WOMAN'S WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13304, 10 October 1906, Page 9

WOMAN'S WORLD.

GIRLS WHO ARE PRISONERS. Ir often happens, that when a Greek girl reaches the age of 10 or 11 she is sent away to school,,-where, in addition to languages and accomplishments, she ha.s the chance of acquiring some smattering of arithmetic and history; but it is not surprising that her frivolous, restless mind prevents her really working at any subject at all. She seldom stays at school mora than two years, and then returns home, where her toilette and deportment receive even more attention: and after a few mouths'; careful instruction in housekeeping and the making of numerous most elaborate sweet'confections and drinks she is married. Maniage is generally eagerly looked forward to, for if she belong to the upper classes, the Greek maiden is almost a prisoner may never go out alone, nor may she visit even her own friends unattended. In some of the more remote parts of Greece this seclusion is carried to huch a point that a Wellborn girl appears in public but once a. year —on New Year's Day. After her marriage, however, she may go about alone, but the emptiness and shallowness of her life would astonish the average English girl, with her store of energy and abundant interest. TEMPERATURE AND MARRIAGE. Temperature has a serious effect upon the marriageable chances of girls of different complex-lens. It is a noticeable trait in the character of fickle-minded man that during hot weather he gives .the preference to his lady friends whose chief charm is their fair complexion, while during the colder seasons' the . darker beauties reign supreme. The reason.is not far to seek. The cool-looking faces, together with the light-coloured dresses during summer attract his lordship as much as a dip in the sea. The appearance of a well-favoured blonde is so refreshing during the heat of summer,.and this explains why fair girls have such-a good time during the holiday season. On the other hand, their, darkhaired .- sisters take the field during the reign of concerts and balls. What is more attractive in cold weather than a bright and cheerful face whose beauty is heightened by the quiet colours prevailing during late autumn and winter? Girls who wish to make 'the most of those heart-pal-pitating moments when lordly man humbles himself and lays his heart at their feet had better, keep this view of the matter in sight, for.the,chances are against a fellow thinking as much of his summer idyll when fogs and frosts are. about, and his fortunes will then be offered to some i darker rival. . , .»„•..'- ~'u

WHAT MODERN MEN DEMAND. There are many sayings accepted as truth and gospel which, in '-fact,.."are -truths; only; and one of these is that which affirms that men do not like clever women ; but as a rule prefer fools. It depends. If the clever woman" is aggressive as to; manner and plain as to looks, while the fool is pretty and appealing, 999 men out of a thousand will give wisdom a wide berth and embrace folly. If ;they \ have the chance. ', Men,'like women, are prone to judge by appearances;.' to think more of the exterior of. the casket, than the con- : tents thereof, says Helen Oldfield, in the Chicago Sunday Tribune. '•'. In point of fact, the women who best succeed with men .are. those who are clever' enough to conceal their cleverness, yet who never are silly enough' to become bores, or lack sympathy. He, or perhaps she, was bath wise and witty .who said, : "A man J likes his wife,to ho just clever enough.to comprehend his cleverness, and just stupid; enough to admire it." '.' «; ' . • \ The day has gone by when the first duty of , woman was to "Stick to her thimb'e;" the second to echo .ail her : husband's opinions, arid have none of her own. v Men are growing more and more exacting in the ■ . DEMANDS THEY MAKE TjrpN WOMEN - ■ to be interesting and entertaining. They like to be amused, and the woman who fails to amuse them is.apt to be regarded j as a, bore. • > ■ ■ . There is a good deal, madam, in mod-: em improvements," is what the artist, Whistler, once said to a great lady who confided to him her intention to train her daughter to possess just the same accom-;, plishments as she ; herself did. Men are not half so simple as they used to be, and demand the latest improvements in all things before they find them satisfactory. | .The young woman of the twentieth cen- ; tury who . possesses intellectual attraction which might have sufficed to make her charming 50 years ago, will meet with much disappointment. " The girl of the period must increase her stock of attractions just as she requires that her dressmaker shall keep step' with the times. Most men will agree with Mrs. Malaprop that it is not at all necessary that, in order to be entertaining a girl shall be "a progeny of learning." It is not usual for young men to present a dictionary to young; women whom they admire; and if anyone did, it is doubtful" whether the token of esteem would be acceptable. But it is a fact that many men groan over the faot that girls, whom they admire otherwise,, /'. BETRAY AN" IGNORANCE , of passing events astonishing in intelligent human beings who live in ah era of telegraphs and daily newspapers. , The modern man .not only asks that his wife shall bo a good housekeeper, as his father and grandfather did, he demands also that she shall be companionable. When a man who takes a lively interest in the world's work finds his wife's conversation restricted chiefly in tho shortcomings of servants and the petty gossip of the neigh-; bourhood, it scarcely is to be wondered at that he spends most of his evenings at the club. One man who seldom appears at that refuge of the bored was asked where; he spent his evenings. He replied that he usually passed them at home. "Don't you find it deadly dull?" ..,' ■ ; " Not at all," he answered, " You see be- : fore I married I contemplated the possibility of spending my evenings at home, with my wife, and chose her accordingly." That man was as wise as his wife. * There are thousands of women who \ • ; "J . ARE CHARMING COMPANIONS, t . ' thousands of young girls intellectually | 1 equipped to afford any save the most pedantic fool excellent and inspiriting comrade-.;; ship. Nevertheless the number of igno--1 rants is large. ' '•'" ' ' • - ' It would be well if the women ho are asking how to please men would but take a small part of the pains which society leaders lavish in becoming familiar with: the affairs of the world. . r .: THE LAND LOVER. Take pattern in' your love affairs from the young German bachelor, says a traveller lately returned from the Fatherland. His is the best course you can follow. ; When he finds himself falling '/ in love with some girl, his mother . is I his confidante, and the affair soon becomes a subject of family consultation. His marriage is to be the greatest event of his life, just as it is that of the girl he marries. His very first aspirations are to be as good, a husband and father-, as his own father had been. When he is married, his wife is his constant companion when he is -not at business. . > Touch your good German on the subject of woman, and you will find the highest and most truly chivalric regard for womankind the world has known. He is ready to protect her good name always with his life. He would no more think of insulting her than he would think of fly- ; ing. He would not think of making love to her unless he hoped to : win her and sanctifv their love with marriage. - . ■ He shows his regard for her always by consulting her in matters small and great, and displays his love by making his wife the sharer "of all his pleasures. 1 he family , | is the great central fact m German fife , Aspiration, pleasure, love, and thought all centre there, and to tins more than anything else is the wonderful vitality of ; the! race due. " '

THE EYES. The Indians are noted for their .wonder* ful eyesight, and their keenness of vision is 5 accounted for by the fact that they not only do close work, such as bead-stringing and ■, basket 1 work,,; but they also use their eyes for discerning distant objects as" they roam about the country from place to place* This, ,of course, is hardly so true of the more civilised Indian as it was of his wilder brother. Surveyors, also, have this advantage of the constant change of accommodation." ■ . •,'../ So with us in our daily task, it is well, every now and then, to raise our eyes from the book or needlework and to let, them rest for a moment or two upon the most distant object in view. This little manoeuvre is wisely practised by those who are using the microscope. / If you live in a city, and are fortunate enough to have your room on an upper floor, you need not lift your eyes to see the dis- • tant horizon. , Perhaps your window commands the view of river where the boats are plying up and down. However if your view is not extensive, nelp yourself out by having some landscape pictures hung on the wall beyond your desk, and look at them now and then, seeing, not the flat surface of paper, or canvas, but the sky, the woods, , and the mountains which they represent... When you are off on your holiday, especially if you go-down to the shore, where the glare of the sun and water is so uncompromising, the dainty sunbonnet, which; of late years has not been in high favour, will , be the most comfortable headgear. Its pro- - tecting shade affords great comfort to the eyes. • ■'.. .-.v. : ,/.'.-...' ■ .V, - .;..*.; ; Rut we cannot' all step working when the sun goes down, and the evening light'is, therefore, an important consideration.'vlf you live in the country.and .use, a kerosene lamp, be sure that it is a good one. Use a ■' slightly bluish or green shade. If you. live in the city and have gas,. you will find the Argand burner very good, although the heat from it is often a drawback. - The incan- I ; descent mantle that is in such common use | nowadays goes far ahead of the ordinary, j old-fashioned gas-flame. This, too, should be carefully shaded.'/ THE VALINE OF A SMILE. V .Who can tell the value of a smile? ; It costs the giver nothing, but is beyond price : to the erring and;relenting, the sad and cheerless, the lost and forsaken. It disarms malice, subdues- temper, turns, hatred - into love, revenge into kindness,' and paves the darkest paths with gems of sunlight. A smile cm the brow betravs a kind heart - a pleasant friend, an affectionate brother, a dutiful son, a happy husband. ; It adds charm to beauty, it decorates the face, Of : the deformed, ' and makes ' a lovely- womaii resemble ah angel ■in Paradise. ■ " : ■ -