Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-08-13
TOWN lMPROVEME ENT.
NEATNESS AND CLEANLINESS BRING
GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.

Well Kept Public Thoroughfnres
anti Residences Are q Splendid Adj
vertisement For n Community A
Pointer For Householders.
Neatness and cleanliness are evi-
dences Of the highest civilization. re-
f1nement and culture, while slovenlincss
Is offensive to good taste and repug-
nant to all ideas OF correct conduct.
whether 1t be In respect to personal mp
pearance or surroundings. says the San
Antonio Express.
A dress suit with soiled linen or
with unpublished pedal adornments or Il
handsome gown with frnycd trimmings
or conspicuous grease spots Is not
more incOngruous or unpleaSing to the
eye than splendid mansion with Il
dingy, dust and mud despatched exte-
rior and untidy surroundings.
Outward appearances are supposed
to indicate inward conditions. If weeds
grow rank In the yard, II the fence be
ragged. the lawn unmowed and II gen
eral aspect Of neglect permeates the
place, while offensive OdOrs cmanate
from some part Of the premises. one
would not expect to find neatness and
cleanliness within. Strangers base
their estimates Of the culture and re-
finement Of the inhabitants of Il town
or a village by the appearance of their
homes as we'll as by their personal ap-
pearance and the appearance of the
public thoroughfares.
A modest little cottage that is neat
ly painted. set in n frame Of bright
and attractive surroundings. counts for
more In the estimation than II splendid
mansion and spacious grounds which
evidence no acquaintance with the
scrubbing brush or the pruning knife
of care and orderly arrangement. 1t
in order to be neat and cleanly. 1t
does not follow that one must be SLOW
enly and dirty because not rich.
The poet has said that 'in the spring
the young mans fancy lightly turns to
thoughts of love" That fancy and
that love are for the beautiful. The
object Of the young mans affections
strives to make herself pleasing. at
tractive, fascinating. and the young
man, on his part, does the same. He
puts on his best bib and tucker,
brushes his hair and his boots and ele
Yates himself In his own esteem
through his attractive adornment Be
cause he has patent leather shoes and
a silk hat he does not assume that he
Is thereby excused from wearing a
shirt, collar or n necktie. In the spring
and summer the housewives fancy
everybody's fancy-should turn to the
paint brush. scrubbing brush and 9th
er helps to neatness and cleanliness
A dollar or two spent for paint and
Is cents for n brush will return larger
dividends than If put in bank stocks or
mining shares. No householder should
become SO engroSscd in business or
pleasure or politics that be has no time
and appearance OF his homestead. Nor
should he be too diCnitied or too indo-
ent to remove his coat and do for him
self, with his own hands, the little
Jobs which 1t Is frequently expensive
and not so ensy to have Il carpenter or
painter attend to. Not only does such
attention preserve porches. railings,
fences, steps. etc, but the additional
charm to the home spot puts II content
ment beyond price In the heart of wife
and children.
What is the good of having n costly
dwelling that you can't get into and
out of without wading through mud
and slush or running the risk Of mis-
hap OH a shackling sidewalk? Why not
spend some Of the money on a shirt.
collar and necktie instead of putting it
all in silk hat? What Is the good Of
having flowers II they are to be Overrun
and hidden by rank. noXious weeds?
Why not clean up and beautify the
whole town and keep 1t clean. attrac-
tive and inviting? 1t Is not fine houses
or picturesque architecture, but clean
liness, neatness and order, that make
the town beautiful and attract desira
BILE residents.