Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, August 9, 1903, Page 27

N OUNCE of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It is a well worn proverb, but well worth repeating during the August days, when lounging in ®he shade Is preferable to exercise in the sun. A girl went visiting this summer with a trunk full of pretty frocks, embroldered stockings and seductive parasols. ler preparations were purposeful, for her hostess was the mother of a man who had been most attentive to her during the past winter. The man admired the frocks, the stockings and the parasols, but when the girl came down to breakfast one morning in a grass-stained pique skirt and a rum- pled shirt waist, which she laughingly called ‘“‘her negligee,” his matrimonial in- tentions vanished, together with his vision of a daiaty wife at the breakfast table under his own vine and fig trce. The girl without a negligee had forgotten to con- sider one vital point in her summer cam- paign. A cool negligee 1s an Indispensable part of a summer wardrobe, whether the vaca- tion be spent with country cousins, at the seashore or in the mountains. In the for- mer case she will astonish her relations at the breakfast table or on hot afternoons under the orchard trees by the possibilitics of beauty which are included in the term “dressing sack.”” In the latter case the flowing gown of flowered muslin will be the correct toilette for the feminine gossip over the fancy work on an upper poren. And if the girl is dainty at heart she will have a couple of distracting negligees merely to satisfy her own peace of mind. The summer negligee differs from its winter prototype in that it is nearly al- ways washable. This enables the girl with & limited wardrobe to keep fresh and dainty. The wash fabrics offered this sea- son are silky enough to satisfy the most critical. Flowered muslins and lawn, dotted Swisses and even net, make charming dressing sacks when trimmed with lace, insertion and wash ribbon. Wash ribbon is by far the most service- able for a summer negligee. Its use has 80 much increased in the last year or two that now there is hardly a girl who does not keep on hand a bolt of her favorite color to refurbish MNngerie or dressing sack. Japanese kimonas are still so popular that that are now many In the sheerest cottons and linens for use on hot days. Those of cotton crepe are coo! enough for most weathers., They are generally trimmed down the front and banded on the edge of the flowing sleeves with flowered r.b- bons. If the ribbon pattern is well chosen the effect is very pretty. A whits kimona of crepe is bordered with a ribbon on which scarlet popples stand out viv- idly on a white background. Another white one has ribbon border of cool. green vines, A clever girl, who %dmired the beauty of the real Japanese kimonas of silk, hand embroidered in sprawling flowers, has managed to produce something of the same artistic effeet in her summer ki monas She used cotton crepe for the body of the kimona and trimmed it with a border of gayly flowered cretonne, care- fully cutting out the flowers on the edge and buttonholing them down to the crepe foundation. The possibilities of cotton crepe for wash- able summer dresses are not halt nppre-' clated. It can be obtalned in delicato shades to suit the summer girl's fancy. Frocks made of white cotton crepe trimmed with coarse mesh laces are especially pretty. They wash to perfection and Rules for Women TRIKE out, chin up.” ‘‘There, that's better, but too flat yet; you ought not to fall on your chest.” “Kick now, out hard. Kick, don't stop, don't give up.” *“Tell the truth now, don’'t you think you've had about enough?" It was not a prize fight—nor a foot ball match; it was only a swimming school iIn full swing, and the instructors were calling out words of encouragement to the faint- hearted and advice to the awkward. *1 de- clare it's as good a show as the circus,” de- clared an interested onlooker of the falr sex. The scene was in truth an animated one. It was woman's day at the school, relates the Brooklyn llagle, and some half dozen figures clad in black brilliantine bloomers and oil skin caps were splashing in the large pool of blue green water or sitting on the marble margins chatting merrily. Sud- denly there was & shrick. “Oh! I'm going down.” This from a timid swimmer, but she was given a helping hand and reas- sured. *“You're doing all right, you only need a little more confidence.” ‘*‘That is the main difficulty with many women,” ex- plained an instructor, “they lack confidence and it makes it so much more difficult for them to learn—which is an additional argu- ment for teaching girls to swim, while they are young. ‘““Are many women learning to swim now?" “Yes, more than ever before. Since the advent of the athletic girl, women have learned that there is no better physical de- veloper than swimming. 1t is an all-around developer, it improves the general circula- tion, makes a woman more active and graceful and brings all the muscles into play. In the first place it stregthenes the chest and develops the bust, and along with this it teaches correct breathing, it being necessary to take a good decp breath in swimming. I have had many women tell me with astonishment of the increase in chest expansion after they began to take swimming lessons. Beslde developing a good palir of lungs, It is beneficial In strengthening the back and abdominal muscles. While developing the muscles It does not make them as hard as gymnasium work does In fact those who have hard- ened their muscles to any great extent with gymnasium work are more apt to get cramp in the muscles in long-distance swimming." Prof. Mac l.evy of the Mac Levy FPhysi- cal Culture institute of the Hotel St George is a warm advocate of swimming as a physical developer. After an Iagle reporter had been an interested observer of the swimming lessons just chronicled she was glven minute directions on the athletic art as taught In (his institute. These, If fol- lowed to the letter, should help if not wholly teach the would-be learner. By way of to avoid going out in a boat and jumping from it to swim or going with companions incilned to duck the novice. A fright re- ceived in the beginning often takes years to overcome and hinders the Ilearner seriously. The first thing taught |s the moevement of hands and feet In swimming, this being learned with a life preserver on. Afterward this is re- moved and a rope put about the walst and Knick~Knacks Made HESE are the days of the year when the ingenlous sojourner in the country finds a perfect treas- ure store of suggestion and ma- terial in the infinite variety of seeds that nature fashions for tree, herb and vine, To begin with, there are the cantaloupe seeds. Dried in the sun until they are easily separated from the pulpy filaments that hold them together, and then thor- oughly washed and dried again, they are as pearly and pretty for decorative pur- poses as any shell or coral a hundredfold the cost. These little buffcolored seeds are especially nice for screen and portiere work, in which they are used as if they were beads or shells. Waxed thread or silk, or, better still, extremely fine pliable wire, may be used to string them on. It is a matter of taste whether the seeds be used length- wise, sidewise, or laid flatly, one on top of the other, until they point in all direc- tions, like the strings of uncut coral. Of eourse, many more strings of them are re- quired when they are used vertically, Lut this arrangement gives them an extremely delicate and graceful effect. For stringing, seeds should be used when not thoroughly dried, as they are then less apt to crack. An extra pint of prepared seeds should be reserved by the possessor of screen or portiere, as with the artifi- clal heat in winter a few may split and fall away from the wire. The two halves may be replaced with the help of a drop of glue, or a whole new seed from the pint in reserve. Watermelon seeds, with their onyx-like coloring and tracery, make attractive fes- toons above mantel or doorway. One of the latter, arranged with a sort of lambre- quin of these dark, flat seeds and straight portieres to the floor of the light, pearly canteloupe strings, was most cffective. Tomato seeds are very difficult to handle on account of their size, but their color, a soft old gold or light bronze, and thelr fine, velvety texture, make them exquisite material for mats and small bits of drap- ery. They have to be strung with the finest needle obtainable on silk as near their own color as possible of like quality, Each seed must be cross-threaded to keep it in place in the design. They repay the trouble, for when finished the fabric is very durable, as well as dainty. To make the silky, falry-like puff balls of pompons of thistledown and milk-weed (“wild cotton'), the pod should be gathered while still closed, the outside husk or cov- ering removed and the silk separated from the central foundation to which it is joined by the seeds at the base, and the ends op- posite the seeds tied evenly and firmly to- gether. The ends of the silk to which the seeds are attached are joined, and when thus turned outward, to form the surface of the puff-ball, they present a fluffy, bil- lowy apeparance not secured when other- wise treated. The immemorial *cat-tall” needs little treatment to make it an artistic adjunct of den, cosy-corner or lbrary, but its rich have a clinging quality which adds much te the grace of a slender figure i Pale blue is a cool color for the summer negligee. A blue lawn is the material for one of the most fetching. The loose blouse has a V" neck and the fullness in front is fitted into the waist by a cluster of fine tucks. The deep handkerchief collar Is trimmed with two rows of valenclennes lace insertion, and edged by two-inch bands of the same lace. Its points hang down In front aimost to the waist line, and are caught together by a bow of half- inch wide white wash ribbon with irregular ends. The loose elbow sleeves are trimmed with the lace Insertion and similarly fin- ished with a handkerchief ruffle. Indeed, the handkerchief rufMe forms the motif of the entire negligee, for an unusually deep one forms the finishing frill to the blouse below the waist line. The effect is graceful and out of the ordinary. The under petticoat Is also of the blue lawn. It is trimmed with many rows of the valenciennes insertion and has an edging of the same lace in a wider pattern than that used on the negligee. Two rows of the insertion are run just below the knees and finished on the right side by a soft rosette of wide white wash ribbon. 'The seheme of the whole is decidedly French. The Paris shops are selling scores of these negligee suits in delieate colors and every coneeiv- able thin material. The idea is a pretty one, and will be undoubtedly followed In this country. The passion for lace trimmings extends into the realm of the negligec with delight- ful effect. The finer mesh laces seem most suited to these airy garments. Valenclennes holds its own against all rivals Wide laces form gauzy ruffics and Insertions of all widths give a sheer effect to mulls or muslin. Don’t Forget the Negligee for Summer Campaign Pale green silk muslin makes a pretty matinee. The muslin is laid in pin tucks, giving greater richness of effect. The matinee I8 loose and flowing, and is cut so as to fall in a slight point. It is finished around the bottom by a ruffie of wide ecru colored lace. The neck is rounded out in the interests of cooluess, and the sallor col- lar is of the tucked muslin. It is finished by a wide rufMe of the lace, which continues down the front in a jabot effect. The elbow sleeves are also tinished by a lace ruffle. This matinee will add much to the charm of a blond beauty. A dainty little matines vesembles the onglish coffee jacket. It is so lacey and short and flowing. Three-inch wido strips of lace of a slightly yellowish shade are sewn together to form the yoke and sleeve caps. Below the bust line, fullness is aMowed by the insertion of pointed pleces of pale yellow mull. The same method is followed as regards the sleeves. A wide lace ruffie finishes both the bottom of the matinee and the sleeves. A narrow stand- ing collar of lace gives a soft finish to the rounded neck. A knot of yellow wash rib- bon at the throat is continued In long knot- ted ends down the front and mingled with a lace ruflie in a jabot effect. This matinee is charming on a saucy brunette. A peignoir of white lawn Is rather more elaborate. The round Irench yoke is cut out to show the throat. It is trimmed with lace insertion and finished by a pleated ruffie, edged with lace. Below this the full- ness falls free to within six inches of the ground 1t is elaborately inserted with lace and finished by an accordion-pleated, lace-edged flounce. The full sleeves extend a trifle below the elbow, and are gathered into a pleated ruflie, edged with lace. HARRIET HAWLEY. Learning to Swim attached to a pole held by an attendant. The breathing should be through the mouth, as only in that way can sufficient fresh air be taken into the lungs. Take a full breath through the mouth al the be- ginning of the stroke, blowing it out the same way as the struke is In progress. What is called the breast stroke is divided into three—for the first stroke, draw the hands In front of the breast, the fingers tegether, the palms facing downward; the knees are drawn under the body, with heels together (do not make the common error of keeping the knees straight and drawing the heels over the back); next shoot the hands out straight in front, keeping them tecgether and at the same time kicking the Jegs out far apart in a sort of V-shape. For the seecond stroke, from flat turn the hands slightly outward and, with elbows straight, throw the arms at right angles with the body; at the same time bring the legs together sharply, making the heels touch. Remalin in this position until the force of the stroke has spent itself and you have stopped gliding through the water. For the third stroke, bring hand and feet back to first position, care being taken not to draw the heels over the back, but the knees well up under the body. The kick, which gives so much force to the stroke, is not made the same as In foot ball, by kicking downward, but by shooting the legs out far apart and drawing them sharply together, to force ycurself through the waler. 2 The back stroke, or swimming on the back, has practically the same movements as the breast stroke, only the body is on the back. Swimmers often resort to this as a rest from other strokes. The side stroke is made by swimming on the side. Draw the knees up, the same as in the breast stroke, kicking the feet out etrongly far apart and then drawing them together, scissors fashion. The right hand is thrown straight ahead, palm downward, and from that position is drawn in semi- circle directly downward until the hand touches the side of the body. As the right hand is performing this circle, the left hand is stretened overhead, above the water; then, with palm down, it describes a com- plete semi-circle in front of the body. To get speed turn well over on the side and allow the impetus of the stroke to carry you as far as possible before beginning the second stroke, as this, i taken too soon, will impede the progress made by the first stroke. In diving, stand with the feet together, hands over heasl and together, and the head between the arms; then incline the body forward. Just before you lose your balance spring lightly into the alr, performing as near a semi-cirele as possible before the body strikes the water. The feet should follow the hands. If done well the hands will make an opening for the head and the body will follow, cutting through the water like a wedge and making almost no splash. After the body is in the water the hands should be turned upward and the back arched; this will bring the body quickly to the surface. After getting under the water the eyea should be opened, so that in the event of there being an obstruction near by it may be observed. from Seeds and Pods tints are much ennanced by gilding the stem and a few of the long, sword-like leaves. When the down begins to fall, as it always will after a season or two, it will be found to make delightful pillows, soft, light and impregnable to moths. The graceful, seeded heads of oats and many kinds of grass are preserved and made attractive ornaments by dipping them In a strong solution of variously col- ored dyes or alum, either slightly tinted or plain. For Christmmas decorations, alum- dipped or ‘“‘frosted” grasses are especially artistic with the greens and holly berries, Acorns may be gilded or silvered with good effect if a twig with several flne specimens and two or threg leaves is se- lected. The nuts should be removed from the cups and replaced with a drop of glue, or they are apt to drop out when dry and spoil the cluster, The lcaves should be caught to the stem with a very fine thread of wire, as they, too, are given to parting company with the twig at inop- portune times. A broad, medium-sized brush and some rather thickly mixed gold paint will then complete a most effective ornament for Christmas tree use or to lighten up a lamp shade of dark rich tones, or a mass of somber drapery. Another way of making use of the acorn cup is to remove the nut and substitute for it a velvet emery cushion of just its size and shape, and of any color desired. A drop of glue, supplemented by a stitch or two with doubled buttonhole twist of the color of the cup, taken directly frum the base of the little cushion through the cen- ter of the cup, with the ends tled firmly In a tiny knot, will keep the emery in place till doomsday. Two or three of these tied together with narrow ribbon make a pretty and useful item in work basket furnishing. The sed balls of the sycamore and sweet gum are very ornamental when gilded or silvered and tied with bright ribbons In festoon-like clusters, Pine cones, especially the small brown seed repositories of the spruce, easily lend themselves to such an arrangement. With their ray-like tops cut off they are good for rustic box making, the tops being set close together and glued firmly all over the outside surface of the box. u-bmm:-: D:rli.-wéla!b sent om vequest, o ne Bottle to Agents. &Imrmoo..cn—finu. .