ly and thoroughly dried by being well rubbed with a coarse towel. Sometimes bran is used in the water.

Some people are troubled with moist or damp feet. This complaint arises more particularly during the hot weather in summer-time, and the greatest care and cleanliness should be exercised in respect to it. Persons so afflicted should wash their feet twice a day in soap and warm water; after which they should put on clean socks. Should this fail to effect a cure, they may, after being washed as above, be rinsed, and then thoroughly rubbed with a mixture consisting of half a pint of warm water and three tablespoonfuls of concentrated solution of chloride of soda.

After the bath is the time for paring the toe-nails, as they are so much softer and more pliant after having been immersed in warm water.

Few things are more invigorating and refreshing after a long walk or getting wet in the feet than a tepid foot-bath, clean stockings and a pair of easy shoes.

To avoid chilblains on the feet it is necessary to observe three rules: 1. Avoid getting the feet wet; if they become so, change the shoes and stockings at once. 2. Wear lamb's wool socks or stockings. 3. Never under any circumstances "toast your toes," before the fire, especially if you are very cold. Frequent bathing of the feet in a strong solution of alum is useful in preventing the coming of chilblains.

People who walk much are frequently afflicted with blisters, and many are the plans adopted for their prevention. Some soap their socks, some pour spirits in their shoes, others rub their feet with glycerine. The great point, however, is to have easy, well-fitting boots and woolen socks. Should blisters occur, a very good plan is to pass a large darning needle threaded with worsted through the blister lengthwise, leaving, an inch or so of the thread outside at each end. This keeps the scurf-skin close to the true skin, and prevents any grit or dirt entering. The thread absorbs the matter, and the old skin remains till the new one grows. A blister should not be punctured save in this manner, as it may degenerate into a sore and become very troublesome.

On the first indication of any redness of the toes and sensation of itching it would be well to rub them carefully with warm spirits of rosemary, to which a little turpentine has been added. Then a piece of lint soaked in camphorated spirits, opodeldoc or camphor liniment may be applied and retained on the part.

Should the chilblain break, dress it twice daily with a plaster of equal parts of lard and beeswax, with half the quantity in weight of oil of turpentine.

It is tolerably safe to say that those who wear loose, easy-fitting shoes and boots will never be troubled with corns. Some people are more liable to corns than others, and some will persist in the use of tightly-fitting shoes in spite of corns. Though

these latter really deserve to suffer, it is still our duty to do what we can to remove that suffering.

Pare the toe-nails squarer than those of the fingers. Keep them a moderate length-long enough to protect the toe, but not so long as to cut holes in the stockings. Always cut the nails; never tear them, as is too frequently the practice. Be careful not to destroy the spongy substance below the nails, as that is the great guard to prevent them going into the quick.

The toe-nails do not grow so fast as the fingernails, but they should be looked after and trimmed at least once a fortnight. They are much more subject to irregularity of growth than the finger-nails, owing to their confined position. If the nails show a tendency to grow in at the sides, the feet should be bathed in hot water, pieces of lint be introduced beneath the parts with an inward tendency, and the nail itself scraped longitudinally.

There

The remedies for corns are innumerable. is no doubt, however, that corns are the result of undue pressure and friction. According to the old formula, "Remove the cause, and the effect will cease." But how to remove it? As a general preventive against corns adopt the plan of having several pairs of shoes or boots in constant use, and change every day. When the corn has asserted itself, felt corn-plasters may be procured of the druggist, taking care that you cut the aperture in them. large enough to prevent any portion of them press

ing on the edges of the corn. Before long the corn will disappear.

The great fault with modern shoes is that their soles are made too narrow, If one would secure perfect healthfulness of the feet, he should go to a shoemaker and step with his stockinged feet on a Let the shoemaker mark with a

sheet of paper. pencil upon the paper the exact size of his foot, and then make him a shoe whose sole shall be as broad as this outlined foot.

Still more destructive of the beauty and symmetry of our women's feet have been the high, narrow heels so much worn lately. They made it difficult to walk, and even in some cases permanently crippled the feet.

A shoe, to be comfortable, should have a broad sole and a heel of moderate height, say one-half an inch, as broad at the bottom as at the top.

CHAPTER XXV.

HINTS ON THE IMPROVEMENT AND DISPLAY OF FEMALE BEAUTY.

T

SINGING AND PLAYING.

HERE are many young women, who, when they

sit down to the piano to sing, twist themselves into so many contortions, and writhe their bodies and faces about into such actions and grimaces, as would almost incline one to believe that they are suffering great bodily torture. Their bosoms heave, their shoulders shrug, their heads swing to the right and left, their lips quiver, their eyes roll; they sigh, they pant, they seem ready to expire! And what is all this about? They are merely playing a favorite concerto, or singing a new Italian song.

If it were possible for these conceit-intoxicated warblers, these languishing dolls, to guess what rational spectators say of their follies, they would be ready to break their instruments and be dumb forever. What they call expression in singing, at the rate