WOMEN IN PRINT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 82, 4 October 1910, Page 9

WOMEN IN PRINT.

Miss Lambert has gone to Wanganui, and is the guest of her sistei-, Mi's. Mason. Nurse- Spillman has gone to Picton for a fortnight's holiday. Miss Home (Blenheim) is visiting friends in town. Dr. and Mrs. Kerr Hislop are going to reside at Ingl&wood, where the doctor will practice. Mrs. J. D. Gray (Auckland) who has been the guest of Mis. Chatfiekl, returned home yesterday by the Main Trunk line. Miss Wardell has gone to Feilding for a visit. A copy of the whole debate in the House- of Commons upon the Woman's Suffrage Bill has given food for much extremely interesting reading. Mr. Shackletoa is a doughty champion and his force was evidently felt, because he spoke for conviction. Many of the most intelligent and trusted of the Commons spoke to this bill, and with the widest and broadest acceptance of the place women now take in the world with benefit and with honour to their sex. All thoughtful women who read this record must feel that these high-minded men have honoured them exceedingly by the chivalrous tone they have taken, and equally they who opposed it. It was practically an academic discussion more thaji a Parliamentary debate, and some of the best speeches of the, session were made upon it. It would be useful for all women to read it carefully, both suffragettes and anti-suffragettes.. The speeches show that both time and consideration were given to their preparation. The division list was only what was expected at the result of this important debate. No woman can feel their cause has been treated with either levity or contempt by this high Tribunal, but all must recognise it has had the most respectful and careful consideration. The clever band of young people who are giving an entertainment next Monday and Tuesday evenings in the Concert Chamber are extremely busy with their rehearsals aaid general preparations for making a great success of their undertaking. As it is in aid of two benevolent schemes they will capture good audiences. "The Gaymakers" have much musical and histrionic talent amongst them, and their programme is a most attractive one. "The Dutch Duet," in costume, will bo very interesting. The "Flower Scene" will be a .lovelty, as the faces are to be the flowers, and the dresses will carry on the character, and finish the flower. They evidently have no intention of having a dull moment in their sparkling bill of fare. The Gaymakers include Miss Eileen Ward, Misses Miles (2), Misses Simpson (2), Misses Haybittle (2), Miss V. Nelson, Miss C. Beauchamp, Misses Watson (2), Miss Zaida Nelson, Miss Mills, Messrs Stevens, R. Robertson, Lampen, V. Rhind, Dr. Hay, Mills, and Horton. The funeral of tha late Mrs. Todd took place yesterday afternoon at Karori. The Rev. Gibson-Smith read the service. A large number of friends paid their last token of respect to one who had been greatly esteemed by them, including representatives from the staff of the Evening Post and the Dominion. After successfully masquerading as a man for more than five years, Mrs. Lena B. Smith, an attractive widow of thirty, with closely-cropped brown hair, on 15th August cast off her disguise and resumed the garb of her own sex (remarks the New York correspondent of the Daily Chronicle). She announces, her intention of retiring from the profitable business she established in the assumed character of a Spanish commission agent. Mrs. Smith, who lived for several years in South America, disguised herself as a man five years ago in order to win a wager that any woman possessed of histrionic talent could pass unsuspected ni a member of the opposite sex. The wager was made at Boston, where a physician offered her £500 a year as long as she could maintain the deception. Mrs. Smith came to New York and secured an engagement as a clerk at a wholesale tobacconist's. In the course of her male career she occupied positions of confidence in half a dozen well-known business houses, and finally went into business on her own account, renting a flat together with a Boston girl. They were supposed by their friends to be a married couple, and entertained frequently and made numbers of friends. Mrs. Smith declares that one girl clerk fell so deeply in love with her as to propose an elopement. The interviewers visited each of the business houses where Mrs. Smith occupied positions. The majority of the employees expressed profound surprise, not unmixed with chagrin, at learning that the "jolly young Spaniard," known to them as Mr. Martinez, was in reality a woman. An expert makes the rather surprising statement that there is a fashion in hands, as in nearly everything else. The plump pink hands of beauties in pictures of the Watteau date and the white transparent hands of tho Early Victorian belles hat c given way, in more modern times, to hands that mean something — long-fingered artistic members, or square firm ones, which show the owner to be capable of determined work. Hand movements are intensely characteristic, and they must be cultivated in such a way that the beholders are conscious — but not too conscious — of them. The woman who wishes to seem strong and capable will practise keeping her hands still. Nothing gives an impression of weakness more quickly than restless, nervous hand movements. Those who wish to give an impression of quiet strength will train their hands to lie still, for stillness inspires' confidence and gives great force to any gesture which may happen to be made. Men are not capable of telling the truth about women, or of understanding what the truth is, because they are handicpriped hy (heir sex (asserts a writer iii New' York Life). The few men who have managed to forget the sex part have gone to the other extreme and have damned women unduly with loud curses, as, for example, Schopenhauer and Weiningor. To lei' the truth about women is impossible for any man. There is always a chance that, while you are attempting this impossible trick, you may fall in love with the woman. No woman is so homely that this might not come to pass. Ugly women and old women have been loved by young and old men since the world began, it is impossible to account for all ol the eccentricities of human passion. If a man is questioned about women in general he will tell you in confidence that he despises them" in general. They are characterless, unmoral if you will, and incapable of thdt oturdy kind of friendthip or comradeship which men feel for each other. To argue with them on am subject would be ridiculous. They are petty, mean, below man in stature, aud -

between you and me, says the man — they are ugly, from un anatomical standpoint. That is what any man will tell you — in strict confidence. But this man always knows one woman who is different. This particular woman is capable of any sacrifice. Her charity is unlimited. Her nursing power is marvellous. Her practical judgment is inevitable. Her forgiveness is unbounded, and her taste is perfect. This woman is always the man's mother, often his sweetheart, and sometimes his wife. No book on Japan is complete without a discussion of the Japanese woman. Mr. Ponting (in his recent book, "In Lotus Land Japan") does not break the rule. But he is exceedingly wroth with those erotic writers who look at the entire sex from the standpoint of the yoshiwara. He agrees with Lafcadio Hearn in describing the Japanese woman as "the sweetest" the world has ever known. The position which the Japanese wife occupies in the respect and affections of her husband even to-day is but little understood, for so much misinformation has been disseminated about her that a wholly wrong impression is generally held of one who is the most amiable of man's helpmates in the world. The Japanese home is perhaps the most difficult of any to gain intimate access to, yet almost every globe-trotter who dashes through Japan is a self-constituted authority on the gracious matron who presides over that home, and many make the unpardonable and fatal mistake of classing the modest, retiring lady of the land, whom probably he never sees, with the popular favourites of the capital and the treaty ports. Even the humbler members of the Japanese feminine world — such as waitresses and hotel servants — have been cruelly maligned, and represented to be what they never at any time were, «is their pretty, fascinating ways are often misunderstood by tho6e who come from lands where customs are so different, and who cannot speak the language. "Too many foreigners, we fear," says Professor Chamberlain, "give not only trouble and offense, but just cause for indignation by their disrespect of propriety, especially in their behaviour towards Japanese women, whose engaging manners and naive ways they misinterpret. . . . The waitresses at any respectable Japanese inn deserve the same respectful treatment as is accorded the girls in a similar position at home." Mrs. Ella Flagg Young, who has boen elected to succeed herself at Superintendent of Public Schools in Chicago, is said to have solved the problem of finding seating room for the 10,000 surplus children who, before she came intoofl't-e. had been on half-day attendance schedule because of lack of room. Airs Young had the gymnasiums and assembly halls of. the various school buildings temporarily converted into recitation rooms. hCicago people are said to be wondering why this had never been thought of before. Mrs. Henry de la Pasture, the novelist, speaking at the Women Writers' dinner in London, said :—"lf: — "If we were half as much afraid of criticising our neighbours as we are of nattering them, I venture to think our national character would not suffer in the opinion of the world at large. But though we are often loud in denunciation of that which we disapprove, we are only too apt to be silent when we have no fault to iirnl. Is it possible that if we determined, on the contrary, to be silent concerning that which we consider bad, an-J to praise with generosity and fearlessness that which we believe to be good, the spirit of enthusiasm which we lack might be born among us? Two Parisiennes have been the victims of serious accidents through their devotion to the tight-fitting or "hobble" skirt. Mmc,. Detriere, wife of a mining engineer, wearing on© of these freak gowns, was alighting from a taxi at the door of a friend's house in the Boulevard St. Germain; and, the skirt restricting the movement of her limbs, she missed the step of the auto and fell in the roadway, breaking one of her legs and sustaining severe abrasions of her face. A crowd of sympathetic spectators helped to carry the injured woman to" the nearest chemist's shop, and in tho excitement an adroit thief managed to secure her handbag, which contained a watch and some money. The second victim of fashion's decree, Mine. Menetrey, who lives at Enghien, outside Paris, was also injured while alighting from an automobile., She fell, and her face struck a piece of broken bottle, which inflicted a frightful wound. She also broke her right ankle. Both ladies are in . hospital, said the latest report. "The King can do no wrong." said a Courtier of Louis XIV. ; and' whilst not accepting unreservedly that view, we arc prone to attach much importance to Royalties' opinions. In selecting a Challen Grand Pianoforte for his Lisbon Palace, King Manuel of Portu gal certainly did no wrong, and, though made for the million, King's gold can buy no finer instruments than those which the Wellington Piano Co., Lambtcn-quay, place within reach of all music-lovers on sucli convenient terms of payment. These are the Pleyel, Bluthner, and Challen Pianos— the first of which Chopin greatly admired for its silvery sonorousness, the second Mark Hambourg u.sed exclusivc'y on his world's tour, and the last was purchased by Portugal's Sovereign. Cdll and see all three before buying a Piano. — Advt. " 6 "Godber's" Wedding Cake that took the prize at the Skating Carnival gave great pleasure to the wearer, Mr. Scott. "Godber's real wedding cakes always give satisfaction. They r«iso carefully pack them for safe delivery to any part of the Dominion^ — Advt.' Violets. — Miss Cooper, 16, Manners-street is receiving: fresh every day her wellknown beautiful violets. Floral designs treated with skill and careful attention at reasonable Drices. 'Phone No. 882. — Advt. Floral art in its perfection is seen at Miss Murray's, vice-regal florist, Willis-st. Exquisite baskets, posies, and floral devices of choicest flowers in beautiful colour schemes. Decorations for dinners, at Koines, and weddings. — Advfc.