SOCIAL NOTES

Feilding Star, Volume 2, Issue 136, 27 March 1924, Page 2

SOCIAL NOTES

The Rev. .Mother Xavier and Sistor Kiernnu arrived in Wellington from Sydney by the Maheno yesterday. * •';.; « * » Mr and Mrs Gibson, Kawakawa road, and; Mr and Mrs .Demey-JDal-kemade, "To Rawhiti," Kopanc, were visitors to Mangahao on Tucsday. * * » * The engagement is announced ol Norah, youngest daughter of Mm J. B. Gordon, Waiwhero, Mangcre, Auckland, to Arthur, youngest sou of Mr and Mrs R. L. Langdon, Antuea. Colyton, Feildiug.

The engagement is announced ol Miss Yokuide Kobison. older daughter of .Mr and Mis Morris Robison, of Hamilton, to Mr Gordon Rutherford, younger son of "Sir and Mrs I'. YV. Rutherford, Wairania Downs. Onewhero.

From "Obiter Dicta," in the Christchurch Tress: The attack by Lady Francis Balfour on "the modem girl" will not greatly alarm either the girl or the society which she is believed to be destroying. 11l every age a Lady Francis attacks the desperate daughters, and yet the ages survive one alter the other. It is true that in past the girl was not criticised as a "licentious Amazon," hut this means, not a change in the girl, but a change in the fashion of scolding. Except to say that the dross of the modern girl is the prettiest;and healthiest that hats ever been seen, there is no need for reply to her critics. But there lias come to me a comment on Lady Frances's speech, in shape of a verso apparently modelled on the famous Harvard poem on the tobacco evil. Here it is: The modern girl is full of sin; 1 like her. All paints without, all vice within; J like her. She shocks the sober all she can, A silken, scouted foe of Man, A bare-armed blot on Nature's plan ; I like her. RUSSIAN COOKERY. A PRINCESS' RECIPES. Russian cookery is an unopened book to the majority of English cooks, whose knowledge of the Russian cuisine begins and ends with a more or less vague idea that caviare served as an liors d'oeuvre in epicurean menus comes from Russia. Caviare, however, is a luxury, and there is much else that is interesting and suggestive Tirßxi'ssian cookery, as readers of the Russian Cook Book, compiled ami translated by Princess Alexandre Gagarjtio, will discover. The house of"'tlni' wife of tlte Governorenoral of Kiev was. it appears, famed for its cuisine, and the collection ol recipes which she complied and published at the request of her friends mot with great success in her own country. ,ThJs novel contribution to the anna Is : of national cookery is now., presented to EnglislHsptlakingj cooks. There is, for instance, the Russian national soup, "borstch." which is particularly popular in the south ol Russia. To make borstch, however, you first of all make a supply of beetroot kvass. This is done by filling a wooden tub or barrel with betroots and water in the proportion of live large beetroots to rour quarts of cold water. The tub is sealed and kept in a cellar for two weeks, when if is ready for use. To make the soup, take throe cups of beetrootkvass, throe quarts of plain water, four teaspoonfuls of salt, two pounds of beef, one fowl, one pound of ribs of mutton, four large beetroots, three carrots, three stalks ol celery, parsley and fennel loaves, one cabbage, four large potatoes, two tomatoes, quarter pound of salt pork, one table.spoonful flour, one egg yollc, one phion, one cup tour cream. The cut-up vegetables and meat are boiled till tender and poured into the soup tureen, where the sour cream and egg yolk are. • The average English cook .w,iU.,cqme tj the conclusion that borstch makes

somewhat heavy demand on material

The betroot kvass used in' soupmaking must not bo compared with "kvass," the Russian national alcoholic drink. Princess Alexandre believes this .beverage would have a great success in "dry" America. Malt, rye hour, sugar, mint pepper pod, and yeast are the chief ingredients, and the drink is declared to be refreshing and healthful, and so pleasant that Rusisan households brow a supply of kvass about once a week. Fruit syrup as made in Russia is a very good drink, hot or cold. Take one pound of fresh fruit juice, add one and a half pound of sugar, and put into a saucepan on a low fire. Remove the scum that forms on the surface. When quite clear, take oil 5 fire, cool a little, and pour into previously warmed bottles. Let cool thoroughly, cork, tie the corks with string to the nock of the bottles, and seal with sealing wax. Keep in cool place. When used, dilute with water according to taste. Russia chocolate is made by boiling two cups of milk. Grate a quarter of a pound of chocolate, throw into the milk, and stir with a wooden rjpooJi. When it boils, remove to low fire, and beat with an egg-beater till foam forms. This should give three eups of chocolate. USEFUL HINTS. Whipped Cream. —(Jno iis often liable to find oneself short of whipped cream at a critical moment, and the following will be found a ready and cheap means of adding to the sup-ply. .Mash a banana, adding a tablespoonFul of sugar and a dash of lemon and salt. Blend this with the white of a:; egg beaten stiff .then mix with what cream you have, and whip up together. Enamelling Bathroom Taps. Much labour can bo saved'in these less days if the bra<4 bathroom taps are painted white wfth liietal polish, then wash them With strong hot soda water. Dry thoroughly, and apply a coat of white enamel. This should be done at night so that the taps will not have to be, used until the morning, when the enamel should be dry. A Deodoriser.—Cloves burnt on the top of the kitchen stove will remove iill smell of onions or the very unpleasant smell of cooking cabbage. Hemstitching. - When drawing threads in linen from hemstitching, wet a small nail brush, rub it on a piece of soap until a lather is produced and scrub the threads to be drawn. They will pull out quite easily without breaking.

Dyeing Satin Shoes. Satin shoes can be quite successfully dyed at home. First brush them well and put them on trees. Then make the dye, use about half a pint of boiling water for a small packet of dye, so that it is very strong. Apply the dye to the slices with a small .sponge. Allow the shoes to dry very slowly. A further application may be necessary if the colour is not deep enough. (leaning Furs.—Heat, some bran until it is as hot as you can bear to touch with the fingers, then rub it well into the fur. As fast as the bran becomes soiled, use fresh. .finally rub in a fresh amount and leave it in the fur overnight. In the morning shake and brush the fur thoroughly, and hang it out of doors for a few hours if possible. Hints for the Smoker. Many women smoke nowadays .and it is well to know how to remove the signs from the* hands and teeth. A slice of cut lemon will often remove the nicotine stains from the fingers, but if they are obstinate a little peroxide of hydrogen will help. Camphorated chalk mixed with jwroxide of hydrogen and used as a tooth paste will help to I'eh'iove smoke stains from the tee tli. If you find that the tea put in the thermos fla.sk tastes of the coffee or chocolate that you have had in it before, the simplest plan is to have different corks,, for it is the corks that absorb the odours aiid make the tea taste of coffee. Ijrand ypiir corks and you will have little trouble, as long as you keep the thermos thoroughly cleansed. CLOTHES FOR GAMES. A woman journalist lately made a plea for ;more efficient sj.orls clresp lol ' women. ,'Xhe woman tennis player, she says, owes to Mile. Lenglen a debt of gratitude for popularising the loofccly-hahgmg frock, . short-skirted and short-sleeved. ~■ Before her advent first-class, women players acthere more conservatively to the tailored skirt, tight at the waist, and the shirftblouse with long sleeves. Jt was hartliy good form even to discard Hie tight collar and tie'in favour of the low-cut"blouse. •.,>. /■'<'■'-■■•■' • : ' ::

The present style of tennis dress gives every freedom of stroke play, but it is only necessary to read criticisms of the game ti> know that speed and good footwork are necessary factors of success, and at this year's Wimbledon meeting one woman player at least .seems to have recog nised this. With the courage of her convictions she made what may seem a daring innovation in adopting for tennis the tunic style of dress, which lias for so many years been a recognised costume for hockey, and in this count'v for mountain climbing. She is ait accomplished, all-round sportswoman, with the double distinction of representing England for several .canons in both hockey and la crossa, and ir, famed for her fleotness (■( foot. Accustomed always to play games in a tunic, she found that skirts f-n.l petticoats about her knees impeded her in getting quickly off the mark. Women who have never ,vorn tunirfi for games, and men who nave i.e\<r worn skirts .cannot realise the enormous difference it makes *•> a woman to have her knees free. To put on a tunic is to put oil' many years. One fels extraordinarily buoyant, energetic, and untrammelled. Apart from its practical advantages and it* stimulating effect on what we call "morale" during the war, the regulation tunic style of dress compares favourably in appearance with the more orthodox feminine tennis garb. The player referred to above wears a well-tailored pierced turic of knee length, made of fine white cloth over a silk shirt, with sluri sleeves and loose neck, long white stockings, and neatly-fitting white woven knickers. Criticism* from spectators were not lacking, of course, but there were chiefly from that type of person who, not so many years ago, was absolutely horrified at the regulation which ordained that hockey skirts .should be so immodestly short as eight inches from the ground ! That will prove whether the conventional and traditional prejudices of the women players will fjive place to their strong desire for efficiency. DRESS AND THE BABY. Her mother could not understand why baby Joan, aged IS months, screamed whenever Aunt Agatha came near her. Aunt Agatha is extremely fond oi children. But she is always garbed in sombre browns or navy blue, and is renowned iit her family circle for wearing unbecoming clothes, so the reason for baby Joan's aversion does not see in far to seek. Children, and even tiny infants, instinctively like and appreciate beauty, especially the beauty of bright, vivid colours. Who has not seen a baby smile, and stretch out its hand for a brilliant toy? In the same way, little children are drawn to people who wear pretty clothes, and are repelled by ugly, drab garments.

The woman who has charge of young children, he ' she parent, teacher or nur.se should endeavour to make her appearance as attractive as possible. By so doing she is far more likely to gain their confidence and trust. Perhaps it may seem barbaric to attribute such feeling to a child, but after all he is totally unable to understand ethical value. Jt is asserted that almost from birth everything that happens to us registers either a pleasurable or a painful reaction. Surely it is worth while to see that the small people receive impressions of charms and beauty. WHITE GLOVES TABOO. 'l'll,- most obvious change in fashion is ill the matter of gloves. White gloves are now a definite mark of dowdiness, milesg worn with a t suit mainly composed of white. Even then, the smart women would prefer black kid stitched in white. In any case, with a fawn frock you wear fawn or grey shoes and fawn or grey gloves or black shoes and black gloves. (Not grey stockings, even though you have the exact match for your grey shoes—you must put them away and wear the nude shade.) The glove change is obvious at" an afternoon reception—on-'* misses at once tTTe accustomed Hash ol white-kid hands ! SAFETY FIJI ST. If the handle of your bag is fixed ui each end oti the same side, take it to a working jeweller and get him to put a loop on the other bide. Then pass your chain or ribbon handle across the bag and through the loop 1,0 that, should the mount open while it hangs from your arm, both sides will still be held position and there will be no invitation to the lightlingered gentry.