MISS COLONIA IN LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1897, Page 4 (Supplement)

MISS COLONIA IN LONDON.

CONFIDENCES TO COUSINS ACROSS

THE SEA,

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

London, December 4. Dear Codsik,—An icy nortbeasb gale has teen Bweeping England from end to end Shis last weak, making life for those withBut furs unendurable. Furs, my dear, are siofc, I suspecb, things you take much interest in. Thank goodness we can now buy first rate onc3 fairly cheap. Auntie saya thab in her young daya only the wealthiest women possessed fur - lined cloaks, and thab even muffs (much larger, of course, than now) were considered a sign of smartness. Well, the other day father bought me a lovely fur-lined mantle wibh cuffs and collars of gable, for fifteen guineas. There are, of course, many qualities of sable. The most beautiful is the Imperial sable, mosb of which is reserved for bhe use of the Rusaian Royal Family. The tails are of a special shade of brown, and extraordinarily becoming. One of bhe Regent-street furriers has in his window a small capo thereof, which is marked a hundred guineas. One hears, however, of a larger garment still on view in Pariß, priced 30,000 franca. THE GREAT 'KNICKER' CONTROVERSY. The ' ahe-scorcher' waa in greab form at the meeting of tha Lady Cyclists' Association the obher afternoon, and sneered satirically ab bhe section—bhe unprogressive, non-up-bo date section —which refused bo adopb "knickers' for 'biking.' purposes. The resolution which formed bho basia of the discußß_on was to the effecb thab a Hkirted section ba formed, with a separate captain, place and time of meeting. A virile looking dame said bhab aa a • rabional ' ahe desired fco Bupporb ifc, becauso eha thoughb thab members should be free to adopt any costume thafc bhey liked, and by allowing* freedom there would be less friction bebween bhe two parties, while she thoughb bhab in 'dime fche skirted riders, by seeing bhe greater comforb of bheir si.ters, would be converted and live. Then a meek little lady, quite fche lasb one would expect to see in anything "divided," rose and deplored that there ahould be two camps. The Association was ostensibly progressive, and she thought that the company of tho skirted sisterhood gave courage to those who were bringing about the new movement. Personally when she in her ' knickers' had been with a petticoated party, she had never had anything fco complain of, bub riding alone she had had to submit, alas 1 bo bhe contumely and even annoyance of bhe unregenerate Bpectabor. A humerous member : Ib appears as though bhe knickorbockera will have bo tolerate the akirbs while bhe skirts are bo boycotb the knickerbockers. (Laughter.) Anobher knickerifce said some ladiaa were Jsampered with husbands or brothers— (laughter)—who strongly objected to •rationals. Although in favour of thafc mode of bicycle drees, she thought ifc was nob fair to asaume bhab skirts were nob rational. One section had no right to force anobher section into knickerbockers because they ithemselvea had found them comfortable. Thert. was one lady in. fche. room who would have her bicycle taken away from her if aha eifcher rodo in rationals or rode wifch thoso who did. (Criea of ' Shame.') Perhaps the mast notable facb aboub bhia discussion waa thab bha knickerites wero cone of bhom remarkable tor either good looka or good figures. Mra Lynn Linbon, in a vigoroua diatribe againsb womSn cycling, make a groab poinb of bhe unbecoming characber of tha pursuib. In her view only a very plain -vomaircan afford to bike.- She says;:--- * 'If cycling hadn't become tho fashion the pretty women with any regard to bheir appearance would have eschewed it aa bhey would esohew dancing on their hands wibh thair feeb in bha air, after the pattern of tba old Greeks and Romans. The pretfcieab woman in bho world and the moab graceful in riding, in walking, in dancing, in ekabing, in reclining, losea all her distinctive charm when " biking." Tbe attibude ia cansbrained, and pedal as well as aha may, the action is ungainly and bhe picburo she . makes ia ungraceful. The ekirta alternately flap and fill like tbe sails of a tacking boab, tbe eyeß are hard and anxiouß, the face is set, there is not lefb in hor bhe fainbesb remnanb of thab sweeb spirib of alluremonb which, conecioua or unconscious, is woman's supremo attraction. The sonaabion of cubting through the air, eitbing on air ifcaolf, may be pleasant enough when once fcho technical difficulties are overcome, bub ib is pleasantness bought at a price—and thafc price is all her special grace and all her special charm. The selfbetraying and kangaroo-like gymnasbics of tennis itself, whan tennis ceased to be a pastime and became a professional severity —these wero not more deadly foes to bhab poetry of motion and exquisite grace of gesture which we associate with bhe ideal woman bhan are the gesbures and mobions proper to biking, while bbc unlovely heat nnd subsequent mopping which makes tennis so fatal bo beauby and digniby, remains wifch bhe ct/clisle if ahe forges ahead wibh a will and sprints with due energy.' THE POET OF LOVE. 1 don'b fancy many of you in Auabralaaia know much more of bhe lafce Mr Covenbry Pafcmore than that he wrote a poem called "The Angol in fche Houso.' And yeb he was essentially a woman's poofc and possessed a charming personality and remarkable individuality. In politics Mr Pafcmore waa a Tory of ' The High Church, High Farming, and Old Port for ever' school, and hia attacks on Liberal leaders, especially Sladatohe, often proved exceedingly effective. Carlyle, indeed, dryly remarked, thab it was a pity his friend wouldn't give bhem prose instead of poetry, aa his thoughts were far more vigorously oxEreseed in the former than the latter. Nob ub wheb Pabmore'a poems contain soma very fina passages and have always commanded a limited bub highly culbured public both here and in America. Mr Edmund Goase avers fcbab 'no poofc haa juliered from abrangor oicillafcions of fashion nr has seemed to deserve them less. From first to last ho has written always in the same strain, in fche same dry. white heab, he has offered no hoßfcagea to passing tasfce, and yeb he has lived long enough fco be successively ignored, taken into universal favour, abruptly and completely neglected, *nd finally restored, nob fco popularity axactly, bub to the devoted cultus of a distinguished group. Meanwhile he haa navor changed hia key, he has sung of earthly and heavenly love, the one a fcype of the other, fcho firsb nofc lesa transcendental, loss sacramental, than fche second. "The Angel in fche House" «.aa accepted by school • girlß and curate., in became the "vade-mecum ■of engaged couple . who, after their honey'<noon. put tho volume back between their J__ng.e!low and their Tupper. Patmoro ■accepted the collocation with a grim Smile. If the Baucl.itication of middle clasi. philandoring waß all they discovered in tho pr-_m, what could it matter ? To friends who desired to see fcho element of realistic triviality purged from "The Angel in tho .House " who fretted at tho " florin to the willing guard " and what Calverly cruelly described as tho scene of " tha balmorafa on tho coralß," Patmoro sternly replied thab thoao who could nofc detect tho Spiritual meanine; bonoath the symbol deserved no bettor illustration.' Bub latterly, after a long period of comparative oblivion, Patmoreiem became a cult, fcaughb by Mr Oosse himself, by various minor bards, and particularly by -Mrs Alico Meynell. At the fetter's house fcbe veteran poet was nob so much a ' tame

cat' os a ' tame angel.' Mrs Meynell understood and appreciated his auatere and delicate soul better than anyone, and he admired her intensely both as wife and mother and worker. They were both apostles of love, of family affection, and of ■ higher life ab home.' An eminent hand suma up Covenbry Patmore thus :—'ln an age which delighta in having all its facets flushing ab once fee lived in a single beam of intellectual emotion. He made the psychology of love the Btudy of hia life, he wrote slowly, very carefully, very seldom, and always in order thab he might note down the phenomena of hia Bolifcary theme. Tho l_-ve of man for God, fche love of woman for man—this is the interwoven texture of all bis writings. He treated ib wibh audacities worthy of Sb. John of bhe Cross, with st-btle tone'erness, with fire, with a prophet's turmoil, with a child's aimpliciby. Bub the tbema was always the earn*., and Patmore will live in English verse for ever as the poofe par excellence o£ love, and of nothing bub love, yob of lova equally human and divine.' For samples of Coventry Patmore'a work I musb refer you to 'The Angel i» bhe House.' which ia now published in 'Caßseli's National Library,' price threepence. Philiabinea like myself will, however, probably remember bho man besb by bhe four line parody of the Emperor of Germany's telegram fco his wife during tbe FrancoPrussian war. This ran .—"Thanks be to God, my dear Augusta, the French have suffered anobher decinvo defeat. Ten thousand foes slain." Mr Pafcmore read it, scribbled off the following, and sent it to " Punch :"— Thanks be to God, my dear Augusta, • The French have had another buster. Ten thousand Froprgiea sent below. Praise God Irom whom all blessings now. The cleverness of the verso lies in the simplicity of bhe parody and the pungency of fcha satire and suggestion. Ib was said afc tha timo fcbe lines did more fco prejudice English sympathies towards Franca than anything which had happened- They have become classic and will live-in every history of that terrible war. Coventry Patmoro was 74 years of age, and had long been in very delicate health. Mr Goaao indeed saya:—'He was aware and his friends were aware of hia perilous condition; only ben days ago he wrobo to one with whom he had promi.ed to dine in London, " I positively daro nob come, I might drop dead ab your table." He haa bees sparod " bhe huddled unintelligible phrase and frigbben'd eye" which he de acribed so marvellously and feared so much ; he has passed away in peace among those who loved him beat, and knows whab he sought bo hard to fabhom, " bhe ardenb secret ever clothed wifch nighb."' ANOTHER NEW INSTRUMENT. Tho mandolyra, which is obbaining some vogue in mut-dcal circle., claims bo combine in one insbrumenb bhe characteriafcics of tbe mandoline and the lyre. In shape the mandolyra is graceful. Surveyed from the front it reseii-bloa the ancient Greek lyre or cibhara, with bhe neck orfrefcboard proper to the mandoSine placed equidiabanb be bween bhe curvilinear horns or sides. The back has tbe protuberant almond shape from which tho mandoline derives ibs name. The advanbagas claimed for bho now inabrumenb are increased power and sweetness of tone ebbained from bhe exbended surface of soundboard, and greater faciliby of execution owing to the fretboard not being carried over the body of the instrument. Ib ia, therefore,* the latest membet- of the lyre and lute family. Whether ifc ii destined to make ibs way co lasting popularity would seem doubtful. The lute was once a favourite instrument in England, For two hundred years ib has been unknown, bhe art of playing ib being practically loab. In romantic Spain the guitar is faat dying out. The curious traveller who takes, his leisured stroll in the balmy evening through the winding streets of an Andalusian town rarely catches its tinkling sound, while tbe more vigoroua notoa of the piano, accompanied by the lively clack of the castanets, frequently assail his ear. The piano has killed fcbe whole twanging tribe. True, we are told that the mandoline holds its own. afc any rate to a considerable extent in Southern Ifcaly. It has, aa we know, invaded England, having been galvanised into a certain degree of popularity by bho blind of Neapolitan players who exhibited thoir skill ab the Italian Exhibition some years ago. Ib is, however, we believe, a more familiar objecb in bhe windows of London music shops than in the hands of amateurs. REFRESHMENTS FOR A CINBEREU-A. There are one or two suggestions in the following Hut of refreshments for a Cinderella dnnce in warm weather which may come in useful -.—Menu: Croquettes of game, little aspics of foie graa, larks en chaudfroid. Sandwiches: Potted pheasant, cucumber. Cakes and Pasbry : Little pound cakes, walnut cakes, vanilla wafers, chocolate cakes, .eclairs glaces varies, lemon sandwiches. Icea : Cranberry water, cucumber croam, strawberry cream, iced maraßcbiuo Boufflea, claret cup, champagne cup, iced coffee. Lemon sandwiches. —Roll out two pounds of rich puff-paste very thinly. Divide it in halves and spread over one half a layer of lemon cheesecake mixture ; cover with the other half, press it cloßely, mark it lightly into diamonds and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Iced maraschino souffles.— Take the yolks of sixteen eggs, a pint of stiff syrup, and a gill and a half of maraschino. Warm a copper whisking-bowl wifch water, dry it well, and •out the syrup, maraschino, and lastly the yolks into it. Whisk thiß mixture over a very gentle fire until nearly cold. Geb ready some little paper souffle cases, and fasten round each a hand of, paper an inch high. Freeze in the cases. Before serving remove the bands of paper and strew brown piscuib-powder on fche surface of the 'BoUffl6-. ... . . ..' .!.■.: MRS RROOKFIEWJ. A dear old lady and a mosb in.ere.tfng personally has just passed away in Mra Brookfield, mother of the popular actor, and herself the beloved friend and correapondenb of Thackeray. She was admibbadly bbe' original of Lady Caablowood in ' Esmond,' and also suggested traits in the characters of Amelia Sedley and other of bho novelist's heroines. Thackeray was devotedly attached to both Canon and Mrs Brookfield, and some selections from hia lebters bo bhem published a few yearß back reveal how intimate was their friendship. Thackeray wae greab as a letter writer beside even Byron and Dickens. He tells us in one passage thab liiß pen almost does bhe work for bim. All the geniality and all the tenderness of hia nature, fche humour and the pathos, are to be found in these unpremeditated lines, dashed off sometimes when hi_ cob was waiting for him at tbe door. There was nothing formal—ab least, in the letbers to Mr Brookfield, who, clergyman as bo was, and Minor Canon of Sb. Paula as fco was yob to be, was addressed as 'M. L'Abbe,'or 'My dear Reverence,'or 'My dear old B. * Why I write now,' he says in one letter to his 'dearW.H.B,' 'is to beg and implore and entreab bhab you and Mra Brookfield will come and bake these three nice little rooms here, and stop with me until you have found other lodgment. It will bo the very greatest comfort and kindness to me, and 1 shall take it quite hungry if you don't come. Will you coma on Saturday bow? the good things you shall have for dinner are quite incredible. I have got a box of preserved apricots from Fortnum and Mason's, which alone oughb bo make any lady happy, and two shall be put under my lady's pillow every night.'

To Mrs Brook6eld he writes fco apologise for tbe intrusion of the name of her maid in • Vanity Fair,' a delicate way of showing

her she was never out of bis thoughts. •Now that ib ia over and irremediable, I am thinking, with a sort of horror, of a bad joke in the lasb number of "Vanity Fair, which may perhaps annoy somebody whom I wouldn't- wish to displease. Amelia ia represented as having a lady's maid, and bhe lady's maid's name ia Payne. I laughed when I wrote it. and theughb ib was good fun ; bnb now who knows whether you, and Payne, and evorybody won'b bo angry; and in fine, I am in a greab tremor.' Ib is evidenb thab writing is liboraturo made easy, when ahe is eifcher his cocrespondenb or his bhome. • I should like fco take another sheet and go on titblebabfcling; it drops off almost aa fasb as balking. I fancy you lying on the sofa and the boy outside walking up and down the 'oss. Bub I won't.' Every libblo incidenb of his life is regisbered for their amusement. In a letter bo his ' Dear Reverence ' Rrookfield he says : * T'obher day I wenb bo Harley-streeb and Baw tho most beautiful pair of embroidered slippers, worked for a lady ab whose feeb . . . .; and I begin more and more bo think Adelaide Proctor an uncommonly nice, dear, good girl. Old Dilke. of tho Abhenajum, vowa bhab Procbor and hia wife bebween bhem wroba " Jane Eyre," and when I protesb ignorance, Baya " Pooh ! you know who wrote ib. You are bhe deepest rogue in England," etc.' The deeper and more serious strain is, of course, fco be found in 'Esmond.' The true heroine of that book is introduced in the Crab chapter, and almoefc on bhe very first page :— * Her hearb melbed, I suppose (indeed she habh since owned as mach), ab bhe notion that she should do anything unkind to any mortal, great or imall, for, when she reburned, she had sent away tha housekeeper upon an errand by the door at the farther end of the gallery, and, coming back to the lad, with a look of infinite pity and tenderness in her eyfes, sho book hia hand again, placing her obher fair hand on hiß head, and saying some worda fco him, which were so kind, and said in a voice co sweeb, bhab bhe boy, who had never looked upon ao much beau.y before, felt as if bhe boucb of a suparior being or angel smote him down to the ground, and kissed tho fair protecting hard aa he knelt on one knee. To the vety last hour of his life, Esmond remembered the lady as she then spoke and looked, the ringa on her fair hands, tho very scenb of her robe, the beam of her eyes lighting up wibh surprisa and kindness, her lips blooming in a smile, the sun making a golden halo round hor hair.' FASHION NOTES.-WHO SETS THE FASHIONS. In an * interview' with fche greab Paris man milliner, Worth, afc hia splendid show rooms in the Rue de la Paix, Miss de Belioo, representing the * Lady's Realm,' inquired : • Who sebs bhe fashions ?' Mr Worbh replied : ' It would bo impossible to lay down any general bheory or role ; so much bhab is indefinable, and bo many hidden influences go bo fche making of a mode, especially nowadays when many marvels of colouring once reserved fco paiafcera and artists are within the reach of every intelligent arti.an who carea to spend his Sunday afternoon at the Louvre, or who can afford a seat in the upper* gallery of the opera. Take for instance the rainbow effects that were lately the only wear among the' Paris populace. Ro doubb Loie Fuller and her serpentine dance were responsible bo a greab extent for the sudden interest taken in prismatic colouring, bub the Japanese had, of course, long delighted in these multi coloured effects and fche French eye had gradually become accustomed to rainbow variations. The famous American dancer simply crystallised floating impressions which had long been wibh us. ,As to who sets the fashions (he added after a pause) that affords an easier solution. .There can be no doubb bhab certain elegantes who have bhe courage of bheir convictions and a belief in their own charms can impose whatever 'style of drees suits bhem beet on bhe "world ab large. For instance a beautiful woman with a long neck wears a high collar and all hor plain friends follow her example. A notable leader of fashion gets tired of narrow skirts and appears suddenly in a full round jupe. Her appearance creates a sensation, and the nexb day bbose women who have seen her in some public place or on some official occasion wearing wibh grace and effecb whab appeared outre and old-fashioned, follow bar example. Still, women are exceedingly conservative, and in the matfceriof fashion (concluded M. Worbh smiling) Englishwomen distinguish tbemaolvea as being bo, and are on the whole Tory dansl'ame.' 41 suppose bhe Empress Eugenic played a considerable parb as arbiter of faßhion !' • Yeß, during the brilliant day of bhe Empire she was undoubtedly bhe besbdressed woman in bhe world. Bab still, ib is absurd bo talk as though she was exceptionally extravagant, or again that she was particularly anxious to adopt new and extravagant modes. Ab bho time of fche Imperial wedding bhe making of lace waa practically a loab arb, and ib is liberally true thab there were on the Empress' wedding dress only bwo lace flounces, each two yards in length and nob even of bhe same pabtern. A few years worked a greab change in bhis direcbion, and in 1855 her Imperial Majesby diatributed bhe prizea bo bhe exhibkora of the Exposition in a cherry-coloured velveb gown covered with a skirb of Alencon valued ab £3,000. Again, we should nob forgob the parb played by the sfcage.' ' And whab are your views on the crinoline question ?' M. Worbh laughed. ' There ia no fear thab bhe bhing our fathers knew an bhe crinoline will ever come back even in a modified form, for ib was a cumbersome and awkward fashion utterly opposed to all modern forms of life, and though it poseesaed a certain grace, tbe same effecb can now be produced withoub bhe necessity for the' -same dangers and appliances. On bhe obher hand, I have never seen any reason why a woman should nob do something to free her feeb from bhe clinging of skirts. .But it ia now admitted that everything depends on the way in which bhe latter are cut. As for me, I naturally do nob concern myself with the popular modes. The momenb fashion becomes exaggerabed— in other words, universal—we have fco begin fco bhink of something to replace it. lam often asked by English clients whether the big sleeve has come bo stay. All l can say is that exaggeration will kill any model, however becoming. Nofc only does it make bhe fashion common, bob a woman rarely looks well or artistic in an outre garment. Of course, there are cortairi people who can wear anything and look well—yonr English Countess of Warwick for, ono of them—but there are not many such in the world.' The dictates of common sense and the commands of fashion have long been clashing on the subject of low necked dresses for evening wear in the colder months. But greab is common sense and ib musb prevail, indeed ifc is prevailing, for wherever one goes nowadays fco dinners, suppers, or bho play, high bodices are in evidence. And whab is more, their wearers are in many cases women who have no reason to hide their necks and abouldere— except perhapß some small remains of that modesty which our logibimabe guardians instil into us afc seven and endeavour (usually) fco crush oub ab savor-teen—and who are in their own seb considered 'smarb.' Without doubt bhe high bodice is a great deal more sensible in the chill of the year than the low, and if a woman givea hor mind to making ib ao the high bodice can be made bo look quite as drosßy as its less expensive rival. The other evening my vis-a vis at a little dinner wore a high bodice really good fco look ab. It was made of a peculiar chene silk, neibher bine nor green, and was pale, with fascinating silvery lights hovering over its surface. It looked jusb the simplest; of little garments, bub how deceptive and how dear is thab simplicity. The loose

folds were drawn down ab the waisb bowards the figure they adorned. There was an over-drapery of Brussels point lace, the design of which waß accentuated by diamond jewelling. Tho sleeves looked like magnified lily petala from shoulder to abovo the elbow, and thence to the wrists were arranged in a series of miniature tucks. The folds of thia little gem of a playbodice were lost beneath o girdlo of black velvet ribbon passed ab one Bide through a tiny diamond buckle. Another charming high evening bodice was made of a curious black shiny-surfaced silk with a warm, glow of red through ib. The silk was folded round the waisb in deep flab pleats, and formed a perfecblytibting broad corselet fastened by four small but beaubiful diamond and ruby buttons in rowa of bwo in front. The top parb was of whibe, finely accordion-pleated chiffon veiled with very lovely black lace in a design of roses and foliage all outlined, sbuddod and accentuated with jewelling in rubies, diamonds and jet. The collar was a band ol ermine with white accordion-pleated chiffon falling onb ia Bquare babs ab the back and fastened in fronb, whence ib^fell over white accordion-pleating in little shiny velvety black tails with an ornament in jab, ruby and paabe jewelling. The sleevea were of black chiffon, fold upon fold and covered on tbo shoulders with black jewelled laco, whence they were alternately tucked and shirred to tho wrists. The belb was of deep ailk wibh jewelled buttons. Amongst fche many pretty dresses Ive seen bhis winter was ona prepared for a hunt ball. Ifc was of pale peach blossom miroir moire. The ekirb waa among the prattioat I had ever seen. It was handpainted in long tapering eprays of wisteria, each of them tied about two finger lengths above fche hem, with careless-looking knots of foliage-green satin ribbon. The bodice of the miroir moire had a frill of soft filmy lace falling down under a fringe' ol wisteria clusters, with foliage falling on the shoulders. I am told thab a sot of very beautiful violet topaz surrounded with diamonds was worn with the gown, and can easily imagine thab bhis costume had a success. Another dress which looked charming was in pale blue satin veiled wibh pale green tulle. The latter was wrought in a design of small flower sprays up each seam wifch silver, green and blue aequins forming blossoms on foliage simulated with chenille. The bodica was mado with a deep fitted corselet belb of pale blue tulle embroidered like tho skirt. The sleeves were of embroidered tulle with little epaulefctea of velvet laid back from each aide, and on each a tiny spray of crimson cyclamen pinned with a little bunch of similar flowera was pinned into the front of the bertbe. The hair was worn waved in fronb divided down the cenbre, drawn looaely back inbo coils ab the top of the back of the head, and above these waa a high-wired transparent bow of black net wrought all over with ailver, green and blue eequ-ns like those on the dress". It was, lam bold, a mosb effective hair ornament, and ia one which could be easily made ab home by clever fingers. Tho same idea carried oub in red neb and wrought with diamond studs and jefc, alternately, I have also seen, and very Bma. t it. looked. A libtle. high, dainby ornamenb for'the hair gives a smart finishing bouch to a. toilette. I have eeen, also, a dress of very pretty pink and white brocade. The skirb waß quite plain, save for a row of fitfe lib-le rucked tucks of pink silk muslin above the hem. each having a narrow edging of pale yellow laca. The bodice had a wire folded belb of rose pebal pink velveb, with three fine paste buttons down one side. The whole of the fronb waa of pink ailk muslin with lace over, and the sleeves were little capes of the muslin scalloped out at the edges and embroidered with pink ailk, while a frill of lovely fine lace fell over all. The brocade was arranged very becomingly in fronb in. two email gracefully-rounded zouaves, each narrowly bordered with little rucked tucks of ailk muslin with yellow lace between themThe effect waa charming.