Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-12

stIOuS woman, was In a. conQltlOn OF
nervous collapse. at the close of the
social season. She adopted unique
course to get back her health. With a
friend she rented a cottage in a quiet
spot in England, and with her three
children took up her residence across
the pond for the summer. The cot
tage was near river and almost every
day, with her son, she was rowing on
the stream, and became proficient
oarswoman. When she could not row
she walked. She returned to Washing.
ton In the fall looking ten years young
er, and by dint of keeping up her walk.
ing and cutting out all possible social
functions has managed to get through
the season in fairly good physical COM
dition.
Mrs Knox, wife of the former at.
torney general, now senator from
Pennsylvania, was afflicted with very
bad case Of nerves" and overcame
them in an original way Every winter
in the very height Of the social season,
Mrs Knox would play out and fly to
Florida to get rest. Last winter she
was compelled as usual to cancel many
engagements, and hurried off to
Florida. After short visit there,
she changed her plan and joined her
son at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, on
dairy farm, denying herself all cor
respondence except with her family.
Here she took complete charge of the
dairy, superintendent the feeding and
milking of the cows and when she be-
gan to get stronger, did considerable
of the churning herself. She spent all
her time on the farmyard at various oc-
equations that would take her mind off
herself She got all the books obtain
able on the subject of dairying and
read them all. She found great pleas-l
ure and enjoyment in the life on the
farm and with keen regret took her de-
parture for Washington with it's draw
ing rooms and banquet tables and pink
teas.
Mrs. Fairbanks Doesn' Worry
Mrs. Fairbanks, wife of the Vice
President declares that she does not
possess nerves, and her appearance
this spring, after having been up TO
her neck in the social swim all win
ter, vouches for her statement. Mrs.
Fairbanks possesses an iron constiau-
ton and great endurance. She asserts
that her perfect physical condition and
entire absence Of symptoms of nervous
breakdown are due to freedom from
worry and mental agitation. She
never permits herself to worry over
anything no matter how great the
occasion. Your correspondent has seen
Mrs. Fairbanks upon many occasions
and she always appears to be happily
serene and smiling. Even when pre-
siding over the sessions of the Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution, a
task that would try any woman's soul,
she retained her composure throughout
| the proceedings
Society an Occupation,
| Society is a business; an occupa-
ton, in Washington. 1t begins with
the assembling Of Congress and ends
in the spring. 1t also begins Monday
morning and continues through the
week until the stroke of IL Saturday
night. Monday afternoon there may
be a tea at which score of ladies'
are present. There may also be a doz-
en- Of these teas in the city. That even
/ ing there is dinner many dinners.
After the tea couple of hours is
consumed in dressing. At nine o'clock
the carriage drives up to Senator
Blanks and the whirl is on. About mid.
night the guests return. Breakfast is
served from 8 to 10 o'clock. In the at
ternoon Mrs. Blank receives and she
proceeds to dress, and during three
hours there is a stream of visitors.
That night another dinner. The next
day calls to make, chasing all over
town and doing to other ladies what
they did to her the day before. The
next afternoon there is luncheon
somewhere and she goes. That night
something else and the next afternoon
she gives luncheon. And SO it goes,
one continual round Of dressing, eating.
smiling. looking and talking agreeable,
from Moday afternoon until Saturday
at midnight. With headaches, bad
tastes in the mouth, disordered stom-
achs from wrestling with highly sea-
soned food it is little wonder that the
human system rebels and that the
nerves go to pieces and the person finds
refuge in sanitarium or country
place.
And despite all of this there are mul-S
titudes crazy to get into this death-deal-
] ing, profitless, money-eating current
Society" There seems to be fascin-
alton about 1t which many cannot re-
sist and each year the pace seems to
i get hotter and hotter.
Frank j. Stillman.