MAINLY FOR WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 September 1927, Page 10

MAINLY FOR WOMEN

NEWS AND NOTES. In England women arc in future to be eligible for licenses as flying pilots for public transport on much the same terms as men. A Frenchman, Charles Nicholas, finished a ten days’ dancing match at Barcelona, Spain, recently. The conditions were that he should dance continuously, with an allowance of 720 minutes’ rest in the 240 hours. Nicholas finished with nine minutes’ rest to spare. Permission to continue daheing for another 36 hours was refused by the authorities. The dancer lost 231 b in weight. Women have volunteered for service in the French Army since the new law of French Ijational defence, drafting all men and women for military service, has been published. Some of the women want to serve outright as officers, much to the annoyance of high officers in the army, who are aghast at the idea that women should form a battalion of fighters as the Russian girls did towards the end of the Great War.

A London-born woman, Miss Laura Fairbanks, regarded as the cleverest embroiderer in Britain/and her seven highly skilled girl helpers, have made the five new standards which were presented to the Life Guards and the Horse Guards by the King on the Horse Guards Parade. To make these magnificent emblems, costing altogether £2OOO, these eight women worked for 600 hours. ■» “Mr W. E. Hurcomb has presented Dean Stanley’s miniature font to Westminster Abbey. The font was carried about by the Dean to private baptisms which included those of children of the Royal Family. For twenty years after the death of Dean Stanley the font stood under a glass in the Deanery. It is a replica of the font in the Round Church at Cambridge. In 1861 the Dean accompanied King Edward, then Prince of Wales, on his tour to the Holy Land, and brought back a bottle of Jordan water, which was used for baptising the royal children.

What is claimed to be an authentic case of absent-mindedness, concerning a North Otago farmer, was related to a reporter the other day (says the “Oamaru Tinies”). The farmer’s memory was so faulty that when ho was sent to procure anything a list had to be given him. The climax was reached one day, when, accompanied by his wife, he drove to town, and on returning home, after completing his business transactions, he was greeted by a startled member of the family with the question, “Where is mother,” but the answer, “Oh! gracious, I knew I forgot something,” was quite reassuring.

Women dragging ploughs through the first furrows in the fields to prevent evil spirits blighting the crops may still be seen within short distances of Moscow. Idolatrous worship and superstitious practices continue almost within the shadow of the Moscow Universities, according to a report by the Ethnographic Depart-

ment of the Commissariat of Educa

tion. The God of Hens is still placated with special offerings in villages close to Moscow, wizards are asked to cure illnesses by applying toads to the skin of the sufferer, quacks and voodoo men conduct a thriving trade. Many other dark and dismal magics persist in spite of . the active educational w r ork of the Government.

Glycerine has many beauty uses. It is unrivalled for keeping hands smooth and white and curing chaps; but on most skins it is too irritating used alone, so it should be x bought ready mixed with rose water. Massage a little well into the hands twice a day after washing. It is also very comforting used on the face, and helps to make it smooth in cold and windy weather. Feet which easily get damp and overheated should have glycerine well rubbed over them, particularly the soles, with a small sponge. Finish the treatment by sprinkling them with borax. A good way to apply this is through a sugar sifter kept for the purpose. When you are tired you will find a warm bath containing tvlo tablespoonfuls of glycerine most refreshing as a “pick-me-up.” One part of glycerine mixed with two of rose-water makes a pleasant and cleansing mouth-wash, and should be tried if you are troubled with any little sore spots on the tongue or inside of the mouth. As indigestion generally is the cause of these, at the same time overhaul your diet and make sure you are getting enough exercise in the open, and do not drink anything with your meals.

Just as men have tried to adopt waists and petticoats in order to catch up with the prevailing fashions, so they are trying in their humble fashion also to make some

use of the serpent and his wisdom. Very neat, small ties are being made for men of nothing less than whole serpents. These have to be caught very young in order to be exactly the right length and breadth for the purpose. Their markings are important, according as they have to go with blue stripes or mauve spots. Little cobras from Borneo are very much in demand, and in exterminating them thus early a good deal of trouble is perhaps saved later on. Pythons of only a few months give very soft and delicate shades, and are said to cling round the neck with a life-likeness Avhich takes some nerve to carry off successfully. Very deadly small snakes are much in demand, with their suggestion of dangers heroically overcome. These ties are popular in France, where marriage is arranged on a business basis. They are exceedingly expensive, and they do not last long enough to be Borrowed with any facility. A suitor, therefore, with a handsome collection of snake ties, may be safely regarded as an

“hornme serieux" —the first essential to successful negotiations. If so much is accomplished Avith baby snakes, Avhat may not be revolutionised when man adopts a whole boa-constrictor?