The times., 1899-06-18
TRY youR GUEST ROOM.
sleep There Once and Profit by the
Experience.

experience.
The average guest chamber is about the
most drearily uncomfortable corner of an
often pretty country home. If the mistress
doubts this statement, just pack her hand
bag with the things she needs for one
night visit, desert her own cosy nest and
go across the hall to pass twenty-four
hours in that cage of gilded misery to
which her long suffering guests are con-
signed, That's the only way to truly find
out what uneasy nights and unsettled days
your friends endure for your dear sake in
the spare bedroom.
You will learn all about it by lying
awake half the night, rising stiff and iath
er tired in the morning, fuming over your
toilet, and coming down to breakfast
sadder and wiser woman. This being the
case, it is the duty of every individual who
has entertaining TO do this summer to dis
miss all that rubbi5hy poetry talked and
written about flowers and dainty devices in
the guest chamber, and lind out first If the
bed is a truly downy couch of ease.
Don't make il . habit, when a guest
leaves, TO have it redressed Immediately
in clean sheets, ready for the next visitor,
who may not come along for month.
bed grows chill and dampish and lusty
if LEFT long in the folds, SO tc speak. The
old-fashioned plan of airing fresh sheets
and putting them on only the day 4 guest
arrives is the proper rule, for then the
bed is somewhere near the temperature of
the boz. Don't forget TO keep, even ia
summer. an extra pair of blankets in the
closet OF this room, and always have one
pillow hard stuffed and one quite soft, for
you never know just what may be the
little notions and yagaries of a friend.
All season through keep your spare room
windows as open tc sun and air as your
own room, for nothing is more destructive
to sleep than the dead atmosphere behind
blinds always closed up. When a friend
leaves. order all the water poured out OF
jugs and tins and don't let the maids ill
them until an hour before the newcomer is
expected. for how often, ohi how Oft
en-, has a weary traveller been shut into
his or her apartment to battle with water
a week old, on top Of which floats a heavy
coat of dust, also to dry off on dank tow
els and lay away belongings in draws and
cupboards reelling with the smell OF moth
balls. Also. how often have timid indi-
viduals been shown into q room where
some essential, such as soap or pitcher
of warm water, was lacking, and for want
of any means of communicating with ser
want has been driven to desperate meas
ures.
If your guest chamber does not COM
muncate with a bath room. then be heed
full of abundant dry towels. perfectly
fresh cake of soap, and never forget the
pitcher of hot water Also, strain a point
to provide bell in this room that will
communicate with the servants, and let
your visitor understand its workings Don't
fail to provide plenty of rack room for
towels and wash cloths, sponges and
brushes. See carefully to it that, if you
have outside green shutters. they are in
perfect working order; if you have them
not then show the guest that there are
perfectly opaque dark green shades, which
will keep out the morning light Simply
because you can sleep with the suns glare
full in your eyes, don't, for mercy's sake
think all the world can do the same, and
as you are considerate human being don't
fill up the guest chamber with flowers.
Few persons sleep with flowers in their
bedroom, and sometimes a bowlful of
sweet-scented roses will keep a delicate
individual wide awake.
Stop TO think moment, and you viii
refrain from loading the dressing table
with toilet articles. II silver trifies, they
are usually the cast-offs from your own
bureau, and of no genuine service to any
guest, since women carry about their own
precious little instruments with them, and
men cordially detest these feminine play
things Leave the cushion bare, and the
shelf of the bureau free for the guests
own pins, brushes. combs, etc. and then
try to provide a waste basket where wo-
man can throw her combings and a man
his shaving papers. Provide the room
with a stand or table that can be placed
by the bed to hold a candle, matches and
a pitcher of water, and then take thought
beforehand as to che placing of the furni-