LADIES’ GOSSIP

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 23

LADIES’ GOSSIP

The first- lady lawyer of Italy is S ignoring Teresa Labriola. She has just passed her examination with honours in Rome, but has not inscribed her name among the advocates, as she prefers to devote herself to the philosophy of law. After taking her degree she addressed a commission of the University of Rome for three hours. Signorina Uabriola, who has also won distinction as a writer on science, has now become a regular lecturer at the University of Rome, where her father and brother are installed as professors. ■* # . * * *-

The “Fronde,’’ a Paris paper conducted by ladies and always well-informed about feminist movements, announces that an association of female students is about to be formed with its headquarters at the hotel of the learned societies in the Rue Danton. Various meanings have attached from, time to time to the word “etudiante.” The dictionary which bears the imprimatur of the French Academy describes the “etudiante” as a “demoiselle de condition mediocre,” and at a time not far distant the gay companions of the students of the Latin Quarter were called by that name. The etudiante is now perhaps more properly known as the lady who is preparing for the Bar, the studio, the school, or the Press, and it is no donibt for this class of student that the Association is being formed at Paris.

Two famous families. of the present day are intimately connected with St. Clement Danes. The register, which is extremely well kept, records that in 1563 “Master Robert Cecill, ye son of ye Lord highe Threasurer of England,” was baptised there. He lived to be the ancestor of a Prime Minister, with four relatives in the Cabinet. More than two centuries ago was solemnised ah this church the marriage of Sir T. Grosvenor with Miss Davies, an heiress. She brought into the family the Pimlico and Belgravia, property which in a few years will make the young Duke of Westminster the richest man in England 1 .

Miss Madge Lessing, the beautiful American actress, made her debut in London at Drury Lane as Beauty in the old Drury’s latest pantomime, “Sleeping Beauty and the Beast.” Miss Lessing was born in New York, and at a very early age ran away from, home and obtained an engagement in the chorus afi Koster ,g ; nd Biel’s Theatre at New Ycrk. A fortnight after joining the company the principal lady fell suddenly ill, and the work of playing the leading role devolved on the youngest actress. The part suited Miss Lessing; Splendidly, and she met with such success that she continued to play the

part throughout the run of the piece. Mr Lederer saw in Miss Madge Lessing a coming “star,” and engaged her to play tne leading roles at his theatre for several seasons. She afterwards played in the “Monks of , Malabar” with the Francis Wilson Opera Company. It was through Mr Lederer that Mr Arthur Collins obtained Miss Lessing for the “Beauty" at Drury Lane. * * 4c * 4?

Gold! gold! gold! one feels inclined to cry : for that glittering metal is to be on everything feminine this winter, and, truth be told, is becoming a trifle wearisome. A friend of mine the other day devised, as she thought, a perfectly ravishing toillette of pale-pink satin and cream Tace for the evening, but' she w r as quite crushed by her dressmaker, who assured her no dress was considered smart just now without some gold and a touch of black. And so it seems, at any rate a.s far as the gold is concerned. I think the prettiest of all things I have seen in this way are the wide belts of gold galloon, pulled in in front .with a buckle m the “art nouveau —that is, flowers and leaves in soft-tinted enamel.”

For opera cloaks, the newest form, is that of a large loose three-quarter length coat made in brocade, or satin, with lining of the same, and much trimmest with fur, passementerie, and chiffon. The style is good and useful, and can be of course copied in simple and inexpensive materials, with a satisfactory result. With the disappearance of large sleeves the chief drawback to the jacket for evening wear has disappeared, as undoubtedly it crushed sleeves terribly to be constantly putting on and taking off a coat cjver them.

A coming wedding that is already exciting interest is that of the givlinh Queen of Holland. Rumour has it that only a few of the very smartest evening and fete-gowns are being made in Paris, ail the others, including the wedding dress, being carried out in Amsterdam from designs of the best French makers. The embroidery on the wedding robe is to be magnificent, and will be the result of weeks of labour of several women. The young Queen is a fresh, pretty comolexioned girl, German rather than French in her style of dress, and much given to wearing handsome jewellery, elaborate even for a young lady in her position.

Early in January Mile. Jeanne Chauvin presented herself to' take the oath, and was duly sworn in at the Palais de Justice, Paris, as the second woman barrister. She intends to practise - as soon as all remaining preliminaries are completed, and two briefs have already being placed in her hands. Mile, Cliaur vin was the first woman to take the degree of Doctor of Law in France—-

she did so over three years ago—and so far .she ns the only one. Mine. Bal-achowsky-P'etit, Licentiate in Law, is, however, engaged on her thesis for this same degree; as regards taking the oath, which, of course, is merely a. formality, she forestalled Mile Chauvin by . three weeks. I remains for both ladies to complete a period already entered on by Mme. Petit, as “avocatestagaire” before being actually called to the bar.

Two Christmas foundlings, both girls, have made tfheir appearance in the London division, of the Great Western Railway. One was picked vo unde"* too ocao of a second-class carmige on its arrival at Slough from; Reading, and was ultimately adopted by a family of considerable means; the second, was at Ealing, Broadway. A lady to the first-class waiting-room tnere between 8 and 9 o’clock, and saw a dress basket on the table. Hearing a feeble sound coming from it she called the attention of the railway officials. The receptacle was opened, and revealed a baby girl feeding from a bottle with milk. The child; was placed in the custody of the police. Both babies were dressed with care. Poor wee bairns ! * *

The Italians had but one disappointment in their new Queen —that she could not speak Italian. Her ian«u;me is French ; and her “forcigmio.-::;” is all the more remarked by its contrast with the homeliness of Queen Margherita, who belonged to the Royal House of Savoy by birth as well as by marriage. Queen Helen’s memories and personal traditions aro Russian, the friend and protectress of her youth having been the Empress-mother of Russia. These antecedents Italy can condone; but, she longs to hear her Queen speak her own musical tongue. Queen Helen is consequently perfecting herself in the language as quickly as possible. * * * « *

The sad circumstances attending the death of Lady Katherine Manners, the Duke of Rutland’s, eldest daughter' has plunged the inmates of Belvoir Castle into intense grief, and, the Duke is said to be inconsolable. Lady Katherine, it seems, has for many months past been suffering from melancholia, and since her mother’s death, about eighteen months ago, the duties of hostess at Belvoir have been undertaken, by the Duke’s second daughter, Lady Victoria Manners. When Lady Katherine was found to be missing, a search was made for her m the Park near the castle, but the night passed without a clue. It was only in the early morning of the. following day that she was traced through a parasol, which was known to belong to hei, and which was found on the banks of the Knipton Pond. Not lone afterwards her lifeless body wa,s found among the rushes. On the morning of the day when Lady Katherine was last seen alive, she said to her maid “Put me on some warm clothes, as I am: going for a long walk.” Her death, under'such peculiarly painful ‘ conditions,, has naturally been a great shock to her family.