elder-flower

— Our somewhat remote maternal ancestors were very chary in the use of water lest it should injure the complexion. So they delicately wiped their faces with the corner of a towel wet in elder-flower water or rose-water. Or in springtime they tripped out to the meadows while the dew still lay upon the grass, and saturating their kerchiefs in May dew refreshed their cheeks and went home contented that a conscientious duty had been performed. And so it was, though a different duty than the one they congratulated themselves upon. The May dew did them no harm at least, and they had been beguiled by a stratagem into early rising.