Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-10-17
PHYSICAL ECONOMICS.
Marion Discusses Some Life Preserving
Points for Women.


sary tasks, do you know that there
one sort of economy of which you ar
= ignorant? You have all heard Q
many Economies, domestic an
otherwise, and some of you have eve
studied political economy, but did yo
J ever even contemplate physica
economy That is, an economical ex
penditure of your physical strength
Your sunken eyes and thin, pal
cheeks answer mo"
Now listen. You have thousanC
and one fur-belows, frllls and ruf1e'
on your own and the children's cloth
ing. To commence with, you benz
your back over your sewing anC
strained your eyes upon it when you
first made all that foolishness. And
then you scolded the little ones be-
cause they were careless about soiling
their dainty aprons, for you thought
of Monday morning, and then, worst
of all, the ironing on Tuesday. How
you toiled over the little garments,
until you were trembling with fatigue,
and vexatiOn, and when Ted asked
you to help him fix his kite you gave
him a punch between his little fat
shoulders and told him not to "bother
mamma." Did you see the sunshine
fade from his eyes? Then when you
came to your be-ruffled and be-tucked
white skirt, which you had left until
the last, you mentally determined it
would be long time ere you went
walking with George, if ironing that
was the penalty.
How many arguments are there set
forth against too elaborate clothing,
and every one sufficient one?
A child's clothing is sufficient,
especially for every day wear, if it is
whole and clean, and they enjoy them
selves much more if their playtime is
not haunted by fears of a scolding.
For morning wear for the little girls,
the plainest made gingham or crinkled
aprons are good, and for
afternoon something a bit dainter,
the degree of fineness to be deter |
mined by your financial circumstances
and place Of abode. For the boys the
long denim oveTalls are invaluable as |
they save the knees of stockings, and |
the straps Stimulating suspenders make |
the lad feel very manly. For dressier
wear are the customary short pants
and plain waits. Don't make the
Of putting ruffles on boy, |
because Of his sex, if for no other
reason. Don't you know it makes
them feel "sheepish" when they be-
come old enough to notice, and no boy
likes to be Little Lord Handicapped |
in dress. AS for your own clothing,
you very seldom need wear white
skirt nowadays, and with small
amount of forethought the labor of
laundering your garments may be re-
duced to minimum.
Clothing is becoming almost the
curse Of woman's existence. BY all |
means be neat and whole and clean |
but don't overdo. If you will give
the subject half hours thought you |
can think of more reformation than
one can suggest in hours of writing,
for the field is almost unlimited.
More matting-covered or bare
painted floors, would give more health |
and comfort than yards of Brussels
Think how your back and
arms ache after sweeping them!
Eliminate about one-half the useless |
you possess, in the
shape OF 'interior decorations, and |
you have more than enough to make
you tired. Slang phrase not in
Humanity in general and |
in particular, have let
things run to decoration rather than
usefulness until the original adap-
tation is lost sight of, and the posses
sion of the object becomes detri-
ment.
Extravaganza somewhere, is the
root OF all impoverishment be it
financial or physical. In either par
ticular it acts and reacts upon the
other. Sit down, now, without one
thing to occupy hands or brain, ex-
,ept the subject itself, and recount
.he things which you do that are use
ess, when considered from the inn
)ortant standpoint of health. You
work ,and worry oyer things which
amount to nothing in particular at
present, and infinitely less hundred
years from now, when if your ener-
yies were expended in proper man
ler, you might accomplish much that
would be enduring. For instance,
here are things you can do for the
which will have an influence
ears after-things you cannot do If
'ou persist in devoting your time and
mercy in decorating" their bodies
With clothing. Better decorate"
heir. minds with useful knowledge
nd their behavior with courtesy; and