Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-09-13

"My business requires a great deal
of writing, and find my eyes are be-
ginning to hurt and look strained. Can
you tell me any exercise for resting
them or making them stronger? Also
please advise me about the cosmetics
l would need to give them a softer
look when going out in the evening.
"a BUSINESS GIRL"
The eye Is the most responsive of
our physical parts, and from this very
fact 1t requires a frequent change of
focus. While doing any work which
requires a close, fixed gaze, such as
writing, sewing or embroidery, the
worker should often lift her eyes and
look off to more distant point. If the
office desk is near window, pitch the
gaze to the farthest object visible dur
ing these rests, which if only taken ev-
cry half hour would be of benefit. But
the oftener the gaze is directed to-
ward distant objects the better-such
as the blue tip of a distant hill, the
horizon line, a shadowy church steeple,
etc.-for the normal eye the far-off
gazing Is natural rest. Small badly
lighted rooms and the shut-in outlook
of city life readily promote eye strain,
for constant muscular effort is re-
quired to adjust the eye to close OBJ
1ects. If the window gazing is not
possible, or the outlook provides only
a view Of high walls, a good expedient
for resting the eyes is to hang pictures
of mountains and landscapes with dis
tant perspectives where the worker
can see them easily when looking up
from her close work.
Frequent rests of two or three min
utes with the eyes closed are also
helpful, and these will never be missed
from the sum total of the days work,
being more than made up for by the
greater ease with which the task can
be pursued. But at the same time a
definite eye strain often intimates q
need of glasses, and IL rnese are cor.
rectly fitted and used always for
working. moments, it is frequently pos
sible to do without them at other
times.
Washing the eyeball night and
morning with tepid water and an an
'tAoNptiS 0uSll salt vi dClQ,
would undoubtedly be comfort to
much-used eyes, and it would not be
much extra bother to keep an eyecup
In the dressing room Of the office and
repeat the baths several times during
the day. The eyecup will cost ten
cents, and the tiniest pinch of salt is
all that is needed, this being mainly
to soften the effect Of the water,
which, when used alone pains the
eyes considerably. The boracic acid,
being definite antiseptic, is consid-
cred more helpful than the salt and
1t is best bought in crystal form Put
teaspoonful of the crystals in glass
of boiled water, cover the glass, and
use the dilute fluid both in the eyecup
and for bathing with absorbent cotton.
The water will only take up as much
of the acid as it can hold, so more
water can always be poured over the
remaining crystals.
Many doctors advise the use of ice
packs at night for very tired eyes, the
chill of these reducing Inflammation
at once. Wrap up little finely
cracked ice in two bits of old hand
kerchief, and apply the packs to the
closed eyes when lying down. Using
the ice during the day as well would
be a further benefit.
Sensitive eyes should always be
guarded against the direct glare of ar
tiflcial light, SO the reading lamp must
be shaded with dark quiet color such
as deep green and the light itself
should fall over the left shoulder.
When long exposed to bright glare
of artificial light the eyes out of gear
may be seriously injured; as for per-
fectly well eyes they would have to
be Of the strongest sort to stand such
abuse. Eyelids are for the especial
purpose Of guarding the eyes against
too much light, but as they do not
shut it all out healthful sleep can only
be taken in dark room.
The simplest coloring materials used
are the cosmetic pencils, which can
be had IT. every color, black, brown
auburn and blonde; very dark brown,
however, is more used than pure
black. as this makes line almost too
heavy for naturalnes. The pencil fol-
lows the natural line Of the eyebrow,
and as straight brows are now thought
more beautiful than the curves ones
once admired the very arched brow is
never painted at the outside end A
very faint tinting is done on the up
per and lower lid, and for this the
pencil is rubbed on piece of paper
ana the powder transferred to the lids
with n finger This gives q aofta ar and
more blurred shadow than if lines
were made with the pencil itself.
Rings Tear Stockings.
MANY Wompp who uour ci1Iy ctocI-