THE ETCETERAS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3995, 7 October 1930, Page 62

THE ETCETERAS.

We all know how necessary to our toilet are the “ etceteras.” Even the woman who is as beautiful as Venus cannot afford to overlook the importance of powder, vanishing cream, lip-stick, nail polish, and so on. I have seen quite a plain girl, tired after a long and harassing day’s work, march into her sanctum of sanctums a drab little figure and, after half an hour spent amongst the “ etceteras,” emerge

looking a different creature, fresh and smiling and even pretty. Now Emma, who lived in our midst, did not approve of what she called “ such nonsense.” She believed in sincerity of appearance as well as sincerity of character !

“ I am as I am,” she would declare when any of us tried to argue with her. And when you looked at her unpowdered and slightly spotty face, rather red and damp at times if the atmosphere happened to be heated, you felt she spoke the truth. No. Don’t make any mistake about it. She was careless about her appearance. Oh, dear, no! She was neat and tidy and clean. Oh, scrupulously clean! I feel certain she scrubbed herself on alternate days with carbolic soap. She would have swooned if you had suggested a little scented soap on occasions, just to make a pleasant aroma! Or fallen dead in her bath if j'ou sc/much as mentioned bath salts!

“ Such unnecessary extravagance! ” she would cry scornfully, which was a rather foolish declaration when one thinks how cheaply bath salts can be had in these days.

Her features were quite good; so were her eyes. But you never noticed them; her face was such a mess!

At a dance, when all the other girls looked fresh and cool, having well powdered and creamed their faces at the beginning of the evening, Emma’s visage was like the rising sun, all damp and unpowdered; her nose to match, beetrootcoloured!

Her hair in funny little wisps because, being naturally straight, “ she was as she was,” and* wouldn't curl it. And not the slightest suggestion of gloss on it.

Her hands, which were really quite well shaped, were never manicured. So the nails were badly cut by scissors, instead of being evenly filed by a good nail file. ■

One tends flowers carefully, so why not yourself? But Emma was as she was. and truly she was!

I used to compare her mentally with plain, pleasant-featured Mollie, who did believe in the “ etceteras,” and applied them daily as regularly as she took her bath, transforming her from a plain little girl into quite a good-looking one. When Mollie fell in love with big, handsome Dick, he returned her affection with enthusiasm, thinking her the prettiest girl in the world. Love and the “etceteras” did the trick!

I once or twice imagined I saw Emma looking rather wistfully at them, and so I tried to argue with her as to the advisability of being well-groomed. But to no purpose. We never got any further than the “ I am as I am ” complex. My only hope is that Emma will fali in love one day and forget her war-cry. and not want to be “as I am.” But as yet I see no signs—at least, not in her appearance!—Lola Duncan, in Women's Weeklv.