THE LADIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1880, 2 December 1887, Page 33

THE LADIES.

By Alice. The world was sad— the garden was a wild; And man, the Hermit, sighed— till woman smiled. — Campbell. TO CORRESPONDENTS. Alice will be pleased to receive letters from lady correspondents on any matter of interest to them, and to reply through the medium of this page, the norn de plume only of the correspondents being published. Letters to be addressed " Alice," care of the Editor. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Inquirer.— l do not know, and if I did I should not tell you. I am not in the habifcof prying into other people's affairs. There are gossips enough without mo adding myself to the list. Servant girls and their mistresbes are very much on a par aa far t« this Bort of thing goes. Only the other c&y I heard of a servant girl carrying tales Cat of a house to a former mistress, who repeated it to another lady, who told it to someone else, who took it back to the person concerned very much magnified. This is the sort of thing that makes three p-»rts of the raisohief in the world, and the biggest goßaips quite overlook the fact that others are talking about tkenu Such a love is there for petty scandal that eornU mistresses are undignified enough to not only listen to the fcnles their Bervantß carry them, but retail the news. Scandal on the lips of a menial is as spicy a dish as though ifc were served by the tongue of a duchess. It is a disgrace and a shame to our sex that bo many are caused to weep through the unkindne6s ot our tongues. How little we know ot the carea and anxieties of one another 1 There are heroes in our own street bravely fighting their battles aud carrying their crosses, and living their life to the bfst ot their ability : carrying crosses so heavy that, pray God, you may never have to be&rl Why, then, cau you not look for their good points, and talk about them? It is a nobler pastime, and will leave you a better woman after the lapse of years. Some people's noses are like vultures, always smelling out corruption; they are like fishing nets that let all the pure water flow through and catch nothing but 6fcinking iish. J.W.Q.— The princess bonnets are very rarely seen now. The shape worn is cut away afc the back, and is very much higher in front. The trimmings are chiefly ribbon, piled up in high-looped bows in front, with perhaps a stiff feather composed of the wing of a bird, or flowers. There is uo trimming round the sides oi the bonnet. The strings are often brought; right across the back, and tied under the chin. Children's costumes are pretty and picturesque from their simplicity. They are made in a variety of fantastic ways, but a favourite style is a simple sailor costume— plain pleated skirt, blouse, body, and sailor collar. The sleeves are full bishop s'eeves. A sailor hat completes the costume. Thank you for your kind remarks. Harry and Tom.— You do not care for the elder of the two, that is very certain. The young man I do not know, so cannot say. De sure, however, you do nofc marry a manToudonot love lor any reason whatsoever. If you do not care for a man, give him no reason to suppose you do, for it is a weak and wrong thing to let a man suppose you care for him if 'you do not. Wait and see. Do nothing in a hurry. Love soon makes itself known. Thank you for kind remarks. There will soon be another story now. Sweetdriar.— l do not knoT* of any side-shows for

bazaarß except the usual ones. Ibis.— l am sorry not to be able to inform you. The Btewardesß onboard the boat will be able to do so. I trust yoa will have n pleasant voyage. Twenty Years Subscriber.— (l) The real names are generally sent. (2) It is nob proper. (3) Yes, I think so. Brnifchwaifce may have it. Jeanitie.— lt is quite out of my province to have anything to do with these quarrels. There are always two sides to every question, and tho best thiug for you all to do is to make ifc upand be good friends. Rustless.— No, do not break up your home and go into lodgings. Change! Yes .there is change enough. Strangers come aud go vvho care no earthly thing about you beyond evincing an unlimited curiosity, which they will gratify afc the cost of any pain to yoxi. Your most sacred and private affairs are pryed into,.and are retailed with endless variations to any inquiring spirit abroad. You cannot choose your friends— kindred spirits with whom you can converse ; if you do, those you do not choose are spiteful, and say spiteful things. Paul mußt have been referring to boarding-house life when he said " Be all things to all men," for if you express an honest opinion you are bound to offend some. It is a dreary existence— a lonely life among many. There is a feeling as though you are part of a machine, without personal tastes and fancies, as though, whether you are happy or sad, well or ill, tired or merry is nothing at ail to anyone. The nice people only stay for a time, but the bores and pests stay on for ever If your head aches distractingly, not one foot falls a whit the lighter. Your heart may bo breaking, but your eyes must never be red. The only place you enn call your own is your bed. A woman may be a little queen in her home ; in a boarding-house sho is a lodger. Fannt.— An embroidered muslin is not neat enough for a confirmation. It should be either plain or of nun's veiling, very simply made. Housewife.— The following is a really good salad ; For a nice-sized salad, wash three lettuces, two handfuls of mustard and cress, 12 young radishes, four dandelion leaves, and a small buncn of watercress. Dry them all in a cloth, and cut up small. Slice a small cucumber, and rub the salad bowl with a shalot ; mix all touether and put them into a salad bowl. Garnish with hard-boiled eggs and beetroot and a few bright nasturtium flowers on the top. Serve a good dressing with it. The following is excellent: -Put two large potatoes through a sieve, mix with them two teaspoonfuls of sugar, one of mustard, and little by little five tablespoonfuls of oil ; beat the yolks of two eggs, and add them ; also one teaspoonful of anchovy sauce and three tablespoonfuls of vinegar. It should look like rich cream. Blanche.— (l) Macaroni and Cheese : Take §lb of pipe macaroni aud throw it into a saucepan containing two pints of boiling water and one pint of milk, with sufficient salt to flavour it. Keep it boiling till the macaroni is quite tender, then pour off the liquor. Have ready some Parmesan or Cheshire cheese, not grated, but cut into §in dice. Sprinkle tke cheese amongst the macaroni, and add \\b of butter cut in small pieces. Put on the lid and let it stay 10 minutes, then serve on a hot dish. This is a most delicious way of cooking macaroni, and far superior to the baking in a dish. la boiling the macaroni, although ifc must be perfectly tender, ifc should not break or melt. (2) Mulligatawny Soup : Melt an ounce of dripping ; let it get quite hot, then add a chopped onion and an apple— both of medium size, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a few outer sticks of celery. Lefc them brown well, then stir ia a tablespoonful of curry paste, and the same of flour; cook these, stirring all the time for 10 minutes, and add by degrees one quart of stock made from bones, and simmer until the vegetables are tender -, rub through a sieve, add gait to taste and a little lemon juice. Serve with boiled rice, every grain of which should be distinct and separate.