A Lady's Letter.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6414, 26 March 1892, Page 4

A Lady's Letter.

[SPECIALLY ■WUIITEN FOR THE DAILY TKLKCiUAriV.]

At hist there s-euna every likelibocii of outhaving our photographs ooLored. Ln-t year a French photogriijjhtr, M. AliMhun, brought out ii patiiit. fur th:it purpose. The means are imi-jlmiiiwil, tlicrofpru the cost is but sliylitlv iit t'xiJOrs oi li-iu uruiisary prints. No claim is put forward to the production of the colors on the negative, but the colors of the original are portrayed m their proper relative K™ i,ition of t0 " c ' ■which is a development of what is called the "orrho-chromutic" process. After the negative is obtained, the next stop is to get tho print, which has a special treatment, by which it receives the necessary colora. How thceo colors aro applied ia not explained, but it is certain that no artistio skill ia required. The final step consists in the " fixintr" of the prints, by which the colors are rendered absolutely permanent.

There is a common belief that women hive proportionate!/ longer trunks than men, but the researches of the professors of Hygieno at Ainsherst College ia Austrica have proved it to be the reverse. ■ Two thousand students wero subjected to scientific measurements, v/ith tho renult that the average m:m is only just over seven per cent taller than tho wverago woman, but he oxoeed3 her by eleven per cent in length of trunk. Where a woman carries off the palm is in the length of head and neck.

It is not generally known that the green branches of the blue-gum act as a powerful disinfectant when placed in a sickroom. In cases of scarlet fever, if the branches be placed under the bed, the vapor penotratoa tho mattress and the bedding, which thus undergo a thorough disinfection. Wholo districts in Algeria and Italy, which used to bo mere haunts of malaria, have been rendered healthy fcir.ee the blue-gums havo been planted there.

An English lady (Mrs .Kayo) in ono of the magazines, sho»vs at pome length that the characters of women aro on thu whole much inferior to those of men. She begins by saying that women blind themselves to their own wickedness by using inaocent terms to describe sins. Treaebx-ry is by them called tact, lies fibbing, whilst sheer selfidhness and disregard fur the rights of othera go by the name of thoughtlessness. She also says that what men cull " honor " is very little known to women, acd it seems to be a generally accepted faot that women aro allowed to upcak and behave in ways which would cauee tho immediate ostracism of a man. Iho lack of truthfulness, ehu thinks, underlies much oocial treachery, petty injustice, and bad manners. Ono sees" with shame in reading Mrs Mayo's article that there ie so much truth in it.

And yet how are women to become more truthful in daily intercourse ? These social fibs resemble fashion to a great extent; one caimot bo truthful because others aro not so, and a few are afraid to band together and start a reform. Durirg a newspaper discussion on tho question whether or not daughters should have dowries, some interesting ideas were evolved. One writer declared that each household should make it one of its chief aims to pi'ovido their daughters with dowries. Ho said that it would encourage people to live much within their means, and that it would tshange, to a certain extent, the habits of peorjle, helping to decrease their cares and to increaso thuir happiness. On the other side, Mrs Stopford said that the dowry system was a short cut to tho establishment of social caeto; an impreguablo barrier of habits, manners, and thoughts would be formed between classes. She added that all girls should be taught to take caro of themselves, and to becooio self" bupporting, and they would then scorn to becomo a dead-weight on their husbands, and whenever possible they would continue thoir work after marriage. Another lady writer maintained that tho best dowry a cirl could possess was the capacity to earn money, whilst another approved of dowries providing that they could be secured without sacrificing a brother's advantages, or better things tor the girl herself.

And now let us turn to other matters ! Narrow outline edges take the foremost place as decorations for street drosees ; wider trimmiujra are dlso fushionablo, but the tiny edges show to more advantage. Silk gimp edgings are used on cloths or cheviots, and jet edgings on silks ; crocheted outlinings look very pretty, and are durable Jet fringes aro increasing in popularity ; they are applied in festoons or in straight lines abovo the lower edges of skirts ; when they aro very deep they aro placed in tablier fashion. Serious defects in a partly worn skirt may be effectually concealed beneath a tablier of fringe, and the simplest costume may be given an air of elegance by a tasteful application of this pretty trimming. Cloaks and jackets are also trimmed with bilk passementerie, whilst girdles and Medici collars inado of it are used in light mourning Cog feather edgings and bands are much used for street garments ; ono or two narrow bands or a single wide one are seen on both skirt and bodice. tdginga are also to be seen made of curled silic, the effect cf which is very soft, and it has ono advuntago w over feathers—tho great number of different shades ; dark hues aro for street dreeses, and the light colors for evening

gowns. Toques and turbans take the lead in hats this autumn. The toques have heart-shaped and pointed crowns, with pleated or crinkled brims. Turbans have round or t-quaro

crowns, with receding brims pointed at the

back, aailor huts will bo worn a gieat deal, also hats made completely of velvet. Feathers and flowers are employed separately or together on bats , jet is still popular and tinsel also. (Jrchide aro tho most popular blossoms for putting on hats. Those people who still persist in wearing corsets would find that the use of elastic to fasten up the back instead of tho ordinary stay-lace would piove a benefit. This is the first etep towards complete dress reform.

Easter seems likely to prove a very gay time this year. The bowling tournament is sure to bring a largo number of strangers to Napier, and tho performance of " Tho Guvnor" will add greatly to tho general festivity.