WOMAN'S WORLD.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4319, 30 March 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

WOMAN'S WORLD.

LADIES’ GOSSIP Ximc of tiir late Queen's attendant's wore any eulciired drosses after the (leafl. of 1 he I'nnce C'on,sort. They wcre'alwa.vs in mourning or half-mourning. They Mover even wore coloured jewels. with tiio ex; option of purple amethysts. When the Princess Homy of Batteinhurg asked Ml.; Cockerell to send some specimens of tier famous bead necklaces and chains down to Osborne, Miss Cookorell sent only nninve and white ones (mad® of amethysts and crystals'). The Court indies bought them up eagerly, and her ‘ Majesty ordered some of jot and onyx for her own wearing, and also, sent an old neeklaco to bo re-strung—it was; in je(, with a cross at the end.

Dull materials like suedo and cord cloths, cashmere and crepe de chine are primarily suitable for the purposes required, but there is also much frieze cloth being used, a heavy, hairy looking fabric which composes well with toilettes that are built with a bodice and skirt to match. Aided by the warmth of a fur tippet or tie such gowns are wearable this mild weather, and made with threequarter coats that have wide black silk collars embroidered with black silk cord, opening over pure white shirts of mousseline with folded neck-bands and stocks of the same, they look both quiet and becoming. Then, again, for the street the Russian coat- is a. very wise choice for mourning, with its pouched bodice and long basque or the short beb-tailed creation, which is the other fashionable alternative. Av handsome jet bolt can he worn with such a coat, quite loosely encircling the waist and ending in from, with tassellcd jet ends dependent from medallions.

Tho Dnko of Norfolk, who was on the sick list after his visit to Rome, recovered in the nick of time to take part in the heavy arrangements falling upon hilh as Earl Marshal and head of the Heralds’ College. Ho has been one of tno busiest men in England since the day of the Queen’s death, so that lie has had no ears for the echoes of the controversy set going by his recent address at the Vatican. Tho Duke has been obliged to smile at himself in his capacity of dictator to the ladies of England on the matteurof mourning. Ho has been a widower for some years, and his sisters, who are his only feminine advisers, belong to a group of ladies who observe, on religious principles, an almost Quaker-like plainness of dress. However, the Hake’s good sense has led him to listen to the prayers 6f the drapers against a too l~ng period of mourning. * * * *

Miss Millar is a well-known musician of the Ulniarra district, New South Wales, daughter of Mr and Mrs Hugh Millar, of (that place, who is the first Austral inn "'associate vocalist” of Trinity college, London. Miss Millar’s passes in the various examinations are:—ln 1896, theoretical junior pass 98, honours, 95 : 1897, intermediate pass 94, honours 82 ; 1898, senior pass 92, honours 80; 1898, practical senior, honotirs, 87; 1899, associate of Trinity College, London (vocalist), honours 98; 1901,_ associate of the London College of Music, honours 9. Miss Millar is -an energetic worker fol tho district in which she resides, assisting in all entertainments of a charitable nature. While 1.1 years old she was organist for St. Paul’s Church of England, tJlmarra, and at 13 Won a musical competition at Grafton. She is a member of the TJlmarra Presbyterian Church choir and Bible class, and was presented by Lord Beauchamp, with a gold medal whils at Grafton.” Miss Millar has published a waltz, the “Alpha.”

Tlio -price of silk stockings worn by tko elegantes of the day has given rise to some comment on women’s extravagance. Our fair readers may take heart, others have spent as much or more. We read in an entry regarding the Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James 1., expenditure on her toilet for “two pairs of silk shanks, £20.” The young lady was at that time a child of barely five years old, and the money was only equal to onethird of the value of the present day. There is a racy meaning about the word shanks that quite puts in the shade the modern tradesman's cuphism of hose. Princess Elizabeth also indulged in embroideries and ribbons as freely as any of her sex, for three ells of coloured riband cost £26, and her gold and silver passementeries came to the large sum of £96 3s 2d—people were very particular about pennies, even in their royal accounts.

Tho Prince of Wales (now Edward VII.), when once staying with Lord Rothschild, said to his host, “Your life, Rothschild, may at times be an arduous one, hub it is an easy one compared with mine. I long for a private life, and I know that can never be mine. If I appear in public without a smile on my face the papers announce that ‘His Royal Highness looks worn and sad, and wo fear that revelations of a startling kind may shortly came to light.’” . 1

Tho description’s of Prince Heinrich, of Mecklenburg, the consort of the young Queen of Holland, accord so badly with the pictures given of him in the illnsr trated papers that one can only regard the former as poetic fictions. A disintenested correspondent describes the bridegroom as fat and plain of face, and, for his position, distinctly poverty-strick-en. What ho possesses to a very great degree is, however, the power of fascinating women. It is said that the pretty Princess Helena of Russia broke her engagement in the hope that she wouM ho-able to persuade her parents to - lot her marry the stout young blood whlnn Queen Wilhelmina finally selected Uor her own. Nor are those two great lad es tho only ones who have fallen victims to his charms—or lack of them. Men of his description meander all' through history, as well as common every-day life. As a rule men scorn them, but for women, etyen of.tho liighest and best type, they have an attraction there is no denying. The average woman worships power, hut even in.'the zenith of his glory Napoleon had a rival in the affections of Maria Louise in the person of that arch heartbireaker Neipperg. Tins was an ugly, one-eyed creature with small abilities and smaller fortune, yet one titled lady after another Endeavoured to move heaven and earth to secure his vagrant fancy. • • • An explanation is given in “Wooings and Weddings in Many Climes,” by Mrs Miln (Pearson), why there are not so many old maids in Russia as in pthe\ European countries; —“Old maids exist in Russia, but they will not admit their own existence. When a Russian girl finds herself still single, and getting on in years, she leaves home' for a time to announc'd oh her return that she married while abroad, and her husband died upon the honeymoon. No embarrassing - questions are asked, for in Russia it is not etiquette to speak of a dead man to. his living widow.” When Queen Victoria paid her first visit by railway to Scotland in 1842, as “Tho Times” biography records, “some comical incidents “marked the tour. The

Scottish Archers almost came to blows with a regiment of Dragoons for the privilege of guarding the Queen’s person ; meanwhile, the town council of Edinburgh, unable to imagine that a Sovereign could keep early hours, had not assembled to meet Her .Majesty when she entered the city at about If in tbo morning. Startled by the blare of trumpets ns they wended their way leisurely to the place of meeting, the Lord Provost and councillors were soon seen hurrying, breathless, at the fail of the Rcya! procession, with their gowns ballooning behind (hem, and the gibes of their sarcastic follow-townsmen ringing in their ears.” The Queen was so pleased with her visit to the Highlands that she formed the resolution before leaving to buy an estalo. Balmoral was inspected by her in 1818, and purchased in 1852.