Evelyn Crickmay, age 9, of Calgary, Alberta, for her question;
What are freckles?
This is one of Andy’s favorite subjects. Judging from his mail, his readers are also very interested in freckles. However, on this subject of freckles, Andy and his readers do not seem to agree. Once in a great while, he states his reasons for being in favor of freckles. But so far he seems to have made no converts.
Summer and the freckle season are almost here. If freckles bother you, you may worry about this. Andy hates to have you worry about things. So here are a few facts to make you feel better about the freckle situation.
Freckles usually honor people who have fine, delicate complexions. Each is caused by the caress of a sunbeam. This sunlight activates the brown pigment stored in a deep layer of the skin. The pigment comes to the surface and stays there until you hide from the summer sun for several weeks.
Some people, out of ,jealousy, scoff at freckles. Andy says this is a modern idea and just the opposite from what the great beauties of history have always known to be true. Being a pixie of great age, Andy can remember this for a fact.
Helen of Troy, he says, was the most beautifully freckled woman who ever lived. Paris, who gave the golden apple to Venus, was the most handsomely freckled man who ever lived. Both lived among the isles of ancient Greece where affectionate sunbeams could reach them, Helen was freckled on her face, neck, arms, legs and feet. People gathered to watch her freckled feet go by.
Cleopatra sunbathed on a barge on the Nile to keep her crop of freckles in top form. The ladies of Rome envied her and walked outdoors without hats in order to get freckles of their own. And freckles were admired on the bare arms and legs of the brave Roman Legions.
The beauties of the lavish French court lived a luxurious indoor life. Thcy were pale and sickly because they rarely went outdoors in the sun.
They had to paint their faces with powder and rouge to look halfway healthy, because nothing sickly looks pretty. Wise Madame Pompadour knew that a person also needs a few freckles to be truly handsome. So, over the paint and powder, she stuck a few patches of dark velvet. They were called beauty spots in imitation of freckles, which are natures beauty spots. Freckles do not show up in pictures, Otherwise you would know that Andyts old skin is just about covered with them. They spatter over his nose, forehead, cheeks and. chin. There are more of them on his hands, feet, arms and legs. He keeps them in top form by sitting in the sunshine whenever he can. Why not join him?