Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-28

keep the waistline slender. You can
stop for five minutes during the sewing
and lie back Imply In your chair, re-
taxing every muscle and making the mind
as nearly blank as possible. Five
minutes Of rest like this will fend of that
dull, sleepy feeling that creeps over you
about 8 O'Clock in the evening. just when
you want to be fresh and interesting for
the sake Of husband and children"
Cultivate the habit OF stopping work
once or twice in an afternoon, and. throw
ing the window wide open. take several
deep breaths. at the same time stretching
the arms alternately high above the head.
AS the breath Is expelled, bring the arm
quickly back to the chest. There Is moth
ing like this exercise to ward off dull
fatigue and to keep the figure from get
ting heavy around the waist
A cat stretches thoroughly in every
muscle q score Of times day. This is
one secret of the cats wonderful supple
never allowed to grow stiff. II you can
lean over, while standing. and take hold
OF the ankles with the hands. without
bending the knees, your figure is as 1.-THE
tty Is that you cannot even touch the
ankles with your finger tips wren bending
In this way. The woman who wants to
keep her waist supple and her figure free
this exercise ten times every day Of her
life. II you cannot touch the ankles at
first keep on persevering, and by and by
the muscles will become more timber and
the feat will become simple.
Another habit that may be, with bene-
mt. borrowed from our humble feline
friend Is the cat nap.
Il simply can't sleep in the daytime"
insists the nervous. high-strung woman
not even II I darken the room and let
my hair down.
Few women, alas, have the time to
take delicious afternoon rest, with 1.-The
room darkened and their hair down.; but
there are frequently moments in which
a helpful little cat nap may be taken For
the cat nap one does not really have to
lose consciousness: but one must drift
dreamily on the verge of unconscious
ness and every muscle and nerve must
be relaxed. The business woman who,
instead Of running her eyes over a book
on the long street car journey to her
home every night, will take this oppor-
tunity for a restful "cat nap will be
play. Prepare for the cat nap by hooking
your handbag securely over one arm.
crossing the feet easily and drawing
them in. out Of the way Of clumsy strap
palms up, lightly In the lap. This posi-
ton Of the hands makes you feel relaxed
Immediately. The wise business woman
or the woman who spends the day In
town shopping, wears small hat on the
train. SO that she may rest her head
on the way home.
But it is the five minutes Of complete
relaxation in ones chair that really
counts for most in adding years to ones
allowance Of beauty. Some women are
beautiful all their lives. Some from
twenty to forty. Some. more's the pity,
only until thirty. 1t all depends on how
cleverly the sign marks of old age are
Tended of, and one Of the surest weapons
Is the five minutes rest that wards OF
the hard lines due to sustained tension
of mind or nerves Perhaps 1t will be
a bit difficult just at first to dismiss
every thought absolutely from the mind
and make the latter blank, but even
this trick will come with practice. Allow
the muscles to relax completely. Drop
the arms Imply over the edge of the
chair. See that the head is well sup
ported against chair back or cushion.
Stretch the feet out in front, with the
knees almost straight. Now imagine
that you are sinking down, down, down
through bottomless depths of soft. dark
restfulness, and that earth and its cares
are miles and miles away and need not
concern you.
When the clock strikes the warning
that your rest time is up open your eyes.
stretch every muscle to its very utmost
and see how rested and refreshed you
feel.