The morning times., 1896-08-24
THE BROOM CURE.
Mrs. Stoves Advice to Thin-armed
Girls.

Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stoves life stands
out from the pages OF history as one that
has had a large share in the uplifting OF
humanity, and SO great was her influence
that President Lincoln is said to have
greeted her as ''the little woman who
brought on the great war" That this
bright genius was a comfortable, economi-
cal. practical housewifei is fact that should
be IN inspiration to the housekceper, whose
daily round OF duties seem often so hum
drum and narrow, indeed, Mrs. Stowe her
self tells us, how while writing one Of her
early novels, which for literary merit is
placed by critics among her best, she was
papering a room and would think up q
page or two, while putting up &c " lengths
OF paper. write these out and return to
her manual labor again, and SO, turn and
turn about" with pen and brush until the
room was finished.
1t Is q refreshment to remember that
Mrs. Stowe was In her prime .yhen she
turned her pen to domestic matters and
gave her mind to such topics as 1.-The
Lady Who Does Her Own Work. etc.
In her article on .'The Lady Who Does
Her Own WORK. Mrs. Stowe dwells on
the value Of housework in giving the very
healthiest form of exercise, and for the
average woman shows 1t to be far prefer
able to the work of the masseur, who
even in those days, more than thirty
years ago. seem to have fopnd plenty Of
patients. She quantity speaks Of them
as hired operators to stretch and exer
else inactive muscles" Women" sh.
continues, ''lie for hours to have their
feet twigged. their arms fleKcJ and all
the different muscles worked for them, be-
cause they are SO flaccid and torpid that
the powers OF life do no. go on
Would 1t not be quite as cheerful and
less expensive process she asks, IF
young girls from early life developed the
muscles in sweeping. busting. ironing, rub
bing furniture and all the multiplied do
mestic processes which our grandmothers
knew orr and then adds: Il will venture
to say that our grandmothers In a week
went over every movement that any gym
mast has invented. AMI went over them To
some productive purpose, too.''
Here Is hint that women with thin
arms would do well TO take. 1t is said
to be really a fact that Clara Louise KeI-
logs, the singer, when a young girl. was
much annoyed by tie atteBuated appear
ance OF her arms when she began TO don
evening dress al her Gro wded concerts. Some
one recommended brisk use of the broom,
which advice she followed and soon had
round, plump member as the reward OF her
labor. II a thin, lstless girl, with a dull
eye and skin. can by any means be per
suaded to try the broom cure" she will
be astonishcd to find what Q besutifier It
surely is.
In the matter OF wall paper Mrs. Stowe
gives advice for very artistic and cheerful
effects, and now that summer is drawing to
a close. these hints will be very useful to the
hOusekeeper.
"All you want of q paper says Nrs.
stowe, rs to make groundwork to
throw out your pictures and other matters,
and to reflect a pleasant tone of light"
She further bids US beware of cold hue
erays. IL we must have this tint to har-
monize with carpet or furniture let IL be
a warn gray saffused with gold or roee-
color, such as you see at evening In the
Clouds" Better than an she declares.
"fOr the rooms wherein the family Is most
often found Is paper with puff tone,
something that produces warm ycllO wish
reflections, that will almost make you think
the sun is shining in cold gray weather."
Nothing lights up SO cheerfully IN the eveti-
ing and the color of the old fashioned
Zeferauo rose, which must have been very
like some Of our beautiful yellow ones Of
today, she conmends for cheer and bright
ness.
She also commcnds q color which was
then called maroon, rich deep crimson
and which with brighter tints OF the
same and dash here and there of
heavens own blue, in draperies and brio
a-brac would make q lovely m otif for a
family room.
The time when Mrs. Stowe writes we
must remember were the days OF abomi
nations in the way of carpets with huge
medallions and impossible flowers and
stiff sets of black walnut furniture, gen
orally covered with green rep, upon which |
walked and eat men with long hair and !
wemen With enormous hoops and flowing |
rinElets, and yet in spite Of all thls she |
conjures up the loveliest rooms Imaginable. |
EMILY FORD.