Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-01-12
Care of the Hands.

Care OF the F1an0S.
There are many women who are not
the least worried because they are not
beautiful in face or form, but there are
few who can look upon their own hands,
if ugly, with any degree of philosophy.
This may be due to the fact that they
see their hands SO much more frequent
ly, or perhaps the greater discomfort
may be caused by the knowledge that
their hands are very patent advertise
ment of their own carelessness. While
it is not possible for every woman to
have perfectly-formed hands, it depends
upon herself whether or not they are at
tractive. Soft, white hands are always
pretty, even if their shape would not at
tract the eye of sculptor, and there are
few hands which may not be kept soft
and white with proper care.
Eternal vigilance is the price of pretty
hands, more especially if they belong to
working woman, but this vigilance
soon develops into habit, and then 1t
ceases to be wearisome. Is it worth
while? Yes, it is. If woman can not
be absolutely beautiful, it is her duty to
be as beautiful as she can, and nicely
kept hands are very satisfactory.
1t is not generally known that the
hands depend upon the state of the
health for beauty quite as much as the
complexion, but it is fact. The
hygienic laws recommended for the i'm
proyement of the skin will all be found
good and necessary for the hands. In
addition, a few helps along the line OF
outside applications will be needed, more
especially by those who work.
In this day it seems as if it should be
unnecessary to say that the nails should
be properly cared for, and that every
woman should own manicure set, and
use it; but one need not be very close
observer to realize that there are many
women who have apparently not receiv-
ed such instruction.
First, however, because most import
ant, let this be said: The mother who
neglects TO teach her children to wash
their hands just before going to bed,
ought to suffer in some way. No one
can have pretty hands unless they are
perfectly clean just before retiring. Soap
and warm water should be used, then
they should be rinsed in clear water,
and then, if not in perfec. condition, the
remedy indicated should be applied.
If there are brown spots on the hands,
make a paste of lemon juice and powder
ed sulphur, and apply it whenever posi-
BILE, allowing it to dry in the sun. Let
it remain on as long as you can, after
each application. This paste will take
effect more readily if the hands are soak
ed in warm water for some time before it
is applied.
Always rinse your hands in cold water,
after having had them in water which is
more than blood-warm. During cold or
windy weather, it is best always to have
some preparation handy, that it may be
applied whenever the hands have been
wet. Powdered starch is very healing
to most skins; it is easily applied, not at
all expensive, and does not prevent one
from going about ones housework, even
the cooking, if the hands are perfectly
free from everything. Tie little in a
thin rag, and keep box near the
wash basin. When the hands begin to
get sore, rub the starch well in while
they are still moist.
A preparation consisting of three table
spoonfuls each of rose-water and glycer-
inc, with ten drops of carbOlic acid, is
good for most hands that chap easily.
There are some skins, however, that
cannot stand glycerine in any form. For
these, honey may be used instead, to
good advantage.
A great deal of money is wasted upon
creams and ointments for the hands by
women who do not know that it is much
easier to keep the hands nice than to
make them nice after a long Period Of
neglect. The prettiest hands ever saw
did all the work in farmhouse for a
family of five, and no preparation was
ever purchased to keep them beautiful.
The owner always dried them with
powdered starch unless some other
remedy was to be applied. She bathed
them in vinegar whenever they were too
exposed after being in water, or when
she was about to undertake work that
would discolor them. The vinegar was
allowed to dry on them, thus forming a
coating that served as protection. She
used lard under the nails and around
them when polishing stoves, thus pre-
venting them from becoming blackened.
When cleaning house or putting down
carpets, she used white CASTLE soap
under the nails to protect them, and she
always wore gloves at work, when con-
venient. She removed stains with lemon
juice, raw tomato skins, or the fumes of
burning matches. Her tOilet-cream to
be applied at night was made of mutton
tallow, honey and lemon-juice, simmered
until we'll mixed. Sometimes she applied
a paste of honey, powdered sulphur and
camphor. When her hands were rough
she rubbed them with corn meal Not
once day, but all through the day, she
cared for her hands; yet she never SEEM
ed to miss the time thus spent, and she
never suffered with sore hands as women
do who trust to an occasional application
of some highly recommended ointment
Ladies' World.
Onion Cure For Colds.