WOMAN'S REALM.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 717, 29 March 1900, Page 4

WOMAN'S REALM.

Mrs Brown-Potter is the moving spirit of a society to consist of Englishspeaking women all the world over, and tho object of which is to do everything possible to put down tho scourge of war. Small light tea tables have gone out of fashion, and tho proper thing for afternoon tea is a " gate " table — one of those substantial constructions which are made with eight legs. A cloth of blue and rod Russian work is spread on the table, and quantities of refreshments — enough for a small starving family — even when the tea is only brought up for one or two visitors. Olive Bchreiner intends to visit {Scotland after tho war is over and deliver a scries of pro-Boer lecturer there. " Maiden ushers," or young ladies to show visitors to their seats in churches, have, it is said, proved a great success in the Baptist community of Atlanta, Georgia. The increased attendance particularly of young men has led to the decision to make the arrrangemont permanent. The Supremo Court of Delaware (U.S.^has just established a precedent in refusing the right for women to practise at the bar of that State. The woman in question was Mrs Carrie B. Kilgore, of Philadelphia, a regular practising attorney of Pennsylvania, who has argued in the Supreme Court of tho United States. Application for her admission to practise was made by 11. G. Knowlos, a Wilmington attorney. The request was simply made for n .special case — that of Forbes and Forbes, of Wilmington, against the Mayor and Council of Wilmington, being an action brought first in the Municipal Court of Wilmington and afterward taken to the Superior Court, and finally the Supremo Court of the State, decision being rendered last June against Forbes. The desire of the defendants was to represent them. The Court after hearing tho statement as to the woman attorney's right to practice decided that under the now Constitution of Delaware the permission could not be granted. The results are published of a novel competition in the ' Young Woman.' The readers were asked to express, within the compass ,of a post-card, ideas on the perfect man. The composition was called " What Girls Admire in a Man." Almost all the competitors agree that good looks are quite the least important part in a hero's inventory. It appears, judging from all tho views, that the ideal man should possess the following virtues: — A quiet, grave, and courteous manner, a light heart and a hearty laugh ; he must be "chummy"; he must be '• strong, and laige, and clean " ; worldly-wise, but not world-hardened ; strictly truthful, and temperate in all things ; he must look at the bright side of life ; 'ho must be kind to the aged, little children and dumb animals. There has just died at Clapham, London, a somewhat interesting character in the person of Mrs Middleton, who was well known throughout the district as having in her younger days been a, playmate and attendant of the Queen. The old lady, who at the time of her death had passed her hundredth birthday, was (the ' Daily Chronicle ' says) during the early part of the century maid to one of the Queen's ladies in waiting, and used to converse freely of her recollections of Her Majesty's childhood, of which she retained some very pleasant memories. She was recently the recipient of a substantial gift from Her Majesty on the occasion of her birthday. The possibility of heating houses and cooking by means of the electric current is discussed in a recent issue of " Chambers's." The cost of such a convenience is prohibitive unless the current can be produced in a wonderfully cheap manner. The system has however, been adopted at the Carmelite Hospice situated on the Canadian side of the Niagara Eiver, about two miles

w distant, from the Falls, from which 3- source the necessary power is obtained. is At the Hospice, about 100 horse-power ie is in use, 25 per cent, of which is employed for lighting and cooking wnile ie the rest is devoted to heating the lower j- floor of the building. All gtiod ijousea keepers must sigh for the cleanliness n of such an arrangement ; .rib ,-rtres to is create dust and dirt, and. a kitchen range without black or smut— -'a -range t, with a'surface of six square feet any n portion of which can be brought to a [1 dull or bright red heat by the action y of a switch. Baking and roasting ovens o are heated in the same way, and any c surplus current goes to raise the ,teme perature in a tank of water containing !i 400 gal.