THE SIMPLE LIFE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 11

THE SIMPLE LIFE.

■..Every ■■ right-minded housewife nowadays aims at', the elimination' of the superihious, says/ an.-'.'Australian' writer. It. is almost in-. credible .what tho mistress of the house twenty years .ago was taught to regard.' as -.essential. In .the drawingroom. a Brussels carpet and a piano wore regarded;almost asi";badges.of respectability. ;:-. To entertain! friends-:in your diningrooin was".not considered "the thing" at all-rand "the > thing", was a terrible fetish in those days-t-whilo having meals in : the kitchen was , something: that almost demanded explana* tion.: The;, aniount'.of work that went to keeping ■■ .a ,lbf. of 'useless ornaments presentable strikes ■ ohe'npw .as :.absolutely pathetic. There are;-certain '.thing 3,.. calculated to make .one bless, the scarcity. of domestic workers. Sinco the. housewife has '.h«d.!.-to hold, herself re;spbn'sible for a great d&l. of .the • housework she has' used : her intelligence to. reduce that work to a-minimum: -Hence!tbV popularity:of, the Hying;room; with its titained or'painted floor and square of matting 'iir carpet, its distemper-ed-walls, simple, washable 'curtains, and serviceable and, comfortable furniture.. ; Supple-menting-this room-is often, a.small, more femi-' " nine rlboking room," which,-for. want of a better narnb, is sM : ca]led the '.morning room;.-The dfawingroom, 'that'.institutioh.that'demanded, the'best- rbom-iri; a-small 'hfcuse for tho occasional.'entertainment, of •'■mere< acquaintances,, is showing ■.'strong'.signs' of', "disappearing- alto-' . go.ther. -Even' when.'. the 'mistress of ■'■ a small house feelsvcatied'upon.to give an "at home," very little alteration-and • decoration converts the.'living' ; room' into': a quite presentable rocoption';: room,"-and-verandahs; and; gardens r are 'used'more and'more'for! social; purposes.- This is' certainly as it should be, and goes to make the average cottiige home far more;comfortable to Jive'in-than,'it!used to;be.. . '-. . ■.■''.'■,■