The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-26
Summer Comfort.

There is a considerable difference be-
tween the tasks of keeping comfortable
III isunIner and in winter During cold
weather II is absolutely necessary to
health to keep warm and dry. or to take
exercise enough to counteract the eff
fects of cold and dampress. Most peo-
pie. therefore, arrange their daily living
in sucn way as TO secure shelter and
heat without much trouble When hot
weather sets IN, however, discomfort is
inevitable without the solution OF a
dozen small problems One cannot sit
down and do nothing. and be happy
The sun takes care that doing nothing
shall be as uncomfortable as doing hard
work
The frantic desire of the majority of
the inhabitants Of most communities is
to get away from the heat to a cool
place, if they can find one, and they
seem TO think that unless they can If
ford 10 fit northward or seward at the
first approach Of hot weather, they may
as wei resign themselves TO three
months Of misery. Nothing of the kind
Is necessary, however, particularly in 4
city like Washington. Whatever its
disabilities may be, lack CT space is not
one Of them. With air enough. one can
endure the sun. even # the air IS thcr-
oughIy warmed. 4 great deal can be
done with The average Washington
home. by the exercise Of some inge-
nuity and moderate amount Of money.
TO make it quite as pleasant a place
during July and August as the average
country hotel or seaside cottage.
When people keep their living rooms
In precisely the condition IN which thew
were in December, fun Of stuffy flrni-
ture bric-2-brac anI heavy curtains.
they need not wonder that they feel
warm Immediately upon entering the
house. Suggestion is a powerful agent
in producing bodily sensations Of
course, it may be said, most folk can
not afford to take up their carpets and
put down matting5. or buy thin cur
tains and new sets Of rattan and wick
eT-work furniture for three months
use. Perhaps they could afford some Of
these things better than they think. If
they compared the cost with that Of a
month at mountain hotel. But they
can certainly afford to take up their
carpets and have bare floors. take down
their pictures and leave the walls for
the most part bare. and cover their most
wiEtry plush furniture with linen or
cotton. The result Of such dofngs is a
GOODNESS of effect which is worth what
ever loss of ornamentation there may
be- Nobody wants TO see too much
decoration in the summer Why is a
house in town, undecorated, any worse
country, minus gas, bath tubs, iced
drinks, and various other things which
make life better worth living?
When the furniture of house Is re-
duced to the lowest point, so far as the
care which it requires is concerned, the
cuisine should receive the same sort Of
attention. The epicure Will declare that
two things are necessary to appetfzing
food in summer; the hot dishes should
be hot, and the cold dishes cold as ice:
there should be rather more Of the lat
ter than Of the former If the viands
served are perfectly fresh and well pre- |
pared, it is not necessary 10 have |
great variety or quantity. People co
not come from a journey down town in |
July with the same appetite which they |
brought from the football grounds in |
November.
summer IN town is comfortable cloth /
ing, and the fourth is an outing now |
and then in the river 5r n the country. |