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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 1904)
lAHilfliI liL If f rUIL)K i j HE reluctance of a woman to tell her ago Is proverbial. It has re cently had a curious Illustra tion In the construction of the book entitled "Who's Who In America" a biographical dictionary which presents the main facts in the lives of the 14,403 persons who seem to the editors, "be cause of their position, their achievements ani their relation to certain activities, le gitimately subjects of Inquiry and Inter est." Two per cent of the men included In the list refused to give the date of their birth and 29 per cent of the women. It is easy to understand why a woman belonging to the hnrem of the sultan should wish to conceal her age. Envious fear of a younger favorite is reason enough. It Is natural and pathetic that the woman who Is earning her own bread In some em ployment where competition Is sharp should fear the sound of time's hurrying foot. "I hope the lawyer won't nsk me how old I am," said a gentle little woman, witness In a will case. "I'm afraid the music committee will think they must get a younger singer for the choir." The desire for silence in regard to age Is not peculiar to spinsters, for the edi tors of "Who's Who" testify that married women are as unwilling to give the fatal date as those who are unmarried. Whatever may be the Impulse that prompts a woman to conceal her -age, the extension of education for women will have a tendency to repress It. In the first place, the large number of college women know, approximately, the ages of their classmates, and the secret which becomes an open one at the time of graduation is never again guarded. Moreover, the edu cated woman is likely to be less desirous of being thought to possess the charms of youth and more eager to deserve the highly satisfactory compliment: Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety. Youth's Companion. Lighthouse Heroines. f ft AST history of the lighthouse I I service shows that women are 1 J thnpmicrlilv rolintilA nnd efficient as llghtkeepers. As a rule they are not appointed to the care of lights of the first Importance, because the work would be too arduous; but wherever they have been put they have done their duty most satisfactorily. The Boston Herald tells of many notable feats of heroism performed by women lighthouse keepers. On Lake Michigan, at the north end of Milwaukee bay, stands a till red tower, which is under the charge of Mrs. Georgia Etebblns. Its light Is 122 feet above the water and may be seen for twenty miles. Ten years ago there was a frightful storm and three men, upset from a sailboat, were In imminent danger of drowning. Mrs. Btcbblns went to their assistance and res cued them at the risk of her own life. Twenty-five miles out in the ocean, in the pathway of the steamers from Boston to Halifax, Is a barren and rugged island of small area, which In stormy weather Is often swept by the waves. It 1m called Matlnlcus Rock, and the lighthouse was formerly kept by a man named Sam Bur gess. On one occasion, in winter, he had gone away to the malnl ind to procure provisions, when the weather turned bad and pre vented him from returning. Meanwhile his wife, who was an Invalid, and her four daughters lived for three weeks on one cup of cornmcal and one egg apiece per day. The sea swept everything off the rock, driving the family to the light towers; yet the lights during all that dreadful period were as carefully tended as usual and never fulled. The wife of a lighthouse keeper often acts as his assistant and performs all his duties when he happens to be away. Thus It chanced that once, during a storm, Mrs. Fowler, whose husband had charge of North Dumpling light, on the Rhode Island coast, found herself In serious trouble. There was a thick fog and the machine for ringing the fog bell broke. It was an acci dent that might have cost many lives and more than one ship; but the woman was equal to the occasion. Scaling the outside of the tower she fastened a rope to the bell and rang it until the weather cleared. Old-Fashloneal Glass Painting. JSL I tlons, glass painting bids fair to I tnlrn 1 1 a nrl wS n ri 1 ril :i ftt In ilio rnnlr of decoration, and women who are so fortunate as to have old heirlooms in the shape of banjos and grandfather's clocks with quaint glass pictures are now moro than ever to be en vied. But any woman of moderate ability can turn her knowledge of painting to ac count In this direction, for the work is easily done and the results are always in teresting. Since this old accomplishment has . been revived, it is rapidly becoming the fashion to use it In beautifying the home. Often the entire appearance of a somber room Is changed by transforming an ordinary glass window into an Imitation stained glass one. A square or oblong window over the piano or book shelves, which is not an ornament to the room, but is neces sary for light, need be no longer an eye sore If treated to this simple method of color painting. One of the most Interesting examples of Imitation stained glass was seen recently. To accomplish this result the painter first had a pane of glass cut the same slzo of the window. On this was sketched In outline the motif, after which It was painted In the same manner as on china. From the edge of the glass the arrange ment of the gold leaf was so carefully ap plied that It gives a gorgeous effect when the sun shines through It. Some artists make It a point to stand their easels in the sunshine while working on glass, so they can keep the effect In the foreground In applying colors. ThU method of working Is trying on the eyes, however, and rather difficult to follow. To Insure durability, the glass must be fired before mounting in the pane. A new Idea for beautifying a hall win dow at the first stair landing Is to arrange a circular piece of glass about eighteen Inches In diameter In a frame In such a manner as to give the effect of stained glass. This Is done by carefully choosing the proper colors of point and applying them with a quantity of gold leaf Inter spersed. If the window Is square, oblong or diamond shape, It may be first painted a solid color, leaving a space In the center for an Imitation stained glass window, to be puttlod on In any desired shape. The putty Is gilded over, so that it does not show, and the effect of the solid color un derneath the outer glass la beautiful If the paints are Judiciously applied. An old-fashioned oblong French mirror Is also an excellent object on which to ex periment, after removing it from the frame. Thta may be decorated with a top panel about nine Inches deep, after the old style, with a church and trees. After the glass Is fired It should be turned over to a picture framcr to frame appropriately, having a molding under the painted panel, of course, as they did In olden times. The modern grandfather clocks are nlso decorated with pleasing results. One of the prettiest ones shown has the cout-of-arms nnd the monogram of the family to which it belongs. A laurel leaf wreath en circles the colored monogram and adds character to the painting. Kven book cases have lengthwise or crosswise panels showing some landscape scene. Dainty Modern Closets. 1 IVTV f1naftu nrn Mi n mn.ln nnur B I The dainty woman hm so dci i led. much attention to the closet as tn the family sitting room, and When they hive done, the woman herself puts on the finishing touches. City apartments ami even flats, as well as houses, show closets that are quite as perfect In arrangement as any other room In the house, even though they are small. In one corner of the modern closet Is a basin with hot and cold water faucets, and over the basin an e'ectrlc light button. The walla are quite as daintily tinted as those of the drawing room, and the woodwork is usually enameled. If there Is room for a chest of drawers, It is white like the woodwork and has brass knobs and trimmings. Not tin Inch of space is wasted in the modern closet. On the side which is de voted to clothing is a shallow shoe box with a lid. This Is built in the wall and runs the length of the closrt. It, too. Is painted white and has brass hinges. Several enameled boards are placed along the wall, the lower one being at a con venient height for hooks (o be Inserted for clothing. These shelves are useful for hat boxes and other odds and ends of the wardrobe. This arrangement of the shoe box nnd shelves make a little wardrobe by itself and It Is quite the fad to, keep the dust away from the gowns by hanging dainty curtains bi fon the lower shelf. Some times the shelves ure left hare, hut they often are made more attractive in apiiear ance by putting crepe paper on them, let ting two or three inches extend below the shelf. The paper is tacked here and there with a brass-headed thumb tack, and be tween tacks Is gently pulled out to make It look like a ruffle. The yellow and pink chrysanthemum, the wild rose or the violet papers are especially dainty for this pur pose, and are so durablethat they will not need to be replenished moro than twice a year. Crepe paper is also used to cover the hangers, In place of silk or satin. A doren hangers at 6 cents upiece, a roll of crepe paper, a few yards of No. 5 ribbon to wrap the hook, a sheet of cotton for padding and a pot of glue are all the accessories required to make the hangers more at tractive. It Is astonishing what one roll of crepe paper will do. If the closet Is not too large It will cover several shelves, hangers and a band box or two. Instead of the hat boxes, bearing on the covers the trade marks of various milliners, something akin to the charming old band boxes of our grandmothers' days are made. An ordinary hat box Is lined, cover and all, with pale pink, pale blue, yellow or White tissue paper, merely parted ut the edges. If pink Is chosen for the lining, pink chrysanthemum paper Is used for the outside. A broad rutin ribbon to ench side of the cover, Joining In the center and tying In a big bow on top. finishes the box. If the box Is very large and admits of more than one hat, milliner standards are placed Inside to set the hats on, so feathers and flowers will not bu mussed na the weight of the hat rests upon them. What Women Arc Onlnpr. Miss Ague Mullen, recently appointed advertising manager of the Motion railroad. Is the only woman in tho world holding such a position. While the Kritlsh J.idgej lefusc to ad nit women to the liar women comliui" to w.n honors us sttit'cnts. A woman has Jut at tained the degree of I.I,. 1). fru n I o; d ill university I y successful examination in law and will renew the effort to get women ad mitted to tlie I ur. Mrs. Mary A. I.lvermore, the distin guished woman suffragist, social reformer unci lecturer, has Just ot n-i vcd her clgh;y thlrd birthday ut I er home In Melrose, Maps, line feature of the celebration was the wedding of lirr private secretary , Miss Adelaide Johns Witherlnglon to C. William ili n 1 1 in. Mrs. Elizabeth Milntyre of White Rock, l'a., over M years old. lias Just com pleted ii quilt containing 1,775 piece i. Kvcry stitch In the quilt whs nuule by h-rie'r. Among the patches which who tit Into thi coverlet were plocea of the wedding gowns of Mrs. Mclntyre's great-grandmother, grandmother nnd mother, beclilec her (iwn. The oldest hit of silk ure 1 is null to have been in the Mclntyre lainlly fur 111 ycuis. Maggie I,. Waikcr of Richmond. Va.. the only colon d woman in the world who s president of a bank, received n Chrictmis present of a handsome victor! i nnd pMr of coal black horsei, the outllt coctinr $ 0. The present is made by tho I ndcpciident Order of Kt. I.uke, of wlrch she is grand worthy secretary of the fraternal depart ment. Hhe I president of the St. Luke's bank, which Is one of the enterprise) of tho society. Prof. Hunge of the I'lilverilty of Hale, who has lieen making icse.irchc for many years on t'.ie Increasing Incapacity of women to fe-d their infants, lias Just pub lished an alarming report on the subi -ct. Ho Htutes that the mortality among chil dren iirtllleally iioiirNl.e I v fir preiter than among those nursed by the mother; also that onic the power of feeling Is list It Is never reeoveied. If the mot tier has not nourished ' her children the daughter Is equally Incapable. A singular lawsuit which will result In nn appraisement of personal beauty has Just been tried In the Height n courts. The Countess d'Argenteiu wns a d ck va-so-'ger on the Ostond-1 lover mail I o it, whin owing to some accident thn eibln was wre ked and the coun'ess was covered with clebiU of which sho retained permanent truces In a permanent sour on the forehead. An action for damages h is I ecu the remit and it bus been derided in her favor with costs. The countess, however, modestly refra'n from herself asressing the money value of the blot on her features, which are re- mted to be very handsome. This has teen eft to u committee of doctor. Mrs. Joseph Hrexel, widow of the former partner of J. l'ierisint Morgan, has re elvej the famous eight-foot fans of the Vatican and will take them to Philadelphia. They are to be presented to the American pe ipte and to le exhibited In the museum of the University of t'entmylvunlu. Viiltor to tho Vatican will remember these emblems. No papal procession was ever held without them. Years ago Mrs. Iirexel saw these fans and eoveti;d them. Most any favor unked by tills charitable woman had been readily granted by the poie, but the fans were regarded us too closely associated with the history of the church to leave the Vatican. However, year after year, when visiting Kurope she had an audiencn with the pope nnd renewed her plea for tho fins. At last Leo XIII gave his consent for the splendid symbols to lie given to Mrs. Iirexel. In return Mrs. Drcxel presented the Vatican another set of fans more sp'en dld than the old ones. The fans are formed of the rarest ostrich plumes, tipped with peacock feathers, and the sticks are the patial arms magnificently worked In heavy gold, the crown being studded with rubles and emeralds.
