OVER THE TEA-CUPS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 305, 21 December 1912, Page 15

OVER THE TEA-CUPS.

AMERICAN GIRLS' CLUB. The American girl begins her career at an early age (says the "Bystander's" New York correspondent). At fifteen or therejabouts she has her societies, her clubs, •her friends, male and female. Except in a few limited circles where European ideals prevail and youthful liberty is curtailed, she enjoys boundless freedom. It is a common tiling in the large hotels, summer and. winter resorts, to see at all hours of the day and evening young girls frern fourteen years upwards, innocent of governess or chaperon, trooping about with boys of the same age or a little older, wbile nra.mjna occupies herself with, a game of bridge, dance 9in the ballroom, or indulges in rocking-chair gossip. UNFORTUNATE MARRIAGE. The New York Divorce Court has just issued some interesting figures regarding the causes which have led to divorce between married couples in this State during the past few years. It is mentioned that divorces have rapidly increased in number, and that separations are granted by the Court for reasons that would not have been accepted in New York some years ago. It is stated that differences of religion are responsible for one per cent of the divorces, disputes regarding ■ step-children two per cent, poverty, in- j ■eompatability, immorality, jealousy, and. . interferences by mothers-in-law five per • cent each, sickness ten per cent, temper 12 per cent, marriages 15 per cent, while drunkenness has been the : cause for 35 per cent. THE JUDGMENT OF GORDANNE. The Montenegrin woman wishes not only to be a mother of men, but the wife of a man. She holds to a high-ha-nded husband, to one who will 'be master in his own house. Witness the story of the wooing of Gordanne, as told in the "Revue Hebdomandaire." Gordanne was the Ijeautiful daughter of an innkeeper.. Her suitors were many, and ie was time for her to wed. She promised to make her choice between three suitors, and summoned them all to her father's house. On the same afternoon of the same day, standing in the doorway, she awaited their coming. First, it was a youth, gloved and cravatted, who, durinp a week-end at Oattaro, had acquired the elegancies of city life. "Excuse mc," he said with a polite doffing of his hat, "will you let mc pass?" Gordanne stepped aside, but as she did so she murmured, "You wild never be my husband." The second, a comfortable farmer, was less mannerly. "Let mc in," he said, pushing past the girl. "Neither shall you ever call mc wife," said the girl to her- ! self. Then came the third, who said not a word, but, seizing Gordanne by the arm, flung her aside and entered the house as if already its master. "That," sighed the innkeeper's daughter, "'is a true Montenejrrin. He is the husband for -mc!" Of such stuff, after all, are the mothers of heroes made.