangements for dessert, baby's powde
8 and papa's laundry, and plan the sewing
, dressmaking and gardening, doesn't nee
lessons in strengthening the memory. Th
l average American housekeeper remember
o more in one day than she can forget in
Il lifetime. She is being of many trades
q an expert in many professions, and per
- patetic encyclopedia for the household"
FOOLISH FASHION.
The newspapers everywhere are col
). demning the long skirt in the most scat
ing words, they heap on it terms of abus
. they ransack the dictionary for vitupe
: ative epithets, but still it survives ar
ambitiously though ineffectively surviv
I'd and strives to do the work of sire
le cleaning machines, and microbe disper
le ers. The truth is, one fashion plate
if of more Importance in the eyes of mai
than are hundred newspaper and mag
T. zine articles. Said a poor little woma
as as one day in late winter she surveyed
e. fashion plate exhibited in Chapel sire
81 window. How long they are going to we
~ their dresses this spring." She said
C sorrowfully, but as with the conviction th
ed whatever "they" did was the correct thil
ed to do, and the only thing They, the vag
~ but inexorable 'they," viewless ard ter
-, BILE juggernaut that it is, has many VIC
NJ shippers who try to appease it by sacrifc
ed even of common sense, cleanliness a.
ty economy. To them are commended the
weighty words of an unknown writer:
Fashion seeks to regulate our lives
every detail till we become mere wealth,
cocks, blown about by every gust of pa
ing opinion, having neither taste nor pr
ciple that we can rightly call our ow
m Let her have her way in small matte
concede trifes to her which are of no tt
'ls value or significance; but resist her to
ID. death in all questions of real nome