LADIES’ GOSSIP

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4301, 9 March 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

LADIES’ GOSSIP

The Queen always wore two bracelets. One contained the portrait of the late Prince Albert, and the other the photo • graph of her latest grandchild. Her Majesty took a truly grand-motherly interest in all her numerous little grand-chil-dren, and was always very much interested in the arrival of the latest baoy. ♦ » » *. *

There is no such thing as disguising one’s age in Japan. We women, who are the chief culprits in this matter, would fare badly in the Mikado’s land if we endeavoured to pass off for a certain number of years younger than we actually are. For when the Japanese woman goes to buy a new frock she has to tell the shopkeeper exactly how old she is, os there are special designs for all ages, as well as for married and single ladies. Therefore to those versed in the dress lore of the country a Japanese woman’s age is told at a glance by the costume she wears.

, It may not be generally known that bonnets were first introduced into England! rom Italy in th days of good Queen Bess. Then the shape! was something between the round hat worn at the present time by Italian peasants and the French hood, and was made of the most elaborate materials.. Cloth of gold, gorgeously embroidered satins, and priceless brocades were . among the fabrics used in their manufacture. After this shape went out of fashion Leghorn hats came in vogue, such as are seen in pictures of a much later period than that of the great Tudor Queen.' Hoods; coifs, and wimples were the feminine' headgear in vogue before that period. * « » ■ » ‘ ■

A pretty story is told of the young Czarina of Russia’s kindness to her humbler subjects'. At a, recent fete hold at the Winter palace all the school children admitted were presented with lottery tickets of the' beautiful presents that were to be raffled for their benefit. One of the little girls won a valuable old French; clock that had belonged to the French Emperor, an interesting possession to anyone who would appreciate its history, hut of no use to a poor family. The Czarina thereupon bought it" of the child, fixing her own price, which represented £SO in English money. It may well be imagined how delighted the child’s parents were with this munificent gift.

Betrothals in Germany are of a much more binding nature than they are in England. Here, as is, unfortunately, the case, engagements are frequently very lightly entered into, and as lightly broken off. In Germany the plighting of troths is considered nearly as serious a matter as the marriage, and thus the young men and maidens are more certain of a happy married future, because they need to well consider before they make the serious preliminary step of their after life. « » * * *

Sarah Bernhardt, according to the San <Francisco “Chronicle,” has effected a marvellous change in, the fashion of the figure in United, States fashionable eircles. Gradually the waist-line has been getting larger and less wasp-like, till now we are threatened with a figure as devoid of waist as that of the notorious Venus do Milo. ; In “L’Aiglon” Sarah Bernhardt appeared as a boy, sledder and undeveloped,. without even the fashionable incurve at the hips, but instead, with the beautiful incurve at the middle of the back which is so noticeable in the statues of Greek hunting boys. » * ♦ » *

Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein is not by any means the only Royal lady who is devoted to the study of astronomy. Princess Charles of < Denmark' is said to be enthusiastic on- the subject, and the Princess of Wales reads a great number of books about the wonders of the heavens. ■ ■ ! ' » « * • *

Tn admiring the enterprise of a young woman in Philadelphia who drives an ice waggon, one cannot help wondering why she should be an exceptional case. Whether attractive young women can apply for the billets of butcher and baker boys, to be met with refusals, is a point on which it is impossible to glean much practical information, but that many expert whips of the female persuasion would very admirably fill such billets is a fact there is no denying. Not only are many girls specially adept in handling ponies —to say nothing of keeping carts trimhut many bakeries, laundries and drapery establishments are conducted solely by women; and, judging by the Way these same women, blame all deficiencies in the way of delayed and missing gpods to “them blessed hoys,’’ it seems nearly time that their sisters were given a chance. Messenger girls have Ion? been a feature in certain American' towns, and the sight of them in their neat uniforms' darting hither and thither pn their,bicycles might well induce their encouragement locally. . « * • » *

A New York policeman was recentlysued for wife-desertion, and the wife being a very attractive young peraon judicial sympathy was oh all on. her side till it transpired that during the few years she. and the “limb of the law” had lived together she had spent no less than the third of his income in clothing herself. Then, of course, everyone wanted to rise in his or her respective wrath and denounce the poor woman, not, of course, for a crime, but for not having known by instinct how far money would go. Coupled with the results of investigations made within the last few months by a certain temperance organisation, this incident sheds light on the necessity of educating girls in the use _of money. The investigations in question were with regard to the factor that most commonly impels men to crime. “Drink,” groaned the temperance and “Drink” reluctantly suggested opponents. It proved not to be drink at all, however, but-thef ignorant extravagance of their wives that had sent them to orison-

American women are beginning to r env joy a reputation for the lack of wrinkles. As American men, especially in the Eastern Stares, have faces more than usually marked with ‘‘Time’s finger mark,” this lack can hardly be due to climate.

~ _ v r q ■■ '4, ‘‘Face doctor’s' maintain that their teach- t iug is hearing fruit, and the gospel they have preached is being given at least an intelligent hearing. In other words, women, instead of trying to obliterate the marks that Time has made, now confine their energies to preventing Time from making any perceptible impression on their countenances. They practise the art of smiling with their mouth, •and so avoid those mirthful puckers round the eyes, commonly called crows’ feet, quite as often due to laughter as to care. It is - small use for the careless to argue that the aosence of lines makes a face look characterless. Any woman who could continually bear in mind'the necessity of laughing with her mouth, and keeping her eyes from twinkling must be a person of such force of character that it could never fail to come out somewhere.