EVERYDAY TOPICS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 3

EVERYDAY TOPICS.

■LABEL.YOUR LUGGAGE/. The Melbourne "Age" has some .•exsuggestions .to ,offer j»„ women travellers,' with 1 regard to .the'earo. of. thoir baggage, csppcially_ the i ever - use>- '. full ; but; not easily-to-be identified'" dross basket. ' Tho, identification of luggago is ' accompanied by mtich trouble and tribulation. Tho seasoned traveller resorts to boldly painted bands of gaudy labels, and may. generally be discovered serenely, following _ a porter from a 'stene 'of turmoil ju^t. about th'e timo that other folks' .troiibles are beginning. Dross baskets -are'the eausfe; if groatest distrnctibiii •" Ono is practically tho facsimile of Hie next, arid lost, stolen,'or strayed 's .the'ultimate did of all too many of .them. 1 The'wontan who travels bithor much or little, saves herself much mental atid physical wear and tear by providing herself with slips for h6ir. belongings; The; humblest' dress basket.lined with American,leather and covered with drill or canvas, becomes a most'presentable . possession—moro especially, if the cover bo brown, while a big initial is affixed to it, horse-rug fashion,; in: a bright colour. Easiof, however, and. as means of identification equally effective, is a broad, bright coloured . surcingle in linon, ,or drill, buttoned or buckled on, and showing tho initial of the .owner in white. The sneak thief who haunts railway • platforms,' wharfs, and decks on holiday time, hesitates boforo walking off with an article identifiable at a glance by its owner. '''• V, ■ .

THE CHARM Of THE COMEDYGIRL. . The frequency" with which the small community of musical-comedy girls in London snatch really valuable matrimonial prizes from boneath the noses of the vory largo community of unappropriated aristocratic young ladies in Great Britain seems to prove that thoro is good ground for the common judgment of foreign visitors that young Englishwomen of tho unnar class,

though very good-looking, aro at the samo timo supromely uninteresting as a rule. Thero is a dreadful monotony in their habits of thought, and consequently in their-conversation, and it often happens that, before tlioy reach any sort'of individual development, and become intellectually attractive and companionable, their chances of a successful marriage—tho kind of marriage that is "arranged'' on business lines — have passed. Tho musical-comedy girl

in London invariably protty, alwayssuperficially , interesting,- and, in spite of the artiricialitics of .the thoatre,. also moro ndtural in mannor than hor.loisurod aristocratic competitors.' Not seldom, too, in theso days she is genuinely clever and accomplished artistically beyond the requirements of hor occupation. Such a one is Miss Deniae Ormo, the-young singer, who-has captured tho heart of Captain Yarde Buller,' the only son and. heir of Lord Churston. 'Sho is a dainty littlo person, and will make a quite capablo Lady Churston. 0 A RECIPE FOR ,OLD AGE. ' If anyono is overcome with a desiro to. live to'bo a hundred and twenty, the, ago attained-by Mrs. Woods, of ,'Hillsboro, Orogon, U.S.A., it would bo | Vroil for them to act on suggestions ma'do, by that lady.-' Slie still eats the food, prepared, for' tho rest of tho family, ■ sleeps well, has-all her faeul-; tics, and says .slid" sees ■no reason why; sho may , not livo. for years to come. Hbr motto through lifo has been: "Work, eat, sleep and rest in a natural , m'avmer; fbrgeti your'sblf;; he. temperatel'"' '"Never,"' says 1 Mrs.' Wood, "till I passed my one hundredth :birthday did I think of deatli. A hundred years ago' people, lived in much moro primitive fashion . than now. l Wo worked' hard,'..but wo worried -littlo. v Wo went to bed soon after dark, and wo roso-early." Mrs. Wood's mother died ,G-5 yeat-s ago at the ago of a. himdrod and ten, h'or father being wellovCr the century before his death. THE HAUSFRAU SCHOOL. : ■ Though, to quote a famous authority, "unbridled' domesticity once ran riot in the fatherland,it is to Germany; (says : tho "Ago") wo must look for somo of the finest'developments in tho i domestic. arts. With' the groat intel-' lectual development that■ has: taken placoj housekeeping -has become moro systematic—more scientific. The hausf'rau school system is well worthy ; of imitation. Here the daughters of the rich and tho daughters of the niiddlo class' learn scientific bookkeeping, hygienic housekeeping, and tho medical treatment of food.. On-tho outskirts of Berlin stands the famous _ Lette Voroin. It, is typical of many- in, Germany, and sholters hundreds of girls, varying in ago from 16 to 25., There

are six kitchens—perfect models of what kitchcns should be—and cach kitchen has its cook and 20 or 30 students. The girls preparo everything themselves, and, rich though many of them aro, thero is nothing they do not learn, from sweeping and washing floors to cleaning tho finest silver and darning tho best linen. The courscs includo hygienic cookery for tho sick, washing, baking, bookkeeping, chemistry, photography, dressmakuut- W-.

binding, wood carving, modolling and weaving. Tho whole system is to give women the power of earning their livings as govornesses, photographers, secretaries, managers,of hotels. LADY MOTOR DRIVER. In somo of the-country districts of Scotland Mrs. Rilbjy who recently secured a gold ,m'cdaL,, in tlie .Scottish motor reliability trials, 'was not always looked upon kindly. In dric case, near Inverness, a clergymau,, his wife, and anothor lady were' waving to the cars as they passed; but when Mrs.-Riley appeared thoy stopped 'waving' altogether, and looked at her in a stern and disapproving,^aiiiidr,.which'," indicated that thoy did not approvo'; ; of a lady, being so progressive as tifticlriyo a motor car' iii a public : contest'. At anothor _ place, Cairn -A'Mduiitf/whcro Mrs. , Riley was waiting . hor-{turn to ascend, 'she sat, in, the irainVcomplctely covered by,, a mackintosh.^One spectator near pointed her to his frionc l . who,' doubting tho statement, lifted tho mackintosh '.'voil ;! and shoutodj "Gosh I y'er richt,' JS6::', it's awiiman,, shair cnuch.'' . Anothor'story is to tho cffect that in one of tho quiet parts of Scotland tho cars pass'dtd a man with a flock of shcop. Af.ter.tji.o passing of the" first few cars/' ■ th.G.';pbotv-''ffollow-scorned to have worked'himself'iritp . a frenzy of terror, hut when Mrs. Riley appeared,.driving hor car, .this was too much; for. him. He .looked at her for a moment in blank-astonishment,. then turned and fled, leaving tho sheep to look after themselves.

' - THE WRATH OF OUIDA. " "Ouida," whoso dctorminod refus: to allow'the public of England or c Italy to help, her in hor financial dii tress recontly brought her sad ciroun ' stances into further prominence in th European Press (writes" a Loudon coi respondent), has just begun a lawsuii details of v/hich_ curiously illustrat tho character of the celebrated authoi ess. The defendants arc tho two son of, the. Belgian Consul • at-Lucca, wh incurred "Ouida's" anger by what th Court describes as "unlawfully viola! ing'her domicdo,'';;though-it,-j;sv likcl; enough that the intrusion. Was' actuate by no more hostile foelitlg than fcha . which has lately 'induced so many o her neighbours to press upon "Ouida' offers of assistance Tho two youni men were, however, - sentenced to ; of imprisonment,-and when they' indig nantly appealed, the higher Court coil firmed their punishment. Tpiicbed' b; their plight, "Ouida" was generou onough to consent to tho case being an nulled, but her sense of wounded dig nity was to be appeased ; only by tin ■ paymont 'of an indemnity.,'... This ar rangomeiit they . neglected .to , observe and the aged auUiorcss, ...who re jected; in spite ofVaird'.priyatid.ns, ;s< much pecuniary assistance .fl-pm! would s be friends, is htm suing , tho Belgim , Consul's sons for damages to. th( ' amount of £2,000. . > ; ' t AN AUSTRALUN. VIOLINIST..] * ' Miss Maud M'Carthy.is giving up,hci i .violin.studies for a time, to talco ui . the study of theosophy, which she believes will improve not only, her mu'si ; cal powers, but her health, as of late [ she' has rather suffered with neuritis in her arm, although it has not pre- ' vented hor from playing., . ftIELBA" AT HOME. Melba is becoming c popular favorite i in.her native city, where many tales of her kindness are . told. A N reporter ' .sent: to. interview ■ her"-"iat ; :-Ballarai i missed her at'tho station, arid went on to Ereildoho, which lie reached early in the morning. . Tho diva, - attired in n .dressing-gown,''greeted'him with "Good ; igfqoipns, how:. scedyl you'.;lo.(jk'!" On : 'the'young: man aclthitting|hp fdljf seedy also, "Mix yourself a. .stiff....whisky continued Moll)ay . "I ', won't . look," After that, "Go, and have a ba£h,"'shc •'remarked,' "I'vo just' had one,, and you nood:' on",■ •ts-i.V .When/; the' 1 was" thus freshened tiji>,- Melba entertained' him with amusing aiid 'appro'; priate anecdotes'. , , , 1 ; ENGLISHWOMEN..ABROAD. Of late many 'educated Englishwomen who are interested in art and aichaeol- '.- ogy have trained .themselves .to be, lady, guidos to the galleries and antiquities of. 1 Italy-, and often make a very'fair income by that -mfcafis. _ There ; . aro. Hiaily who teach' tho English language in tho large towns, others' start circulating libraries, or typewriting establishments, and one or two .have taken .fruitg'farms,.-.where, they Srovide jam and' marmalade and'otherainties for tourists.. In-Italy, as. elsewhore, a woman of energy,; enterprise,' and business 1 capacity can succeed in. making her way, 1 perhaps more eas'ily than in most countries. She has fewer competitors, as it is not yet usual in Italy for an .unmarried woman to livo'an indepeiideiit life, 'or to undertake to support'hSrsclfi- .. : THE "BUCKEYE DAISIES'" : : The band of American girls called "The B'uckcyo Daisies," who recently 1 visited England, sight-seeing,, have; summed up the Englishman most;'unfavourably in giving' their impressions of their visit. . Having-seeiv hiin on his native heath/ they; say they havo no uso for him, and are full.of wonder why their countrywomen" aro so . extremely anxious to "lay put .their .money :on British husbands." To ?which an English woman writer: tartly replies:—"So much the better for us-if.they-J'do think ; little of tho British h'u'sbaiid. '-' We want' all. our men, titled 'or"otherwise, for,; 'our own girls." i. PAPER IN THE HOUSEHOLD. ■ In England the economical house'keeper is beginning .to copy the clevbr' Japanese, who use-pri'ppr for every, purpose in daily, life. Paper is, clean, cheap and effective, but wo are' not yet progressive enough in Now-Zea-land to do more than pad-, our floors and stair carpets with'it,-and-occa-" sionally use; it, for'opiate# '.'and, soryiet-., tfes. -However, weiarp•ipromised that: ,sanitary : dusters;and pplisberg <j.f paper; will soon be available,' <ihd-it' is likely' that handkerchiefsand . blinds jvill' come later on. Tlieso articles are' in ( constant use in England, and are very popular, .espeeially-the.'lblinds/ifor they" are so cheap that^wh6n;.,thbS.'' i .tear; or soil they are replaced for a trifle. ; •; GOLF-IN PRANCE. : ; Golf has: become .very popular! in French socioty,. and tho visitors at: a chateau situated 'near a links ,are sure ] to spend a great-.dcal ■ of ;-timo.,th6reV; lir France golf hns -quite - superseded tennis. Garden parties and dinners are, , of course, the favourito forms of entertainment in the:, country'. M'.'.-France,., while the ovenings .are , devoted ; to;: bridge, music, theatricals, and, dancing, or. "bostoimmg,".;as;.the French • say. . •" '.WANTED: ACTRESSES. b Acording to Mrs. Wiliam Anderson,' wifo of the theatricnl manager, tlio actress question in Australia bids fair' to rival in point of. \ir£oncy tho overlasting sorvant question. To an Aus-" tralian interviewer tho' other day tlie ; • lady, whoso professional - name is> Miss- • Eugene Duggan, expressed her opinion that Australian girls arc lacking ni am- ' bition. They are very susceptible to ' stage-fever, and Mrs. Anderson receives shoals of letters from girls asking' ' vaguely, "How can i go on . I should love to act."' "Now, what ani T t'o say "to" a girl • who writes liko thit:?" asked Mrs. • Anderson. "I always tell them to consult an agent and get particulars from him. -But most of tlicm have no idea ' of what they roally .do want,.'or,rather. . "■• u at thov would like would bo to walk

''bnythe stago as leading lady tho'flrst [■ thing." - . ; '' , 'But''.doesn't l .that; prove 'them to' be'-1 : being am- !■' -bitibus at all?" ;"r '.'Vr'' V ; ; •'Oh,'.;no. ; Tho .ambition,they feel is \,, gpnor'aUy .'a.'.littlellickeK' -jit',,soon ;.diosrout. They have'iio staying power.'! lii'; ~ "consequence there is: a. dearth of act- • resses. ? Would' ypu- believe it, at the - present time' wo sometimes simply can't •' get/actresses?"-'■[ : v .v ' l - "They'e liko • the domestic -. servants, few' and- faf v between, then " ;tho' in;temOW6r,nturitttirs'., 1 . , ,'.i V ' .?:'r : vCi'hey I'oalljr are; Often'when wo are . arra'niiing';a' tbU'ring" company;'We caii't' ■ .find ladies: tb -takb silch-and-such parts. I No onfj' in that iino of- business -is -a.yailable.'. \Vo riilg'up the agents. Theyhiire.nobody 'sultdblo.,.on...their books.'. The .'girls we. have frpifr season to sea-; son jurt''"walk: on'.';-'seem, to melt away ' into the' air. A girrgetaia.' , 'walking- i oiv";,p4rt. in : .a piece with-a : lpng run, sho.'gets' tired of; thior-mouotony, arid if 'slio : ''is".understudy, 'say:' "AVhat's 'the! 1 'gtf6d? : ';'l' I m':'never; called':'on Ho-'play. - ;a/chancp thjs. pne':by:.ono Jthby,-.;dyofc.'bff.. ; don't ...blanie, t'fiem,. t eifchor, : fbir l it'-is'-weary 'wbrk. ' .fafct. remains that'.the.only, way-to geir , . onii's to stick at the,pr6f(!ssioii.,", ■ ■ ""l'liiy's by Avbmen ?'' No, we .never , Tecoivd thcm.' 'A-wonian-playwright is ; ;,vcry; rare, juftldSis,- indeed,; sdmo of -.tlio ■ ' : wtfiribn'-using^' mdsMUine.rmmes. .v je^l.d6i» , t..sbb.wly. i . melb- > :: . drama.AuStriliaii ,1)1^7?' artf.irimeii,-' : sily 'popular' with r otir -'iudience'sWe should .-plajr '.riPthin* else if., we. couldgbt. A-' novelty.' "L.-'should like would bo .an Australian play ;of city ■ life." ■ "Is' tho stago life' a' rough life' for' gifiav : : i ''"Well, the work js hard,'for it 'is so .absorbing.: What' with' . rehearsals, :

: dross .planning,; and\ trying' oh and actmg,. it takes up all on 6 sr'timi..■ButevStytliiiJß. is. maile vcry ; smodth. now, :ovcn;in'c6untry touring, compared with iirhafc it; was.aven iJh»y.dars'f.§6.'ln my. otvn oxpttfifentb, -frhon 1 toured. with/my, Jjrbtbfcl'olh E/Dugg;aii) ; aiid'Mi'. Bert: Bftli<& MrtP Hid'' 'all s.drts ■ of • tiifitffe''catT ;pbrifehc6si;'moving accidents.. by," -flood and field;' and all' that sort of 'thine. The work was terribly hard, anil jet; all .that time Mr. Bert., Bailey, used to. reiceivel letters 'from' his. mother, '.saying/ 'My' dear. Albert,' how lotig will.youiiyo that absurd; lifej' .'why 'dbn't'you. coriie hom'e'j : arid' ; 'w6rlc?" ': That ; was- very crushing, wasn't it? " . '.. ..''life most.': papiilar, : 'pldy that .was. cyor'.writtefi fir Wdnien is,' East Lynne.' ,lt, is-.always " A safo -. draw. Women .''irbwd' to : it.';■ Thby: have ,tb' : .bo turned. SwAy in droves after; the houSojis full, iii'r'thd' bftck/blocks in tliO:;mimrig districts, iri]tli6 coklJtb'lvTisy.'Wherever little. .Willib is billed,"ihero 'tho 'woineri will' flock,' and gb homo.afterwards' vvitli the tears • flowing down their checks.lt is so" strange,: toby. we .had 'East"Lynne' wth' vus ion that-' first'- tour, " when-.wo cariio; home, without a penny; and never .'onceTthohght ,6f playng it.:. It was only ,after:, .wo had <beon komo.;sbmc tirnb' I thought 'of. it,' and' Said to''my' brother, | 10h' ; ']^titt4,'>why.'aidtt!(i;we',r9pici^ber: ; ..'East Lynne?'" ' '