The San Francisco call., 1896-05-10

January, nor did young ladies start out
with black locks in the morning and ap-
pear with blonde ones in the evening. In
the days of old peroxide of hydrogen was
unknown on the toilet table, although
there were wonderful mixtures for soften
ing the skin, for making the hair more
glossy and the hands more soft.
People did not have as many clothes in
the old times. A matron freshened from
season to season the black satin or black
silk that was her "best dress" and only
brought out on special occasions, such as
the marriage of a son or a daughter, the
brocade that, it was whispered, came from
France. With this brocade was worn,
not twenty yards of imitation, but one
yard of real lace, and, the festivity over,
it was carefully put away and remained
in the seclusion of a carved chest, with
the perfume of cloves and lavender, until
another feast day came about. In those
old days servants we're better. Why?
Because mistresses took an interest in
them, and the one that intended to marry
was assisted in getting her household
linen, while the one who nursed my
mother and all her children, me and all
my children, was buried from the house
of her mistress, often beside her mistress,
and laid to sleep forever with that best
tribute, love and sincere tears. In those
old days men made love to women
ing eliminated in marriage. Men spoke
to women with more reverence than they
do lust now, and when young Knicker-
booker took to visiting Miss Stuyvesant
every Sunday night both families knew
what it meant, and Nine. Knlckerbocker
and Nine. Stuyvesant looked through their
linen chests to see what could be spared,
and Nine Stuyvesant wondered If it would
be wise to give these young people, just
starting in life, silver tea service. Now
adays, their descendants demand diamond
tiaras, necklaces and wonderful sunbursts
that too often cover hearts that have mar
ried for diamonds and not for crowns of
love. In those old days mother willed
her fur cloak to her daughter; it was
worth it; it was real sable or real ermine,
and styles did not change with the fancy
of every cocotte, as they do nowadays. A
well-cut, well-made garment was in the
fashion, and the mothers fur surcoat was
gladly assumed by the daughter and willed
by her to her eldest daughter.
In those days marriage didn't mean, al
ways, the union of great wealth and great
social power; sometimes a man married
entirely for love, and his father could SYM
pathiZe with him, even though his mother
longed for him to wed one of the rich
young ladies who came of an afternoon to
knit and drink coffee with her.
But the fathers heart went out to the
son and he settled a dover on the poor
girl and the marriage meant the making
of home; indeed, it meant more than
that. 1t meant surrounding two young
people with six or eight, or ten or twelve
little people, born of their love, and each
greeted gladly. Nowadays, marriage too
often means a hotel and a puppy.
l am fond of dogs, but there is no dog
that can take the place of baby, and no
people who are married can find perfect
happiness when they make their family
consist of their two selves and dog. tits
true that there are some unhappy people
to whom God doesn't send little children;
but those to whom he does send them
should receive them with open arms and
remember that as they are children born
of welded love, so they will encourage and
keep young the welded love forever. In