The Washington herald., 1909-01-12

Plain BedrOOm-Why JanEIiRg Col
Ors Affect the Brain Adversely.
Mental pictures are Ike pictures on
canvas. They are in the fiat, with forms
deHneated in coIors. SO we see that in
reality the only sensation received
through the eye is that Of color. If it is
true, as 1t IS, that we take In mind pic
lures AZ every glance, II is Of the utmost
Importance that those that are striking
and permanent be good and in accordance
with good usage, SAYS Frank A. Parsons
in Good Housekeeping. And since al
mental pictures are color sensations. it
is evident that colo- plays an important
part in our lives by affecting Us through
sight We have seen how one becomes
confused III the midst Of discOrdant
noises. Similarly, we cannot remain
among discordant col0rs without becom-
ing either distracted or losing our sense
OF discoru. and so. conversely. Of concord
or harmony Again. intemperance in the
use OF. coIors IS as bad as intemperance
in drink. A single glass OF wine mas a
fine, stimulating effect; but when one
continues to imbibe. one IS stupefed in
stead Of stimulated. IN the same way
proper amount o. color produces an aes-
thetic effect: but TOO many cOlOrs make
one immune TO fine effects
In Occidentals yeIl0vs and reds and
their allied colors always excite the
nerves Of passion. violence, and warmth
Greens and blues. on the other hand.
calm and sOothe the mind Il is not 20
be inferred from this. however, that red
and orange shades should never De used
COlOrs that stimulate have their aPpr0-
pirate uses quite as much as drinks that
stimulate. And just as we need the latter
on occasion, SO az times we should have
the former. In cold. rainy. disagreeabie
weather a room ornamcnted in red Gre
ates an air Of warmth, CozIRess, and COM
fort that Offsets the dreariness without
and tends TO drive away the blue devils
that SO often accompany wet weather.
The point I am trying 20 make is not
that We should not use stimulating col
ors. but that one should use them ad-
visedIy-
CiashinE CoIors Harmful.
The effect Of combinations Of color is
somewhat different from the effect OF a
single color II the combination IS har-
monl0us. the effect viii be according 10
the prevailing color tone. but # the com
biaati1r is inharmoni0us. the effect VIII
be distractns, no matter what is the pre-
vailing tone. 7 have already told you
why clashing c0lors distract the mind
Now ] shah give you a concrete example
lr- ar-- -
ton may go.
This is the case Of a wealthy society
woman Of Newark. y J. Her health was
not good. and finally she completely col
lspsed. Physicians were unable 10 help
her She had nervous p-ostrat0n. and
her doctors told her she would be an in
valid for the rest OF her life This woman
had a daughter who was one Of my
pupils one day cha1ced TO go 10 her
house and there met the mother.
Your looks belle your condition" I
said 10 her
That is true she answered 7 do
nos look sick, Yet have not had a well
minute for year"
What IS the trouble7' I asked
4 cannot rest except when 7 an
asleep was the answer As soon as I
am awake. feel rushed and driven Il
seems as though I must be doing some
thing constantly"
Have you ever had any mental trou-
ble2' 7 inquired.
Never" was the reply. There is
nothing wrong with my head can
think as clearly as You can There is no
necessity Of my doing anything. ard yet
every day seem 10 have more 70 Go. Il
drives me frantic, and rest is simply out
Of the question T. only I could rest, 1
believe ] should SET well"
BOudoir of n Nervous Woman
Now. this voman's boudoir. in which
she spent most Of her tine. was finished
in bright silt. red. and Blue; the furniture
was Of Louis w pattern the carpet 4
blue as bright as o June sky. with white
water lilies and red sweet peas woven in
IL The paper was Ornameated with great
garIands Of flowers. and double sets Of
heavy draperies hung at the windows.
There were mirrors on every side Of the
room the walls were hung with pictures
Of every. couceivabl5 kind. and bric-a-
brac. broazes. and trinkets Of all kinds
that she had picked Up IN every quarter
Of the world were stuck on every possible
resting place As for the bedroom, It
was even worse
Has it occurred % YOU" sid, that
you have TOO many things in your
room2'
She said. No
/ told her that I thought her decora-
tiOns made her nervous. and that she
would be better without them She was
fond Of the keepsakes she had gathered
and did not want TO part with them.
Oh a
have her bedroom done over and stay IN
Il for two weeks she could come TO New
York. The idea that a mere change in
her room. could accomplish what her
physicians had been unable 10 do seemed
preDosterous 10 her. I argued with her.
however, and finally persuaded her to let
us do the room over.
As Refurnished.
We papered the walls with a soft. sage
green paper. entirely plain. The wood
work we made lighter, with just a sug-
gestion OF green in It. The ceiling was
Ike the woodwork The carpet was per-
fectIy plain and matched the paper Her
wooden bedstead we replaced with a
brass one with perfectly straight lines.
The yellow Of the brass blended well
with the green The new furniture, also
made in straight lines, was Of mahogany.
Excepting some green draperies at the
windows. there was not another thing in
the room. All Of her pictures. bric-a-
brac, mirrors. and other clashing objects
were gone
In four weeks time this woman, who
had been pronounced an invalid for life,
came to New York shopping. To-day she
goes out quite a little. and has resumed
some OF her social activity I believe If
could make that woman stay in her bed
room for three months, her nerves would
be as quiet as yours. She says that this
simple scheme has done her more good
than all the physicians and treatments
she ever received. And Il was all done
BY the elimination OF unnecessary and
rIr rsl-fr1c- cnlnrS