Pillow

“ It seems to me that sometimes when my head is on the pillow there come whispers as of joy that drop into my heart—thoughts of the sublime and beautiful and glorious, as though some angel’s wing passed over my brow, and some dear one sat by my pillow and communed with my heart to raise my affections to the other and better world. The invisible is not dark, it is glorious. ”

“ The sleeper startles, half raises herself from her pillow, parts her black, silky hair, that lays upon her gently-swelling bosom, and throws it carelessly down her shoulders, wildly setting her great black orbs on the strange figure before her. ”

“ The thin locks of straight black hair that were spread upon her pillow were shot through with gray. The vision of a great soft, fluffy mass of wavy golden tresses flashed into his mind—the crowning glory of no particular woman, but just an abstract picture. ”

“ Who but she can smooth the pillow and soothe the anguish of the child of affliction? There is a tenderness in her nature, a softness in her touch, a lightness in her step, a soothing expression in her face, a tender beam in her eye, which man can never have, and which eminently fits her for the lead in home-sympathy. ”

“ Something in the girl's chamber, so familiar, so redolent of associations with her bright presence, tore at his heart with a fresh sense of loss, like a gnawing pain that fastens into a new wound. On the bed he saw her pink flannel dressing-gown, with the embroidered collar which had so delighted her when she had bought it; on the floor at one side lay her pink quilted slippers, slightly soiled from use; and between the larger pillows was the delicate, lace-trimmed baby's pillow upon which she slept. ”

“ Why leaves she her chamber of purple?—too soon
For its curtains’ silk folds to unclose before noon.
Why leaves she her pillow, so soft and so fair?—
The hours of the night are yet cold on the air. ”

“ She pulled the slender gold chain of her night lamp; instantly the large white pillows were bathed in a warm pink glow—she studied the effect very carefully, then added a lingerie pillow to the two more formal ones, kicked off her slippers and hopped into bed. One more glance at the pillows, then she arranged the ribbons of her negligee to fall “carelessly” outside the coverlet, threw one arm gracefully above her head, half-closed her eyes, and sank languidly back against her pillows. ”

“ Spurstow packed his pillows craftily so that he reclined rather than lay, his head at a safe elevation above his feet. It is not good to sleep on a low pillow in the hot weather if you happen to be of thick-necked build, for you may pass with lively snores and gugglings from natural sleep into the deep slumber of heat-apoplexy.
'Pack your pillows,' said the doctor sharply, as he saw Hummil preparing to lie down at full length. ”

“ She traces the motionless outline, raises the coverlet; with the nice black head deep in the fleecy pillow he is sleeping quietly, he dreams of that other mother gliding in upon the moonbeam, and awaking turns sympathetically upon the living woman, is subdued in a moment to the expression of her troubled spirit, and understands. ”

“ When the baby uses the pillow, let him sleep on the white side; at other times turn up the colored side and the pink or blue will show very prettily through the linen. If you let the child sleep on the colored side he may, most likely will, vomit some sour milk on it, sooner or later, and the beauty of your pillow will be gone. ”

“ The old style of chewing one end of the pillow, and holding it the way a retriever dog holds a duck, till the pillow case is on, and then spanking the pillow a couple of times on each side, is the best, and it gives the woman’s jaws about the only rest they get during the day. ”

“ I looked in quietly, and saw a big man with long black hair, that fell off his pillow and swept the ground, lying snoring, with his nose turned up and his mouth open, but he seemed so sound asleep that we did not stop to slay him. ”

“ The cradle-song grew ever softer; at length the young mother, kneeling down, wrapped the little one, which lay before her like some rosy, waxen doll, in a great woollen shawl. In the corner near the pillow I observed a little couch made of old rags and tatters. On this the baby was gently and carefully laid, and, in spite of the heat, covered yet again. ”

“ My darling boy, anything you like, you could not have a better opportunity, my legs point to the window, so you have the fullest sight—look, feel, frig, fuck, or bugger, all is at your free disposition—only give me a pillow from the bed, as the floor is too hard for me to continue so long as you are likely to be. ”

“ He was not fond of petting, but allowed one or two honored beings to cuddle him. My work-basket was his favorite bed, for a certain fat cushion suited him for a pillow, and, having coolly pulled out all the pins, the rascal would lay his handsome head on the red mound, and wink at me with an irresistibly saucy expression that made it impossible to scold. ”

“ And thus it was agreed, and so much had they to say to each other that not until the morning light began to steal into their bedroom, to discover them lying on one pillow, raven-black and golden tresses mingled together, did any drowsy feeling come to them. ”

“ About her pillow fall.
She leans from out our clinging arms
To rest herself in Thine;
Alone to Thee, dear Lord, can we
Our well-beloved resign.
O, less for her than for ourselves
We bow our heads and pray ”

“ To test a pillow for resilience, lay the pillow flat and press down the center with your hand. The quicker and more completely it springs back to its original shape the better is the grade of feathers. ”

“ If he sees a pillow that takes his fancy or an elegant table-cover—or indeed any article of household furniture—he praises it, looks admiringly at it, takes it into his hand, and, complaining that he has nothing of the kind, begs or rather extorts it from the owner. ”

“ Mrs. Cass had laughingly forewarned me that not only calico shirts but patch-work pillow-cases were an indispensable part of a travelling equipment; and, thanks to the taste and skill of some tidy little Frenchwoman, I found our divan-pillows all accommodated in the brightest and most variegated garb.
The Judge and my husband were gay with the deepest of blue and pink. ”

“ For the girl who has a window seat in a room and wants to keep her room dainty and bright there is [375] nothing as pretty as the lingerie pillow. It may be made of heavy white linen or lawn as you desire and can be oblong, round or square. The cushion is covered in any colour that you prefer and the white top embroidered with large eyelets, Roman cut work, Hardanger or drawn work so that the colour will appear through the openings. Some of the handsomest imported pillows have motifs of real Filet, Irish Crochet or Cluny lace. These motifs are very expensive and not really necessary. ”

“ Your sleep will be much better, and after the habit is once formed a pillow is looked upon with derision. I know foolish mothers who put their children to sleep on pillows as big as a school-girl's love for caramels, and the poor babies tumble and toss, and the next morning those mothers dose them for a pain in the "tum-tum." ”

“ When the pillow-cases are clean and smooth, they look best outside of the cover, but not otherwise. Then draw the hand along the side of the pillows, to make an even indentation, and then smooth and shape the whole outside. A nice housekeeper always notices the manner in which a bed is made ”

“ Out of this she takes soft, thick quilts, and spreads them on the matting, one on top of another. For a pillow she brings each of us a small block of wood.
We do not like the wooden pillows, but we sleep soundly all night in our beds on the floor. ”

“ One pillow, and one only, that is just thick enough, so that when I lie upon the side, as I think persons who can ought, it is just comfortable. There is a great deal of truth in the old maxim, “keep the feet warm and the head cool!” ”

“ I want you to have a comfortable pillow, Hen. What does it matter—a few shillings—and it will be so much better. Flock gets into such horrid lumps—and it's so hot and study—horse-hair will keep you cool. ”

“ One of the pillows of your bed will do just as well as a hanging bag. Throw it up to the ceiling, and as it comes down strike it up again, first [Pg 219] with one hand and then with the other, and see how long you can keep it in the air. This pillow fighting is a good and not at all dangerous exercise. Pillow never hits back.
Although nothing has been said about girls doing these exercises, they are all suitable for girls, especially if done before they have finished dressing. Girls must have tumbled hair some time, and what better time than before they have combed it in the morning? ”

“ No Pillow.—I have found patients who had heard somewhere the idea that it was natural for man to sleep without a pillow. The pillow in this theory was supposed to be an added refinement of men in a state of luxury, but a real degeneration opposed to nature, and the many presumed benefits of sleeping on a perfectly level mattress with the head no higher than the rest of the body was emphasized. ”

“ Then the bedclothes all creep to the ground in a heap, and you pick ’em all up in a tangle;
Next your pillow resigns and politely declines to remain at its usual angle!
Well, you get some repose in the form of a doze, with hot eyeballs and head ever aching,
But your slumbering teems with such horrible dreams that you’d very much better be waking ”

“ Her breast, with its badge of shame, was but the softer pillow for the head that needed one. ”

“ The girl who curls up like a shrimp is the one who will be writing to me in a great flurry and worry, telling me that her shoulders are round, and that she simply can't make them nice and square as they should be for the new tailor-made that is to transform her into a happy little Easter girl! The woman who is horrified to find wrinkles appearing like wee birds of omen does not have to tell me that she is a pillow fiend and sleeps with her head half a foot higher than her heels. It stands to reason that a pillow will push the flesh of the face up into little lines. ”

“ Maynard I suppose, but as I worked, I wondered if I would ever embroider a sofa-pillow for a real college man. I wished this one was destined for some one who was in college now. I should have enjoyed the thought that a pillow made by my hands would be piled high on a couch in the corner of a college boy's room, beneath posters and signs and flags, and that college men would lean up against it and play banjos and guitars. ”

“ How should an infant's bed be prepared?
The mattress should be firm but soft, the pillow very thin, and the covering not excessive. A baby should not be allowed to sleep always in the same position, but should be changed from side to side. Hair pillows are useful in summer and for children who perspire very much. ”

“ When the lace is thoroughly rinsed it should be pressed between the palms of the hands to get rid of superfluous water and then picked out with the greatest care and infinite patience and laid out upon a clean white cloth fastened to a pillow. Tiny pins with very sharp points can be used to stretch it into place on the pillow and every part of the design must be worked into shape with the fingers. ”

“ The mother should sleep alone, and preferably in a room by herself. A little pillow under the small of the back is very comfortable, and during the last four months, an additional pillow under the shoulders. ”

“ You can have a blue blanket or a red one, and a straw pillow or an air cushion for your head, whichever you like. You can trim up to any extent, and be as free and easy as squaws in a wigwam, for this corner is set apart for you ladies and we never cross the line uncle is drawing until we ask leave. ”

“ The pillow on which they sleep should not be so soft that the part of the head in contact with it sinks into it and becomes overheated and perspires freely, while the rest of the head is comparatively cold. ”

“ In ordinary cases, one large pillow is enough, and it is a good plan to place it lengthways, one end resting against the bed-head, and the other on the mattress, thus avoiding the hollow between the patient’s shoulders and the bed, which is a fruitful source of uneasiness and restlessness. In convalescence and in many forms of illness, pillows play an important part, and we shall have more to say about them later on.
We now return to the bed, furnished as far as the under-sheet and pillow. ”

“ In their youth they lay upon hard straw pallets covered only with a sheet, and mayhap a dogswain coverlet over them, and a good round log for pillow. If in seven years after marriage a man could buy a mattress and a sack of chaff to rest his head on, he thought himself as well lodged as a lord. Pillows were thought meet only for sick women. ”

“ If a fancy edge is desired for the pillow one made of beads is far more appropriate than anything else. After the pillow is complete and made up, put on the bead edge by catching a bead to the material at a short distance from each other. ”

“ And now I may dismiss my heroine to the sleepless couch, which is the true heroine's portion; to a pillow strewed with thorns and wet with tears. And lucky may she think herself, if she get another good night's rest in the course of the next three months. ”

“ At times there came the temptation to show our sisters across the seas a more comely way of dressing themselves, especially in these days of silhouettes, to say nothing of a simpler way to dress their pillows. Their pillow-cases were far too complicated for the practical American mind. ”

“ Do not bolster up the head so as to get a square look at your toes, or, being in a feather bed, till you resemble a letter C. Rather use but one light curled-hair pillow. It is cool and healthy. Avoid feather beds and pillows.
“Didn’t your ‘grandma sleep during nearly a hundred years’ on a feather bed?” ”