Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1882 — ESTHETIC LUNACY. [ARTICLE]

ESTHETIC LUNACY.

The Fishpole and Circular-saw Style of Decoration Denounced. [From the Chicago Tribune.) A well-known New York publishing house, through their various publications, have become or affect to be the organs of the new esthetic craze and the esthetic world of Postlethwaites and Bnnthornes and their angular admirers, as well as the yellbw-hued followers of the Cimabne Brown school, who paint their fences in three colors, so as to ■give a dado and frieze to the wooden barriers which seperate them from their neighbors, fly to these publications, for instructions as to the last homely or awkward affectation. A pronunciamento from one of these oracles informs young ladies how to fit up their rooms, and lays down its conventional decreps with a Draconian rigor that is amusing, and even intimates as the penalty for not following these decrees that the young woman who does not obey is hardly fitted for good society, and has had serious deficiencies in her early training. First of all, she is informed that she must not have gas at all, for gas is low and vulgar. She must have lamps or candles. It would be curious to know why gas is low and vulgar, but the oracle does not enter into a discussion of the subject or inform ns why gas is more vulgar than kerosene, tallow, or wax, or why a clean, inodorous light is more vulgar than a lamp which smells badly at its best estate, or a candlo which is greasy, and has to be snuffed. The explanation probably is that the lamp and the candlestick are medieval, but if a young woman must have a medieval lamp or candlestick in order not to be low and vulgar, why should she not be compelled to burn medieval oil or tallow instead of the greasy, unsavory compounds sold by modern dealers, and why should she not demand that her grocer or oil-dealer should bo arrayed in the vestures of the medieval mercer? But to return to the young lady’s room. She must have long mirrors, and the furhiture must l>e of ormolu, with a profusion of roses and blue ribbons. If she has these things, we are informed that her interior (the room's, not her own) will “breathe the spirit of Pompadour.” Why should it breathe the spirit of Pompadour? Why should a young lady’s boudoir breathe the spirit of the mistress of ono of the most sensual Kings living in ono of the most sensual times of the world? Her room must also bo festooned with pink and blue silk, covered with lace or tufted satin, let into the walls. Notice, this is not a conditional decree; it is not a suggestion that such a roorti may bo dependent upon the purge; it must ba done or the young woman cannot belong to the fashionable world. Anything less than a boudoir breathing the spirit of the Pompadour relegates her to the sisterhood that is not fashionable and breathes the spirit of simplicity, economy, and old-fashioned duties. But this is not all. The oracle gives us more things that are essential. The first of these is a branch of peacock’s feathers. Fortunately these have now become so common that they are in tho hands of every street-peddler and can be had for almost nothing. Second, she must have “a brass potful of cattails.” Why the pot should lie .of brass is one of the mysteries, but it is evident that unless the pot is of brass the young woman cannot completely live up to it and be medieval. Why it should be filled with cat-tail 1, rayj'r than with canepoles, or bagi-ball clubs, or umbrellas, or faggots, or curtain-rods, all pf which are more beautiful and graceful than cat-tails, is equally mysterious. Finally, she must have a medieval candlestick. Evidently it is not necessary that there should be a candle in it, or it would have been mentioned. It is a little remarkable that the oracle did not insist that a peacock’s feather or a cattail should be stuck in it, rather than leave the medieval candlestick without a tenant. These things are the essentials. Then there are a few optional things which wo are given to understand will high ten the general effect. These are, first, Japanese fans, probably because the Japanese fan is the most hideous fan ever made; second, an easel, probably because the young woman paints flowers; third, a few straightbacked chairs, probably because they are uncomfortable; fourth, a brown curtain embroidered with sunflowers, probably because that is as ugly a thing as can be made; and last, but not least, a Persian cat. Why Persian, when a Persian cat is not medieval, we are not aware, or why it should bo a Persian rather than a Maltese or tortoise shell or plain old Tabby or Thomas. After the yCung woman has secured all these things and dumped them into her boudoir or bedroom higgledy-pig-gledy, for it is low and vulgar to have a few really beautiful things tastefully arranged, we are informed that the effect is “simple but choicel” And this room without a really beautiful thing in it, without o curve or a beautiful line in it, filled with a promiscuous aggregation of awkward, angular rubbish, supposed to bo medieval and beautiful liecause it represents a period when people knew nothing about art and beauty, is essential to preserve one from tho contamination of contact with the low and vulgar. W»‘ submit that the effect pf all this would lie .Lightened if tho young woman herself could only be arrayed or painted in some manner to represent a human dado, intermediary, and frieze. In no other way could she faithfully live up to her astonishing boudoir.

Value of the Sunflower. The sunflower is worshiped by the Chinese, and deserves the devotion of that materialistic people from the fact that it is the most useful of all vegeta'bles. seeds is made oil unsurpassed as a lubricant, and soap unequaled*for softening the skin. Sunflower oil is greatly used for adulterating salad oil, and it burns longer than any other vegetable oil. Sunflower cake is more fattening than linseed cake, its flowers supply the best l>eo food, and its leaves are much used for adulterating tobacco. Its stalk yields a fine fiber used in Chinese silk, and the best yellow dyes of the Chinese are produced from its flowers. Several acres are to be laid down with sunflowers in the Thames valley next year. —Live Stock Journal. The London Lancet says that people who sneeze often are the healthiest. A sneeze sets the blood circulating, and throws off a cold which is trying to settle. ' Mont'NA has over 1,000,00'3 head of cattle grazing on its fertjle past uses. In Massachusetts smoking at the polls is prohibited by Iftw,