Gossip for the Ladies.

Otago Witness, Issue 1503, 4 September 1880, Page 25

Gossip for the Ladies.

The world was sad—the garden was a Unld; And man, the Hermit, sighed— till woman smiled. —Campbell.

The Empress Augusta and Her Daughter In Law.

According to all accounts the disagreeable state of affairs existing between the Empress of Germany and her son's wife (the Princess Royal of England) is not likely to oeaae. The Empress ia greatly incenssd that in spite of all her efforts to arrange it otherwise, the engagement of her grandson, Prince William of Prussia, to the prince Augusta of SchleswigHolstein has been announced by a "betrothal dinner." Her Majesty showed her displeasure by absenting herself from the festivities. The bridegroom elect is described as a a good whiat-player, splendid waltzer (excellent qualities in a husband, no doubt), | and for the rest he is not particularly clever! In appearance he is thick-set and heavy, and of a rather sentimental expression. The Princess is tall, fully developed, has blue eyes, snowy complexion, abundant golden hair,- and a decided objection t^being photographed. Rosa Bonheur at Home. Koaa Bonheur, the great French animalpainter, leads the life of a reoluse in her country house. Devoted to her art, she has never married, and now that she has ad- j vanced beyond the middle period of life she permits nothing to distract her attention. In person she is short and flquarely built, passes her life under the best physical conditions, looks healthy, and seems capable of great endurance. The features of her face are small and regular, her eyes a soft hazel, and her expression one of dignified benignity. She has a flow, pleasant voice, and a direct sincerity of speech most agreeably free from the artifices of compliment. Her grey hair is cut and parted like a man's, and nearly touches her shoulders. Her dresa, evec when she Is receiving visitors, has a suspicion of manliness. When she visits Pans, or expects visitors at home, she wears the uniform of her own sex ; in her painting-room and in her walks hi the forest, the uniform of the other, This practice dates from the time of

her childhood. As an animal painter, she had often to go out of the beaten paths to find her subjects— sometimes to the abattoirs. The brutes were well-behaved, but the slaughtermen often not so. So she shortened her hair, exchanged the bodies for blouse, and donned pantaloons. Ingenious Excuse. I was amused at the account given me by a young lady of the ingenuity displayed by a oertain gentleman to obtain an introduction to her at a recent fancy dres ball (writes "Gip3y" in Town and Country). Making his way to her chair he bowed politely and said, "How do you do? I met your papa in town to-day, when he told me you were to be here tonight, and asked me to look after yon. Allow me to look aft your programme, please." My friend un« suspectingly complied with the request, thinking at the same time, " how very thoughtful of papa." The programme was returned with certain dances marked with i her new friend's name. What was her as* tonishment when relating the events of the evening at the family breakfast table the following morning to find that "papa" h»d never heard of the gentleman, and denied asking any of his business friends to look after hia daughter. The young lady does not know whether 'twere wiser to he sorry or angry, and though taking into consideration the ultra politeness and beautiful waltzing of her partner thinks it best to give him the cut direct for presuming on her inexperience. It was not; the action of m gentleman. Society is not so awfully exoluslve in this country as to render anch enterprise necessary, and a person who mold li» so coolly about so simple a matter as as introduction to a lady is not to be trusted in more important relations of life. What the result of it all waa. A young gentleman in Brisbane at a ban* quet recently was called upon (by virtue oi his having been married the day before) to propose the toast of "The Ladfos," \rhioh he did in the following words :— " The ladies, who rule without laws, decide without 'appeal, judge without jury, and ara never in the wrong." The Sydney Bulletin now relatea that the promising young man is now up to his neck in a divorce action. He ill the plaintiff. Japanese' Brides. It is the custom at Japanese weddings for all the friends of the family to subiorlba and purchase a handsome lace veil for pre* < sentation to the bride. This she wears on the marriage day, after which it is carefully put away, sill her death, and then used aaa shroud, in whose folds she is borne to her last, resting-place. Our friends of the olive skin are not without some ideas of poetry and romance evidently. Different Views on the Blatter. The few young ladies, about 30 in number. , who were invited to a dance in Portmansquars voted it a moat charming affair ; bat the 150 mea who could not find partners were of a different opinion, and pronounced this arrangement a mistake. Moderation in all things is the great secret of success ; and an overdue preponderance of coats is quite as great a failure at a ball aa an eqaal disproportion of peltiGoa&a would be. Married at Night. The wedding of Lady Margaret Toler, who was recently married to the Oountesa of Lovelace's son, took place at 9 in the evening. The guests assembled in the church in full dress, the ladies without bonnets, and afterwards repaired to the residence of the bride's mother (the Countess of Morbury), where sapper was served and » grand ball given. ' A Novel Costume. An eccentric gentleman, who was evidently bent upon making a sensation at a recent fancy dress ball at Sydney, arrayed himself in a complete aaifc of newspapers, even to a tall hat. I observed (says % writer in a Sydney paper) that he seldom danced: certainly he did not look an attractive partner. Bat some one whispered that he was afraid, on account of the fragila nature of his costume, to join in active exercise ! Pressmen should fear nothing. " Press on " should be their motto in the mazy dance or the tented field, particularly the latter, if away from the enemy, and the direction of the officer. Fashion Brevities from Home Papers. Shaded feathers are a novelty of the season. A snobbish, fashion, about on a par with ear-rings, is for a gentleman to wear bracelets. It is said that white costumes will again be fashionably worn as street costumes. Lace fichu capes— fichus made with fringe, lace, and jet— are popularly worn. Small rosebud epaulettes are worn on the shoulders of white India mull, or zephyr evening dresses. Spotted silk gloves are now sold for wear, ing with the spotted sateen and foulard costumes. Beaded jerseys are very fashionable. They are either slipped over the head, or made to fasten at the back. Many of the sUk or satin shoes have long attenuated monograms, worked or painted on the toe and instep. Flowers are worn on all parts of the dross and on all occasions; appropriateness has nothing to do with it. | Among the grays, "putty "is • favourite shade. This combines prettily with many of the bright coloured foulards. Black silk gloves, four to eight buttons, are jast now the fancy. These gloves give the hand a pretty, delicate look, Some of the prettiest capes now worn have row upon row of jet fringe, and a high black lace raff round the neck. The new zephyr-cloth, that has so recently come into favour, ia a creped-like, soft cheese-cloth. Zephyr material is being purohased for evening costumes, and trimmed profanely with lace and ribbon. " Angletorre" and "Bagouse" are the names of the new machine-made laces, described as being far more elegant than either tha Bretonne or the Langnedoo. Coloured coats of silk, or fancy doth, or white marseilles, have the deep collar or cape, »nd over that is worn, the elaborate

The eilk muslin is now very fashionable for ties and cravats of all kinds. Many cf the scarves have the ends painted and plaited, and finished off with lace. Bonnets made of Spanish lace are greatly In vogue in Paris, their trimming being usually donble hollyhocks, velvet petalled ted and yellow nasturtiums, or transparent crimped poppies. Some pretty tennis dresses have the dark jeney and white llama skirt, with lines of eoloar at the edge, and a moveable hood of white lined with colour ; a neat leather band round the waist. Most of the mantles are worn very high at the throat, and gome of those which have long ends in the front have them drawn together and finished off with satin bows, very much in the style of the drawn silk neckties. Some of the newest parasols are of cream ■ilk, covered with three deep flounces of crepe, lndian muslin, edged with lace. On one side, the centre flounce is turned slightly np to.ahow a deep red or tea rose, with a bud and afew leaves. In bonnets a new shade of salmon red is much, employed for the linings of Tuscan straws, the patterns of which, being very open and lace-like, require such a foundation. : The latest style of ribbons worn with these straws are composed of gilt threads, resembling cloth of gold. They are also seen on laoe bonnets. lUther-a pretty and very original design for fans is used by American ladies. It is in imitation' of the leaf of a lily, formed of transparent- crape, in moßt delicate shades of white, blue, or pink. Some are embroidered with a flowering pattern, and all are fitted with long tapering handles. Some of the smartest and newest aprons are made- of cream or fancy Madras muslin, trimmed with oream and coloured lace, as well as witb a narrow plaiting of muslin. They are finished off with coloured bows, and some have a small spray of flowers fastened into loops of lace or ribbon on the pockets. The newest throratlets are of satin, edged on both Bides, with lace, and worked round with some small design in silks, of rosebuds, forget me-not's, etc. These are worn round __ the outside of dresses, as well as with the low bodices. They are in' black as well as coloured satin. Pretty white muslin hoods, trimmed with cream or coffee- coloured lace, are being prepared/for wearing with the white and light cotton summer dresses. They have a thick ruche, of lace round the throat, and are tied in front with cream satin ribbon. Shot-coloured jerseys are popular, and are in different colours, the red shot with black being at present most worn. The skirt which accompanies them is red or black, made with a tunic, draped short in front and long at the back, over a kilted underskirt of black, with a harrow plaiting of shot bilk, corresponding to the jersey round the edge. A very stylish young lady, recently, had a ball-costume, oompleted of cream zsphyr and cherry silk. The costume waa made a princesse, with four knife-pleatings at the bottom alternate of the zephyr and silk. The back- drapery was edged with a knifepleating of silk, and caught at the sides with" cream-aad-cherry loops of ribbon. Around the neck, and forming a point at the waist-line, was laid a* plain ban! of the silk, over which were pleatings of Languedoo lace. Broad rever puffs of the cherry silk, _ widening at the bottom, were edged withflianguedoc, with a spiral pleating of the same through the centre. The elbow sleeves were finished with a knife- pleating of cherry silk, headed with the lace, with a band of ribb«n r and bows and ends of the two colours at the back. The silk can be arranged over the hips in foil drapery, to form long tabs in the back, if one wishes. ■