Ladies' Column.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 59, 10 March 1894, Page 1 (Supplement)

Ladies' Column.

[ Edited by " Clio.""] The Editress will be glad to answer any questions pertaining to fashions or cookery. FASHION NOTES. Those eternal shot silks 1 One comes across them everywhere. They are now replacing velvet for sleeves ("says a Home paper). A handsome black satin gown I have jubt seen had sleeves of the balloon shape shot with two or three shades of green aud flecked all over with pink. The bodice, which was adorned with enormous lapels, had the front composed of the same silk. While most of the ombre effects are vulgar in the extreme, there are a few that are just the reverse, and at Mdrae. Miguonne'tt I saw a lovely reception dress of glace silk in shades of green and copper, with a graceful pattern of white oats strewn over it. It was edged round the top and bottom with narrow metallic embroidery. The bodice had a heart-shaped yoke of velvet outlined with embroidery, and the upper half of the sleeves were of velvet, like the yoke. Very slight trains are worn with evening gowns just now. Among the newest silks are chene taffetas. They have shot grounds aud sprig patterns, and have a quaint, old-fashioned look. Though the new dresses are mostly ugly, the new teagowns are not, and a lovely model I have just seen at Mdme. Quita's 10, Princes' Street, Hanover Square, was of pule green Oriental satin— a supple stuff with a rich sheen — gathered all round on to a well-fitting bodice. It had moderate sleeves of white Bilk, delicately flowered, uud was trimmed with black and gold sequin net. lam constantly being smitten with pretty things that I see. A lovely Empire dress was of heliotrope brocade strewn with marguerites. It had a train and sleeves of heliotrope satin, frills of satin on the shoulders, edged with lace and satin ribbons, wound ( wicc round in a bow at the baok. Something entirelyunique in the way of cloaks was of black cloth., richly hand- embroidered with an Oriental design chiefly in greens, yellows, aud reds. It had immensely wide sleeves of "mirror" velvet. — English paper. FEMININE CHIT-CHAT. A wedding ceremony in the island of Borneo is a rather curious affair. On the day of the marriage, the bride and bridegroom are taken to the extreme end of the village, or town, where the marriage ceremony takes place. The couple are made to sit on two bars of iron, so that blessings as lasting and a health aa vigorous may be the lot of the young couple. A very sweet smelling cigar is then placed in the hand of each, made of an Asiatic plant. Then one of the guests takes two fowls and passes them over the heads of the couple, praying the Supreme Being to be propitious to their union. After whioh the heads of the bride and bridegroom are hit several times together ; the husband puts his cigar into the lady's mouth, and she in her turn does the same with him, aud thus they acknowledge each other as man and wife. Tho difficulty of obtaining good domestic servants is causing much inconvenience in these days, and some philanthropic ladies met a few days ago to consider what means could best bo taken to encourage young people to join in this employment. A suggestion made, well worthy of consideration, was to promote a fund whereby any domestic who stays for a given time in a situation is to receive a monetary recompense. Something df this kind, we believe, exists in Austria ; but how far this would meet the taste of Jeames or Mary over here, it would be difficult to say. Ladies should never pare their nails either on a Friday or Sunday. This process has always been looked upon as a wicked temptation to misfortune, and with us, possibly, bears reference to the Crucifixion and Resurrection. But the Romans were also most particular in this respect, they avoided certain days with the most jealous care, and always made it a point of duty to cut their nails upon the "Nundinre," which they observed every ninth day throughout the year. Broad, plain, thin, white, and reddish nails have been always considered evidences of birth and refinement; long and crooked nails signify brutality and gluttony ; very short and unusually pale nails evidence the craftiness and t>ub(lety of their owners, while round nails are indicative of lust. If nails have a tendency to turn upward, it signified a liberal, but if downward, and unusually close to the fingers, a niggardly and parsimonious disposition. The nails of the Jewish race have usually the latter characteristic. A physioian advises on insomnia : — "Having first assured myself that the malady is not due to under-done pork or such -like delicacies, I tell my patients to take a very hot bath, or, at least, a hot foot-bath, before going to bed. That will almost invariably produce the most deliriously drowsy sensations. Then I bid them open wide their windows, for fresh air is a great aid to healthy slumber. Then when they are cafe in bed I charge them not to let their minds think of anything connected with the daily routine. I try to make them picture to themselves long, even stretches of country, with the grass slightly brown, or the calm of a quiet 6ea. If only they can get firmly before their minds some quiet, soothiug image, they are saved, and will be asleep before they know it." RECIPES. To Peel Tomatoes, — Cover the tomatoes with boiling water for half a minute, then lay them in cold water until they are perfectly cold, when the skin can be slipped off without difficulty, leaving the tomatoes unbroken, and as firm as before they were scalded. Mabeow Jam. — Peel the marrow, take out the seeds, and cut into pieces an inch square ; soak in water three days, changing the water each day ; drain, and wipe dry. To each pound of marrow add half a lemon — cut the peel fine and put all in— one ounce and a half of ginger cut thin, ono pound and a half of sugar, and a tablespoonful of water ; boil until soft. PotatqeCa^ks.— Jljx two cups of mashed potatoes with the beaten yolk of ono egg. Season with suit and pepper, and, when well mixed, form iuto bmall, flat round cakes Cook quickly in hot fat or dripping, browning first on one side, then on the other. Pommhs Duciiksse — Bake or boil ten or twelve large floury potatoes, press them through an American potato squasher, mix them with two ounces of butter, four whole eggs, a little salt, and a spoonful of finelyminced parsley. Shape this paste into little balls lightly in your well-floured hands, and toss them in plenty of hot butter in a frying pan. Servo very hot. The following hair wash is said to be harmless : — Dissolve an ounce of salts of tartar in a quart of warm water, and add the juice of 'two lemons. "When the effervescing is over, dip the hair iv the basin, and with the fingers rub the scalp unlil it Is covered with lather and all the dandruff and dust has been loosened. If the water is blaok, you may know that your head is red and clean. Rinse in warm water, again in cool, and a third time in cold water. It will take from one to three hours to dry the hair, aud it should not be done up until it is dry. A ripe tomato will remove ink stains from the hands or from paper or linen. There is no particular knack about it. All that is to be done is to crush the tomato in your hands, and rub the ink spot with the juice, then wash in clean water, and the ink and tomato juice will come away together.