Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-02-23
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.

.nrv.epo.ence On sop,cs OF intssese 10 ne lAdiss
4 sofIcI1od. Addross: Editor HOnKMAKRRs'
COLUMN. Oxford Dsnocras. Paris. Aains.
OUR sooles AND HOW TO USE THEM.
In this day Of ufads" the unthinklng
man and woman dub everything lad
which their grandparents did not invent
or practice; thinking people, I'M
bued with the practical spirit OF the day,
class everything among the fads which
does not, on the face OF 10, suggest some
utilltarian benefit 70 mankind, either 70
save labor or to produce something use
ful out Of hitherto useless material. Inc
study of fads and their effect leads one
| to think that Il IL only through fad
that the mass Of people can be reached,
and make the statement without re-
serve. Il Ia better to study . thing be-
cause 1t Is fad, than not 70 study at all.
Some fads, which start In their career a.
superficial and artificial accomplish
ments, develop into science or an art
which proves Of inestimable value, and
the seuseless fad of one decade becomes
the every day useful study Of the next.
A few years sgo ladies took up the
study of movements to add TO their stock
Of society manners, and learned how TO
make graceful bow according to mathe-
NAUTICAL calculation, more or less mac
curate. This kind Of physical culture
was laid aside In the kitchen because Its
work-a-day value had not been found
out.
Much that Is called physical culture Is
only physical exercise, and here let me
make n distinction between physical
culture and physical exercise.
PHYSICAL culture Is exercise taken In &C
cordsnce with the laws and demands OF
the body and In harmony with the mind.
PHYSICAL exercise may be saving wood
or Il may be the meaningless movements
of the idiot.
Physical culture aims to give the body
freedom and make IL express the indi-
vidual; physical exercise Is usually taken
without legitimate aim.
II Is the freedom which physical cult
ure brings to the body that makes II OF
practical use In the kitchen, the laundry,
the sick room, the factory, the store, the
Office, and wherever one ID obliged to
perform ply steal labor or exercise.
The housekeeper can do more work In
less time and with less expenditure OF
vital force IL she knows how to use her
muscles and all parts Of the body In their
proper relations.
The first requisite Of the human body
for work Of any kind Is freedom OF
movement; no muscle can move freely
and do lis work properly unless It is
fire and unbound. The muscles OF the
body are so arranged over the skeleton
that one set overlies and overlaps an
other and In some places there are several
LAYERS OF muscles. Should one become
stiff or rigid or too much contracted from
over use the working Of many others Is
affected.
Let me see you stand at work or In
conversation and will tell you where
you grow tired, and will give you a cor.
rect standing position which II persisted
Ia will take the tired ache away and In
time prevent Its return. Then work will
be restful.
First the body must be 10 perfect
harmony with gravity; we usually stand
In such manner that large part OF
our force Is expended in keeping the
body semi.upright or In position APP
proximsting erectness. This force Is
really wasted so far AS our work Is con-
cerned; let US save on this waste and
acquire habit Of erect carrisge.
| A good exercise 10 gain habltual erect
ness Is to take the entire weight directly
over the balls Of the feet and press
downward with the balls and allow the
head TO float upward and lift with il all
the contents OF the torso. Each organ
OF the body should be lifted several
inches higher than the average man or
woman usually carries Il; as they usual
liz stand and walk every organ is bearing
down, adding Its weight TO every other
organ until all are weakened and We
have prolapsus OF various organs.
Lifting every organ by the muscles sur
rounding il will bring relief TO a pro-
lapsed organ, and relief can come In no
other way.
| We have TO make an effort at first TO
and the effort soon becomes unconscious
or hsbitusl.
Are We washing dishes-take the
weight firmly and squarely on the balls
of the feet, lift the head very high and
/ the chest as high AS possible-muscles
OF the back, heretofore unused come In
to relieve overtaxed muscles, and that
bearing down feeling goes away. A
tired weakness back Of the knees may
come ut first because We have stood
wrongly so long that those muscles are
too short; battle and rub those parts a
few times and they will come out all
right and gain sufficient development TO
support their share Of the weight.
At the ironing board, the wash tub, the
kneadiDg board, keep the body as erect
as possible. IL your sink Is too low to
allow this put brick under the dish
pan; remodel the ironing bosrd,-at any
rate keep the vital organs high.
Several exercises may be taken TO aid
the body ia becoming erect.
| /. Take the weight of the whole
body firmly and squsrely over the balls
Of the feet, let the top OF the head float
upward from the feet, drawing with II
the organs Of the entire torso.
2. With the weight over the balls lit
the crown Of the head upward until q
slight stretch Is felt In the entire length
OF the back.
3. Take the same position as In No.
:, and bring the body forward as though
bending 10 pick something from the floor,
but stop the bend when a gentle stretch
on the back Is felt, and rise TO standing
posture; all the time press downward
with the balls OF the feet.
4. With the weight over the balls OF
the feet take good hearty yawn and
carry the arms out so as TO stretch up
ward every muscle Of the body. Be
sure that the weight is correct and the
yawn is deep.
). Place the fingers lightly on the
front of the hips, weight over balls Of
feet, yawn and lift the head and top Of
the chest as high as possible. Each OF
these movements should be taken twice
and allow an interval Of about one-half
minute between any two.
These few exercises persisted In four
times per day for one week will make a
marked improvement in any one, but 1t
requires much longer time and many
more movements to give full control
over the body.
The muscles should be kept elastic and
flexible all the time; any rigidity is a
waste Of energy and strength.-Ameri-
Can Kitchen Mage zine.
RECIPES.
FIG PUDpING.-l-4 pound figs chop
ped fine, 2 cups bread crumbs, cup
brown sugar, IA pound suet chopped