The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, February 17, 1911, Page 8, Image 8
u . . V r Wk K II v 8 The Commoner. flt VOLUME 11, NUMBER Conducted y men waits M fDepartme i Always tho Woman" His Independence) mado hlra proud, He scoffed at double-breasted coats; Mon who to fashion's dictates bowed Ho likonod to a Hock of goats That followed whoro their loader wont, And never8' know what freedom meant. He sneered at mon and called them fools, Becauso they woro clothes a la mode; He laughod at fashion's foolish rules And clUng to shoes that woro wide-toed, And wont about declaring that A fool was under each stiff hat. Ho boasted that ho didn't euro What fashion said was right or wrong; Ho spurned the razor, and his hair Was ragged and uncombod and long; The linen collar ho eschewed As something only for a dude. A woman smirked at him one day, And said a silly word or two; Ho put his loose old clothes away, And dressed in flno ones that were - - now; 'Thon got his hair cut and a shave; And fashion had another slave. Anonymous. Literary Work - Wo get quite a few letters from our readers who wish to take up authorship or correspondence, to say nothing of editorial work, as a means of "making money at home." We wish most heartily that wo might recommend them to do so. But, everything is or may bo dono. In editorial writing, as in housekeep ing and home-making, the woman writer must bo more or less familiar with every aspect of tho work, and bo able to tell clearly what she knows. Unlike the man editor, she must hold a dozen reins in each hand; she cannot "specialize" until sho has reached an eminence that gives her authority along that line, and thon well, very few of us reaoh such a height, so it is unnecessary to point out its advantages. Besides, we may all be sure that who ever wins tho prize has paid tho price. The Price of Success In tho Ladies Home Journal, Ham ilton W. Mabie says: "The plain fact is that those who cry out against their limitations instead of resolutely working through them, are not wil ling to pay tho price of patience, self-forgetfulness and resolute work which must bo paid before we can touch the goals of the higher suc cess. The Real is set in the way of thoso who think they want the Ideal, to test tho sincerity of their deyotion and the depth of their purpose. The higher successes are for the few, and the happiest thing that can befall many who think they want to follow the paths of art as singers, painters or writers is to so discourage them nt the start that they give up the vain quest before they waste time and opportunity. Those who have the true passion in their hearts will go through storm and fire to their appointed end; those who have only a desire will stop short and go about their real business. It cannot be said too often that a taste for an art, a love of it, a pleasure In it, and a strong feeling that one is destined to practice It, do -not decide the fh-Bt of all, It is as well to disabuse question; the 'one thing that decides the minds of women in general of tho erroneous Ideas concerning the advantago of a '"literary" career, literary work, In whatever branch, Is a -profession a matter of long, drugging, unpaid preparation, and wornen must not expect to find any pla.y! in tho work. A practical writer leads n life of bona fide drudgery, 'unless she loves tho work supreme ly and has a natural ability for it. Bhq, may, now and then, find her pet poem or story accepted and paid for, but if she would make an actual liv ing at tho business, she must devote herself to It Just as she would to dress-making, or any other trade. Only the writer not dependent on her ponwork for s living possesses the delightful privilege tf waiting for in spiration before she writes. The professional writer must compel her Inspiration, or write without It She must hold herself In readiness to write upon any subject at any and all vumea. dub must do ready to send manuscript by return mall, no mat ter how unfamiliar the subject, and she must not writ "guess" work. If she .does not "know," she must know who does, and how to gain access to the source of knowledge. She must know more than the average woman on tho current events of the day In very line she Is liable to have to touch, She must know something of science, art, theology, practical economy, history, social matters, and the thousands of other interests which appeal to her readers of what ever class. She must know simply everything about the horn and aouseaeeping, and must have an un It is the possession of the unappeas able passion and the unmistakable gift for it. It is far better to be a competent artisan than an incompe tent artist; to do obscure work thor oughly and earn pay for it, than to deal feebly with great things and rovile society for not paying for that which has not been done." "Babies' Whit Peril" A medical magazine has this to say: A new terror has been added to babyhood. It is a white peril iouna-m tno small child's environ ments. Through over-careful atten tion to the laws of cleanliness, every thing around the baby has become white, and now this whiteness Is dis covered to be blinding to the child's eyes, and to cause a species of color starvation. Everything that is bought or mad for the babies in these days wuiio. wnit clothes, a white bassinette, wliito blankets and Bpread, overhead a whit celling, around him white walls; ho must drink out of a white cup, be fed with a whit spoon; his nurs must be dressed in white and th so-called ideal nurseries have whlte-palnted floors and light-colored carpets. This is said to bo weakening to the eye sight; the Intensely lnmlnm.o Xk Jects which surround th child act as a constant ont!r nrtm oft,i and finally bring about a reaction and a corresponding weakness. If a grown person sees nothing but white about him, particularly by strong daylight, his first sensation U closing his eyes. But baby is con stantly surrounded with glaring white objects, and has no possible means of escape. In the white per ambulator, on white pillows, he is taken out into the glaring sunlight, with no thought for his delicate eyes, and is thus made to exist in a blaze of light from which there is no re fuge. Instead of the glaring white ness, a soft, dull gray or dull green may In time le substituted for the white wall-covering, and some dark colors may be used to alternate with the white, thus affording rest spots that may be gazed at wide-eyed. Bright objects should not be held close to the baby's eyes, as this may cause squint. The fascination of glittering toys should not be allowed to imperil the child's sight by being shoved directly under his little nose. . Hi I m Comfort Cushions Not full-sized, heavy feather pil lows, but small, light ones, filled with wool. down. hair, or even cot ton or hops; these should range in size from ten to eighteen inches in length, and from eight to twelve inches wide; larger ones can be made of hair and tufted like a comfort. These little comfort cushions can be slipped under the neck or the small of the back, under the knees or heels, or where the tired arm can rest on them, where a sick person is In bod; they can be tucked into all hollows and between the body and hard sub stances, when the person is able to sit up. In some cases, a small tick filled with meadow hay, or fresh, sweet straw, is more comfortable than anything else, especially in hot weather, or where the head is habit ually hot. The pillow should never be a large one, and where one is of a nervous temperament, pillows of sev eral sizes, to be changed at will, or all to be discarded at times, will be found restful. Cushions filled with shredded paper, moss, or excelsior are of fen extremely comfortable for the hammock, or for the floor of the veranda. Often one of these is just what is needed for the tired feet of the busy housewife when she finds time to sit .down a minute. Have plenty of the comfort cushions doz ens of them, and none too good for daily use wherever needed or want ed. They aTe extremely handy for th little ones who like to" n d on the floor and kick up their rest less little heels. cedar chest is best,. but if you havo no cedar chest, and have access to cedar trees, try .this: Sun, brush, beat and shake well everything that cannot be washed. See that all grease or oil spots are removed, as moths love grease spots. Wash cleanly and carefully all washablo articles, to remove all dirt, and havo these perfectly dry. Strip from the cedar trees the young' twigs and green pickles called leaves; put them into them into thin muslin or cheese cloth bags, and have plenty of them; you vill want quite a lot. Then, in to the bottom of your trunk, or chest, put a layer of the cedar trim mings, and lay over this ,a strip of cheese cloth, then put in' your gar ments and woolens, and distribute the little cedar-filled bags plentifully among the folds and lay over the top another strip of cheese cloth, and pile the cedar clippings thickly on that; then close your trunk tight ly and moths will hardly seek the inside. Water as a Pood Water that has once been boiled will not heat as quickly as freshly drawn water. Fresh water is living and water that has stood long, ab sorbing gases and heat, or has been boiled Ib either dead or poisoned, 7C V, CttD1,1 LO uo" iresh water than stale or dead water. Tho flat disagreeable taste of tea or coffee is much of the time due to the use of this dead water. One "of tho best tonics for nerve disorders is pure SS2?waJ?1 lots of lt m btwi meals. It is a 7ierve food, and when sipped gradually, has a soothing -strengthening effect. It may be used as liked hRRt ht ZZ!r" uo ?flea . -- -, - -"" wuim, cool or cold; but ice water should not be used. Ifcdfcd taowW ., iw ,7T oni tZXTU Tho Pot Herbs When ordering see'ds or plants, this spying, include in your order a supply of the garden herbs used for cookery and for family use. They are easily raised, and should find a place in every garden. Once having raised, gathered in the proper sea son and dried your own herbs, you will be -loth to patronize the grocer or druggist afterwards. Sage, mint, rosemary, lavendar, dill, and dozens of other things will grow with little care, somo of them being perennial, others biennials, and the annuals generally 'seeding" themselves. The uses for some of them are almost without end, and many of them are "good medicine" and harmless. What could we do without sage, either in the kitchen, toilet, or medi cine chest? Mint, horseradish,- dill are household words. Don't neglect to start your herb bed, and start it now by ordering th seeds or plants. For th Toilet Tho old remedy for a muddy com plexion was sulphur and molasses; but this must not be taken in the winter season. A teaspoonful of cream of tartar may bo taken for purifying the blood; take in the morning before breakfast. To remove tartar from the teeth, squeeze half a lemon Intp half a glass of water and brush the teeth thor oughly with this. Uric acid in tho blood will loosen the teeth and cause the gums to recede, and the only remedy is to clear the system of the acid. When the teeth havo become very badly loosened, nothing will make them firm again. To dry and lessen the disfigure ment Of Dimnlea On thft fnn nnan each pimple and touch with a drop of hydrozone; this will dry up tho secretion and no mark will he left. Those who are afflicted with pimples would do well to' keep in mind that if the skin performs Its functions properly, throwing off tho waste matter actively, there will be a decided improvement In the com plexion. Hard water will ruin the best complexion, and should never be used. Keep the body clean as well as the face. One of the best complexion beauti flers is a diet in which meats and sweets are seldom used. Plenty of drinking water. nlntv st ,ir exercise, cleanliness of the body in- sLd0 nd ut a eood digestion, a cheerful habit of mind, and a dwel ling on pleasant thoughts are the very best medicines. Cases of extreme nervousness and general ill health have resulted from the wearing of ill-fitting shoes. Few things are SO UHr.nTnfartBhlA a ihioii & do ' not conform to t feet. A Moth Preventivo The season will soon bo with ua when winter ninth "-,.uu u! furs, must be stored, and thia tt" ' not conform to the feet, recommended for their protectiX A w5l' Kher too narrower too i uiecuon. a Bhort. The feet should be kept at t: 4,4