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About Western news-Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1898-1900 | View Entire Issue (April 6, 1899)
A WOMAN'S POWER. rebels against the faintest MAN of coercion. As soon as his chains begin to gall he frets and longs for freedom. The wife holds certain reins in her hands , and she may tuse her tongue as a curb ; but the reins should be of flowers and the curb of loving kindness. She should make her husband feel that he is free to come , 'and go as he pleases ; that his house Is not a jail , but a place wherehe is always sure of a hearty welcome , even when he has wandered from it for a time. She will not sulk if he leaves her sometimes in the evening , nor sit up for him like a reproachful ghost. She will learn the art of forgiving and for getting ( especially forgetting ) petty faults and wrongs , and will remember -always that to keep the love she has won is the most important thing for lier happiness. Woman's Home Com panion. Marriage a ' erious Vocation. "A woman who is blessed with good -sense does not consider at the start that marriage is a role to be skillfully and successfully enacted , or a grand frolic -of which she is to be the admired and indulged center , or a mere incident in .a life crowded with other activities , " -writes Helen Watterson Moody in the Ladies' Home Journal. "She knows that marriage is a serious and steady vocation , and that the true wife is one who enters marriage not thinking how much she can get out of it , but how much sir can put into it. It is this larger conception of .marriage which makes women dwell by their own fire sides in sweet content with what is common called the 'narrow limits of home , ' knowing well that no true home Is narrow since it must give cover to 'the whole primal mysteries of life food , raiment and work to earn them withal ; love and marriage , birth and death , right-doing and wrong-doing all these commonplaces of humanity which are most divine because they are most commonplace. ' The way to make home a wide place to dwell in is to bring a wide personality to dwell in it. A.ny borne is just as wide as the maker , and can be no wider. When a woman 'Understands this she is able to keep her head steady and her heart undisturbed over newspaper sketches about other women , in which each of them is made to do the most remarkable and unneces sary things. " The Care of tlie Hands. - The hands should be washed in warm water , not hot water , and , if possible , in soft water. After washing they should be dried very thoroughly in bran or oatmeal , and great care taken that the nails are most thoroughly dry ; in the drying the cuticle can be pushed back sufficiently to show the half-moon .at the base of the nail. Nail-scissors , "not used for any other purpose , should be used to cut off any hangnails ; but it is better to use a file to keep the nail short , and for this purpose there should be three or four files of varying size. To give the luster desired there is a new kind of wash that makes the nail -pink , not deep red , and also gives a gloss and finish. After this is put on the hands should be washed , but sufficient of the polish will remain. After the hands are washed the second end time to remove the polish the nails should be rubbed briskly , either with a piece of chamois , a nail polisher , or by rubbing them again with the palm of the hand. This last method is perhaps the best of all , for it polishes just enough without giving too exaggerated .a finish in appearance. Harper's Ba zar. Art of Washing Kibbons. The girl who goes in hJ-avilj' for light- colored neck ribbons finds herself in a perpetual state of poveity. But this is unnecessary if one but knows the art of washing ribbons. The finest of dou ble-faced satin ribbons fan be washed to look like new only hotter , for they \vill have an added softness that is really enchanting. Fil ) the basin In the bathroom with tepid water , lay the rib- l > ons on the marble edge , and go over it carefully with common kitchen soap , water and a stiff nailbrush. Under uo -circumstances must the silky stuff be wrung out or folded. After the rubbing rinse well by dipping Into clear water , -a ml then slap the ribbon on to the painted wall of the bathroom. When dry it will fall off of Its own accord. Ribbons of the daintiest hues can be cleaned perfectly this way , and tbe heavier and nicer the ribbon the better the result. Texts for the Yovms : "Wife. There are scores of texts upon which the young wife will do well to heed exhortation keeping herself beautiful and young and her household cheerful , ly orderly and exquisitely clean : studying deeply the right selection of human foods ; adapting herself to her relations- in-law ; liberally tolerating , if uot sub scribing to , her husband's politics and to religion ; bravely defendrng him against the adverse criticism of others , and never , never censuring his weaknesses to relations or fri.mds. Woman's Home Companion. Advice About t/ie / . : > * A clove * woman who knows what she Is talking about has this to say on the subject of eyes : Never rub j-our eyes , nor allow your children to do so from their infancy. Veils are bad for the -sigbtj especially those spotted or covered with a pattern. So eschew veils when you can , or wear the soft est , clearest net when obliged to do so. Never read in bed orwhen lying on the sofa. Sit with your back to the light when engaged In reading -working. . Pale blues or greens are the most rest ful wall papers for the eyes , whereas red is exceedingly fatiguing. Do not read , write or work longer than two hours together without resting your eyes and closing them fully five min utes. Be most careful to live in a dry house on dry soil. Attend to the diges tion , for did not Milton declare his blindness to proceed from the effects of dyspepsia ? If the eyes be weak , bathe them in a basin of soft water , to which a pincb of table salt and a dessertspoonful of brandy have been added. Nature's Sweet Restorer. Do we lose time wben. we sleep ? Or is it not tbe wiser economy to take as much as we need ? Here is expert tes timony on the subject : In reply to the question , "Is it wise for a man to deny himself and get along with a few hours' sleep a day , to do more work ? " Tesla , tbe great electrician , is said to have replied : "That is a great mistake , I am convinced. A man bas just so many hours to be awake , and the few er of these be uses up each day the more days they will last , that Is , the longer he will live. I believe that a man might live 200 years if lie would sleep most of the time. That is why negroes often live to advanced old age , because they sleep so much. It is said that Gladstone slept seventeen hours every day ; that is why liis faculties re mained unimpaired in spite of his great age. The proper way to economize life is to sleep every moment that it is not necessary or desirable that you should be awake. " For Pimples on the Face. Bathe face in a lotion composed of weak solution of borax and warm wa ter at night. Use very warm water on the face , then dry and rub into the pores an ointment made of flower of sulphur and lard. A good face wasb to prevent wrinkles is 200 grains of rose water , 50 grains of almond cream , 5 grains of sulpbate of alum. Dissolve and bottle for use. A very simple rem edy to whiten and soften the hands is made of two teaspoonfuls of lemon juice , one of glycerine , one of colorless almond oil and a few drops of the triple extract of violets. To prevent hair from falling out , saturate the scalp twice a week with one ounce of borax , one-half ounce of gum camphor , one quart rain water. Boil all together and bottle. The Model Hostess. Even though a guest or maid inadver tently breaks a bit of cbina which can never be replaced , the hostess must smile on as though the loss of the en tire set would but emphasize the pleas ure of the evening. Though in her heart she may be very dubious about certain important details of her dinner or dance she does not show her anxiety. A flur ried hostess or nervous host , whose countenances but badly conceal the worry they feel , can do more toward making guests uncomfortable than if the soup were served stone cold and tbe salad dressing were ruined by a too bountiful quantity of vinegar. An im perturbable calm and ready tact are the two important factors in the mak ing of a model hostess. Notes of Interest. Try lemon juice to remove stains on tbe nails. It must be well rinsed off afterward , and the fingers carefully dried. Oranges eaten before breakfast have a wonderfully beautifying effect on the complexion and can do no barm if eaten in moderation. Sweet almond oil alone agrees ex cellently with some skins. Try it for a day or two. Nearly every skin re quires different treatment , and the only plan is to experiment. Fruit stains are often difficult to re move , especially when much fruit haste to be picked by hand. Oxalic acid di luted will be found most useful , and should be used as soon as the stains ap pear. To make the neatest possible darn of a rent in a black woolen garment , use the finest , softest darning cotton the stocking kind. It is much more satis factory than silk in that it merges it self into the fuzzy fiber of the goods and has no tell-tale gleam. Notning is better for swallow com plexions than bathing in elder flower water. At night this should be allowed to dry on the skin. In the morning wash the face in the usual way , bathe with the elder flower lotion for a few minutes , wipe with a soft towel , and finish off with a soft clean chamois leather. New corsets are shorter and not nearly so stiff as in the past. Steel springs are no longer used , the "body" being tl furnished by some equally strong but tlbl bl more flexible filling. When it can be blE afforded , it is always wise for a woman E find out some one good corset that w actually fits her , and wear that especial re make as long as she can buy it. ri Now that sleeves are Avorn so very 1)1 tr short gloves must necessarily be a lo good deal longer , and it would seem low w that they have been brought out in many new colors , and for the time suedes are having the preference in ai light grays , pinks , whites and yellows , cln while even blue and green to match the n : dresses are not considered preposter- A fo TKIMMING THE BACK. A MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE LATEST GOWNS. flic Straight I/ine front - Hiwml Waists Bequire Distinctly Modish Skirts-Very Swell Coat for a Tailor Made Suit New Thing in Mohair. New York correspondence : E sure you are all right in the back these days , and all right you are. In deed , the most im portant part o many costumes seems now to be the back. If the back of her head , includ ing hair and hat , and the back of the dress are correct , a woman may carry an easy heart , even if she is not entire ly satisfied with front effects. But correctness at the back insures cor rectness in front in good degree , be cause fronts are so generally arranged wilh .1 view to their effect upon backs. That most popular of all overskirt arrangements , the apron , is one type wherein the management of the back of the dress is more important than the front. Take the model shown above. Here the overdress effect was spangled black chiffon and flowered black grena dine over cerise silk , and was plain in front except for its ruching of the chiffon. This ruching was of necessity in two lines at the back afid between them was a sash to match , so the back trimming seemed much more elaborate than in front. On this bodice , too , the same point was no ticeable. The ruching outlining the yoke was the same front and back , but while the chiffon drapery in front was simply arranged in a slight blouse , at the back there were ruchings that seemed to com bine and continue the trimmings below the belt. Beneath these chiffon portions was the flowered grenadine , but in the yoke the silk was underneath , and the sleeves were without lining. Another cause for rearward elaboration is a very recent but decided fancy for ac complishing an almost straight line from the bust curve down to below the waist , the line being very much like that pro duced by the old-time Elizabethan long stay. The shield front so much worn for a season or so lends itself to the effect of straight front very well , and is adapted to the present fancy with excellent result. The skirt may be trimmed in front to sug gest the continuation of the shield front below the belt , or the shield front may really come below , either in a rather swagger square point , or in a point better suited to the average figure. The dress of this sort in the next picture is a better arrangement , speaking generally. It was plum colored cloth , really a relief from mis is XEW ix M he almost inevitable light shades. Dark ilue silk of just the right shade showed inhere the bodice was cut away with -ton effect , and the very pretty i-ollar. nth side tabs which women absolutely efuse to give up , was silk to matel ) . Blue ibbon braiding completed the finish , with hie cut crystal buttons. The hat was rimmed with violets and the boa was a vely shade of gray , blending beautifully Sth both blue and plum. Though this straightness has taken a reat hold , both with high-class designers nd with exquisite dressers , it doesn't ex- lude other arrangements. That is fortu- ate , too , for it isn't suited to everyone. suggestion of submission to the newer ashion comes in the management of the olds drawn from the bust line. It is well , too , in having a round waist to be sure that the skirt is distinctly modish , and that some little accessory selected from the seasonable noyelties is added. The use of tiny round cut crystal buttons , eith er white or in color , is a guaranty of this season's , design. The round bodice shown here also had one of the new narrow , square yokes , and opened at the back , its lacing appearing to be one with the lacing at the top of the skirt. Such a costume couldn't possibly allow any "last season" dismissal even from a dearest friend. It was in dull green camel's hair , its silk white and silver stitched. The woman who wears a this spring's coat will run no danger of being accused A SKIRT TO COPT. of wearing a last season's garment. Even the coat that goes with her tailor rig will announce itself as new , and by means of elaborations that heretofore have been un usual in tailormade accessories. The reefer coat and its effect are good form and always will be , but that , in a way , , la a "negative value , not to be compared with the downright swagger thing. That just now is after the manner of the coat of this picture. All the elaborated tailor gowns , if cut with coats show very elab- REPRESENTATIVES OF THREE DISTINCT BODICE TYPES. orate deviations from tailor lines. Tin long tails of this one fitted like the papei on the wall , though a boxpleat under the division of the tails gave some relief to the figure. The finish of frills at the edge was entirely new , and tended to narnnv the looks of the hips , which were fitted faultlessly. The single and very elabo rate rever of the coat was also new. The tiny bib was of white mounted by a tur quoise blue folded collar of satin finished with ivory fawn colored lace. This same lace was used over the white broadcloth frills , lapel and cuffs. One frill was of the plain broadcloth , which was putty colored. Most of this year's hats that seem at all novel also strike the observer as rather too pronounced , but of the one sketched with this coat it should be said that it is here seen in its most striking aspect. Of golden brown straw , it was trimmed with natural grasses and the in evitable touch of black velvet. Silk and cloth are being combined in many of the pretty spring dresses , and silks of daintiest effects are chosen. "Wool challies are also used with surahs , and wash silks are combined with wash cot tons in costumes of almost tailor effects. The third of to-day's pictures was of mo hair , for which there are all sorts of new names , and among them the good old- fashioned alpftcil in not found , but it is alpaca for all its delicacy of finish and silky luster. The apron part of the skirt and front and back of the bodice were dainty lilac mohair figured with violet. The rest was plain violet mohair. "With a hat of twisted green stems with lilac flower trimming , the entire effect was dainty and serviceable. Especially taste ful was the ribbon finish to the'apron. . The same idea can be carried out in fig ured and plain challie for summer , with the bodice front a little elaborated. In the last of these pictures is shown still another method of suggesting the straight line from the bust. This was not a blouse. The goods was simply drawn close and not allowed to follow the nat ural in-curve from bust to waist. The ap plication of this idea to a princess front dress is only possible to a most ingenious dressmaker. These three points , that of yoke , overdress and bodice , all tend to the long straightness of the front. This skirt was one of the prettiest considered by itself. It met the demand for overdress effect , though it was all one. Cloth and { lowered silk were the materials- , the cloth a lovely warm fawn color pr.stilo. a new weave that looks as if it was literally painted on you , and soft ivory taffeta flow ered in faint greens and blues with a dash of cerise. . The yoke was turquoise vel vet. Milliner's folds of white satin blend ed cloth- and silk effectively. Copyright , 1S09. Sunday Contracts Lawful. Contracts made on Sunday may be en forced in Minnesota , according to a de cision of the Supreme Court of that State. Frogs are eaten the world over. -5 0W VV > J Caught in a Storm. e Q e e c are some advantages , " I 'said Ronald meditatively , "in - * - being a cousin , after all. " He addressed Angelica , who sat optl posite him. All about them was deepn blue serenity on one hand stretching away to meet in a line with a fainter azure , on the other merging distantly Into long shining masses of greenish brown rocks , with ragged cliffs tower ing above them. Angelica's hat was tilted a little forward and the breeze darted in among her curls , tossing them merrily about her face. She was a diminutive person in all respects save two , which two were particularly large , brilliant , languishing , and in every way dangerous. "But on the whole , Angelica , " added Ronald , deliberately , "I regret that I am in any way related to or connected with you. " "Ronald ! " she exclaimed , "I really cannot allow you to be so flattering. " "A cousin is a nondescript , variable sort of being at times an absolute stranger , at others a sort of secondp hand brother in that capacity ex tremely useful. Of course , that is something ; but still " "I think it's a great deal ; but I see you are the same as ever. You always were a greedy little boy , " said AngelG lea. "Thanks. You , on the other hand , were rather nicer as a little girl than you are now in some ways oh ! you could still be nice if you tried. " "If I tried ? How funny ! I shouldn't know you see most people think " she regarded her shoes inquiringly. T dare say ; but I am not 'most pee ple. ' I stand alone. " I thought you were sitting down , " interrupted Angelica. ( She certainly was provoking to-day. ) And I wasn't aware that you were alone. But per haps I don't count. " "My dear , that's the worst of it. You do count , and there's no one else in the world who does. I just worship you , Nan ! Have I startled you ? " "Not at all , " she answered , politely. "You see they all say that or some thing equivalent. " She turned her head a little and dabbled in the water with her hand. "Oh , yes , I know ! Of course , I'm a presumptuous fool. All the same , I have thought lately" he paused and then added : "Do you remember last week at Cowes ? " "Yes , " said Angelica , radiantly. "On that afternoon I don't mind telling you , Ronald I very seriously considered - j I ed falling in love with you. There is ( a yacht quite close to us , " she added , i quite hastily ; "I considered , and after ! flue deliberation , decid.d " "Well , Nan ? " ( "Not to fall in love with any one at all. " "You mean " "Ronald , if you don't row how can I steer ? We don't want to be swamped. Love is so inconvenient. " "You're pulling the wrong rope. I confess I don't quite see how " "Well , it doesn't always go with other things. " "But is it not worth more than other things ? " "Ronald , " replied Angelica , some what irrelevantly , "have you any idea of the price of a Paris hat ? " "The left rope again. Ah , now we're safe ! A .Paris hat ? I well , I have heard that they're something ridicu lous. " "They are absolutely ridiculous. That fact alone , " said Angelica , solemn ly , "is enough to make any thought of love impossible and wicked. " 'Except ' for any one with a heart , with a soul , composed in fact of any thing but shallowness and vanity. " "My dear boy , if you go on , " she said , encouragingly , "you will in time make the accomplished flatterer of the age. " "Don't jest with me , Nan. It's noth ing to you , perhaps , but to me it's every thing. I love you. If you knew what the word meant , " he burst out ve hemently , "you could not sit there coolly breaking my heart fn your hands. " "Hush ! Not so loud. Yes , I know I'm wicked ( penitently ) . I oughtn't to be here with you at all , when I am going to marry some one else. " "You're going to Nan , is this true ? " "Mr. Rathbone , " said Angelica , drooping. "Are you engaged to him ? " "lie will ask " me to-night. "How do you know that ? " curtly. "Ronald , don't be so absurd ! How do know ? " This was convincing. "Well , he is a consummate fool , " said Ronald , savagely. "Thanks , " she murmured. "And , moreover , he could not possibly love you " "Thanks once more. " "Or any one else , except himself. But , B of course , I see that he has advantages. ' Oh , don't trouble to explain what they are ! I see them. How pleased every one will be , especially mamma ! It will all be so delightful. " There was a silence. The sun had disappeared , and the blue sky had turn ed to gray. o It's not so pleasant as it" was , is it ? " inquired Angelica , presently. ti : No , " shortly. f "I felt a drop. Are we far from home , Ronald ? " jj "Yes ; about three miles. " _ "Oh , dear , are we ? Why don't you turn quickly , then ? Don't you see it's going to be wet ? " si "I thought you were steering , " rudea c. "You might' help me , " she said , plaintively , tugging at the rope. He gave a swift stroke or two , and they swung round. There were angry masses : of clouds drifting toward them over an uneasy , ruflled sea. "Why don't you row faster ? We shall never get home , " she exclaimed , petu- lantlj * . "The tide is strong and the wind is against us. I'm doing my best. " "Ronald , what was that ? Oh , don't say it was lightning ! I'm more afraid of it than anything in the world. Oh , listen ! " There was a subdued roar in the dis tance , now gathering ominously. "Ronald , was that thunder ? " said Angelica waveringly. "There is generally thunder when it lightens , " he answered , with bitter sar casm. : "But we're out in an open boat , miles from home or shelter of any kind. " "I am aware of that. " She gave a pathetic little gulp and pressed her hands together. "Oh-h ! There's another flash ! Ron ald ! , I I'm going to faint ! " "Faint ? Nonsense ! " he returned , roughly. "Nonsense ? What do you mean , Mr. Grant ? I suppose I have a right to faint if I choose I ah ! " Crash , rattle , rattle , bang ! C-r-a-c-k ! "Put that over you , " said Ronald , SUE WAS PROVOKIKGLY RADIAXT. sternly , wrapping her In his mackintosh , coat. - , . "But it doesn't rain , and that makes * j It m much more dangerous , d doesn't it Ronald ? " "Much more , " he answered , merci- lessly. "Oh , how can T-OU be so heartless * > ml Cruel ? " she rnofni&cl. "You don't car ? how much I suffer ! Men are always like j that - " ; "And women never , of course , " put in i , Ronald , with quiet irony. "Oh , don't don't be so hard ! I know I'm a wicked girl , and this Is to punish me ! " A vivid gleam shot up the hear- j ens , and something seemed to burst j over their heads. "Oh , Ronald ! ( in a i frenzy of terror ) save me , save me ! ; Oh , let us die together ! I love you , oh , i you know I do ! Don't look at me so ] coldly ; forgive me , oh , forgive me , Ron ald ! " Angelica hid her face in tha cushions and sobbed. "I can better bear to die with you , dear , than to live without you , " said Ronald , tenderly. There was a suspi cious twitching about his mouth , but he mastered himself heroically , and it did not become a smile. A silence followed. The thunder rolled and tumbled away to the west ; ' and presently there was a gleam more brilliant than any before. "What's that awful light ? " moaned Angelica. ( "Look , dear. It's the sun. " "The sun ! " she started up in conster nation. "It can't be , Ronald ( indignantly - i ly ) . Do you mean to tell me the storm. is over ? " "I think it's passed , by. You seem an - noyed. Aren't you glad we're out of danger ? " ' ; " Yes yes , of course. Only I ught - " haughtily ' perhaps no ( Mr. Grant , you will take me home ? " * I < rYes , I'll take you home , Nan. They'll be surprised , won't they , at our news ? " "News ? What what do you mean ? " gasped Angelica. "I think you know. " There was no ; mistake about this smile now. "Ronald , " she said pathetically , "no y you're not going to be tiresome. " j "Nan , " he answered gravely , "I do ; hope not , but , of course , a lifetime is a severe test. " "You know It was only because I was frightened. It's a mean advantage ' it's ungentlemanly" her voice died $ away weakly. 1 Ronald provokingly "Are you quite r sure you didn't mean all you said ? " Angelica , tearfully "It's absurd ! Mamma will be so angry. " Chicago j Herald. Outwitted His Shaz-p-Tongued Wife. An Englishman of Lymington had the misfortune to live in a continuous ; quarrel with his wife , who was a mod ern Xantippe , and threatened , in case she survived him , to dance over his. ' j grave. It was her lot to outlive him , but it was not so easy to carry out her J threat. The husband had the precaution - : ] tion to make an injunction in his will i requiring ( his body to be buried In the ' sea near his residence and without cer- | ernony. ; The injunction was complied ' with. , t - - 4 It takes a woman as long to select a- \ j seat at the theater as it does for the ; average man to pick out a new suit of | clothes.