Housekeeper.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 440, 8 September 1904, Page 7

Housekeeper.

THE HAIR. IN matters of femenine toilet, the hair has always been one of the chief objects of regard. The Grecian women, especially, excelled in simplicity, beauty and grace of style in arranging the hair, as may be seen in ancient statues ; and it may here be remarked that an old writer says ' the comb was unknown among them.' With the' more Eastern nations, and particularly at Constantinople, coronets, turbans, caps, wreaths of pearl, gold pins, and gems were profusely used; but - sometimes with very indifferent taste. In the middle dges the hair was as little seen as beneath tho-cap of a Turkoman. Queen Eli2abeth set an example in paying great attention to the hair —her own being red- In those days, out of compliment to Her Majesty, a fashion prevailed of dying the hair red. '. Headdresses grew to pyramidal heights, and were masses of feathers, wires, and jewels. A bi-fold change was remarkable in Charles the Second's reign. The crop returned, and grafted on this simplicity came powders of all colours, pomatum, cushions, and huge combs ala Louis Quatorze. Shells and coins have' been used'at various times for the decoration of the hair, to say nothing of modelled ships and other devices. Gold-dust used to be a favourite means of brightening the hair, but there were some gold dusts that unless brushed off within a certain time had the unpleasant effect of turning the hair green—which reminds me of the accident which is said to have happened to a certain lady who used an injurious white preparation to her face before going to a party, and caused consternation to the guests in the evening by turning black!—the effect of the lights upon the indifferent preparation of subnitrate of bismuth used in the composition of the wash. PREPARING A SICK ROOM. When there is time to prepare a sick room before the patient is removed to it, the following points should be attended to : Thoroughly dust and clean the room —and by this is meant attend not only to the floor and furniture, but the walls and ceiling as well: these should be brushed with a feather broom. The floor should, of course, ba well scrubbed and the water used should have with it a solution of disinfectant. Attend to all castors and hinges, and see that they work properly, without creaking. Oil them to be certain of this. Look, also, to the windows and see that they open easily, top and bottom. - A sash window, that will move up and down, is best for a sick room. A French window is difficult to manage in order to obtain a proper amount of ventilation without draught. LAUNDRY WRINKLES. A few laundry wrinkles, culled from experience, may be useful to the woman who has many of the simpler articles of household or personal linen washed at home. The stickiness of starch may be checked by rubbing the iron used on a board on which a handful of salt has been placed. When ironing, always have a clean white rag and a basin of cold water at hand, for the purpose of removing any specks of dirt or smuts that the articles to be ironed -may J have acquired. This precaution is very necessary, when ironing collars, cuffs, etc. It is abvisable to carefully examine tablelinen, handkerchiefs, and children's clothes before putting them into the wash-tub, for soaps, soda, etc., will often set stains so firmly that they cannot be eradicated.