WOMEN’S COLUMN.

Grey River Argus, 31 March 1922, Page 3

WOMEN’S COLUMN.

FASHION NOTES. (By “Freda” ). It is impossible to over-einphasise the importance of points. Points, m every form, are the key-note of the winter fashions. Tliey appear on frocks of every sort for day and evening wear, and are also cunningly introduced on coals, skirts, and wraps for all occasions. A delightful little frock tor afternoons is made of taffeta and lace. The bodice has a pretty pointed tunic, finished with picot-stitched edges, with its wide lace sleeves which is also a chainq The skirt is made of lace i with an over skirt of taffeta pointed ' at the front and side, and finished with picot-stitched edges. This charming velvet dress is cut Ln one from shoulder to hem. The front is cut- down in one while the skies are slit, and the bodice and skirt parts i are joined across the back; them the > gathered ntuic is inserted, the sleeves arc set flat into the armholes and are of bell shape, this smart frock is finished with a narrow sash. A particularly useful dressing-gown can be made from a rod blanket, the collar cuffs and pockets being made ■of a black material. Hie set it off and the waist is finished with a. neat patent belt. Flowers a-nd flower-trimmings are very popular for evening dress. A girdle of silk or velvet flowers is ail the trimming needed to turn a plain 1 net or georgette frock into a thing of beauty. THE RING WOMEN LOVE. The custom of wearing the weddingring is so old that its origin is lost in obscurity. Long before the Christian era., the Jews used the ’’ing to unite couples in marriage. The probable idea of the ring was that, having no end, it proclaimed the love of the partners to be everlasting. Although it is usual nowadays to wear the ring cn the third finger of the left hand, it was not always customary to do so. There is a legend to the effect that nerves run direct from that finger to the heart. In the sixteenth century wedding rings were made with a motto insciibed inside, and Shakespeare refers to them in two or three of his plays. MEASURING BRIDES. Measuring brides for legacies is the remarkable ceremony which annually takes place in St CS’ius, a quaint little village in Kinkarineshire. More than fifty years ago a. native of the village, who had been Paymaster-gen-eral of the Indian Army, bequeathed a sum of money, the interest of which, about £3O, was for all time to be disbursed in five equal parts every year. One part was for the purchase of meals lor the poor, while the remainder was set aside to be divided among each year’s four conspicuouis brides, the oldest, the youngest, the tallest and the shortest, who were married in St Cyrus Parish Church. The administration of the fund is in the hands of the parish minister. All St Cyrus turns out on “Brides-measuring Day,” and the occasion is made a holiday. RECIPES. Apple Chutney:—4 lbs of sour apples (windfalls will do very well), 2 lbs of Demerar a sugar, three pints of best vinegar, 11 lbs stoned raisins, 2 ozs mustard-seed, 1 ounce of salt. 1 ounce of garlic, 1 ounce of ground ginger, half a tea spoonful of cayenne. Method: Pare, core and cut up the apples in slices, put them in a jar (if you have not a double saucepan), which srfeand in a saucepan of boiling water and stew the fruit until tender. Chopj up the garlic and raisins, add these to the apples along with the sugar, 1 mustard-seed, salt, ground ginger, cay-i enne and vinegar. Simmer in an enamelled saucepan until the Chutney coats the spoon. Turn it into small pots, and tie down like jam. Pickled Mushrooms :—lngredients: Small button mushrooms, salt, white vinegar, milk, mace, bruised ginger, nutmeg and cayenne. Method: Make sure the mushrouns are quite clean, and rub the skins off

with some salt sprinkled on a piece of flannel; as they are a< ..e. throw them into a bowl of cold in ‘k and water. Drain well and dry m clean cloth, then arrange in jars. Measure th? amount of cold milk and waier into which you put the mushrooms, a a this will be your guide for the amoum of vinegar. Then boil the vinegar for five minutes with salt, mace, bruis. ed ginger, nutmeg and cayenne in very small quantities, then pour over the mushrooms, and when co; tie down securely. Apple Jelly—lngredients: 6 lbs of sour, rather white-fleshed, juicy ap ples,three pints of water, and to everv pint of juice allow 1 lb of preserving sugar and half a teaspoonful of lemon juice. Two or three pieces of thia lemon rind improves the flavour.