THE BEAD NECKLACE CRAZE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 127, 21 February 1908, Page 3

THE BEAD NECKLACE CRAZE.

England is bitten badly-by tho bead necklaco craze. Right through Europe and ■ America it has assumed extraordinary proportions. In fact, caterers in this : line are said to have ransacked tho bazaars of too ;East'for. -examples of beadsof;-all.sizes," 'shapes, and colours.. These necklaces came ■ into favour asnvero mbrriing ornaments, to suit i tho simplicity of a muslin blouse, or 'soft cambric shirt blouse. • The charming manner, .however, in which the chains were 'woven'niado thorn observed, and tho bizarro ;effect , being so becoming, they wero taken up for wear with . afternoon gowns. Tiny [cut-glass beads aro used with larger ones, a ;point of .gold here, or steel there, colour ! efl'ects . being anyhow, and air the, better, for .'that reason. One advantage.in .this linens '.that crystal; glass/ or pasto beads have a jdecorativo value, which is not reduced by tho charge of artificiality, which doesn't at- : tacb. When wo- put .on a. bead necklace, wo are not'wearing "sham, jewellery,' 1 as a bead., necklace. is, that and nothing more. What it depends on is its'gracefulness and 'added to this is the harmonious colouring. ■The bead'necklace is made in thin ropes for a . preference, taken up with liirgo "knot" ■beads, this giving in a crude;form the idea of an.;experisivo diamond and; pearl'necklace. And .as : you' will'' guess; tho. article may be made by yourself, as "you pan easily- find a ■ pattern to, work from, and the rest is. sim- * plicit'y itself. : < : " i The following statistics throw light on tho amount, of crime' committed by wonien, or, rather, on the number"!of women who are actually-.convicted for wrongdoing in tho countries of Europe. . - Of - every 100 prisoners in Italy eight are -women", in the United States- ten, in -Austria -fourteen, in Franco in the British Isles-twenty-six aro women. Englishwomen cannot feel very proud of their position on this unhappy list, .it;;would suggest that a further investigation might be made to ascertain the causes which bring ,so largo a percentage x d£ our countrywomen within tho doors of- a gaol.' Among, tho dozen' new Acts which.came into ; force in England with the beginning.of the. year, was Mr. H. Factory ;and' Workshop Act,..which applies the provisions of the. Factory Acts to laundries, with tho result that laundry women will no longer bo allowed to work up to any hour of. tho night. Tho now rules entail the upsetting of the old-established rule of collecting all washing,at the beginning of the week and delivering it, at the end.; Many large- laundries' announce that,in future they will collect, soiled linen from their customers every day, returning it within a week,-if not invariably on* Friday or. Saturday.

You can almost tell at a glance from a man's or woman's appearance to. what nationality he or she belongs,' Chough maybo this applies' moro to the commonalty than tho. aristocracy,' who in all . countries are pretty much regulated by the same inspirations/ The, Americans are apt to, indulge in garments a. little, too'largo for the' figure, the French have an inclination to;-a'.decided waist, with braidings, on their, coats. The ■Gormans like plenty of room; ''Tho' Spaniard is. moro dapper. Tho'Austrian; and ;Hungarian pay more attention to .cut. and finish. Tho Norwegian and .the Dane'are more like tlie English, while the. Colonials cast a favouring eye on what is', comfortable.

Tho Rhodes' scholarship'schcmo which has already proved of benefit''to men —is being, adapted for' women. ■ .Madame Thayer, tho president of tho American Circle of tho Lyceum Club,' London,, originated tho plan, which: was received enthusiastically by tho Society of American .Women in London. The scheme- is a post-graduate course of two years' at Oxford, Gainbridgo, or. London .universities', for American women, who have distinguished themselves at their own universities. Thero is also a "reciprocity side" to the plan, which is to send Englishwomen for a similar study to tho United States or Canada., Later on it is intended to embraco all the' colonitis in'thc;schcnic; but at present the amount of money available is hot largo onouglv for suoh an immense plan of intornatioualisra,