conomy. From the women's pages
of the Sunday supplements, and from the women's magazines in the
free reading room two blocks away, she gleaned many ideas for the
preservation of her looks. In a systematic way she exercised the various
parts of her body, and a certain period of time each day she employed in
facial exercises and massage for the purpose of retaining the roundness
and freshness, and firmness and color. Billy did not know. These
intimacies of the toilette were not for him. The results, only, were
his. She drew books from the Carnegie Library and studied physiology and
hygiene, and learned a myriad of things about herself and the ways of
woman's health that she had never been taught by Sarah, the women of the
orphan asylum, nor by Mrs. Cady.

After long debate she subscribed to a woman's magazine, the patterns
and lessons of which she decided were the best suited to her taste and
purse. The other woman's magazines she had access to in the free reading
room, and more than one pattern of lace and embroidery she copied by
means of tracing paper. Before the lingerie windows of the uptown shops
she often stood and studied; nor was she above taking advantage,
when small purchases were made, of looking over the goods at the
hand-embroidered underwear counters. Once, she even considered taking
up with hand-painted china, but gave over the idea when she learned its
expensiveness.

She slowly replaced all her simple maiden underlinen with garments
which, while still simple, were wrought with beautiful French
embroidery, tucks, and drawnwork. She crocheted fine edgings on the
inexpensive knitted underwear she wore in winter. She made little corset
covers and chemises of fine but fairly inexpensive lawns, and, with
simple flowered designs and perfect laundering, her nightgowns were
always sweetly fresh and dainty. In some publication she ran across a
brief printed note to the effect that French women were just beginning
to wear fascinating beruffled caps at the breakfast table. It meant
nothing to her that in her case she must first prepare the breakfast.
Promptly appeared in the house a yard of dotted Swiss muslin, and Saxon
was deep in experimenting on patterns for herself, and in sorting her
bits of laces for suitable trimmings. The resultant dainty creation won
Mercedes Higgins' enthusiastic approval.

Saxon made for herself simple house slips of pretty gingham, with neat
low collars turned back from her fresh rou