Gossip.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1013, 31 July 1891, Page 6

Gossip.

The infant daughter of the Duchess of Fife is named Victoria Alexandra Helena Beatrice Dagtnar Duff.

Sister Rose Gertrude and her husband, Dr Lutz, intend to visit Europe, in order to explain the hindrances placed in the way of those who wish to assist lepers.

The Queen has written to the founder of the English Church in Grasse, expressing her desire to present a stained glass window to the church, in memory of her recent visit, from which she derived so much pleasure and benefit.

The Princess of Wales is an exhibitor at the Photographic Art Exhibition just opened in Vionna. Her exhibits are hors do concours, liko those of the Archduchess Maria Teresa and the Grand Duke Ferdinand of Tuscany. Some of her instantaneous photographs are much admired.

Fencing is becoming a fashionable form of exorcise among women. Among its acoom pi is lied adepts aro the young Princesses of Wales, Mrs Langtry, aud several of the most graceful actresses of the English stage. Though the earlier lessons aro supposed to be fatiguing, when once the knowledge has baen acquirod learners are always enthusiastic followers of this vigorous, healthy exercise. The outfit necessary includes a dainty tunic, a fencing jacket of soft leather, with tight sleeves, gauntlet gloves, a mask, and a pair of foils, which cost in all about three guineas.

A funny story is being told about the Queen. A band was playing bofore Her Majesty recently; aud the Queen, who is nothing if not curious, being pleased with a particular air, demanded the name of it. Someone went and inquired, but failed to bring the information back; so Her Majesty sent again to ascertain, and then it transpired that the melody was entitled, ‘ Come where the boose is cheapest!’ And how (said the officials to one another) could one tell Her Majesty that !

The medical career is now thrown open to women in all parts of the Russian Kingdom ; moreover, special privileges are granted to women doctors in all institutes, schools, hospitals, and charitable foundations for women. They are exempted from being compelled to give their services in criminal cases as their brother phvsicians are, but must, however, always wear a badge as a sign of their profession.

Fashionable parasol handles have white enamel with silver tops, or the new thistle sticks for chiffon and lace sunshades. The natural wood handles, with realistic fruit, are still in fashion, though not new. Mother-of-pearl, enamelled with silver or gold ; a pierrot’s head in ivory, with black skull cap ; or black wood, with pierced monogram in gold, are all new.

Here is a little ‘ fact ’ for the ladies. Mrs Edison, of New York, is declared to have the most perfectly-formed foot in the city. ‘lt is an actual fact,’ says a local paper, ‘ that she can tread on eggs without crushing them, so beautifully is her instep arched.' This must . .. true, because it appears in an American paper ; but jealous women will be apt to wonder whether the eggs in question are hen’s egg 3or robin’s ? Apd if the former, how hard were they boiled ?

Truth suggests, instead of the ridiculous words that bride and bridegroom are made to utter by the Established Church marriage service, the substitution of the words in the Mahometan marriage ceremony. The bride says ‘ I stand hero in the presence of God, and all who are assembled, to unite my heart to your heart and my destiny to your destiny, and to be called by your name.’ The bridegroom repeats the same words, omitting ‘ to be called by your name.’

It was in the first-class waiting-room at St. Pancras. The bridal party laughed and chatted, and the husband patted the blushing bride on the cheek, and they were all having a very jolly time. The door at the end of the room opened, and a poor miserable male biped came in lugging two heavy bags. His hat was carelessly jammed half-way down over his eyes, and his clothes did not fit him. Stringing along behind him were seven small children, each slightly larger than the other, all the way down to the baby, which the mother, who brought up at the tail end of the procession, carried in her arms. The miserable-looking man relieved himself of the luggage, and then busied himself seating his private orphan asylum. But the bridal party was strangely silent.

The private advisers of the Prince of Wales (writes ‘The Linkman,’ in Truth) have for some months past apparently quite lost tlieir heads. Blunder is added to blunder with quite exasperating frequency, till at length the country is lost in amazement at the stupidity which is displayed at every turn. Why, for instance, should it have been officially notified that the Prince was suffering from an attack of influenza when nothing whatever of the kind was really the matter with him ? Last year the Prince’s health was disturbed by tlio presence of a clot of blood in the leg, and the fact that this has reappeared now in the other one has caused, and is causing, much anxiety, and for this reason his medical advisers have cautioned him to abstain from violent or fatiguing exercise of every kind. Nevertheless, the Prince has nightly put in an appearance at tho club, and on Wednesday, together with the Princess, he was present at the Court Theatre. The phenomenally long Drawingroom on the 6th May affected him very seriously indeed ; and no wonder, for it would try many others far stronger than he is himself to Btand for three consecutive hours in a hot and crowded room. The Prince requires [rest and quiet. The depressed state of his spirits has for some months now attracted general comment.