CHIT CHAT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1136, 8 December 1893, Page 15

CHIT CHAT.

- The statement which has been published to the effect that last week’s parliamentary election is the first conducted under the women’s franchise in the British dominions is a mistake. The women in the Isle of Man have enjoyed the franchise during the last thirteen years. Its House of Keys—corresponding to our House of Representatives —was formerly self-elective, but in 1866 an Act was passed establishing an election by the people every seven years. In 1880 the constitution was further extended by an Act abolishing the property qualification for members, granting household suffrage in towns, £4 owher and £5 tenant franchise in the country; and, more important than all, conferring the suffrage on women. In America, in the State of Wyoming, women hav# enjoyed the suffrage since 1869, and in several other States they have the municipal suffrage.

An occasional correspondent writes :—I have much pleasure in recording the marriage of Miss Ada Quarrie, eldest daughter of Mr Quarrie, of Halcombe, with Mr J. Cameron. The ceremony, which took place at the residence of the bride’s father, was performed by the Rev Father Patterson, owing to the bridegroom belonging to jfche Catholic Church —the Halcombe Presminister being also present. The bride looked extremely well in a dress of cream cashmere,, trimmed with cream liberty silk lace <?r.ange blossoms, some of also. kept the veil ip its place. Her bridesmaid, Miss Harriet was also attired in cream, trimmed with buttercup ribbons and sash, and carrying a yery pretty bouquet, which however was quite eclipsed by that of the bride. About 60 guests partook ‘of the wedding breakfast which passed off very pleasantly, the pspal toasts being given with considerable spirit. 4t the close, Mr Marshall, the Presbyterian rpinister, on behalf of the merpbers, of the Presbyterian Church, presented the ; bride with a faipily bible, £3 a small token, of the regret felt at losing her services in the choir and Sunday School. The happy' pair started for Palmerston en ryute for papier by the evening train, receiving a tremendous send off in the shape of ahowers pf rice and three hearty cheers. The presept? were good and numerous and ippluded among many fapcy and silver articles given privately, a large workbox and albym from tbe public school, and a silver cryet and handsome clock from the townspeople,

The Wanganui Herald reports that fifteen applications were received for the ■post q{ Principal of the Girls’ High School, j »iee Harrison resigned. After full ' consideration the number was reduced to three,, and it was decided to defer final consideration of the respective claims of each to a future meeting, tq be held on the 19th December. It was resolved to give a testimonial of the highest class to Miss Harrison.

Miss Hunter Brown, a Dunedin lady, left last week for • Sydney en route, for Japan where she will take up work in the mission field.

Saturday, the 26th September, was the anniversary of the death of the Prince Consort, a day always kept by the Queen with solemn observance. Those who remember her married life, says a writer in a London paper, well know how deep was the love she bore the husband of her girlish choice; yet, like lovers of less exalted station, she and Prince Albert used now and then to have a little difference of opinion, The Queen, as her subjects well know, is thoroughly womanly, and a little feminine caprice sometimes showed itself during her eprly married days, On one

occasion, it is said, she had disagreed with some idea of the Prince Consort’s, and had told him so energetically, whereupon, tired of the subject, he went to his room and locked the door. After a moment’s hesitation, she followed, and called to him to come out. “ I wish to stay here,” he answered. “Go away! Why do you follow me ?" At this answer the young Queen became very angry, and, drawing up her slender figure with dignity, cried out, “ I order you to come, Sir I You are the Queen of England's subject, and you must obey me 1" The door opened at once. “ The Queen of England must be obeyed, of course," said the Prince ; and he gravely followed the little lady into the drawing-room, where he sat down in silence and waited. The etiquette of the situation was, of course, for the Queen to speak first, since she had put him on the footing of a subject. There was an embarrassing pause; then a soft little voice murmured, “ Albert, come and kiss me.” “ Does the Queen command ?" asked her husband, with a faint twinkle in his eye. ‘‘No; your wife entreats it!" she cried, impulsively, throwing her arms round his neck, while the momentary ill-temper vanished in the embrace. The fond woman’s heart would no longer allow the Queen to stand upon her dignity. Truly, as the old writer said, “ the quarrels of lovers are the renewal of love ;" and the little story strikes one, after all these years, ap very pretty and touching.

The following is clipped from that capital little paper The Public Service Journal :—Some of the comments in the English papers upon the passing of the Bill conferring the franchise upon women, are very amusing. One regards it as a practical joke, and says it is time we put away these childish frivolities. Another hopes that the measure will not produce any of those dire effects which Sir James Crichton Browne deduces from the case of the Garo women, who are very strong politicians, but also “ the very ugliest women on the face of the earth." Another evidently thinks, though it does not say so in plain terms, that New Zealand is so insignificant that it doesn’t matter what she does. But for wholesale misunderstanding of the actual position perhaps the following extract from the Cardiff Mail takes the prize: ‘New Zealand has at last got its own way in giving women the franchise. It is a course that the Colony had set its heart upon for a long time, but had been frustrated in carrying through time after time by the veto of the Governor. The Earl of Glasgow, the present Governor, exhausted all the resources of Constitutional law in withstanding the change, byt at last he has thought it polite to give way, with the result that in future women will vote in Colony | for legislative representatives oh the tame, footing as men.’” ” ,

Adepts ip palmistry assert that the length of a fourth or little finger is the npost important sign of the hand. There! is no great man—no man who rises in im- ■ poriaucs ip any line of life—without long and straight little finger. The type of fin-; ger, whether spatulate, pointed, or very! nearly square, cafises the capacity to bei directed into very different ishannels. ? With the long, spatulate little finger the :! management of business will result, while; tfie long pointed denotes tact and the management of people. This, indeed, is tfie finger of .** wheedle." The old saying, To turn people around your little finger," is, Uk® most old proverbs, the result of continued and close observation—the “ wit; of one apd the wisojotp of many"—and, in. the case of the long, pointed little finger, or finger of Mercury, is 'undoubtedly entirely true.

A povel fad that is just now interesting a number of yoyng ladies of leisure in America is that of tearing folded paper into the shapes of flowers and curious and fanciful designs, ft. requires a strong thumb and forefinger to do tbe trick when any large number of thicknesses of paper are used, bnt for making flowers of simple .construction no remarkable degree of strength is necessary. Many ladies first learn the intricacies of folding the papep in a series of folds, and use a pair of scissors in cutting out the various designs. After the different methods of folding have been mastered and the designs fashioned in good shape by means of the scissors, the pupil can produce as satisfactory results by tearing the paper, and enjoy the pleasure of making a flower, a vine, delicate lacework, designs for walls and plaques, and countless designs of curious and artistic interest without the yse of any tool whatever. For tearing purposes

what is known as the French tissue paper produces the best results. Its texture is firm to give a good edge for a flower, and is of sufficient body to retain a natural appearance.

Edison prefers women machinists for the details of his electrical inventions. He says they have more fine sense about machinery in one minute than most men have in their whole lifetime. He has two hundred women on his pay roll.

At the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of York the jewellery worn by the Queen-Empress was worth .£150,000. When Her Majesty is at Osborne or Balmoral she wears very little jewellery. ■

The following appeared in a recent issue of the Wanganui Chronicle :—They sat in solemn consultation on the verge of the wharf —two men. Young, handsome, and of nautical persuasion. It was near the midnight hour, and everything around them was grandly calm, and beautifully serene. No work, no worry, no witness but the lights of heaven And they talked of what ? The obnoxious flats,' no; of home sweet home, no ; of the price locally of the fragrant weed, again no. Their wail was masculine, their trouble appropriate, but it could not be remedied by dredging, by the soft influence of home, or by a removal of a tax on tobacco. No, they wanted—and whisper it tenderly—they wanted each a wife, and their consultation was to the probable cost of an “ ad.," with the possibility of a successful reply. Whether fate holds a prize in store for the luckless youths we know not, but in their dire distress it is sincerely to be hoped she does.

first public display of the electric light recently installed on the premises of Messrs Kirkcaldie and Stains took place on Friday. Advantage was taken of the occasion to show a large quantity of the latest shipments of summer goods, and the result was an exhibition which attracted a large number of visitors, who appeared to take the greatest interest in the articles placed on view. The windows were triumphs of the dressers’ art, and contained a splendid show of silks, gloves, umbrellas, mercery, tailoring, and millinery, the latter being particularly attractive. Inside the immense quantities of goods in stock on the premises were displayed in a most profuse and artistic manner. The lace department contained a quantity of beautiful laces, sashes, blouses, handkerchiefs, &c., a special feature being a large show of gloves by the well-known French manufacturer Ernest Calvat, for whom Messrs Kirkcaldie and Stains are the sole agents. Sunshades and umbrellas were also displayed in every variety of colour and shape, and with all kinds of handles, and on the opposite side <?f ; the 'shop were arranged a quantity of very'h^udsome'dress trimmings, art needlework ancj nfafenals and hosiery of all descriptions, the places '• throughout being ; marked at a marvellously low fjgure'. In the dress department, which lias now : been made much more commodious; than formerly, whs arranged an end- ■ less' variety of crepons, fancy shot Cheviots,; delaines, sateens, fancy 1 figured Jacguard cloths, &c., &c. The underclothing department was also well provided with a tre- j mendous stock of corsets of every variety afid of all'the latest makes, white lace-! trimmed' skirts, children’s pelisses, infants’ j robes, girls’ sailor CQf tumes) (fee., and a good : selection of the well-known jaeger underclothing. In the millinery departiijerit were tastefully displayed some most be- ■ witching specimens of headgear, on the best London and Parisian models, prominent among them being those known as Taplow, Parade, Up River, Down River,. <fec. There' was also a large assortment of feathers, flowers and trimmings, dress caps, sailor hats, <fec.; while the mantle room adjoining contained a great variety of lace ipantles,'lace capes, dust cloaks, mackintoshes, zouaves, short jackets for summer wear, and tea jackets. The Japanese tapestry and men’s clothing departments also contained splendid assortments of goods. The show was greatly appreciated by the large numbers of the public who crowded the premises during the evening.

The Prcipier was fii a quandary op Thursday week. He wished to send a congratulatory message to Mrs Yates, the newly-elected Mayor of Onehunga. The point was the proper form of address. “Her Worship the Mayor”did not sound exactly right, and “ The Mayoress ” was certainly open to grave doubt, seeing that the lady had been elected to the office of Mayor. Finally Mr Seddon adopted a form of address which no one could cavil at:—“Mrs Yates, Mayor of Onehunga.” He offered the lady his cordial felicitations upon having achieved the distinction of being the first woman in the British. dominions to

contest and win a Mayoral election, and he wished her a pleasant and successful term of office. : '• . ..