There are many boys and girls who pride themselves on their utter disregard of their personal appearance, most fully comprehending the old phrase “that beauty unadorned is adorned the most,” or perhaps think it a mark of genius to appear so occupied with study as to neglect their person. Such boys and girls are repulsive to both God and man. One of the first laws Nature teaches us, is perfect cleanliness. Look at the birds and squirrels; indeed, all wild animals are taught by instinct to take a daily bath, if possible. Tame animals are less cleanly than wild ones in their habits, as far as our observation goes. They look to man to cleanse them. But God teaches the untamed beast and bird laws of cleanliness. Look at the woods! God sends the rain to wash them, and the winds to sweep them, and the sun to brighten them. The Creator of all gives to every boy and girl the mind to know how to take good care of their own persons, and if they neglect the laws of health, just so sure will come bodily suffering. Besides, it is a Christian duty, as well as a social duty, of every boy and girl, to make the most of all their personal attractions, and to preserve every agreeable quality they may have been endowed with, to the latest period of their lives. It is not vanity. It is a duty we all owe to ourselves, and we owe it to others. Habits rightly formed in youth will often prolong life, and add tenfold to any personal attraction.

We trust all boys and girls who read this book, will not pass over this chapter on the toilet. We will try and give them some useful hints and recipes.

In the first place, every boy and girl, no matter how young, should strive to make their sleeping and dressing apartment attractive. Perfect neatness is an essential quality in every room. Never leave any article of clothing on a chair, table, or floor, which can be either neatly folded and placed in a drawer, trunk, or closet shelf, or hung on some nail placed for that purpose. Never leave a draw partly open. We once knew a young girl who was always leaving her drawers open, and articles of dress hanging from them. One Christmas, before a room full of friends, she received from the Christmas tree a little bureau, with every drawer partly open, and things hanging out of each drawer. Of course it was soon known to all why she received such a gift. That lesson she never forgot. We must confess it also cured us of the careless habit of leaving drawers partly open. We hope our young friends will take this lesson to heart, and profit by it.

When you rise in the morning, always (even if you can afford plenty of servants), throw the clothes of your bed carefully over the foot-board, or some chair, to give your bed a sufficient chance to be well aired—a most necessary requisite for health. Before leaving your room, even in midwinter, open your window. Never allow your bed to be made till thoroughly aired. Though you are not blessed with even a competency, you can make a plain room attractive. A few pictures on the walls, and by covering a plain pine toilet table with pretty, cheap chintz, and exercising a little ingenuity in making pretty articles of furniture out of old boxes. But always be a foe to all dust; keep a dusting cloth at hand. After washing, if you cannot have a chambermaid, arrange your washing apparatus neatly, and carefully spread your towels to dry, if clean. There are so few, comparatively, in America, who can afford the constant attendance of servants, we desire all boys and girls to learn how to care for themselves.

1.—THE BATH.

In olden times, in this country, baths were but little used. It was considered a luxury but few could possess. Now there is scarcely a decent house built without a bathroom. In England and France, “there was a time when many ladies had a most hydrophobiacal dread of water; they thought it injured the delicacy of the complexion. Their ablutions often consisted in wiping the cheeks with a cambric handkerchief, dipped in elder flower or rose water.”

A daily bath is now the rule rather than the exception, and its effect is admirable. A cold bath, from sixty to seventy degrees, is, to most persons, the most health-giving and invigorating process one can undergo; but beyond its invigoration, it is of no essential service in cleansing the skin. No one can preserve a purely clean skin by the use of cold baths only, though the purifying effect is increased by the use of rough towels, which help to remove the impurities from the surface of the skin. The skin is constantly throwing off fine dust like scales, and these, blending with other foreign matter, stop up the pores, and prevent the skin from performing its natural functions.

Therefore soap should be used, because the alkali in it assimilates with the oily exudations of the skin, and removes impurities.

It has been said that soap is calculated to irritate the skin, and injure the complexion. It is not true, according to our knowledge. Some of the most beautiful complexions we ever saw were washed with soap daily. Great care should be taken that the soap is of a good quality.

If any unpleasant sensations are experienced after its use, it is easily removed by rinsing the skin with water slightly acidulated with lemon-juice.

Once a week a warm bath, at about one hundred degrees, should be used, with plenty of soap, to be sure and cleanse the skin from all impurities. Sea-water baths are invigorating, but not cleansing—a warm bath is required after a short course of them. The same remark applies to sea-salt baths, now much used. The friction of coarse towels is very beneficial. Shower baths are not generally desirable, as but few constitutions can bear them.

Milk baths and perfumed baths are absurdities, which a very few silly women indulge in; but nothing equals pure salt water.

Of late years the practice of taking Turkish baths has been introduced. Doubtless these baths are the best in existence for a thorough cleansing of the pores of the skin. But no one should venture to take them, except after having first had medical advice, or those who possess strong constitutions; for there are states of health to which they would be injurious in the highest degree. We consider them a great luxury.

We also recommend, most heartily, the sponge bath for daily use. Use a large circular sponge.

It is always best, before taking any bath, to wet the top of the head; boys and men can wet the sponge, and, holding their heads over the bath-tub, thoroughly souse their heads and necks. It prevents the blood rushing to the head suddenly. A hair glove is excellent to rub the body. Boys and men should exercise with the dumb-bells after their morning bath; it increases their muscular strength.

In all our directions with regard to the bath, it must be borne in mind that we only refer to those who are in a moderately sound state of health; otherwise their medical attendant should be consulted. Sea-bathing is admirable to all those who can bear it; but persons of a bilious temperament, or with heart disease, and even some with apparent health, may suffer serious ill consequences from a single bath. Some constitutions cannot bear the plunge into any cold water. All who have a quick reaction from a sea-bath and cold water bathing are benefited. The delicious glow it gives is most charming. We have known many young, vigorous persons suffer from sea-bathing; but it was their own fault, from remaining in the water too long; ten minutes is sufficient.

2.—COMPLEXION.

We will only give a few words of advice, as an assistance in the preservation of the complexion.

Rise early, and go to bed early. Take a plenty of exercise. Keep the pores of the skin open by perfect cleanliness. Be moderate in eating and drinking. Do not often frequent crowded assemblies, and shun cosmetics, and washes for the skin. We will give a few harmless recipes. But most of the powders and washes used dry up the skin, and in the end make it rough.

Be careful always in washing to wipe your skin dry, particularly your hands; rub them briskly for some time. If hands are left moist after washing, they will chap, crack, and become red. Honey is excellent to rub over chapped hands, or anoint them with cold cream or glycerine before retiring to rest.

If you desire to make your hands delicate, wash them in hot milk and water for a day or two; on retiring to rest rub them with palm oil, and put on gloves; wash them well in the morning. Lime water, lemon-juice, or sour milk will remove the sunburn from hands. Above all, keep the nails scrupulously clean.

It is repulsive to see a lady or gentleman, however well-dressed they may be, with nails in any degree shady. We were once, in travelling, impressed with the beauty of a young lady sitting near us. We spoke of her to a young gentleman sitting by us. He exclaimed, “Look at her hand! did you ever behold such a little black row?” She had just drawn off her glove, and diamonds glistened on her taper fingers; yet “that little black row” cast a shade over her beauty.

The nails should be pared only once a week, after washing, as the nail is then soft. Round them nicely at the corners, and press the cuticle at the bottom of the nail carefully down with the towel after washing. Never bite your nails. It gives a stumpy appearance to the nail. Also, never scrape the nail; it makes them wrinkle.

Warts young people are sometimes troubled with; the best cure is to purchase a stick of lunar caustic,—which is sold in a case or holder,—dip the end in water, and touch the wart twice a day; cut away the withered part before applying the caustic a second time.

There are two kinds of freckles. “Cold freckles” are constitutional, and we do not know of any remedy. “Summer freckles” are caused by the winds and the sunshine. The cause assigned for this is, that the iron in the blood, forming a junction with the oxygen, leaves a rusty mark where the junction takes place. The obvious cure is to dissolve the combination. We have had given to us several recipes which are said to be excellent. We will give the best of them.

3.—RECIPE TO CURE FRECKLES.

Into half a pint of milk squeeze the juice of a lemon, with a spoonful of brandy, and boil, skimming well; add a dram of rock alum.

4.—A CURE FOR FRECKLES.

Scrape horse-radish into a cup of cold sour milk; let it stand twelve hours, strain, and apply two or three times a day.

5.—A CURE FOR FRECKLES.

Mix lemon juice, one ounce; powdered borax one quarter dram; sugar, half a dram; keep a few days in a glass bottle, then apply occasionally.

6.—A CURE FOR PIMPLES.

Many of our young people are much troubled with an eruption upon the face. It often proves a great annoyance to them; but there is a simple remedy, which, if it does not effect a complete cure, will obviate the trouble in a great degree, without the least injury to the health or skin.

To one grain of corrosive sublimate add one ounce of rose water; filter, and apply twice a day.

7.—HAIR.

It is impossible for a lady to possess anything that so adds to her charms as a good head of hair. “It is a crown of beauty.” This accounts for the enormous amount of advertisements of infallible hair tonics and restorers. Beware of such advertisements. We will give you some few simple and most essential rules to preserve the hair. Also some recipes (easily and cheaply made) of the most excellent pomatums. The skin of the head is delicate, therefore especial care should be taken in brushing the hair, and in keeping the scalp as clean as possible. The brush should be of moderate hardness. The hair should be separated, in order that the head itself may be well brushed, as by so doing the scurf or loose skin will be removed; if suffered to remain it becomes saturated with perspiration, and weakens the roots of the hair, causing it to fall off. To retain a beautiful head of hair, it ought to be brushed twenty minutes in the morning, and ten minutes when dressed in the middle of the day, and a like period at night. In brushing or combing it, begin at the extreme points; and in combing, hold the portion of hair just above that through which the comb is passing firmly, so that if it is entangled, it may drag from that point, and not from the roots. We have known the finest heads of hair ruined by careless combing and breaking the hair.

It depends upon the nature of the hair whether pomatum is required. Those whose hair is naturally oily and glossy need nothing to make it so; but dry hair requires it. Pure salad oil, scented, is excellent, and bear’s grease. An excellent pomade is made of beef’s marrow, after it is clarified; take six tablespoons of the marrow, heated, and six tablespoons of scented castor oil, to one tablespoonful of brandy or rum. Stir these ingredients half an hour, until it is beaten to a cream; then place it in your jars.

8.—CARROT POMADE.

This is another excellent recipe. Two thirds beef’s marrow, one third leaf lard unsalted, one carrot grated fine, simmered together for two or three hours.

These pomades should be applied with the hand or a soft brush, and rubbed into the hair thoroughly. Be careful and not oil the hair often, for an over oiled head is offensive. It is well to rub the hair at night with a piece of flannel, so that the oil used in the day may be removed. Every month the hair should be shampooed. A few drops of ammonia in rain water will cleanse it well; put the whole hair into the solution, and wash it; then cleanse it with clear milk-warm water, and clip all the ends of the hair without fail. Every split end will, if not cut off, deaden the hair. Another good cleansing recipe is, one ounce of powdered borax, a small bit of camphor, dissolved in a quart of boiling water. With any recipe for cleansing, the hair must be rinsed thoroughly with clear spring water. All boys and gentlemen should wash their heads all over, hair and all, every morning, and wear ventilated hats. Gentlemen become bald sooner than ladies from wearing close hats so much.

9.—BANDOLINE.

A French recipe, is excellent—because it is harmless—to use in dressing hair to keep back any refractory locks.

Recipe. Simmer one ounce of quince seed in a quart of water, forty minutes; strain cool, add a few drops of scent, and bottle, corking tightly.

Another way of making “Bandoline” is with Iceland moss. Take a quarter of an ounce, boiled in a quart of water, and a little rectified spirits added, so that it may keep.

A weak solution of isinglass is the only curling fluid that is harmless.

10.—COLD CREAM.

Is excellent for a lip salve. The recipe is a pint of sweet oil, half an ounce of spermaceti, and two ounces of white wax, melted together over the fire and scented; or take a pint of oil of sweet almonds, one ounce of white wax, half an ounce of spermaceti, and half a pint of rose water, beat to a paste.

11.—RECIPE FOR CAMPHOR ICE.

Half a cake of white wax, a good inch of a pure spermaceti candle, a piece of camphor as large as an English walnut, a tablespoonful of sweet oil, mix and simmer all together; if too soft, add more wax, if too hard, add more oil. This is excellent to use in cold weather for lips and hands.

This being prepared for a home book, we give a few recipes for the use of the toilet, which we know are good.

We will give one more most excellent recipe for a cooling and healing salve.

12.—CUCUMBER SALVE.

Half a pound of pure lard unsalted, a heaping quart cup of cucumbers sliced as for eating; let them simmer an hour, so as not to boil, then strain into cups.

13.—TO LOOSEN STOPPERS OF TOILET BOTTLES.

Let a drop of pure oil flow round the stopper, and stand the bottle near the fire. After a time tap the stopper with the handle of a hair brush; if this is not effectual, use a fresh drop of oil, and repeat the process.

14.—TO REMOVE A TIGHT RING.

When a ring happens to get tightly fixed on a finger, take a piece of common twine, soap it thoroughly, and then wind it round the finger as tightly as possible. The twine should commence at the point of the finger, and be continued till the ring is reached; the end of the twine must then be forced through the ring. If the string is then unwound, the ring is almost sure to come off the finger with it.

15.—HAIR WASH.

As much borax as a pint of hot water will absorb, three tablespoonfuls of best olive oil, twenty drops of almond essential oil. This recipe we recommend most heartily. It must be well shaken before using.

16.—A CURE FOR POISON.

Sweet oil is a cure for the poisonous bite of serpents, spiders, &c.; also for being poisoned by ivy and dogwood. Bathe the part bitten or affected, and take a teaspoonful internally. If a horse is affected, it will require eight times as much to affect him. All persons sensitive to poison whenever they visit the woods, on their return should wash hands and face in vinegar and salt, and take camphor inwardly.

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