WOMAN AND HER WORLD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 15

WOMAN AND HER WORLD.

Tho American Bookman contains this story about Mrs Craigie “John Oliver Hobbs”), who has been visiting New York and “ leaving a trail of epigrams behind her”: —"It is related that at the theatre ono night some one pointed out to Mrs Craigie a lady in tho opposite box as being a well-known American novelist, who, like Mrs Craigie herself, writes over a masculine nom de guerre. Somo details were added as to her intense and vivid nature. ‘ why,’ said tho informant, ‘ the other day some one asked her whether she had decided how she would prefer to die, and she answered that she had long ago mado up her mind on that point. Said that she had decided to ho kissed to death ! “ Mrs Craigie put up her lorgnette and took a look at the lady. ‘ Ah, 1 see,’ she said, after a short inspection; she evidently intends to be immortal!

We ought to eat more fruit than wo do. Dr Ballard, an eminent English physician, tolls us in his book “Fruit and Health,” that as a medicine ho looks upon fruit as a most valuable ally. When the body is in that breaking-up condition known as scurvy, tho whole medical profession look upon fruit aud fresh vegetables as the one and only remedy. The day will come when scienco will use it very much raoro largely than it does now in the treatment of many of the every-day ailments. Observations in scurvy prove that it exerts a very powerful influence on the blood. But “the blood is tho life.” Poor blood means poor spirits, poor strength, poor breath and poor circulation. Impure blood means gout, rheumatism, skin diseases, rickets, and other troubles. As it is proved that fruit will purify and irnprovo tho quality of the blood, it must follow fruit is both food and medicine combined. In fevers Dr Ballard employs grapes and strawberries, giving them to his patients in small but frequent doses, and oranges and baked apples, if tho others are not obtainable. For rheumatism plenty of lemons are invaluable.

Concerning tho ability to accept old ago in tho best spirit, Marion Harland, in the Ladies’ Home Journal, asserts that hundreds of women allow themselves to grow old and narrow ; they kill the youth in their hearts when they see the first silvery threads in their hair, by making themselves beliove that there is nothing good to be had out of life after this period, and by convincing themselves that every word of their neighbour, every action, covers a selfish motive. She continues : “ Who are the people that grow old earliest ? Those who work, who keep in touch with the things of tho day, who associates with the young|of both soxos, who know how to enjoy a hearty laugh and tell a good story, who aro engaged in congenial and elevating pursuits? Not a bit of itl No woman need fear that occupation will shorten her life. Quito tho contrary! A lack of interest ill life, a want of something to do, will ago more quickly than any toil. The woman who wishes to grow old gracefully will not permit herself to become careless in her attire, and she ought to know from observation that an intelligent, kindly look on the face will take away years of her age, and make her seem twenty years younger to tboso rvho know and love her. And the women who loves, whose children are dear to her, who has friends who need her, novor falls into that condition of old ago from which wo shrink with horror. Disease will do its work, of course; but if she lias a reasonable degree of health, any woman may keep her heart young while slio lives.

Tho jewellery that tho Emperor and Empress of Russia wore at their coronation, is perfectly superb. The crown is naturally tho chief piece, which is executed after a Byzantine model, aud valued at .£200,000. It consists of two parts, symbolising the Eastern and Western empires. The two parts aro joined in tho middle by a splendid ruby, to which aro attached live diamonds in the form of a cross. Besides tho crown, tho most remarkable, if not the most valuable, is tho sceptre, executod in accordance with the orders of the Czar Paul for his coronation in April 1797. The chief value of this scoptre is duo to tho historical diamond Orloff. This celebrated gem, about tho size of a pigeon’s egg, has its tale of romance, intrigue and crime, which place it alongside of tho Koh-i-noor for dramatiic interest, while fer size and beauty it holds a first rank among European diamonds. It once constituted one of the eyes of the famous idol, from which it was plundered by a French deserter and sold to an English sea-captain; from him it passed to a London Jew, who offered it for sale to the Empress of Russia. Tho Empress, however, considered the price asked lor it

too high. It was afterwards bought by Prince Orloff for two million francs. The patent of nobility was also conferred upon tho merchant, and an annual pension of 2,000 roubles awarded to him. Later on the Prince presented the gem as a gift to Catherine.

“ Killed by a hat-pin,” was the verdict of tho coroner’s jury at a recent English inquest, and it seems impossible to pronounce a stronger condemnation on the suicidal folly which causes women to make uso of these long, sharp instruments, which aro veritable stilletos, to skewer their headgear on to their hair. What makes it still more suicidal is the fact that the skewering is done in the dark, as it were, and the woman docs not know that she is driving the pin into her flesh until the actual pain warns her of it. Driven in in a hurry, with considerable force, it is easy to imagine that the needle-1 iko point might penetrate the brain before the woman knew that she was wounded. As if in mockery of tiiis danger, it is now the fashion to decorate tho ends of these we°nons with gaudy sham jewels. Fashion which says that it is had taste to wear a sham diamond necklace, says that it is good taste to ha vo a huge paste ruby surrounded by big paste diamonds at tho blunt end of the bonnetpin.

The only circumstance under which I can conceive a woman justified in proposing to a man for whom she cares enough to marry him, writes an English lady journalist, is when she is so rich and lie so poor that, if he be a man of a fino sense of honour, lie is afraid to speak, lest he should be doomed a mere fortune-hunter. In such a case, if tho girl has good and ample reason lo believe that both of them would find tho best happiness of their lives as man and wife, I think she is perfectly justified in, at all events, making him understand that he has only to speak to ho accepted.

Tho English dancing man of to-day has none of tho old-world courtliness of our grandfathers about him. According to Lady Ancaster, this is the way he asks for a dance :

“Ah, Lady Florence, got an entry left, or is your book full ?” “ Well, here’s a quadrille running loose,” says the lady, looking at her card. “ (Mi! hang quadrilles 1 I’m not out for walking exercise. Not on the square, twiggey veils ?” says the gentleman. “ You funny old cripple! Here’s a polka I’m not sure about.

“A polka! That’s my form! We’ll fire right into tho brown of ’em, and havo a glass of the boy afterwards, eh ?”

“ It’s a bet,” says the lady. “ Done ! So long,” says the gentleman He strolls off humming a popular air.

The designing of fancy dresses for carnival balls is an art m Munich and Paris, and tho political event of the hour, the social fad, or the latest scientific discovery is promptly exploited by the costumiers. The Rontgon discovery of the uses of the cathode ray was not two weeks old when one of the reigning beauties of the Bavarian capital appeared at a Court Ball in the following unique and somewhat startling costume: Beneath a fluffy cloud of gauze drapery, the fair masquerader wore a watered silk skirt and close-fitting basque, upon which had been'deftly painted the principal bones of the human frame. The ribs, collar bones, arms, thigh bones and spine were outlined in black upon the white background. The idea was not carried above the neck nor below the knees, and a pair of roguish eyes [imped through a satin mask. The whole thing was dainty in its conception and execution.

Though many people may disbelieve in tho idea of “ love at first sight,” there are many instances extant of the curious freaks which Cupid is apt to play on his victims, Ono case in point is that of tho Czar Nicholas of Russia, who met tho object of his supreme affection at a State dinner, and was so enamoured of her, that during the repast he managed to pass her a piece of bread, in which a gold ring was hidden.