The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-03
THE HOUSEHOLD
Edited by ANSE RlTTENHousE
Is It Worth While?

Let us suppose that you go in for the
tasteful and the careful in the fur
nishings of your home. You delight
in arranging just the right sort of col
ors in the cushions of your lounge or
diyan much as gourmet delights
in blending just the right proportions
of garlic. oil, vinegar, salt and pepper
in the making of salad dressing.
Over the selection of a single rug you
have spent exciting hours of wakeful-
ness at night. you have a worn out
shoe leather and the substance where
of nerves are made in the pursuit of
just the tone and texture with which
to make the curtains for this window
or that You have delved in curiosity
shops and junk shops, dogged the
steps of auctioneers and gone tramp
ing across country noSing here and
there in homes of humble farmer folk
jus: in order to find a chair with just
the right tone of age and mellowness
of age about it.
But it has been supremely worth
while you are sure. To be sure you
have less with which to buy raiment
but then rich rain1ent is not neces-
sary when one has the background of
a tasteful home. You have that salts
faction that comes from the inward
conviction that in your home your
husband enjoys the sort of leisure and
repose that would be quite impossible
for his brother who was unfortunate
enough to marry who selects all the
fun nishings from a Grand Rapids cata-
log and leaves the hangings and era
perry to the tender. Tnercies of the man
at the department store. You have
been cherishing the belief that not
the least of the influence that had
part in convincing the president of
the concern for which your husband
works to put your husband in charge
of his territory was The subtle effect
of the tasteful furnishings of your
house as he saw it the night he came
for dinner. And you also have be en-
persuaded that the reason that the
opulent Mrs. Jones on the hill has
asked you to substitute at her card
club was because she had found after
ealing on You regarding the refer
ence of a maid. that you were in
spite of your small house and smaller
menage a person of taste and cuIti-
waited taste. Then one day the hus-
band comes home with unusual glee
He had had a significant promotion
in the concern TOR which he works.
1t means a ten thousand dollar in
come.
And I'll tell you, little girl' he says.
one reason why l am so glad is be-
cause it means that you can have the
things that you deserve. You've never
complained about having only this old
Let's send for the second hand man
and sell out the whole business. and
start in with something even finer
than brothers Bits. 1 tell you what
nothing is too good for my little wife"
and he says it so kindly that even in
your disappointment you cannot re-
sent it.
And then the president of the con-
cern-whom you had thought appreci-
ated-sends by way of a Christmas
present a "parlor" lamp, gorgeous in
green glass and gilt. Il knew you'd
want, something pretty and gorgeous
now you're getting fixed up" he tells
you when he sees you and just one
glance at that lamp would convince
you that he never could have appre-
ciated.
well I'm awfully glad your new
acquaintance on the hill tells you
when she sees some of the new things
that are crowding out the things that
you had thought counted for SO much.
That is all she says but when she says
it the last delusion falls. And you
realize that the only person who fully
appreciated your exquisite taste was
yourself.