The herald., 1896-02-16
FOR W0MANklND

The modern bath room is a superhne re-
Election of the Roman bath, wherein a lux.
urious people took their "tub" once week.
Perhaps it was oftener, but the parade
they made over a visit to the famous pub
lie baths leads us to presume that once IN
seven days was as much as the majority OF
the populace could endure. The chappies
and smartes-that is. the members OF the
so-called 'smart SETS of the period-as
history relates. indulged in frequent bath
ing, and they originated taste for water
which eventually spread over Europe with
more or less success. But water was
scarce commodity, and the rivers or noun
tain springs were choked with ice in winter,
50 it is not surprising that the baths built
by the early Romans fell into desuetude,
even in England, where cleanliness was in
its infancy.
The Saxons, however, must have been
impressed by this trait of the crunbilng
Roman empire, for, though they covered
up all traces of the newly constructed ba'hs,
they early gained reputation for "tub-
bng" that will survive our present day.
Real lovers of the bath however. originated
in eastern lands. where personal cleanli-
ness, entering as it did into religious rles,
was literally next to godliness. That
pallid love of the bath developed centuries
later into passion among refined people.
Civilization-and it shall be said the dis
covery of America-has lent a novel as
pect to this pastime of the wealthy; 1t has
become necessity with all classes. No
one who can be reached is now permitted
to remain unwashed. This free and en-
lightened country may take credit TO
itself for actually having made bathing
popular! Thanks to the unstinted water
supply throughout our broad land, there
IN tn
European countries and their crowded
capitals, in the consumption OF this
precious element.
We have only to remember the primary
introduction of running water into Amer
lean residences to appreciate the influence
it had on the sanitary condition of the
whole community. Both London and Paris
have felt tho benefit, for Americans abroad
SO bewailed the loss of their home bath
rooms that the old-fangled customs are
passing away and now houses over there
are being fitted up in accordance with our
ideas. The rich classes even had little
knowledge of those improvements that
made the humblest house in the states a
pa'ace in point of comfort. But the world
cannot stand still. and gliding the lily is
an everyday performance in this age OF
luxury. Therefore we find men and wo-
men are no longer content with "bare COM
forts" but they insist on having them
dressed up in the finest feathers. Take,
for instance. the mbellished modern bath
room; it is as much work OF art as
Dresden casket. and indeed. with its art
tiles, porcelain tubs and silver plumbing,
it might serve as novel piece OF bric.a.
brac. But this is by no means the chief
attraction of the modern ba hroom in The
house beautiful. 1t is really the hydro
pathic devices by which every description
of lavation may be enjoyed by the owner
Extraordinary nagnificence distinguishes
the bathrooms in many abodes, but more
quiet taste is content with supreme ele-
gance and does not crave a carved marble
.ub while there are noble receptacles OF
immaculate white porcelain, decorated
With floral and gilded gaIlands, to be OBJ
aimed for that purpose. Ihey appear TO
he quite good enough, even for angels use,
and the silver swan faucets are so delic-
iously Wagnerian they lend quite an oper-
attic air to the elaborate surroundings.
The alarnist sees in this transformation
of a necessity into luxury one more par
aliel betw cen the Roman empire and the
present day. Decadence follows swiftly in
the steps of etfeminate luxury. The great
empire crumbled because the Caesars bat
tied too frequently. Or was it because men,
having reached the apex, had to travel
down the other side and let the world begin
afresh? At any rate, the modern bath
room is a potent, if innocent, factor in
Fastening the fruition of events.
-
In the Church of Santa Maria Annun-
ziata. at Naples, girls assemble once year
for the purpose of being chosen in mar
riage. On the day of Our Lady. before it's
altar kneeis silent row of 80 girls dressed
in black and with folded hands. They are
orphans of the neghboring foundling asy-
lum, and once a year those who have
reached the age of l 3 have chance of be-
ing chosen in marriage by any honest man
whose character is good. AT the door
leading to the sacristy stands a gray-haired
priest, the head OF the founding in
s,itution. BY and by young man ap..
proaches him and hands him a packet of
papers. These the priest reads carefully
and being satisfied, leads the candidate
towards the row of girls. The man walks
slowly along the row-at last he stops; his
choice is made, and he stretches out his
hand. The girl rises, puts out her hand
into that of the stranger. by way of con.
sent, and together they disappear into the
sacristy. The ice having been broken,
others follow, and this goes on until the
suitors are exhausted, or all the girls have
been chosen.
Lawyer "a few years hence)-Make your
mind easy. The Jury will disagree.
Prisoner-Sure!