WOMEN'S REALM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 190, 10 August 1904, Page 10

WOMEN'S REALM.

FASHION NOTES.

Tt is wholly innocent of trimming. sav< perhopa for a little piping of colour t* ! edge the straps that adorn it, and ft most pleasing in appearance.

j In the accompanying sketch T am fjiv i»g you a pretty suggestion for the kind of camisole. It is made in nainsook, a fine and soft material, specially suittable for dainty underwear of all ie- ' scriptiens. The insertions should be of strong Torchon or Yalenrirnnes lace. I with a soft siik ribbon run through the . iaee insertion round the shoulders and acrain at the waist. This ean-.Uole ha* short sleeves made entirely of lace, and you will find it very us»fnl for wearing under an evening {>»s«_,

MARRYING WITHOUT MONEY. J 1 (By HELEN OLDFIELD.) Theoretically, at least, most people will agree that to marry solely for worldly gain is a mean and "despicable deed. Those who apparently marry for : money would no doubt unanimously repel the accusation indignation, and i claim that they have followed the advice i which Tennyson's northern farmer gave to his son to "goa wheer the munny is.'" Poets and romancers usually portray : the mercenary suitor as a villain of the deepest dye. and a popular woman's : magazine which recently held a sympo- ' sium upon the subject of what men most j desire in a wife announced triumphantly : that of all the men who replied to the query not one mentioned money as a requisite qualification. None the less there are a few people : —middle-aged and prudent persons for ; the most part —who do not hesitate to aver that it is almost a-? bad a thing to ■ marry without money. These sage el- , ders" have been taught by experience that daily bread is an absolute necessity to life; they have learned that milk and honey, or what stands for them nowadays, are not to be had without money "and without price, and they argue that it is qi-ite as selfish to think only of the present, and take no thought of the morrow, careless of others in either case, as it ia to prefer the comfort of to-morrow to the passion of today. No man has the right to ask a woman to marry him unless he can fitly cherish her; no woman should marry her , lover, however eager he may be, when ; she knows that he must struggle to , keep his own head above water, without , the additional burden of her support. ( What is enough for one is not enough j for two. romancers to the contrary notwithstanding. Mathematics is the one and only exact science, and by no pos- • sible process of calculation can the half , equal the whole. Love in a cottage may j be charming, but it cannot be maintain- ■ cd without the wherewithal to pay the , rent, and even then not infrequently, ] alas: In a cot. with water and a ernst, ; Is, love forgive us: cinders, ashes, dust." It is a good Biblical doctrine, as well as sound common sense, to undertake nothing without counting the cost. They who trust to the morrow to care for the things of itself are apt. as the saying is, to "get left." It is only in story books that when the hero and heroine fail to make both ends meet they inherit a fortune or some long lost relative turns up in the nick of time to "Endow the wife with Golcemla off hand Or give the husband PotosL" In real life such luck Is so rare as to be regnrded as phenomenal. When people marry thpy assume responsibilities which they hove no right to shirk | or to lay upon other sbouldeTS than their j own. pven in the uncommon event that I others are willing to bear them. Bur-j dens, self-imposed, generally have to be borne alone, even though body and soul faint nnd fall under there. Modern life : i» exigent and strenuous, and romantic marriages arc growing rarer and rarer. The possession of worldly wisdom and common prudence is not to be regretted is Ion?; as the butcher, the baker and ' the candlestick maker are necessary fac- ! tors in life, and must be reckoned with i sooner or later. A recent English writer says that statistics issued by such pro- ! -:nic and veracious persons as registrars , of marriages show * that their yearly ] number is largely influenced by the price i of v, hcit. Nothing mokes a young m»n i -.o anxious to possess the girl of his ! heart as cheap food. If provisions are l high he contrives somehow to postpone I the happy day until better times. That! the progress of true love should be af- j feeted by the price of bread may seem I to prove that love is mercenary; on the I contrary, it only goes to show that lovers are not so reckless and foolish as] novelists make them out. Surely he is j the truest and sanest lover who, recognising the indubitable fact that his idol j cannot love without food, and that he is I unable to provide it for her at present, j has sufficient consideration for her to! wait for brighter days. "1 was iv love, my lord," a witness in ! a trial before the late Lord Russell pleaded in extenuation of an absurd action. "I have yet to learn that love necessarily makes a man a fool," retorted the judge. "I have noticed that it often makes a fool of a greater fool, but it rßake3 a wise man the wiser." Talk as we may abrut sentimental ■sorrows there arc. few miseries *o real and terrible as existence withI out the actual necessaries of life, the j fend, the shelter, the warmth, and the I comfort which not only make it enjoy- { able but even possible. The banking | houses which have recently refused to j employ mc fried men whose incomes are less than $ICrK) a year are in the right of it. nnd are merely practising the duty of self protection. T-ove is the strongest passion known to humanity, anl the men who has always stood upright may i perhaps lean unrier the weight of another dearer than himself. I | --1 hsci not loved thee. dear, so much, ! 'Loved I not honour more," is a beautiful sentiment, and one well , worthy to be lived up to, but a? love | makes heroes of cowards, so also it some-

times makes cowards of heroes. Thero are things in life which are worse than death, and among these are privation and suffering for those for whose good we would gladly lay down our lives. "A wife and children are poverty's teeth,'' says Victor Hugo, "and they bite hard." Still it must be remembered that poverty and wealth are purely relative terms, and that the necessaries of life are fewer than many persons are prone I to suppose. That which is luxury to one may be accounted as little, less than j absolute want by another. The hardy plants of the temperate zones flourish under a degree of cold which would mean certain death and destruction to those of the tropics. It is not the garment of life, but its fringes which are broidercd with jewels and heavy with gold. Moreover, the wisest of men pronounced a dinner of herbs with love to be better than a stalled ox and hatred j therewith, and there are not lacking scientists of the present day who as- j sert that the vegetarian diet is in it-self j more nutritious and satisfying than the savoury meats in which the soul of the : gourmand delighteth. There are some, questions which ail men must, and some women may, decide for themselves: only I it is well to bear in mind the great fact i that at the table of life when an order \ is given the choice is final. There is no ] changing one's niind after the decision is made. "As ye brew ye must drink, as ye bake ye must eat," is among the most ancient of proverbs. ON THE USE AND ABUSE OF FACE POWDERS. Even the ordinary woman, in these days, understands that the toilet of a lady is incomplete without a touch of face powder, and that it is a protection, covering mc pores and preventing the dirt and dust of the streets from lodging in the skin. The skin of a- woman who has a beautiful complexion is clear and fine when it is first bathed, but after a time a kind of oil exudes from the pores and gives tlie face a greasy and unwashed appearance. To wash the face frequently, in order to prevent this greasy look, is to ruin it, for it is this oil, exuding from the pores, that keeps the skin in its fine condition, and skin that is washed too often soon becomes harsh, dry and smooth. The use of powder covers and conceals the greasy look, and also does away with. the shiny appearance that follows a thorough face wash, such as every one should have once or twice a day, according to her occupation. So every woman rushes to the box of face powder, ofttimes applying it with more zeal than art. The first step in the correct use of face powder is a wise selection in the kind of powder used, and in its colour. Nearly all famous manufacturers of toilet preparations send out at least three shades of face powder—-the pure white, the pink, or flesh colour, and a brownish powder. The woman whose skin is dark makes a fatal mistake in ! selecting pink or white powder, for, | however smooth her skin may be, the powder will show, and the dark skin beneath looks far worse than if no powder at all were used. In fact, there are very few complexions that can stand the U3e of white or pink powder, especially in the daytime. These shades are intended for the use of stage celebrities while on the stage. | There should never be the slightest 1 hesitancy in purchasing a good powder. ! '"The best that is made" should be the rule. A face powder should be fine and : soft to the touch, and when rubbed bei tween the fingers should disappear into , nothing without the least trace of a gritty substance. When applied to the j face the touch should be velvety. Avoid ; the use of a powder that is the least bit ; harsh. | Of course, when one dresses the face | is bathed thoroughly and every trace of j dirt removed from the pores. One ' should then go on with the toilet nnt.il j just before the bodice is put on, and then the powder should be applied. Unless -1 the skin is perfectly smooth the powder | will surely show, and to ensure a I smooth, flat surface on which to apply lit, one should always rub in a little i ' cream of some sort. Here again the best i that can be found should always be selj ected. For some skins ordinary cold cream is quite enough to smooth the i! rough places, but most women have I [ some favourite toilet cream that seems '. in their cases to be just what is needed. ! I A very little of the toilet cream I should be taken on the tips of the fin- : I gers and gently massaged into the pores, ,! following the general directions of all Jmnssage treatment, and always going I across the lines and wrinkles, and rub- ; ■ bing upward invariably. Often this mas- ■ ! sage before the powder is applied is all !! a busy woman can find time for during ;' a short day of twenty-four hours, but ! this alone has proved in more than one ; lease to be sufficient to counteract the i j effects of the sagging which makes all •! the trouble with one's appearance as the ; I years go by. It is more harmful to mas- • ! sage the face when it is not perfectly :i clean than not to massage it at all. .! since the dirt is then rubbed into the r pores, with disastrous results. So the . massage before the pow-der is applied. when tlie skin has just been cleansed, is especially beneficial. The application of rouge demands a chapter ull by itself, since it should be ' a work of art, but let mc say that if ' rouge is used it should be applied be- " fore the cream is wholly rubbed in, this giving one a chance to spread it evenly over the cheeks, that there may be no trace of where it begins or where it leaves off. Generally after the cream has been applied and every mite of superfluous cream has been removed witb a bit of soft old linen a little perfum« is dabbed behind the ears, on the lips and on the forehead near the hair. The face is now ready for the powder, and all this previous preparation does not require half the time used in reading about it. Indeed, to the woman whe follows these instructions every day they become a sort of habit and are ovei with in a few seconds. To apply powder one should have a good light and a band mirror, as well as a larger looking-glass. Commence at the forehead, nnd with a piece of the softest chamois quickly apply a thin coating all over the face and neck. Then with s second piece of chamois gently rub this into the pores, touching the skin very lightly, so as to remove all the super fluous powder, but not that which is ir the pores. The toilet should then b< finished, and just before putting on the veil the tips of the fingers should b« passed over the face and neck, so as tc take off what powder has not already fastened itself to the skin. i FOR WOME3TS EYES. I I j So many people needlessly and reck j leFsly waste their nerve energy. The; ! drum the chair or the desk with thei fingers, or tap the floor with thei shoes. They bold their hands. The; sit in a recking-ehsir and rock for ver ' dear life. Tf they go upstairs, the; ft' make the whole body do the work tha" [ was intended only for the legs. If the;

sit in a chair they swing their lew wi+K a vehemence worthy of a steamW* 11 u e w,-tT ° r S6W ' & et *»£ to it with a vengeance, and contract their brows, and wrinkle their forehearf. and grind their teeth. "reaeaat If they have an unusual task to do. they screw and contract and contort every muscle of the body, making them! selves tense and rigid all over, when th. work perhaps required but one set ol muscles, or perhaps the mind only a. the case may be. J ' * Wasting iWve energy. sMtterimr it away. ** Little things to be sure. But litti, things have a way D f adding themselvea up into big things. Salvation for her seems to be in tht extension of places such as that descrik ed by my friend. The setf-help idea i_ connection with them is particularly se£ sible. Wlio that has ever sat in , restaurant trying to catch the eye of » waiter or waitress, while a clock wit. aggressive tick tells of the minutes thai are being 10.,t from a preciously limited half-hour, but has felt an oVerwhelming longing to be able to rush to th* kingdom of pots and pans and rescue • lunch or dinner from under the pronged sceptre of its white-robed chief? f_, time is certainly ripe for new enterprise in the world of catering. As the ad vent of the girl typist into business life was responsible for the rise of the tea shop, so the continued increase in he* numbers, the stability of her position and the ever-widening sphere of her operations must make the necessity fo> supplying her wants irresistible. She i» at present demanding good, cheap, and proper!v cooked food.—Frances in "TP'i Weekly." HOUSEHOLD HINTS. To Prevent Cheese Getting Mouldy.— Soak a cloth in a little vinegar, and then wring 3.s dry as possible. Wrap the cheese first in this and then in paper* and store in a cool place. Saucepans and Bust: Nearly every* one, in replacing saucepans on tht shelf, les.ves a little of the rim beyond the edge: but few understand that thil prevents the pan from rusting. The smell of cooking: A little cedarpowder thrown on top f a range pr* vents the smell of cooking ascending from the kitchen to other parts of tht house. Tablecloths should have a piece of tape stitched in the hem at each end, and two inches round the corner, il you want them to stand their visits t» the laundry without damage. To Keep the Kitchen Table Clew.-*-A board covered with tin or zinc to put on the kitchen table, on which to stand saucepans and dishes while preparing \ dinner, saves many step?, aud keep* the table nice. Worth Knowing.—lf, when making a fruit tart, you make a little opening in the centre of the crust, and insert either a straw or a little paper funnel, the steam will escape through it ai through a chimney, and all the juice will be retained in the pie. 1 An old blanket, if doubled and cowed i with a pretty sateen or other cover, • makes a warm substitute for an eider , down, and greatly improves the appear i ance of a bed. The whole should be i quilted when finished. Take lib of common soda, lib of soft ! soap, lib of whiting; simmer a!! together | for three hours, stirring occasionally. j Apply it hot with a brush to the marblei I let it stand on a week or longer; thee wash off with hot water and a scrubbing I brush. Another method is as follows? i Clean the mable with, vinegar and soap* j then heat 1 gallon of water, in which disolve Ulb of potash, and all lib of vh* gin wax, boiling the whole for half a* hour; then let it cool, when the wax will float on the surface. Pound the wax ia a mortar, adding soft water till it forma a sort of paste, which, laid on the mat* ble and rubbed off when dry with a soil cloth, gives a good polish. i • TESTED RECIPES. WHIPPED CREAM. Use rich cream about 24 hours bid, tot very thin or very thick. Beat steadily with a wire spoon or egg beater.. The cream and the dish in which it is whip-, per should be as cold aa possible. Fill high upon the cold apples. OLIVER TWIST PUDDING. Soak half a pie-dish full of- stall) bread, drain, and beat quite smooth, add half a cup of sugar, three or foul eggs, half a cup sultanas, half a ena of currants, citron peel, a grated nut> meg, half a teaspoonful of allspice, ball a pint of milk, and a little butter; bake slowly for four hoursBREAD PUDDING WITH FRUIT. Take one pound of stale bread, and remove the crust, Crumble the bread, moisten it with sweet milk, and add! one well-beaten egg; flour any snuffl fruit-strawberries, blackberries, hudd* - berries, cherries, or cut peaches, mi* with the bread, put it in a bag, and boil it for one hour. Serve hot, with any i sweeteDed sauce. Pudding made in th* way is a favourite country dish, eveH when made without fruit. ONIONS TO PICKLE. Peel the onions until they look cklti Put them as they are peeled on ta« large dish, and when they are all n> ished, strew about half a pound of salt over them. Leave them until next day. Boil about two gallons of brovra vinegar with a quarter of an ounce ol cloves, an ounce of peppercorns, and ** ounce of ginger, broken into small nieces. Boil thoroughly for ten ml* iites. In tlie meantime strain to 0! ions away from the salt, and put theffl into the jars, shake them Oown, auJ pour the boiling vinegar over them,""!* idirg the spice between them, own jars are the best to use. GIRDLE CAKES. Haifa-pound of flour, quarter-pouoi of butter, a squeeze of lemon-juice, qu»£ I ter-pound of currants, a pinch of saHr •! cold water. Sieve tho flour and salt mw | a clean, dry basin, and add the lemOft ! juice and the butter, broken into {>«*" I the size of a hazel-nut, and mix all uro» I a dough with a little cold water, in™ I out on a floured board, and roU out uu« ja long, narrow, strip. Sprinkle wiW ' currants, fold in three, and press down | with the rolling-pin. Turn the pas« 7 •half round, bringing the joints » ™ right-hand side, and roll again, «P"" k ™* with more currants. Repeat the process four times until the currants ar I wen blended with the flour, etc.lt vi »* ! ter if the pastry can now be laid asm > I for some time before cooking; v "> •in the morning, it will be just ready tor I use by tea-time. When rapure* roil . out to a-qusrtcr of an inch idi «» ness. and cut in squares or rounds ttj ' ,L-.o of a tea-plate. Bake on a hot g>r<U until brown on both sides, ™ r ™\ {i - ! once. Split and butter wta'e hot -- -j is frequently served as . . brthdg-* - when a ring, a button, and a ™ ree Pj •piece are slipped in be*veen t1 j«eg - This cake may. if liked,, be J ,-„ ' I oven instead of on the girdle iit «"^ • I more and more flakey, bu t what detracts from its origin*! caw ' ter.—"Queen."