LADIES’ GOSSIP

New Zealand Mail, 20 August 1902, Page 27

LADIES’ GOSSIP

Tiio Queen is credited with a comment on her latest photographic portrait which claims universal feminine sympathy. “It lias made mo younger than I am,” said her Majesty on being shown the picture, “but that is how l should like to be remembered.” As a token of her appreciation of his skill, she lias presented the photpgraplier. Air Edward Hughes, with a scarf pin bearing the letter “A.” She lias also given a memento of a similar kind to Aliss Alice Hughes, the artist who was so notably successful with photographs of the late Queen Victoria.

Royal Ascot, like this year’s Derby, was remarkable for a great display of wealth and fashion, drawn from all parts of the Avorld. "There was never probably so striking an assemblage of notable men and women on any English racecourse as that seen on the Ascot Cup day. In obedience to his doctor's orders, the King remained at Home at Windsor, but the Queen was present on two days, and met with an enthusiastically cordial reception. A good fourth of the fashionable crowd on the lawn consisted of French, Americans and Canadians, and there was also a numerous contingent of Australians.

M. Jean de Reszlie, the famous tenor singer, has suddenly terminated lus engagement at Co vent Garden—in the middle of the operatic season—and betaken himself to the Paris Opera House, to which it :s said he intends to devote all liis time in future. He is alleged to have declared that he will never sing in London again, but what his grievance may he remains a secret for the present. Londoners regret his loss, for, like Alelba, lie is incomparable in certain parts, but his threat that he will never come back to C'ovent Garden is not taken seriously. It is regarded as merely an ebullition of the artistic temperament. * > • e «

The lady lawyer in London is apparently to have an. easier conquest as far as the male members of her profession are ooncerned than the lady doctor has had in her sphere. So far, however, the woman of law may be said to be only threatened. It is only her advancing shadow that is seen. Yet there are many men m the profession willing—hard driven, already as they are by competition among themselves—to give her a welcome. The Hardwicke Society has held a debate in Gray’s Inn on a motion “That this house is of opinion that women should be admitted to the' legal profession.” Among its supporters ar e Judge Lumiey Smith; and a well-known member of the New York bar, who reminded the society that women were admitted to practice In the courts of America several years ago. The Common Sergeant, Mr F- A. Bosanquet, made an amusing speech for the opposition, but whether he meant it or not it would be impossible to say. Ultimately, when the motion was put it was found that 30 had voted “aye” and 30 “no.” The president of the society gave liis casting vote against the motion.

The Duchess of Fife, with nerve and curiosity worthy of an American girl, mounted a new locomotive at Brighton a few days ago and drove up and down the station line. The mechanism of the engine had been explained to lier by a railway' superintendent, and she worked the levers with the confidence of an old hand at the business. The official stood behind her on the lootplate as a precaution, but did not And her inclined for any risky exploits. The locomotive now bears the Duchess’s name. It is an 80-tonner, built for the drawing of heavy trains between London and Brighton (50 miles) under an hour. • » • * • j> ’

Society ladies wno have not joined at least one West End Club will soon be extinct as a class. All within a few years there has been a striking change in the feminine attitude towards club life, which had long been held to be exclusively an affair of men—and of American women. London society women. are now quite of the opposite opinion, and their success with—such places as the Empress Club, the Alexandra, Now County, Grosvenor, Crescent, Sandringham and Victoria is leadingto other enterprises of the same kind Motor cars are playing a part in tin movement by bringing country residents more frequently into town, an i

ladies from a distance are beginning to find, clubs far more comfortable, as well as cheaper, than the West End hotels. It will, not he surprising if there should be a similar development on a small scale at Alelbourne and Sydney in the course of a few years. The establishment of the Ladies’ Empire Club, less than a month ago was followed by tho opening this week of the Ladies’ Army and Navy Club in a snuffy but classic ™ ltary Piccadilly. It begins with IwUu members, avlio are not modern Amazons .as mi gift be supposed from the name they liaye adopted, but the wives and other feminine relatives of army and navy officers. The committee includes Viscountess WoTseley, the Dowager Lady Napier of Alagdala, Lady Jiuan Smith, and Lady Mary Dundas. * • ' - • ■ j

Madame Felix Faure, the widow of tl'-i late President of the French Republic, narrowly escaped serious injury recently. She was proceeding to the Cemetery of Pere la Chaise, to lay flowers on tho grave of her. husband, when the horses in her carriage took fright at a passing tram car. They bolted and threw the cqaclmian from liis seat, and tho carr'age was -almost overturned through tho wheels skidding on a tramline, when a courageous policeman managed to seize tho horses’ heads. He was dragged for more than 100 yards before he could gain control over them and bring them to a standstill. Madame Fatfre was severely shaken and much (upset by the experience, but no serious development is anticipated.

It has often been asserted that the spirit of humanitarianism. which received a strong impetus in Great Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria, has weakened the national character. According to Lady Jeune, who discusses the subject in a review article, tho deterioration may ho expected to cease now that there is a- male ruler, whose influence will lead to the development of characteristics of a more vigorous sort. There will be “a more masculine atmosphere, a more hardy tone of thought and mind,” and incidentally the power and glory of womankind will receive a check, though as to the latter point Lady Jeune discreetly leaves details to the reader’s own speculations She seems to think that society women, at. ail events, will lose some ot the undue ascendency they have enjoyed in various directions in recent years. There is a Queen Consort, hut it must always be the ruling monarch who gives “the tone to character, thought, occupation and amusements.” All this may To matters for debate—history is by no means altogether on tne side of Lady Jeune—but there is at least one definite national service that the King can perform at once. He can see to it that there shall bo no more justification for the cry of “Petticoats at tho War Office!”

* * «• • • The son of Air John Rockefeller, tire Standard Oil King, has aroused an indignant protest by his novel methods of inculcating religion. Fie conducts a Bible class in Ffth-avenue Baptist church, and neither smokes, drinks, nor swears. Recently, addressing the students of Brown University, he said, “Trust 3 are products of the Divine law, and the Standard Oil Corporation resembles the American Beauty rose, whose perfection is obtained by killing the buds around- it.” In a sermon he said the Church of God was like unto a trust, and exhorted his hearers to become stockholders rather than try to do spiritual business individually.

Max Nordeau, discussing marriage, says that if a man does not possess a healthy body and mind he should abstain from marriage. It should be made compulsory by the Stats to bar all who are not perfectly healthy from marriage. If, on the other hand, a man is mentally and physically strong, the question of money is of little consequence. Whether he has a shilling or ten thousand has little bearing on his success or failure. There may be many trials and hardships, but if the man lias stamina—and stamina comes chiefly from a sound stomach—lie sairmounts his troubles and wins success. There may be lots of ups and do-wns, but success comes to the man with a- good body and brain, and a healthy, sensible woman for a helpmate. * • • *

It would be easy to quote a hundred striking proofs of the bridging of the old gulf between the Church, and. the Stage, but it would be hard co find more significant evidence of it than the familiar deception practised with such success . upon metropolitan, as well as provincial audiences whenever opportunity arises. Every journalist knows it (says the “St. James’s Gazette”). Half through the play, an elderly gentleman, whom nobody could imagine to be anybody else than a clergyman, rises from his seat and begs permission to state that for the first time in liis life lie has come to. the theatre that evening, and that lie considers it his duty to. declare that the play is a great .inspiration and a powerful a terrible proof of the degrading effects of sin, etc., etc. Week after wraek, during the provincial progress of a ’’wellknown play, the mysterious clergyman praised tho play as naturally as if he were not a part of the performance.