The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-10-01

Ordinarily people who live in fats take
TO folding beds. These masquerade by
day as bureaus. bookcases, sideboards
and other oontrivances. The folding
bed that successfully deceives bhe
elect has not yet been invented. II
looks like bookcase on casual In.
spection, but the cloven feet peep out
and closer glance reveals the real
ity. Divans and lounges are less OBJ
iectionable and more popular because
room with diyan looks like liv-
ing-room, a library or a drawing-room
and does not shout at you the fact
that at night this is bedroom. Add
ed 10 this, divsns are often long chests
and hollow in which all sorts OF things
are kept.
Everywhere In city fiat there are
boxes and packages carefully concealed
from sight Behind portieres. under
chairs. in the bathroom. In the inches
that by courtesy are called closets, the
goods, the wearing apparel and the
usual possessions OF a home, are
thriftily disposed and sedulously con-
cealed from observation. ] have seen
very charming dressing table draped
with spotless curtains Of dimity and
surmounted by an adjustable mirror.
This at intervals was pulled apart and
its foundation turned out to be the
gas range on which tea was made or
breakfast was cooked. Laundry tubs
when the washing and ironing are
done out OF the house are a perfect
God-send to the woman whose space
is small, while her horde OF things is
large. The tubs may be made at once
to screen from view and 10 accommo-
date articles Of general utility. They
are an admirable safe deposit for
shirtwaists and other articles of femi-
nine raiment, including picture hats
and the like. Their top makes an ex-
cellent table for lamps. books and pa
pers.
j remember a small fat reached by
several flights OF stairs and made al
Turing by little stairway leading up
to great airy roof. This was the
home one winter Of what / may call
colony Of girls. They were art stu
dents, journalists and newspaper
women. Every inch Of space In their
fiat was made available, and the bewil-
derment Of the pretty southern matro
mother Of one sweet maiden, a woman
who had come from an ample home in
Kentucky to hover over this brood,
with her motherly wings, was both
amusing and pathetic. She had been
used to a large house with wide yer.
andas. high ceilings and vast attic.
Imagine her dismay when fitted in to
spot that covered its tenants as a
very tight glove covers a plump hand.
But she made the best OF the situation
and helped the girls to get fun out of
1t.
In order to save space in city fat
one must be clever original and quick
witted. One must do without some
conveniences. One must be contented
to take a good deal OF trouble. In the
downtown tenements 1t is said that
bathtubs are converted into coal bins.
This is done by people who, having
had the good fortune to rent model
tenement in some Of the newer houses,
are not yet educated so far as to ap-
preciate a daily bath
Refined and fastidious people cannot
save space by utilizing the bathtub
for anything beyond its design. This,
however. is almost their only restric- |
tion. Notwithstanding continual OBJ
jections and prohibitions. few women
resist the opportunities offered BY the
fire-escape and, in short, wherever
there is a jutting edge or a convent
ent ledge OF a peg or a shelf. something /
is found to stand on It and It serves a /
double purpose
Notwithstanding SO much planning
and managing. the city fat makes the |
shell Of many a very pleasant home.
It does not lend itself wei to a fam
ily Of growing children By the time
baby No. arrives mothers make |
up their minds that they must go far
ther uptown or emigrate to a suburb. l
For young married people. for wage
earning womea keeping house on a
cooperative basis, the city fat has its /
advantages.
Copyright. 1906. By Joseph B BowIss)