Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-04-12
H0USECLEANING.
BY MARY ANNABLE FANroN.

You can make work play or play work
according to your temperament. Yo1 can
sweep yourself into an invalid by doing
it wrong, and you can end half-month's
housekeeping with rosy cheeks and a
light heart if you have the right training,
! and the spirit of happiness in you.
Most forms OF houseworS are just good
/ physical culture gone wrong. II You can
get away from the tradition that women
are worn out with household duties, If
you'll stop to remember what physical
exercise is for, and how to get good re-
suits from it you will see at once that
sweeping and busting and bed making
and even sewing are just equivalents for
arm stretching in lung work, for bend
ing ito timber the waist, for sitting erect
to straighten the spine, and for lifting
weights to develop the throat.
In other words, if you know how to do
homework, you can get your physical cul-
ture in your Homework, and you can get
! in fine trim for the whole summer doing
| your much-dresded house-cleaning.
| First of all practice breathing and walk
| ing correctly. It's just half breathing
and walking in a heap that wears out most
women. 1t ia not action. Stand straight,
chest high always high) shoulders low,
spine erect, abdomen drawn back; stand
this way, walk this way and work this
way,
Then breathe slowly filling the lungs
with air, expel it slowly, and never let
your chest sag. A chest out OF plumb
means weak lungs, round shoulders,
anaemic bust and poor circulation, and
equally important, figure wholly devoid
of style.
Next dress sensibly. This doesn't mean
to put on a fresh shirtwaist and stiff linen
collar and snowy apron, and be miserably
neat all day. 1t means to do your house
cleaning in boomers, coming just to the
knees, loose and full and washable.
Then loose blouse, and above all nc
corsets. II this suit is made of navy blue
or dark brown cotton tweed with canton
flannel lining, you will look pretty, fee
comfortable, save clothes and time, and
seldom get tired.
Without skirts or collar or corsets yor
can run, climb or stoop or stretch with
out effort, and your exercises instead Of
meaning exhaustion means good eircula-
tion and roses and light heartedness.
Wear golf stockings, low, stout, COM
Portable shoes, and see what fun you car
get out of the spring bugbear.
One point more: To keep absolutely
free from colds, to avoid the exhausting
reaction that comes from superabundanet
of unwonted physical exertion, always
end up the days work with quick bath
preferably a cold plunge, though luke
warm sponge is very restful.
Have your room warm, and the water
without fail, soft. Ii you can't get rair
water, soften the ordinary well or cit,
water with pure borax. IL you put a tea.
spoonful of borax powder into tub o
water, the water will feel to the skin a.
though it dripped to the caves in Jun,
shower.
No matter whether your bath is warm OIL
cold, soften the water with borax TO get
the best effect. 1t not only softens tn,
water, but gives it the power OF cleaning
antiseptically, and is stimulation to thu
skin, leaving it soft and white.
This sort Of bath is really invaluable al
beauty agent in any sort of house clean,
ing, and -dded to homework eXercis,
done intelligently coants for lasting
health as well as beauty.