every place in the room.  There was no danger in any direction of coming upon anything that was not in keeping with the room of a refined and delicate young girl.  The drawers of bureau and wash-stand, as I happened to have opportunity to observe them, were as sweet and clean and orderly as the rest of the room.  I felt better acquainted with the character of that young girl after two days occupation of her beautifully kept and appointed room than a year of ordinary acquaintance would have given me.

And while I am on the subject of an orderly and daintily kept room, let me tell you that the modern bane of order and neatness in a house is too many trivial and useless things, intended perhaps for ornament, but confusing to the eye, offensive to good taste, and more effective for catching dust than for anything else.  The multiplication of cheap picture-cards, wall-pockets, brackets, and all sorts of little useless knicknacks, has helped on this confusion, till one is almost tempted to regard them as nuisances.  A few of these ornamental trifles, arranged with an eye to a certain unity of design, may do very well; but, as William Morris, the great apostle of true decorative art in England, has said, “Better pure empty space than unworthy and confusing ornament.”  You may have heard it related of the great naturalist, Thoreau, that he made a collection of stones during his rambles, and placed them on his writing-table; but when he found he had to dust them every day, he threw them away.

This same general principle applies to dress.  Too many little trivial ornaments will destroy the character and dignity of any costume.  Better one or two ornaments of good quality, or better none at all, than half a dozen of poor quality.  And in regard to a young girl’s wardrobe, the same fundamental rule prevails:  if every article of apparel is not daintily clean, it is unbecoming and unworthy a refined personality.  Soiled laces and soiled ribbons are to be shunned; but better untidiness and soil of the outward apparel than of that which we know by the general name of underwear, which is far more personal and important than the outward costume.  The more refined the character and taste of any young girl, the more particular will she be in the matter of all articles of apparel that are private to herself, that they shall at least be daintily neat and clean.  I need not say to you how disenchanting it is to see a young lady’s foot with a shoe half buttoned because half the buttons are gone; or to see a slipper slip off and disclose neglected and untidy hose.  No young girl of proper self-respect or refinement will ever tolerate any such blemishes in her wardrobe.