TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, TORTLAXD, XOTEMBEK 13, 1921
SEEKING
BY HANNAH MITCHELL.
BUSINESS is making inroads upon
the routine of teas, dinners and
dances that were once the life
of the society woman. Bradstreet'l
in ay some day rival the social regis
ter. It has become fashionable to
work for a living;, or if the living: be
already well looked out for, to work
for commercial grain.
Mr. Gouverneur Morris, wife of the
author and one of New York's most
popular and energetic society women,
la a rising: star in the business world
Elsie Waterbury Morris, wo should
have said, since that is the way she
signs herself In business.
Early last spring- Mrs. Morris took
charge of a beauty parlor and has
proved herself already fully as ca
pable In the executive chair as In the
drawing room or on the golf course.
From her little office In Princess
house she Is conducting a rapidly
growing business and one which
might well be the envy of many an
ambitious and astute business man.
"I have always been interested in
business and have wanted to try my
bandi at it," she said recently in reply
to the '"why" which no doubt has been
asked from many sides. "T come of
a family of business men, and Is has
always seemed to me that I might be
able to succeed in the business world.
Now that my children are in school
and do not need the attention and
time I once gave them, I have my
opportunity.
'I have a great deal of energy,
which I have been obliged to utilize
In sports because I could not embark
on a business career while my chil
dren were little. Now school takea
their time and I have no little play
mates. "1 chose a "beauty parlor" Primrose
House may be conceded the propor
tions of an establishment "because
I believe that beauty is the thin?
women want most In the world. Giv
ing1 people something- they want is a
ound business principle. But my
Choice of work rested on something
deeper than that. I believe there is
freat contribution to be made In fur
thering: the scientific care and devel
opment of personal appearance. You
know, I am sure, and I know how
much better work we do on days
when we have the added confidence
of looking1 well. Consciousness of a
straggly appearance takes- one's at
tention, from her work and creates
self-consciousness, kills concentration
on the work at hand. This is true
Xor the business woman, and It Is jurt
as true for the home woman. A slov
enly mother has a bad effect on chil
dren. "In Primrose Ho'use we are dealing
with only one phase of this problem
of appearances, but It seems to me
our line is one of fundamentals. It
1 Just as wrong for the modern wo
man to neglect her face and hands as
it was a few years ago for her grand
mother to neglect her teeth. If a
woman neglects her complexion and
Is careless of her appearance, It rep
resents nothing more or less than
pure laziness. At the same time there
are many things to be learned by
the woman of the best ' intentions.
And that Is where we come in. We
five them the best that science can
give and emphasize the value of
health and psycholdgy as a basis for
beauty."
As a matter of fact, Primrose House
has put into practice the theories and
desires of many society women.
Among Mrs. Morris' friends before
Primrose House was inaugurated It
was agreed that in the matter of
beauty parlors no one place suited.
The beauty parlor was too often a
place where temporary effects were
gained through the use of uncensored
cosmetics. In society women's homes
personal maids are not as numerous
as they used to be.
Eventually the question arose as to
why not establish a beauty parlor
which would answer the demands of
these women. Mrs. Morris replied to
It with Primrose House. The place
Itself cannot be passed over without
some comment.
Primrose House, in the East Fifties,
Ju&t off Fifth avenue. Is a three-story
house decorated on the outside in the
yellow of its name. On the first floor
la a tearoom. T)he window boxes on
the tiny balconies of the second floor
belong to the beauty parlor.-The door
Inviting feminine Ponce de Leons is
of red lacquer opening on the street.
Vp one flight of stairs and the seeker
after youth and beauty finds herself
In a reception room made for comfort
and pleasing effect.
The house was once the home of
Eoihern and Marlowe, and sinking
into one of the deep-cushioned chairs
It Is easy to wonder whether the little
platform in front of the windows
might not have once been the scene
of interesting bits of, drama.
The curtains of the Tudor windows
of thi recepUoa-wailioff room are. ol
V rv n l f- -a u If ft U'itt&'' 4 fa- W ' , , - i $ 4 - i
"SSsfcr VP Mrs. Morris la the companion and I IKj ,' "-.
ENTRY
Wife
Who
red lacquer chlntr. Bottles of Vene
tion glass, rose, blue, green and am
ber. reflect the light and suggest the
lotions and perfumes dear to women's
hearts. French and American fash
Ion' magazines are scattered tem.pt-
ngly about for perusal while the
customer awaits her appointment.
Upon the walls are decorative pan
els. Upon a long table are more at
tractive bottles and little jars filled
with things that have such attractive
names as "Petal Rouge," "Balsam,"
"Roseleaf" and the like. In chill
weather there Is always a fire of,
logs In the fireplace. In this room
impatience and fretfulness are Im
possible. The chairs, th fireplace,
the soft colors commanI that you
rest and smooth some of the lines out
of your face before the' attendant
takes you for a treatment.
"You like It?" questioned' Mrs. Mor
ris, as eager as a little girl. "The
effect of surroundings holds such an
Important place in psychology. Hurry
and worry are beauty destroyers. And
we want to create the right atmos
phere here for relaxation.
"We believe that real beauty Is
withii every woman. Let each rec- .
ognlze that and then follow scientific
methods of correcting difficulties and
bringing out her best points. Wo
hope to bring out this real beauty In
each woman who conies to us. Our
methods are not thosa of spreading
beauty from the outside, but of bring
ing It out from the Inside.
"You know I have worked over the
ideas Primrose House is carrying out
for a long time. I have collected
Mrs. Morris Is the companion and
chum of her two daoghten. Patsy
and Bay, who are shown with her
In both photographs on this page.
beauty preparations from all over tha
world and put them Into use here.
My friends and I had many favorite
preparations of our own recipes
we'd found in Paris or the east:
something a skin specialist had pre
scribed, something grandmother had
used when she was a girl In Virginia
or something an English maid had
brought from Surrey. Now we haye
pooled all these, our favorite beauty
secrets. We have had specialists work
on them; test them and here they
are."
Incidentally three of the chemists
working on preparations for Primrose
House, which are made by a New
England firm, are former college pro
fessors from Boston neighborhood
and their names are kept secret.
Graduate nurses are employed at
Primrose House to give treatments of
face, hands and arms. Their little
workrooms are each separate; no half
partitions which shut out sight, but
do not cut off conversation. The
little individual rooms are fresh and
scientifically clean. Their coldly
scientific aspect is modified by filmy
dotted Swiss curtains, merry chintzes
and little French pr'nts on the wall.
In each room there is a chart show
ing the "muscles of the face.
The spirit of Mrs. Morris permeates
the whole place. She Is on the Job
every day and Interested in every
development. She knows the details
of the shop by heart and is full of
enthusiasm for every phase of the'
work. In reply to the question as to
whether it was a paying bus'neas she
exclaimed:
"From the day . we opened it was
a paying proposition. Besides doing
a full business here In the house we
are now doing a good mall order
business. I had no idea when I
started what a demand there would
be for these things. I get orders
from all over the world for our prep
arations. One just came today from
Singapore. We get many orders from
the middle west orders for $28 or
$30 worth of material at a writing.
Some of the letters are badly worded
and written. But the demand Is
greater than I dreamed it would be.
"When I get these orders from
women so far away I cannot help
feeling that they are reaching out
for something and that maybe by
helping them to improve their ap
pearance we are helping them more
deeply. Women have reached the
point where they want to lexpress
t hemselves; they want to do their
part. Some of them do not know ex
actly what that is. but they are try
ing to find themselves. This groping
has come in real earnest since the
war. The war did women lots of
good, just as I feel it did men lots of
harm. The home used to be the fac
tory and the women in it the factory
worker. That factory work had been"
transferred elsewhere before the war.
but it was during the war that women
realized it- Now women are Setting
out and offering a worth-while con
tribution to t:.e world. They are no
longer sat'sf ied with a pat on the
back for work well done. They want
recognition ani compensation."
In this proclamation Mrs. Morris
was no doubt expressing herself and
many of her frit ads. Cbjurity work
- w v . . -" -. j t
IN BRADSTREET'S AS IN SOCIAL REGISTER
of Gouverneur Morris, the Author, Ranks Among the Women
Find a Business Career Fashionable as Well as Profitable
and lending their names to commit
tee no longer suffice for these
women. They must be doing some
thing that brings recognition, respect
snd compensation.
"Women also owe It to their chil
dren to make the most of everything
they can do and be. I am always in
terested in children and eager to pro
mote things that will be of help to
them."
With her own children, two daugh
ters, known familiarly as. Patsy an!
Bay, Mrs. Morris Is real comrade and
friend. She has been their companion
in the outdoor sports or which they
are fond. The older daughter, fifteen.
Is a tennis player of promise. The
younger daughter, while fond of -outdoor
sports, is Interested in writing.
In this she probably has the advan-
I::
A -
" M. E. Hewitt Studio. v
The house where Mrs. Morris conducts her business once belonged to Sotfaern and Marlowe, and one can almost Tis
j ' ualise n Romeo and Juliet scene here.
heredity and undoubtedly will Mrs. Morris herself is thoroughly in tournaments she swims, she r'des woman she keeps up in some outdoor
e support of parents' interest, sn outdoor woman. She playg golf and plays tennis. As a business sports, although she does not have
tage
have
M A J 0 R WILBRAHAM BY HUGH WALPOLE
(Continued From Pag.. 3.)
prisin' quick." He had liked the old
boy, especially as he had given him
half a crown.
The woman was another story. She
was quiet and reserved, dressed in
black, with a neat little black hat
with a green feather in it. She had
yellow fluffy hair and bright childish
blue eyes and a simple. Innocent ex
pression. She epoke very softly and
almost In a whisper. So far as I could
discover she could see nothing odd in
W'ilbraham nor in anything that he
had said. She was the one person in
all the world who had understood him
completely and found nothing out of
the way in his talk.
She had liked him at once, she
said. "I could see that he was kind."
she added earnestly, as though to her
that was the most important thing In
all the world. No, his talk had not
seemed odd to her. She had believed
every word that he had said. Why
not Tou could not look at him and
not believe what he said.
Of course It was true. And why
rot? What was there against it? It
had been a great help for her what
the gentleman had told her. . . .
Yes, and he had gone to 'Sleep with
his head in her lap . . . and she
had stayed awake all night thinking
. . . and he had waked up just in
time to see the sun rise. Some sun
rise that was, too.
That was a curious little fact that
all three of them, even the battered
pugilist, should have been so deeply
struck by that sunrise. Wllbraham on
the last day of his life, when he
hovered between consciousness and
unconsciousness, kept recalling It as
though it had been a vision.
-"The sun and the trees suddenly
green and bright like glittering
swords. All shapes swords, plow
shares, elephants and camels and
the sky pale like ivory. See. now the
sun is rushing up faster, faster than
aver, to take us with. .him,, up, . up,
i ...:.::::;,..:....:: .;.;- ::-.:... -V. :::. V f , '-' J
-:.-'-' .i: xl f
f
r
r
leaving the trees like green clouds
beneath us far, far beneath us "
The woman said it was the finest
sunrise she had ever seen.
He talked to her all the time about
his plans. He was looking disheveled
now and unshaven and dirty. She
suggested that he should go back to
his flat. Xo, he wished to waste no
time. Who knew how long he had
got? It might be only a day or two
. . He would go to Covent Garden
and talk to the men there.
She was confused as to what hap
pened'after that. When they got to
the market the carts were coming In
and men were very busy.
She saw the gentleman speak to
one of them very earnestly, but he
was busy and pushed him aside. He
spoke to another, who told him to
clear out.
Then he Jumped on to a box, and
almost the last sight she had of him
was his standing there in his soiled
clothes, a streak of mud on his face,
his arms outstretched and crying:
"It's true! It's true! Stop just a mo
ment you must hear me."
Someone pushed him off the box.
The pugilist rushed in then, cursing
them and saying that the man was a
gentleman and had given him half a
crown, and then some hulking great
fellow fought the pugilist and there
was a regular melee. Wilbraham was
in the middle of them, was knocked
down and trampled upon. No one
meant to hurt him. I think. They all
seemed very sorry afterwards. . .
He died two days after being
brought into the nursing borne. He
was very happy just before he died,
pressed my hand and asked me to
look after the girl. ...
"Isn't it wonderful." were his last
words to me, "that it should be true
after all?"
As to truth, who knows? Truth is
a large order. This is true as far as
Wilbraham goe. every word, of JU
V"
- A v- tJ v-
.-WMWr V ...... v
...... ',i
Beyond that? Well, it must be Jolly
to be so happy as Wilbraham was.
This will seem a lying story to
some, a silly and pointless story to
others.
I wonder. , . .
(Copyright, 11)31, by the Chicago Tribune.)
Shellfish Produce Dye.
A shellfish exists on the Pacific
coast of Costa Rica from which a spe
cially fine purple color is obtained
and used for dyeing silk taread. - A
report received by the United States
department of commerce states the
discovery of this natural dye came to
light through an inquiry from Guate
mala, where some silk thread import
ed from Costa Rica commands a good
price.
The dyers, who apparently are lim
ited to a few old persons, take the
thread to the shore, where the shell
fish abound, and dye there. The per
son who picks up a shell blows his
breath upon It, whereupon a few
drops of greenish liquor ooze out.
This liquor is collected in an open
clam shell or other small container.
After a sufficient quantity has been
collected, the thread Is passed through
it. The thread soon afterward, on ex
posure to sunlight, assumes a beauti
ful purple color, which Is absolutely
fast.
In ancient days it is believed this
dye was called "Tyrian purple," and
was even then so rare that it was re
served for royalty.
Child Hygiene Promoted.
NEW HAVEN. At the American
Child Hygiene association meeting
the president. Dr. Henry L. K. Shaw
of Albany, gave an historical review
of the accomplishments that had been
brought about through organized
efforts, not only ' to reduce infant
mortality, but,, also .to promote . the
health -and welfare of older children.
When the association was formed In
1909 very little organized work was
being carried on in this country for
child hygiene. In 1908 the bureau of
child hygiene of New York city was
established and in 1912 the chil
dren's bureau In Washington was
formed. The early efforts for child
hygiene work in thia country were
to secure a better milk supply; to
carry on Infant hygiene instruction In
the homes through visiting nurses
and to work through child welfare
centers. Dr. Shaw pointed out the
Impetus-given to child hygiene work
in this country by the war and the
children's year campaign. These con
certed efforts had not only succeeded
in reducing markedly the Infant mor
tality rate but also in assuring chil
dren of all ages a better environment
in which to live.
Dr. Richard A. Bolt, general direc
tor of the association, in his report
on the progress in child hygiene work
in this country during the past year
pointed out that although there had
been a reactionery tendency along
many lines that the Interest In child
hygiene work had still grown, better
organization for parental service la
being worked out In many places
throughout the coutitry; the care of
the pre-school child is receiving espe
cial attention and a marked Interest
in nutrition and dental hygiene is
manifest.
Open Door Believed Threatened.
SHANGHAI. (By the Associated
Tress.) A meeting of the British
chambers of commerce In China
passed a resolution on the Shantung
controversy, saying:
"This conference is convinced that
any settlement of the Shantung ques
tion leaving Japan In a privileged po
sition in that province will constitute
a negation of the policy of (he open
door and equal opportunity in China,
to which the British government is
coruzuitttid." .....
Charlotte FalrcMld.
Mrs. Elsie Waterbury Morris Is among;
the prominent women who find a
business career fswhlonnltl. besides
being- decidedly profitable.
the time for as many as formerly.
But she believes that every business
woman should have some outdoor ex
ercise. Mrs. Morris Is slight of f'g
ure, and on the day I called was wear
ing a sort of sand-colored Canton
crepe suit with a brown hat and
brown low shoes. Her eyes are dark;
her face and hands soft in texture
and tanned from the open air. She
has a great deal of nervous energy
and the faculty of infecting hr
hearer wtth enthusiasm for her work.
Small wonder that the women who
worker at Primrose House seem so
pleased with what they are doing!
The patrons, or rather patronesses,
of Primrose House are for the most
part society women. As we have
said, many of them are Mrs. Morris
friends. But news of what the place
has to offer has gone outside thu
little inner circle, and many other
women, having come to see what it
was like, have come back apain and
again. Business and professional
women, among them a number of ac
tresses, have made their visits there
part of their routine week. In a
word, patronizing Primrose House
has been found practicable as well
as smart.
The slogan of this super-beauty
parlor is:
"Here Dwells Youth."
Its patrons or clients are not otiy
taken care of during the process of
the'r treatments; they receive a cer
tain amount of Instruction about how
they themselves should take care ot
their hands and faces, the peculiari
ties of their complexions are po'nted
out to them. Only recently I watched
one of the followers of Primrose
House's instruction groom her face
in her own home. It Is safe to say
that the old soap and wash-cloth
methods are out of date so far as
cleaning the feminine countenance is
concerned.
Mrs. Morris has. become so thor
oughly a believer In the work he Is
doing that she surpasses In ambition
others who have worked along the
same line. The prediction and am
bition for her work are interesting.
Listen!
"I hope and believe that In the next
ten years scientific care of the skin
will be taught in schools as a part
of the curriculum."
She Is very serious about It, and
who knows? It may be done.
Milk Check Sold Traveler
as Railway Ticket.
Housewife, Acting; nm Aarcnt, Leta
Husband Officiate.
TICKLETON was a small and un
important rural railway station,
and the post of ticket agent was held
by ls. Amanda Crlpes, an energetic
woman who lived near the tracks.
Travel to and from the town was
light, and having little use for a sep
arate office, Mps. Crlpes sold railway
tlckes when they were called for at
her own house, where she kept her
stock for safety In a bureau drawer.
Besides selling tickets, Mrs. Crlpes
"did for" a houseful of boarders and
a- shiftless husband. A ticket for
town being required one day when
the agent's hands were occupied with
the mixing of biscuit dough. Mrs.
Crlpes requested her husband to act
as her representative, and he oblig
ingly complied. A little later he ap
peared in the kitchen with a troubled
countenance.
"Mandy," he said anxiously, "was
any of the town tickets blue?"
"So all red," said Mandy.
"Well," continued Mr. Crlpes, as he
wiped the perspiration from his brow
In a troubled way, "I sold Mrs. Jones
a blue ticket, and then afterward I
noticed some red tickets in the lower
drawer, and "
"Upon my soul! Upon my soul!"
wailed Mrs. Crlpes. "Do you mean to
tell me that you have gone and sold
her one of my milk tickets the last
one I had! You awful man! Now the
train's gone and we can't get it back,
and milk's so high, too!"
Tomb of the Apostle John l'oiind,
ATHENS. Excavations st Epho
sus have resulted in the discovery of
considerable portions of the church
of St. John the Evangelist, notably
the crypt, which, according to tra
dition, is the tomb of tlie aposll
Joha.