The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-12-13
WRINKLES CAUSED.
Effects of Soft Pillows and Chinese
Wooden Blocks.
IN. Y. Herald)

IN. Y Herald)
How often are seen youthful faces lined
with wrinkles and figures retaining the
plumpness Of few years crowned with the
visages of age. Scientific investigation
has Induced the belief that these prema-
turely old heads on young shoulders are,
in a great measure, due to that luxury
of modern life, the pillow.
The Chinese and japanese use, in the
place Of pillow, little followed in block
of wood, which, when the sleeper lies
upon his slde-the usual position--presses
strongly against the lower part of the
cheek bone, forcing the flesh tow Nard the
outer corner of the eye. May not the
peculiar facial characteristics of these
people, high cheek bones and slnnting
eyes, be owing to this small but powerful
agent? Notwithstanding these races
have been in state of semi-civiliza tion
for ages, during which we may suppose
these head rests have been used the
children yet have these peculiar features
in much less marked degree than their
elders-and, indeed, mary of them do not
have the slanting eyes at all, and only
acquire them as they grow older. II the
reader will experiment upon himself a
little with one of these curious wooden
blocks every doubt will vanish.
The feather pillow is most fruitful
source of wrinkled, ill-shaped faces. TO
its use-always ably assisted by the ever
ready hands-may be attributed the ac-
emulation of most of the flesh of the
face around the mouth and nose, giving
the appearance of high cheek bones, and
forming around the mouth those concave
lines called by "The Autocrat of the
Breakfast Table" "the parentheses."
PILLowMARKs EVERYWHERE
The next time the reader finds himself
alone in a crowd, let him but open his
eyes and look about him. In the faces of
those about him he cannot fail to see
deep prints of the hand and the pillow.
There will be many tiny, deep-sunken
eyes that have been thrust far back into
head by frequent hard rubbings The
crowd will be plentlfully punctuated with
the Autocrat's parentheses, ranging from
the first faint lines on the faces of the
young to the deep folds of flesh around
the mouths and noses of the old. But
among no other features will he find such
variety of ugliness as among the noses.
The noses of infants are almost always
but shapeless Jumps of soft gristle, and
can be moulded into very grotesque forms
He will see them mashed fiat, tweaked
sndTpf upWdIut puiiSu hOWuWdius
There will be the young man with a
firm and stalwart figure, yet with a face
so hollow that you can almost see the
prints of the fingers of the fist he has
kept thrust into 1t about half the leisure
moments since he was a small child. If
you watch him a while you may catch
hiih in the act. There will also be the
individual whom nature has en-
dowed with a dignifled Roman nose,
which he has rendered most ludicrous by
pushing 1t upward with his handkerchief
whenever his catarrh troubled him, until
il has acquired a saucy upward tilt You
will be sure to see the youth with ram
pant ears, and you may also see the boy
with his nose turned to one side Of his
face. He has a chronic cold in his head,
and is in the habit of frequently applying
HIS nose to his right jacket sleeve.
EASY TO CHANGE FEATURES.
who that will reflect can doubt that If
the hand be pressed heavily into the
fieshy part of the face, between the upper
and lower jaws for more than one hour
each day, that hollow cheeks will, in a
few years. be the inevitable result? The
ears, the nose and the lips may become
disflgured In an incredibly short time by
kneading them with the fingers, and
even the forehead and chin, If begun upon
In early youth, when the bones are more
yielding than later in life, may be made
to recede by the frequent and persistent
heavy pressure of the hand or arm. 1t
is well known fact that a slender waist
may be acquired by systematic lacing be-
tween the ages of ~ and 49,
good deal may be done, however, in
the same way toward repairing the reck-
less inroads made by the hands upon the
face. If, after long years, you have sue
ceeded In kneading your face into the
semblance of a comic mask, you may,
after more long years, knead It into
something not altogether unoomely. Pa
tlent and intelligent massage may do
something toward rounding out hollow
cheeks, a turned-up nose can be brought
into very good shape in a surprisingly
short time, and short upper lip will be
heightened at the same time.
II is among the children, however. that
the most satisfactory results can be OBJ
talned in face massage. Their flesh,
bones and muscles are more yielding than
they will be later In life, nature seems
more willing to lend her aid, and It is
possible for a patient, intelligent mother
to transform some OF her ugly duck
llngs" into pretty white swans.