THE WOMAN'S WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12055, 27 August 1902, Page 3

THE WOMAN'S WORLD.

THE ART OP ARTLESSNESS. DECEPTIONS OP THE .MODERN GIRL.. What charm in greater in a girl than natural frankness and freshness? Does nofr everyone know and admire— envy sometimes— girl who captivates all who see; her by her naturalness, by her complete freedom from all artifice? But how often do people think that this self-same artlessness is an art; that this freedom from restraint is the result oS studious schooling and diligently-applied method ; and that it is open to all to study the art and apply the method? Ever since the. . day when first America's fair daughters looked upon Britain and saw* that its men were good, and, having seen,, came and conquered, their fresh, breezy,' " natural charm has been in vogue. It i*. "chic," it is "smart," and it is "good ,;.. form." The day of the modest maid who coyly hung her head over her fancyworlc ,'. in delicious {or deliciously-feigned) ignor-t , ance of the world around is past and gone,,! and.no one sheds a tear over it. We are* .' all too delighted with the newer type of ] girl, and now tho cry is for the bright,: merry little tiling, who runs (instead oil .-- "tripping") and laughs (instead of "smiling")— healthy, mirth-provoking laugh-' ter. And as you see her you exclaim ad-: miringly: : ,

"How charmingly natural, how deliei-.' .' ously frank and unrestrained she is sot fresh and wholesome!" Yet she is nob' really so very frank or unrestrained. Ifi you were to see real naturalism in the' drawingrooin it would seem boorish unci' out of place. The naturalness that charms* ."- is. a .studied effect. The silvery laughter: is the result of long practice, and is very.:. different from the hearty guffaw of thecountry "tomboy," which grates Upon the educated ear. The little moue that is so fascinating, bears no real relation to the unrestrained grimace. Every remark start-ling in its frankness, every action captivating in. its freshness, must'bear the hallmark of spontaneity—the hallmark so cleverly forged that none but the little criminal herselv knows its worthlessness. And when the time comes for her to settle down to the cares and duties oi married life, is she any the worse for caring as much to make her manner attractive as she does to make the most, of her actual outward appearance? I think Home' Chat, ■■ - . '

WHY WOMEN'WON'T MARRY.. The discussion on this subject is still beiu* carried on in the Free Lance. In the. last issue, "Hetty Dixon" writes: — "Why women won't many," I think, aftei all, is quite plain. When a girli ; marries she has to settle down and give! up her. girlhood pleasures. When a girl*! is married she loses her girlish freedom en-i tirely. No flirtations, no fun; instead, the cares of wife and motherhood, with *' jealous husband in the background. Poor; ■ thing! She has ever had my sympathy.;. I made up my mind long ago "never to.' many, and, although I am now only 18) (usually a fickle age), I know I shall never} • change my mind. How awful it would bej to- gradually find out- my husband's very! worst qualities, sigh for 'a change, and tot ■: be fully aware all the time of the fact thafci nothing but death or disgrace could release me. • Why should women marry? "For! the sake of a home," some poor creatures] will say. What a reason! • Can you credit! any nice-minded, honourable girl marrying a man whom she probably neither cares about nor respects "for the sake of »i home'/" Such marriages are always failures.! I think marriage is ; becoming old--) fashioned. Our grandmothers had really * nothing to do but look forward to the time! i' when a gallant swain would come audi carry them away from the " parent nest"-' to a home of their own, where they lived' dull, uneventful lives—except, possibly, for. an annual arrival. Fancy a. young woman in those', days working and keeping herself Things are so altered now. At, the same; time, I am somewhat different to a correspondent of - last week—namely, "Sarah."! She appears to be "A New Woman." But the New Woman has not been exactly a success, though she did try hard. Why women won't marry!: Where y is W& the pleasure, pray, in perhaps bringing up: a large family of troublesome children.! I am very young, but I can see very/, plainly the disadvantages of .being married.' As a Free Lance lover, I don't mind signing <■ my name, which will ever be, " ■■« Hktty Dixon. . THE TABLE. * Heather Cake : One pound of flour, half *, • ' pound of butter, two eggs well beaten. Mix all together with milk and a tiiblespoonful of baking powder; beat till quite smooth;,. pour the mixture into a well-greased drip-I ping ..tin, sprinkle sugar on the top, and! bake in a moderate oven. /Pineapple Cake: Beat up six eggs well for five minutes, then add six ounces of castor sugar, and whisk for about twenty mi*l nutes,_or till thick and frothy. Next'add very lightly six ounces of sieved flour and: three ounces of pineapple cut into shreds.; Pour the mixture into "a tin lined with / greased paper, and bake in a. quick oven' for about half an hour. , ' Strawberry Jelly':' Boil ijlb sugar in half! a pint of .water, pour it boiling hot over • three pints of strawberries, pla.ced in an | earthen vessel, add the juice of two lemons, j cover closely, and let it stand twelve hours.' Then strain through a cloth (flannel is the best thing); mix the juice which has run througW* ; with 2£oz of gelatine which has been ' dissolved in a little warm water, and add sufficient cold water to make the mixture on» quart. Pour into a mould, and set to cool. ' Lamington Cake: Take one cup butter,; three cups flour, two cups sugar, five eggs,,' leaving out the whites of two for icing, one small cup of milk, one small teaspoonful carbonate of soda, two small teaspoonful* cream of tartar. Rub the butter and sugar together; add the eggs and the milk with/ ;. the flour in which the soda has been mixed., Bake for twenty minutes in long fiat tins > . :-..;■ and when cold" cut into small, blocks and ice all over with an icing made as follows :f. —4lb butter, lib icing sugar, beaten well together. -Add" the whipped whites of the two eggs with three large tablespoonfuls grated chocolate (or cocoa of a dark colour),.'/' essence of vanilla to taste. Cover the blocks all over, and immediately roll them in desiccated cocoanut. ' ■ ■■ ■' / V '- GENERAL NOTES. ,'! Rest When Washing Up: A kitchen stool is a great boon to delicate women for sitting on .when washing' up. To' Preserve a Carpet: Before laying a carpet rub the boards over with turpentine to safeguard it against moths. .'.:'■' Cashmere :* To restore ' faded cashmere sponge with equal parts of alcohol and am-' monia diluted in warm water. Veils: Veils should either be washed or; ■ thrown away when soiled, for the dusfc' which collects in them is very bad for the complexion. Tablecloths: Red tablecloths will keep their colour when washed if a little borax", be added to the rinsing water, and they are dried in the shade. , Britannia-Metal: To clean britannia metal moisten the articles to be cleaned with sweet oil, then, apply a little pounded rotten stone,/ ' and polish with chamois leather and fine chalk. ' . ' ,

* Best Mode of Removing Grease from Silks, Hats, Coals, etc.: Saturate a piece of clean flannel with benzine collas and rub gently* t.'.: then expose to a good current of air. Cleaning Windows: To clean windows, remove stains, and dust with soap and water, then apply with a moistened rag powdered' indigo, rotten stone, or Fuller's earth. Dry, with a soft cotton cloth. ~ How to Preserve Umbrellas: When an umbrella is brought in from the rain it should' be stood up on its handle, .so that, the'wet does not settle in the material. This also prevents the wood from swelling. To Renovate Toilet Cans: Sponge the cans with soap and water thoroughly and polish with a damp ■ chamois leather. This applies to painted articles of all colours. The leather should be kept for the purpose. To Clean Window Blinds: Spread on a table, and rub all over with breadcrumbs.. This 'treatment will make blinds look quite clean and fresh again, and they will nobbo pulled out of shape, as blinds often.are' in process of washing or ironing.