MEN AND WOMEN.

Northland Age, Volume IV, Issue 48, 20 July 1908, Page 2

MEN AND WOMEN.

THE DOWAGER-EMPRESS OF

CHINA.

The recent announcement of the Dowager-Empress of China that she intends to abdicate next year has naturally caused somewhat of a sensation in the Western World. Though Tze Hsi, who is now in her seventyfourth year, is physically weak owing to a recent attack of paralysis, yet her mind is as subtle and at times as sprightly as ever. Tze Hsi has always been extremely vain of the good looks tn which her rise to power would seem originally to have been due, and even of her personal appearance. A recent visitor to the court of Pekin, who is now in England, states that her Majesty is rouged every morning regularly after breakfast until her cheeks flame delicately against the creamy composition with which the rest of her face has been coated. A huge mirror is then rolled to the couch upon which the source of all power in China reclines, and Tze Hsi carefully studies the effect of the beautifying energies of her young ladies

IMPERIAL THOUGHTFULNESS. Though the Dowager-Empress is vehemently opposed to many Western institutions, she has taken a great fancy to European cooking, and has set up a kitchen in the palace on European lines. A French chef has been imported, and the Empro 4 ® often declines to touch any oinh not cooked in the European fashion. Tze Hsi is gifted with a keen sense of humour, which she delights to exhibit in the most unexpected ways. Here is an edict of hers issued recently : “Wong Wen-Shao, the grand secretary has served us many years He is now over seventy years of age, and in the daily audiences his obesance is now very difficult, and our symapthy must be shown him. Let him be Council in order that he may be saved trouble.” As a dismissal that could hardly be improved upon. THE KAISER'S MOTOR-CARS. The German Emperor, we are tqld, is not partial to rapid railway travelling, and only the other day he is said to have protested against his being conveyed by train at a speed exceeding forty miles an hour. As regards motoring, however, the Emperor's attitude is very different. The Kaiser possesses five motor cars, of which four are German make and ono of Italian, The latter, which is a present from the King of Italy, is the ono which the Kaiser prefers, and last year he covered the distance from Hanover to Hamburg in 3 hours 27 minutes. As the journey by road is not far short of 200 miles, he must have driven at very nearly a mile a minute. The Kaiser's cars are all painted dark yellow, ami he employs seven chauffeurs. In tho Imperial stables are 350 horses and 300 carriages, most of which the Emperor never uses, ANKLES OF GOLD, Otero, the Paris dancer, who has done many extraordinary things during her stage career, has just had her ankles insured for £15,000 each.

Several months ago Otero slightly sprained an ankle and was compelled to cancel an engagement in consequence. The financial loss prompted her manager to follow the example of Kubelik, the violinist, who has insured his fingers for a considerable amount. Kubelik’s fingers are to him what Otero’s ankles are to her. She is now being advertised as the only dancer with ankles worth £30,000,