THE LADIES' CHAIN

NZ Truth, Issue 935, 27 October 1923, Page 14

THE LADIES' CHAIN

Facts and Fiction For Femininity (By "Mary B. Contrary.") From Murray's, London, the editor has received a Icoi&y of -'Gene StrattonPorter's new novel, "The White Flag:," which he has- handed on to me to introduce to our lady, readers. The freshness and charm' of Mrs. Porter's novels is. now a household word with lovers of light literature m this land, as the sales of such works as "Michael O'Halloran" and "Laddie" demonstrate. Like "Freckles," probably the most popular of Mrs. Porter's works, "The ■White Flag^* is a story of thb Quiet Mmberlost, seasoned with a due sprinkling of laughter and fears. This countryside romance, "Mary" is sure, cannot fail to find a place m the hearts of all her readers. :• ) :: .. The president of the hairdressins exhibition, which will be opened m London on October 31, says that "shingling" is the latest style of hairdressing for fashionable women who are tired of bobbed hair. In shingling the hair is cut short at the back lik«3 a man's, while the front La?r remains long, and is brushed ovei tho back. A special comb is worn round the bacl; of the head. The hair at the sided is left long, and covers the ears. I wonder how many j giris have fingers worth £5000? Such is the value set upon the hands of Miss Millicent Woodward, the champion typist of Europe. She can type at the rate of 233 words a minute! Even when blindfolded, she can take down 169 words from dictation without a single slip. All the time she is at' her machine she talks merrily upon every subject imaginable. Miss Woodward I was asked the other day for the secret of her great speed. She believes m thoroughly understanding her machine. A sound knowledge of English she thinks essential. Clumsy fingering makes high speeds impossible, she says, and above all things, to be a typist of more than usual skill you must take a great interest m, youi work. :: :: :: Discussing the jazz craze,- a famous psycho-analyst of Harley Street said some time ago; ."The modern consulting rooms are filled with dance-room wrecks. Every psycho-analyst, whatever the school to which he belongs, knows the power of pathological suggestion contained m the modern ballroom, with ita 'jazz* music. Women who night after night dance until 2 a.m., or even later, are bound, with so many of the things that go with modern dancing, sooner or later, to suffer from obsessions. In a word, dancing makes them mad." What is the ideal age for men and women to marry? The "Daily News" (London) publishes ,the comments of two eminent authorities on the facts revealed by the recently issued Statistical Review of the Registrar-General that 21 for girls and 24 for men are tho years at which the largest number of marriages take place In "England. "I think it Is the misfortune of the middle classes," says Dr. Marie Stopes, "that owing to their professional duties and training they cannot marry at the <right and proper age/ Dr. Stopes expressed the view that the youthfulness of the majority, indicated by the returns. Is largely due to the fact that the working class are m the majority m London and can marry earlier than then* professional brethren. In regard to the popular belief that people were tending to marry later m lire nowadays. Dr. Stopes said that was due to the fact that the middle class formed" public opinion. "I myself," she said, "urgo professional people to marry, even If they can only spend their week-ends together, rather than wait" Mrs. Seaton Tiedman, of the Divorce Law Reform Union, was . loath to specify any particular age at which marriage is best, but said she thought that 21 and 24 ought to good ages, if economics conditions were as they ought to be. She was more concerned with the abolition of child marriages, which, she says, aro very fruitful of disaster. Miss Rebecca West, tho famous novelist, would not commit herself as to what she considered the best age at which to marry« "Show me tho man and show me the woman" summed up her views on tha matter. n :: t: What is the great underlying secret of success for the prima donna of grand opera or the concert singer? This has always boon a fascinating and puzzling question for music lovers who marvel at the way some singers leap to fame almost over night, while others attain it only after years of arduous struggle. Frederick H. Martens, a well-known New York musical critic, recently had Interviews on this subject with twenty of the greatest living women stars of grand opera arid the concert stage. Each of these artists was asked to discuss her art and explain for the benefit of ambitious young singers just what she thinks the greatest factors m her success. And the replies reveal almost as many different "secrets" as there are singers! Almehita Galli-Curci sums up her succesß as due to "Hard Work." » The Japanese artist, Madame Tamakl Mulra says "Expression." Rosa Panselle says "Good Teachers," whilst the American artist, Annan Case, votes for "Soul." "Attention to Detail" is tho way the golden -voiced New York Prima Donna, Maria Jeritza, sums It up, while Geraldlne Farrar thinks the first requisite for operatic success is "Culture." Lucrezia. Borl plumps for "Charm;" Emma; Calve Is of the opinion that it is due to "Personality," and Ursula Grenllle, the English soprano, says "Clothes." :: :: v , Miss . Elva Wallace, a New Yorkbeauty, was recently employed as usher In a picture show. She was much pestered with the attentions of young bloods who would persist In getting "fresh," so she took- a course of jiu jitsu and now she is able to inflict punishment on the offenders. Amongst the penalties ehe has devised i are an upper cut to the jaw, a jab with a hatpin, ice water down his back and cutting hla clothes with scissors.