HOME TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14224, 22 November 1909, Page 3

HOME TOPICS.

THE CABE OF THE PIANO.

i The piano of the music-lover is a different instrument altogether from that which represents merely a piece of household furniture, and it is easily recognised. How many people actually realise that this case of delicately-strung wires is extremely sensitive and demands a certain amount of reasonable care. How often is a piano placed between two windows, or opposite a window with a door just where a strong draught blows? It looks nice there, and so placed adds something to tbe arrangement of the room, and no other consideration weighs.

Lack of comprehension has often much to do with alteration of tone. Place the best piano in the world on a thick carpet instead of a polished floor and note the difference. Again, the household piano frequently stands silent for months, neglected save as a sort of stand for photo, frames, flower vases, and mats. All of a sudden a party is contemplated, and the tuner is called in. It is rather amusing to hear that the piano was just tuned the day before, when the most elementary knowledge teaches that no instrument can yield good results unless it is kept regularly in condition. No doubt much of this ignorance where the piano is concerned has something to do with the reluctance shown by players. No one cares to ran the risk of ' disaster, and few even modest amateurs like to hear tho rattle of decorations on this responsive medium of expressing sweet sounds. It is many years now since Whistler utilised fans as a decorative scheme, and by so doing gave the taste of the average English woman an impetus from which it has scarcely yet recovered. This momentary fancy has been the ground basis of all sorts of drapings, placing of trifling ornaments, and lavish use of photograph frames, and nothing lias suffered more than the harmless piano. Enthusiasts could not tolerate the plain, underrated case that was a musical instrument and nothing more. Painted curtains draped the back, muslins were spread over the top, and on this reposed not only comparatively harmless frames, but in too many instances vases of flowers or even pots of growing plants. Frequently the water in the vases or in the pots were renewed, and drops might trickle down to the wire strings of the piano, to work a havoc that made itself duly felt. A closed and silent piano, without any sign of trimming, has its own dignity and eloquence ; one placed so that it is obviously intended for decoration and elaborately betrimmed is a ridiculous object, an offenco against the ordinary laws of taste, and valueless so far as its original purpose is concerned. HEALTH AND TOILET NOTES. An infusion of southernwood represents an old-fashioned means of keeping the hair in good condition. If made sufficiently strong it forms, besides, an efficient hairwash, while it is also used to increase the growth.. It is most important to keep toilet sponges perfectly clean and fresh. To do so, they should be washed periodically in boiling water to which an ounce of powdered borax had been added, and the process repeated a second time with fresh borax water. .-.-> •,"■•■

Health in the nursery to-day is, without doubt, the national health of the next generation, and it is impossible to be too careful of the observance of hygienic laws in babyhood as well as during the school age. A great deal of attention has been drawn of late to the close connection between the state of a child's teeth and its general wellbeing, and it is now recognised that to keep them in good condition is one: of the most important roads to perfect health in after life. It is an excellent plan to see that children of all ages are made to use Odol in the water with which the teeth are washed. This should be done morning and evening, while after each meal they should be taught from babyhood to wash out their months with warm water to, which >a. few dropsi of this i deiitifrica has been *• added. The antiseptic powers last a considerable time after it has been used, and keep the teeth and gums in a healthy condition.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL. There are some girls who always look pretty, and others who only just sometimes do. 1 ' Then there is another type of girl who never succeeds in gaining the approval of those whose gaze rests • upon her. She dresses elaborately, and her clothes are costly, but no one calls her absolutely charming, nor lavishes any of the terms of praise upon her that her appearance should compel. The woman who places her faith solely upon her expensive dressmaker and milliner need never hope to achieve the success that the one with only a very little pin-money, but plenty of belief in attention to detail, and what it means and brings about, may easily attain. For the first merely puts her clothes on anyhow," while the latter takes pains with every stage of her dressing, not lingering too long over it, but accomplishing each little detail with nicety so as to bring about a whole effect that is in its modest way perfection. She is fresh,'" sweet, and altogether pretty, from the top of her wellburnished and 'daintily-dressed coiffure to the soles of her neatly shod feet.

MISTAKES THE SHORT WOMAN MAKES. The very short woman as a rule lengthens her waist line, thinking that by these means she will be made to look tall. On the contrary she should lift it a little. The slightly raised belt line is a Parisian idea for making the figure look younger, and it certainly makes it look taller. The woman who shortens her waist line will at the same time lengthen her skirt, and this also will give her the appearance of height. There are short women who always sit on very tall chairs. They are under the impression that . a high chair makes them look taller. The reverse is the case. The tall chair makes the little woman look smaller than she really is. , To wear chains of the kind that fall far below the waist is an excellent resource for the little woman. The chain gives her the length of line she needs. Hints for the woman who wishes she were a little taller, are as follows: — ■ . I 1. Do not wear a square yoke. 2. Let your gown be of one material. 3. Wear long gloves, and carry a tall umbrella. 4. Never wear a belt of a contrasting colour to the dress. Chooso "tall" colour schemes. Pink makes a woman look taller, while red shortens her. Brown shortens, but white lengthens. Black detracts from the height, but light green adds to it. Don't wear a flat hat. Bo sure that it has the upturned side and the tall crown. It should be remembered that dark materials make a woman look smaller, and that shiny ones that reflect the light give her all her inches. For that reason the short woman should choose satin whenever possible, unless she is inclined to be rotund, and then, by no means should satin be her choice.

A" low neck always makes a woman look taller ; the reason "is that her neck looks slimmer, and consequently longer. Dress the neck long and slimly ; never with ruffles or with tall flutings. The short woman should not wear too many rings. Bare hands look slender moreover, they look babyish. Very young hands are never burdened with heavy diamonds. Jewels come with experience. To make the hands look infantile take off the rings.

SCENTED HANDKERCHIEFS. To*scent a pile of handkerchiefs proceed in this way : — Open the sachet in which the handkerchiefs are kept and sprinkle strong rose perfume, on the top handkerchief, absolutely saturating it, then turn the pile over so that the saturated handkerchief is at the bottom. In this way the scent will rise and the whole pile will be delicately perfumed. This method may be carried out with any other scent that is preferred.