MAINLY FOR WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 November 1923, Page 8

MAINLY FOR WOMEN

NEWS AND NOTES. A party of Yorkshire girls being shown round London by Canon J. F. Howson, rector of -Guiseley, came to St James’ Palace, and were told that the Prince of Wales lived there- “ What! That mucky old house!’’ came the. reply. “He ought to be ’shamed of the window curtains ; they’re right mucky.’’ Later the party went to Buckingham Palace to see if the King had clean window curtains ! A sample of knitting of the wife of President Coolidge will be submitted as an anonymous entry for a national prize offered by a big yarn company to advertise its product. If the women judges decide that her knitting is superior, she will receive the prize, £4OO. A few months ago the yarn company announced prizes totalling £2200 for objects knitted from its product. Mrs Coolidge was not then the mistress of the White House, and decided that the knitting might bring money which would be welcomed in her family’s modest circumstances. She put her hope in a white cover for a baby’s perambulator of the oldfashioned fourfold type. Bobbed hair has been described by its defenders as hygienic, labour-sav-

ing, and attractive. It has been left t< mere man, a Balhanr reader of the “Daily News,’’ to describe it as a cure and preventative of bad temper. This is his eulogy on “the bob’’ :—“rl year ago my wife was bobbed. I was a little dubious, but the result converted me. It improved her good looks, her health (for she has scarcely had a headache since), and her temper (by reason of not having to waste time needlessly over her toilette or stick hairpins into her scalp). As most of the opposition to bobbing comes from men’s conservatism, I give this experience for the benefit of husbands, sweethearts, and fathers who are ‘up against’ their womenfolk in this matter. A generation ago women liked men with whiskers ; now they don’t. If the bobbed (or wouldbe ’bobbed) stick to their guns, men will soon fall out of love with ‘buns’ -—as surely as women have fallen out of love jvith whiskers.’’ Tie winds up with an ultimatum. “If,” he threatens, “my wife lets her hair grow again, I shall grow a beard!” The Englishwoman seems like her French sisters, to have cleverly realised that for the daytime there is nothing smarter and mote suited to the Anglo-Saxon type than black. Among the more remarkable toilets to be observed at Ascot (says an English paper) was an extremely plain black coat, trimmed with monkey fur, and eminently adapted to the neat, shiny panama, hat selected by the wearer. A black georgette cloak, with a broad piece of Paisley,

imprinted in the material at the verge of the cloak and round tne collar, looked very well with a black hat adorned with a rich sprinkling of ospreys. A curious jumper jacket had a black background with white Chinese embroideries and a large green, dragon in the centre. Another welldressed woman had a long black georgette coat, caught up at one side, with a deep band of black fur round the hem. A brown crepe de chine dress with long pleats and a knot at the side, and with a small shoulder cape, looked charming, with a large hat of deep wine-coloured straw, sewn with clusters of small cherries.

When you are sending flowers through the post it is well to remember these few hints : Select blossoms which have quite recently opened, and cut the buds of those flowers which are known to expand well in water. It is a great mistake to gather the blooms just before they are packed. Pick them two or three hours in advance and then place them in the jars of water in a. cool, shady place, states an exchange. Boxes 111 which flowers are packed for post should be strong enough to' resist

... o 1,, . crushing, and as nearly airtight as possible. It is a mistake to use ordinary paper with flowers, as this tends to absorb moisture and will soon make them lade. A very excellent plan is to wrap the blossoms on grease-proof paper, which has a remarkable preservative effect. Never sprinkle the blossoms with water, as if does not really help to keep the flowers fresh, and often spoils the petals. If the flowers are going a long journey it is a. good plan to tie wads of damp cotton wool around the end of the stalks. Fill |] ie box lull as flowers are often hopelessly damaged by jolting about in a partly tilled box. If there are not sufficient blooms to fill the- box completely, work crumpled-up grease-proof paper into the spaces. Flowers received by post should not be put straight into vases. Arrange them in jars and keep them in a cool place for a few hours. Often it is a good plan to put the tips of the stalks in scalding hot waler for a few minutes to revive the bloolms.