GOSSIP FROM ABROAD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 823, 23 May 1910, Page 3

GOSSIP FROM ABROAD.

The coming elections will necessitate a good many women leaving Paris for their country houses, in mid-season, eays the Paris correspondent of the "Queen," for although tho Frenchwoman is not nearly as active in political work as the Englishwoman, sho. is evidently waking up to a knowledge of "what might be" now that feminism is in tho air. In fact, a great many leading women now tako the keenest interest in all things political, especially when they touch upon the practical questions of daily life, such as the housing of the poor, tho salaries of women workers, and local, industries. Only last week M'me. Marguerite Durand, the editress of the no>r extinct "Fronde," made a most able speech to a full hall on the subject of feminine wages. One of the finest points about her "manner of speaking is that she keeps her temper against all interruptions, even the most ill-natured, and when some angry Socialists roso up and denounced her as a bourgeois© she had a witty retort ready, and with her tact alone kept order. In a few days 6he is to speak upon the question of . Women's Suffrage, and it is fully expected that sho will bo severely criticised by both sexes. Madame Marguerite Durand is herself now a candidate for tho French Parliament.

Tho first woman bank manager has been appointed in England. She is Miss May Batoman, known as a novelfit and writer of poems, and also of irticles in tho reviews. The bank of 'which she is manager is Farrow's Bank for Women, New Bridge Street, London. It is the first institution of its kind in Groat Britain. Miss Batoman, when only 18, was private secretary to Sir Douglas Galton, of. the. Board of Trade, and also, incidentally, treasurer to a large hospital. Under Sir Douglas's guidance, Miss Bateman was continually dealing with figures, and sho entirely managed his private business accounts. ■ The Bank for "Women has started with 500 women depositors. Two and a half per cent, is paid on current accounts, and 5 iier cent, on fixed deposits—rates which seem somewhat hjirh It is thought that one advantage' of the bank will be the encouragement it will give to women customers to ask for advice in small financial matters, which men don't caro to bo worried with. The whole staff of the bank consists of women or girls.

Miss Louise 'Montague, advertised throughout the world 30 years as thu most beautiful woman 111 America, ami winner of a £2000 prize beauty contest, lias died in a small apartment house m New York, alone and almost penniless. She was discovered, by Adam Forepaugh, Barnnm's greatest circus rider. He started a £2000 beauty contest, and after awarding the prize to Miss Montague, made her the principal feature of his show. She rcclined on a golden chariot in the street processions, and exhibited herself in the circns. All America went mad over her, as the most perfect model of womanhood the United States had produced. She was the rage for a number of years, and then drifted bock into private life, to die forgotten.