The Portland daily press., 1894-06-04
THEHoME.
Dowdiness Adds To Despondenov.

| for invalids; but on the important sub
| ject of dress for them much remains to
be said, and great is the needed reform.
There is really no need for dowdiness,
because at the present time any garment
| from graceful tea gown to a comforta-
BILE sleeping suit, can be bought ready
made or obtained at few hours notice.
The reason probably is that the infiu-
ence of pretty and becoming attire for
use in the sick room is not sufficiently
| understood or valued. and the invalid
who rebels against the dictum that
| anything is good enough may be consid-
cred Unfortunately vain. The desire to
| please is most natural one, and when
complete Indifference takes it's place, this
iudifferece shows morbid state of mind
out of which the patient should be
| aroused as quickly as possible.
Suppose the invalid Is preparing for her
| first drive. A bonnet old, soft and COM
Portable, is placed on her head, proba bly,
out of its usual place, while around her
shoulders is draped a fur-lined cloak,
which has been, used for years. A wool
en- shawl completes the costume. Her
friends think she looks perfect wreck
OF her former self as she drives past, an
| opinion fully shared in by the invalid,
who has caught sight of herself in
mirror as she descended the stairs. With
the dependency which is the bane of
ill health, the poor lady will have at
once concluded that her appearance will
remain as it is now for the rest of her
natural life A chill depression is the
result Of this absurd conviction, and her
companion cannot imagine why the
much talked-abou drive does the patient
no good. 81
Now. a pretty new bonnet may be
just as comforta BILE as an old one, and
is certainly much more likely to be be-
coming 1t it were a patent food or
some extravagantly priced wine it
would be procured at once; but who
ever heard of an invalid wanting new
bonnet? And yet, to anyone who has
been shut up in one or two rooms, what
relief it is to have something fresh and
pretty to wear-some5hing which is
not associated with hours of pain or
WEAKNESS; something, in short, cheerful
and becoming. In this respect, invalids
much resem BILE children. They long for
many things, for which they never ask,
hoping that some one will think for
them, and so it should be.
Matters of dress ought to be as little
discussed as questions of food; pleasant
surprise in either case forms half the en-
joyment. Here is the opportunity for
the relative who has no knack of nursing
and yet wishes to help. Her skillful
fingers may make the smart lltule hood,
which is SO much more comfortab BILE
than hat, for the young sister, whose
only airing may be taken in spinal
carriage or she can choose the pretty
cap or lace fichu, which quite transforms
the morning gown. The invalid brother
may owe to her thoughtfulness the lux
urious smoking jacket which agreeably
ing his first visit to the drawing room.
A change of dress. often means change
ideas, and may be the first step to i'm
provement, for the immense effect of
mind over the body is now well known.
The reluctance of some invalids to see
visitors is frequently due to want of
thought about these details. One natur-
her friends, and this harmless little
vanity should be-, encouraged, not
crushed. Leigh Hunt, when writing
about dress, declared There is an art,
a gusto in these things inseparable from
their natures" In weary illnesses, when
convalescence is counted by weeks rather
than by days, one cannot afford to dis
pense with any influence which may he
an aid to recovery. Comfort, of course,
must come first; but freshness and ele-
gance should never be neglected when
considering The important subject of
dress for invalids-Boston Journal
Fruit Skins.
With regard to the eating of fruit an
important caution should he given,
writes DR.. Maria Duncan in Demorest's
Magazine. Fruit skins carry germs and
are no more intended for human sustenan-
ce than potato skins, melon rinds, or pea
pods. The bloom OF the peach is lux
uriant growth of microbes, that of the
grape only less So and when these skins
are taken into the stomach they find
most favorable conditions for their
lively and rapid development, which
is possible to digest it. This is the
reason that many persons think they
cannot eat raw fruit.
If they would in al cases discard the
skin they could derive only good from
the fruit itself. Nature provides the
skin for the protection of the fruit from
the multitude Of germs which are ever
ready to attack it, as is evidenced when
the skin is bruised or broken in any
way. The micro hes at once begin their
work of decay, and the fruit is unfit for
food.
Children are chief offenders in respect
to this rule. and should be carefully
watched and frequently cautioned. A
daint1ness as to the condition of fruit
should also be cultivated, to prevent it's
being eaten unripe. or too old, on the
verge of decay. Remember that it is
sweet and ripe fruit in prime condition
only that is recommended
Childrens Dresses.
For children some of the prettiest and
daintiest little dresses are made from
dimity. This is tie preferred cotton
material, and is found in clear white.
pink, blue, or yellow and white. Some
times little figures are printed on the
white ground. The dresses are made
with short waist and full skirt and
ruffles around the shoulders. Frequently
little guimpes are worn, and these are
plain or made witt alternate tucks and
Misunderstanding. Where the fullnsss
of the little waists s drawn together AFT
the waist line rows of feathers titching
are applied as if they held the stirring
in place. White pique is revived for
children's wear. Il is made up plainly |
as BELTS heavy material, but some
times insertions of am broidery are used.