The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-02
BELLIES OF OLD ROME
THE TIME AND MONEY THAT WERE
SPENT ON THEIR TOILETS.
uedern Methods and Cost of Beauty
Cultarc Are simple Compared 18th
Ancient Luxuriousness Hygiene
the LATTER Day Magic

Cultnrc Are simple Compared With
Ancient L-uxuriousness Hygiene
the Latter Day Magic
The secret OF eternal youth. so eager
~ sought by the naTicians OF all cen
turtles and sought in vain. has almost
revealed itself TO the present genera
ton: at least we have its watchword.
which is hygiene. For youth mea
beauty. and beauty means health, and
the skillful beauty specialists con
plish all their successes by means OF
rational methods based on 4 careful
study OF the causes that may affect TO
its detriment the health OF the skin.
In the dim back ages OF the world OF
civilization beauty was made a cult OF
the utmost moment. but FOR many n
century after the downfall OF the Greek
and Roman empires sGcI matters were
allowed TO langu!sh. Not until the de-
Ginning years of the nineteenth century
was the subject reinstated as one or
paramount interest. But today beauty
specialists abounG-some for face treat
ment, others for manicure and again
LldUN nlOEc LUZ titClEOlN SIS
OF course these treatments are ex-
pensive, but it is worth much to a wo-
man to be rid of a express
sion. Moreover, to feel that her youth
and therefore her beauty is somewhat
restored has a beneficial influence upon
her mental state.
But whoever fancies hat b modern
ht1chan &c 70 no nifin6 for tho cost Of
his wife's beauty personalities should
consider the toilet expenses of a Ro-
man lady in the comparatively early
days of the worlds history. Excessive
as may appear the time and money
spent now upon the art Of beauty cult
walton, the grooming Of u modern wom-
an Of fashion seems invested with an
admirable simplicity compared with
the time and money thus expended in
the days of PoppRa and Agrippina.
In the early days of Rome three
classes of slaves assisted at the toilet
Of q lady of fashion. On leaving her
bed, which was usually at noon, she
Immediately went to her bath, where
she was carefully rubbed with pumice
stone. She then put herself in the
hands Of the cosmetics, a class Of slaves
who possessed many secrets for pre-
serving and identifying the complex
ion; therefore their functions were con
sidered Of the greatest Importance, es-
pecially as they claimed for their arts
hygeian advantages.
By the cosmetics her face was thor
oughly sponged with asses milk, then
massaged with various mixtures CORE
spending in intention to the skin food"
of these days; with ashes of snails and
Of large ants, bruised and burned in
salt; with honey in which the bees had
been smothered; with the fat Of a pull
let mixed with onion-oh, shades of
Araby! And, lastly, the fat of a swan
was vigorously applied, to which was
attributed the property of removing
wrinkles. Red spots were efaced with
a piece of wooden cloth STEPPED in oil Of
roses, and freckIes were treated with
a scraping Of s%heepskin mixed with oil
Of Corsica, to which was added the
| powder of frankincense.
Then appeared the second class Of
slaves, armed with pinchers and porcu-
| uuut QUlllS. Ouc VI lACA SN
cry hair, however minute, from the
face Of her mistress, and another clean
| ed the teeth with grated pumice stone,
| with marble dust and finally with a
| toothpick of porcupine quill.
A third class-of slaves, who were Gre
clan, colored eyebrows, eyelashes and
hair to the shade Of my lady's" taste.
| Her lips were treated with red pomade,
but if chapped they were first rubbed
with the inside Of a sheepskin, then
| covered with the ashes Of a burnt
mouse mixed with fennel roots.
The last touches of the toilet were
| given by the favorite attendant, the
slave kept by every patrician Roman
woman for the sole purpose OF apply
ing fragrant u%nguents. Each part or
the body had its w unguent-the hair
had sweet m~arjoram, the neck and
knees wild thyme, the arms balsam,
the cheeks and breast palm oil, the feet
and legs saffron. Then after a final
sprinkling Of Indian perfumes on hair
and dress the favored slave in order
that the finished work might be appre-
ciated handed to her mistress a mirror.
1t was not Of silver-those were so
common they were used only by slaves
but a costly thing Of gold. ornamented
with precious stones. held by a handle
Of mother Of pearl. the mirror itself
formed of q composite OF several met
ais so e1quisitely polished as to be not
inferior to glass. which was then un-
known.
All. the modern husband may be con
graduated that his lines we're not cast
in the days of Brutus n Cato Of
Utica,-Washington Star.
Concentration.