The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-07
Ideas far GMnfnen.


Said a stylish young h-ousekeeper a
Wv days ago, 1.-The parlor Of a house
(oesn't half tell the character Of the
woman who sways the sceptre there.
Just look ipto the bathroom. That win
give her away if she is TO be given.
The n Of this observation upon
womankind struck me forcibly. For
isn't 1t true to the letter. In her parlor
even the careless housewife viii hang her
pictures upon the wall and bring out her
handsomest chairs. Try. as the phrase
goes, to put her best foot foremost gem
orally.
But into Just how many bathrooms
could one step of a morning around 10
Ii or u o'clock without finding a general
state Of what women call .mussiness?D
Damp towels strewn over the floor.
Washstands sloppy and soapy. Water
standing unemptied in the tub and bas-
ms.
Each morning a few moments should be
spent in setting this little apartment to
rights. The basin of the washstand
should be wiped dry. And the stand
itself cleaned with soap, hot water and
channels. The bathtub should be drain
ed, cleaned and rubbed dry. The wood
work of the room busted and clean tow
els provided in place of the damp ones
gathered up. If the family be a large
one, the toilet articles, more especially
the soap dish, will need attention every
day. If the marble of the washstand is
stained with grease or other substances
hard to remove. try sandsoap, or lemon
juice. For a weekly cleaning of the tub
II the lining be of TIM use ordinary
whiting mixed with a solution of house
hold ammonia. To be washed off with
plenty of hot water and rubbed dry.
Once a week also the spigots should
be cleaned with whiting and polished
with channels. The drain pipes of the
tub should be cleansed by means of
How in good order.
For a bathroom 1t Is better not to pro-
vide a wooden carpet. The floor may
be Of tiles. This Is the flooring used in
some of the most stylish establishments
II this Is considered too cold, hard polish
ed wood may be substituted. Or an or
dfnary wood may be covered with oil
cloth. With any of these floors a few
rugs will. of course, be required. A few
small cheap ones would do for the pur-
pose, where the income is limited. The
cotton rugs of Japanese pattern are an
= client thing where small expenditure
Is an object. Or old rugs, If well cleaned,
can be cut and bound when unfit for
further service and used for the bathroom.
And the small odds n ends which are
some times to be picked up at cheap
rates In furniture shops. Every bath
room rug should ave a thorough airing
At least once each week. TIL damp
ness and ~splashing of water is apt to
create a mouldiness if plenty of sun be
not applied.
No bathroom Is complete without a mir
FOR OF some variety, which should be
CLEANED once a week with tissue paper or
chamois. A shelf to hold little odds and
ends, tooth powder, shaving mugs, ETC.,
Is a great point toward a smart-loeking
bathroom Several towel hooks are neces-
sary or a small towel rack, which is often
preferred.
A window Of stained glass is a modern
fuggestion for the bath and a very con-
F~enient one This is usually considered
substitute for curtains. although dainty
Thite sash curtains are used with it by
many women
Every day h bathroom should be
Thrown open for an hour or two to the air.
a small oil Stove is usually provided in
houses which entertain many guests. In
these days of ~epieurean bathing many a
man or woman visiting would feel lost
without the rubber curtain and the steam
bath enjoyed at home.
About spenges. When the bathroom Is
set to rights each morning the sponges
should be pressed dry and flung into a
wire cage provided for the purpose. A.
good sponge is ruined by standing any
length of time In water or dampness.
Flesh-brushes also should be gently beat
en- against the sides of the tub to remove
the water, being afterward placed In the
sunshine for an hour or so.
Nothing gives a bathroom a more up-to-
date look than a suficiency of towels. The
rack which has but one is very badly pro
vlded. Especially in case visitors are ex-
pected. For most people in visiting cannot
bring with them towels enough. And both
Srkish and linen should be laid out for
Ftr use.
R season for debutantes teas and
kes is at hand, and fashion has antici-
the requirements of the autumn
in her most charming way. The
gowns for young women are delight
"girlish' and are shown in admir-
he variety.
Transparent fabrics over silk or satin
Fare very fashionable. although plain satins
in light tints and silks, with Powered de-
signs, are quite as pretty. Ribbons, chif-
fon n laces In various designs and color
ings are used as garniture, being disposed
In d styles.
Straw" is a new shade in silks and in
sheer materials that is considered the
height OF the vogue. 1t is between a very
delicate lemon color and the faintest pink.
Salmon is also very desirable, and coral
pink is beautiful for brunettes. Turquoise
blue, canary, rose pink. and Nile are some
of the tints seen in the new diaphanous
terials. Lilac or purple is not generally
d. but in a few cases It is charmingly
kployed.
Ne very dainty gown is of white silk
he. with big struggling punches of
lets and lilaes over a slip of lilac taft
a, the waist being almost smothered
fri1ls of yeilowish valenciennes lace