The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-29


\yN standing In my doorway
and looking down 1t me
reproachfully. II was
- D. m. OF winter day and I was SIT
~ upright In q hard Grand Raptds rock
- char IN my dinner dress. painfully Pc
rsinr novel and wondering why life
vas 70 undressing.
aDoes anybody know how TO Be COM
fortabe?' | inquired huznbiy.
Miranda came fn shut the door, walked
ever to my divan and in minute and =
suarter had so adjusted herself that she
,oo,ed as II she had been born solely to
recline upon divans. and had spent her
hys In learning how to do 30 happily.
70 see Miranda thus Is to realize the
meaning Of tho phrase adaptation to en-
uronment."
How many ioungins robes are there in
YOUR wardrobsY' she demanded. set
nys4lf to reflect
but you know. Miranda, that It u as much
trouble TO get into It as IL II were ball
dress, and It's equally hard to live up to
efter one is in; and there's my blanket
hath robe--what mortal ever puts on q
blanket bath robe. anyhow?-and two
timonos--but they're getting rather
pcrubby: and ono wadded dressing rack
and two thin ones and my old blue wrap
per. that's eight In all; but what OF it?"
'sweli--juSt to call your attention to
the fact--here are eight negiigees In your
possession and not one OF them fitting
article for you to don In she seclusion OF
your own apartment after dinner. when
YOU wish 70 throw of the heat and bur-
Den OF the day and yet look decent
enough TO $40 your friends II anybody
happens to drop IN. as I have done just
now. The pretty ones are too fissy, and
the useful ones aren't pretty. and so I find
you sitting holt upright at 10 .. m In a
heavily boned fancy waist. looking as IL
your eyclids weighed n ton. It's not that
have anything against you" went on
Miranda, severely. TITS the principle OF
the thing that worries me. Now. IL you
were q man" which I am xlad I'm
not." I interrupted pointediy--'ff you were
; man you would have one serviceable
and comfortable smoking coat. and you
would put u on after dinner and look 20
happy In II that every body who came in
would feel their nerves relax in sympathy.
and they would 20 away rested because
they had seen you resting. whereas.
now and Miranda rested her eyes on
me reproaohfuily as II IL were unnecss-
Ary to say more.
I attempted feeble response. but when
MIRANDA once gets going II is dificult TO
stem the tide OF her eloquence
"Ail + want" she proceeded. "and some
times j think should go on to the plat
g.. 10
trying To people who don't make UP, Is TO
roase the feminine half of the world TO a
realization OF the fast that u L. their
business, their proper calling 10 furnish
impressions OF comfort and peace and rest
fuiners. 10 make an atmosphere which
shall extend beyond their own homes, and
shall AFFORD q kind OF shelter to every one
who passes them. woman OF leisure
ougat to exhais peace as flowers drip
perfume"
Hero Miranda paused for breath ana I
had chance to say something.
"yes. know h isn't sasy to be repose-
ful with all the wear and tear of modern
life and all the ups aud downs OF ones
self ana ones friends and all the things
there are to make you cross and to make
you blue. hut what complain Of is that
the modern woman doesn't adjust her life
80 as to he "a comfort catcher. Fully
thFee-fourths OF the happiness OF life
tones from little. overlooked material
things which can just az well be adjusted
10 make us happy as TO make us miser-
able OF to leave us Indifferent The one
thing Ia the world that | have against
the American woman il that she doesn't
know how TO intercept the bits Of mate
rial comfort from which happiness can 10
evolved. The English woman--and don't
like the English woman SO well. take her
BY and iarge has grasped much better
than We the part that small THINGS play in
the great sum-total OF our human salts
factions II had my way every Girl
who Is going 90 De married should spend
elk months In England IN order to acquire
their system of cenfort-cast hing. IL was
Sydney Smith. wasn't u, who said that
tive Of tho greatest safeguards asainst
the blues were an open Ore and a box Of
bon.bona ON the mantel don't agree
about the bon-eons. for you're sure 10
cat too many Of them and have a bilious
attack, but an open FIRE and cup OF tea
good tea. mind yau-will mako new
weman 81 mo at any hour Ana notice