The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-17
housekeeping as Exercise.
CBy Mary Annahell Fanton in Times
Cnion.l

N~S
Union.)
You can make work play or play
work according to ron temperament
You can sweep yourself into am inva-
lid by doing it wrong, and you can end
a half-month's housecleaning with rosy
cheeks and a light heart if YOU have
the right training and the spirit of hap
piness in you.
Most forms of ~housework are just
good physical culture gone wrong. II
you can get away from the tradition
that women are worn out with house.
hold duties, if you'll stop to remember
what physical exercise is for you and
you get good results from it, you viii
sex at once that sweeping and busting
and ~bedfnlki1g and even sewing are
just equivalents for arm-stretching in
lung work, for bending t climber the
lung work, for bending % timber the
spine and for lifting weights to devel-
op the throat.
In other words if You kno how to do
homework you can get your physical
culture from your Homework, and you
can get in fine trim for the whole sum-
mer doing much dreaded houSe-clean-
ing.
First of all practice breathing and
walking correctly. It's just half-breath-
ing and walking in a heap that wears
out most women. 1t is not action.
Sand straight, chest high, always
high), shoulders low, spine erect. abb
domen drawn back; stand this way,
walk this way and work this way.
Then breathe slowly, filing the lungs
with pure air; expel it slowly, n new
e. let Jour chest sag. A chest out tf
rlcmb means weak lungs, round Shout
! dvrs. anaemic bust n poor circulation
4 equally important, a figure wholly
evoid Of style.
Next dress sens:bly. This doesn't
mean 20 put on Il fresh shirt waist and
. still co..ar and snowy apron, and ne
aliserably neat a. day. II IIEo1ns To do
your h~Cuso-cIean.ng in boomers, conn.,
irg to knees, loose and full and wash
able.
Then a Loose blouse, and above all no
corsets. II this suit is made of navy
blue or dark brown, cotton tweed Uifl
c2ntcn flannel lining. you viii look
. pretty, fsel comfortable, save clothes
and time and seldom get tired.
Without skirts or collar. or corsets
you can run, climb, or stoop. or
stretch without effort. and your exer-
else, instead Of meaning exhaustion.
means good circulation and roses and
light-heartedness-
Wear go5f stockings, low stout, COM
Portable shoes, and see what fun You
a get out of the March bugbear.
Cne point to keep absolutely
free from colds, to avoid he exhaust
ing reaction tina. comes from a superb
bundance Of unwonted physical excr-
ton, always end up the days work
with a quick bath, preferably a cold
plunge, though a luke-warm sponge is
very restful.
Have your room warm, and the water
without fail soft. II you can't get lair
water, soften thc ordinary well or CITY
wa,sr with pure horax. II you put a
t~easpoonful of borax powder into q
tub OF water, the water viii feel to TIE
skin as though il ds4pped TO the caves
in a June shower.
No matter whether your bath is q
or cold, sofren the water with borax I.
get the best effect. II lot only softsns
the water but gives IL the power 81
cleaning anaseptically and is a stimu-
lalion to the skin, leaving it soft and
white.
This sort of bath is really invaluable
as a beauty agent in any sort OF house
cleaning, and. added 20 housework ex-
ercIse done sntelEgently, counts II:
] lasting nea,fh as well as beauty.