The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-25

People and Things

A Chicago oculist thinks he has dis
covered a cure for drunkenness in
properly fitted glasses" In a paper
read not long since before the national
opticians convention, this eye doctor
reported, as result of careful inyesti
cation, that 'inebriates generally suf-
fer from certain deviations in the ac-;
conmodation and conveyance of the
eyes. In many cases glasses which
remedied these arrangements of sight
had also the effect of diminishing the
patients appetite for liquor" eye
strain" has of late years been one of
the most popular of ailments, second
only to appendicitis in point of fashion.
One scientist has declared that Sperl-
Ger would have materially modified
his synthetic philosophy if he had worn
glasses, and another attributes the
works of various celebrated artists to
the degree and quality of the eye
strain from which he has discovered
they were sufferers. The Chicago
ocuiist's discovery appears to be the,
first in the application of eye strain
and its phenomena to vicious habits
like intemperance.
The rumor that fashionable set In
London has started kind of school
of conversation sets the Lady's Pic
torial off into something like a spasm
of fear lest the rising generation of
Englishwomen shall turn into chatter
boxes, like American girls "Of late
years." it says, "the American girl,
whose chatter is incessant, has been
held up as an example in this respect
to her English sister, and one con-
stantly hears this or that girl described
as one who is always bright and
cheerful. and always had something to
say. Still, it is very doubtful whether
it is SO very charming to be chatter
box. and if conversation is going to be
taught as a fine art we shall doubtless
have reason to wish for the good old
days to return, when people did not
run on quite so fluently and have
smart answers and anecdotes on the
tips Of their tongues. OF course, there
are times when we want people to-
talk, and when lively and inconseuuen-
tial chatter acts as a tonic, but one is
bound to say it is with feelings and
that one thinks Of time
when we may be all machine made.
smart conversationalists, when epi-
grams may hang on every lip, when
We shall all be prepared at a moments
notice to set the table on roar,' and
a fund of funny stories and an ever
flowing stream Of breezy nothingness
shall be possessed by ever educated
woman in the land"
An English fashion writer advises
every woman to have at least one black
on when she is feeling tired or off
color" To dress in vivid hues under
the circumstances, she declares, is to
accentuate weary looks.
One of the lines in which the United
States now leads the world is that
of meat eating. The Argentine Repub-
lie used to hold the championship in
this particular, but in consequence of
the influx of South European immi-
grants into that country the people
have now taken to growing and eating
cereals.
While agriculture and horticulture
are comparatively new occupations for
women in this country, the sweet girl
gardener is quite a matter of course
in England. A graduate of Lady Henry
Somerset's Farm Colony has charge of
all it's horticultural work. Another
the laying out of gardens
under the direction of the London
Public Garden association. In 1895 the
gold medal of the Royal horticultural
society was bestowed upon a woman
dens. She has since started a business
of her own, in which she employs sew
eral assistants.
To change about the decorations Of
a room now and then is often a re-
to the eye, especially if one
has to spend great deal of ones time
in the house. For the invalid who is
shut up between the narrow walls of
one room to find herself in a quite new
when she does emerge for
the rare Sunday dinner or little gather
ing, is delightful surprise that is well
worth the time it may cost others. 1t
is easier than it may sound. Nearly
every family has superfiuous furniture,
pictures and bric-a- -brae-things that
.outliving their usefulness
though not their ASSOCIATIONS. These
can be brought from their seclusion in
or garret, and with them
an entirely new turn given to the draw
ing room. One of the great charms:
Of any room lies in the appeal it makes
to the Imagination of the occupant.
Some rooms make no appeal to speak
of. They are as hard, correct and un-5
emotional as the temperament of the
woman who is responsible for them
Other rooms confuse and crowd the
mind, with their restless and illogical
centuries of gimcracks. These are bet
ter-anything is better-tf1an the bare
bald apartments-the New England
kind of rooms. Whatever.
the imaginative quality of the house,
to alter it is often amusing and slim
ulating. S.,s ,,,.,S,,..
A large department store In Boston.
has made it a custom for the past
Ave or six years to give it's employees
a share in the profits accruing from
the sales between December / and
Christmas day. One-half of per cent
of the amount of the sales made be-
tween those two dates by each EN-
ploye will be given to him or her as a
Christmas present, and the bundle
girls, errand boys, shippers, bookkeep-
ers, ETC., who have no opportunity to
sell over the counter nevertheless re-
ceive share according to their posi-
ton and term of service. Last year
some of the clerks made $50 and $40
II, fh;-