The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-11-11
YOCR HANDS
Slow The aineo
o. IhdrdSaero
BY LUCILLE DAUDET.

NATURE has not given us all the
~ slender, tapering fogers OF
artistic perfection. Some In
whom noble aspirations ard keen
perception OF beauty are not lacking
must yet be content with the short,
broad hand and the stubby fingers OF
| their progenitors, Just rs they have
! inherited certain other physical char
| acteristics which may be toLaliy
! counter-balanced ly the influence OF
| environment and education.
But no matter what kind Of l4ld
nature and inheritance may have be-
slowed upon us there IS no hand that
can not be improved and made the,
most Of by little care. and no hand
which neglect will not turn into
Gsm0"ing witness against its owner.
Oh. u!es for keeping the hands in;
good condition are simple. IL nay be
done at home with a small expeadi-
turo OF time and money. though if
you have not been accustomed 10 giv-i
ing your hands particular care IL will
be wise to go 10 good manicurist
once or twice to watch the method.
First, while the nails are still dIy
and brittle, she will carefully file
them down TO a delicate crescent top.
Then she viii soak the hand a little
while in a bowl of soapy water corr
tanning almond meal, which will
make the fingertips soft and easy to
work on and at the same time whlten
and soften the hands. Gently drying
the hand, she will take the broad end
of her orangewood stick and push the
skin back from the base of the nails.
leaving the white crescent" exposed.
This must be done dolicately, taking
care not to tear the flesh or scratch
the nail. e
With her little scissors she will
trim off all the calloused and ragged
fragments Of skin around the nail.
she uses the orange wood stick TO
clean under the nail, as a metal In
strument would scratch II. On the
tip of the stick she Will put moist
ened bit of cstton. and with this tiny
mop she will go carefully into ali the
little corners and crevices of the neil
which have become dark by neglect.
Finally she puts n touch OF rouge on
each nail, polishes them pink and
shining, and gives you Gack ten rosy
fngertips, pink and fragrant.
All of this You can do well for
yourself If you prefer. Warm water.
a good white soap, a bCx Of almond
meal, an orange wood stick. a nail
file. curved scissors, a buffer or poll
isher, and a half hours time once
week will do the job
The orangewooG stick and nail
brush are, OF course, in daily reauisi-
tlon. The daily Use OF almond meal
will help TO keep the hands soft and
white. Dry the hands thoroughly
after each washing, and with the
towel carefully push back the skin
at the base of the nail. The crescent"
should always show.
If you do housework, never use any
but a good wkite soap FOR dish wash
ing and such things Wear rubber
gloves or some kind OF protection for
the hands at every task possible. II
the nails are too brittle, use cold
cream on them at night Cold cream
rubbed into the hands before going
to bed and pair of old gloves worn
all night will help to counteract the
effects of the rough usage OF the day.
Once all these things are on hand
and persistently used. the care OF the
hands will be found little trOuble.i
even in the busiest woman's life. And
such care will make so marked an
| Improvement in even the ugliest
hands that the time will be counted
well spent.
Instances inDumerable might be
quoted where badly kept hand has
spoiled the chances OF an applicant
for some position or favor. could
cite actual cases, TOO. where the beau
ty and refinement OF the hand has at
tracted attention to a personality
otherwise too inconspicuous for its
quiet charm TO be noted.