the bed clothes save the sheets, and the light white coverlet, which
is placed over all merely for appearance.

With increasing attention paid to hygiene, single beds rather than
double are coming into favor. Even where two people occupy the same room
they will be more comfortable in different beds. It is a mistake for
young people and infants to sleep with older people, or for those who
are well and strong with sickly or delicate persons, as there is apt to
be a loss of vitality to the more vigorous party.

Everything connected with the bed should be regularly and thoroughly
sunned and aired. The occupant on rising should throw back the
bed-clothes over the foot of the bed, or, indeed, take them off and hang
them over a chair in the sunlight.

The first thing in making a bed should be to turn the mattress. The
lower sheet is then put on right side up and with the large end at the
top. This is tucked in carefully all around, then the covering sheet is
put on with the large end at the top, but the right side under. This is
tucked in only at the foot in order to permit the bed to be easily
entered. Over these the blankets are placed and folded back at the head
under the fold of the upper sheet. Pillow-shams should never be used,
as ornamentation on a bed is not necessary, and if it were a sham is
never an ornament.

The walls of bedrooms may very properly be painted, as also the floors,
to permit scrubbing, especially after the illness of an occupant.
If papered, a chintz pattern is preferable; cretonne of similar design
should then be used for furniture slips, etc. The woodwork may be white,
with the chairs to match. There should be washable cotton rag-rugs,