THE AUSTRIAN CHAIR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 212, 1 June 1908, Page 5

THE AUSTRIAN CHAIR.

It is'a bitter; attack, that a-writer in'tho ' "Sydney Morning Herald" makes against the Austrian chair, .; so popular, in Australasia, and all 'sße'-sajs,- is true and timely. . "When,; where,' : and how the Smstrian chair first 'invaded .this' 'country, ' she: writes, ■ is beyond my knowledge, but that lie came, . saw; , and conquered, ' and, worst of all,' 1 decided 'to stay, wo all know to our sorrow: : ' He is our. public enemy, disturber of out poace;- and robber of our comfort; in every V hall and meeting house his hateful form is . Been, , and vast audiences sit for hours '' Upon him in "misery and discomfort. ' .But while he .is the enemy, : of'ease to'all;, hois^'a positive-instrumentof.torture :to : the short woman. :" I wonder', you women . don't , make a crusado against. Austrian chairs," said a medical l uiaii recently;'-"they, • , are both uncomfortable and harmful to .shortpeople."He, himself,Twas a- particularly, long-legged porson, arid' spoke' from no sel- - fish motives; ■ but as these chairs are. mostly used at concerts,;'[arid; : as the r majority''-of, concert-goers' are -women, 'hel-'thought that I' it was a subject for a woman's protest. And so it surely .is.'; Which'of us,has-not experienced the' cramped „feet which comb from sitting in a, chair too-high; and-the selling shouiders which come from a practically backless one?'. In/ vain you fidget and "Bhuffle from side to,/si'de;'.there.is no comfort in that; chair, and you,need .not, seek it. If. there wero' a low. rail in.front where you could rest your." hanging feet, you ■ could ■ - . endure it; but the little rung just below the seat- is too high for elegance or com- . fort.; If : you do,, in • desperation, rest your toes ,upon it, the occupant on tho chair turns and glares at you.;.-As a'last resource you twine your ankles round the legs of your own chair, but that 'is undignified and hot t very, comfortable. Finally, in despair, you give'it up, and sit right forward on the hard edge, so : that you can rest your toe tips on the floor. A;ul it is not only for their powers of distraction and annoyanco-that.these chairs should be abolished ; doctors agreo that they » are really harmful. By' their shape they throw pressure / upon A certain 'veins : . and nerves, and predispose to varicose 'veins. Tho correct shape. for a seat, is one that . follows in some.measure the curves of tho form, or at least' yields to , the' weight of tho body. The Austrian does neither. It - novor yields, except, when the cane gives way, when the last state is worse than the first; there it stands in all its hideous discomfort, a smug and stupid example of our weakness and conventionality. "• ' .*> — : —— ' Doily, fine handkerchief and embroidored collar drying is generally - a great source of annoyanco on. wash day; because of tho care needed in hanging theso delicate trifles on tho line, and tho anxiety of getting them all together when they aro taken down. Use a transparent drying bag made from ordinary white mosquito. netting. , "When, tho dainty small articles are ready to be hung out, placo thorn carefully in this bag, tie them in with a piece of white cotton tape, and piii the bag to the line. This bag has wind-filtering advantages over the pillowcaso which some laundresses use /