LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 33

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— " Weigel's Australian Journal of Fashion for August is a more than ordinarily attractive number. This journal, though small in size, is beautifully got up. Its illustrations are not confined to dress, but include designs for fancy work, house decorations, &c. The number Dnder notice' in addition to the usual illustrations of costumes and dress accessories has some exquisite designs for lace work of various descriptions, designs for handkerchiefs, lambriquins, writing stands, table covers, abblique work, &c. — Madame Antoinette Sterling, though not a member of the Society of Friends, has lately on several, occasions attended the services of that sect, at their meeting house in St. Martin's lane, and on a recent Sunday she was.the means of varying the monotory of the proceedings. During one of the "silent times" — which figure prominently during the Quakers' meetinga, and in the course of which anyone present may address the congregation— Madame Sterling rose, and sang with all the charm of her beautiful voice the anthem, " The Lord is my Shepherd. Surprise, followed by admiration, prevented any interruption of the vocalist. Singing forms little or no part of a Quaker service ; but on this occasion the singer was listened to with rapt attention, and even the most strait-laced of the " Broadbrims " present was forced to admit that the anthem was decidedly appropriate to the simple character of the service. . — Among the more costly gifts presented to the Duchess of Portland on the occasion of her marriage was that of the bridegroom — a dressing-case, value £2500. The bride's monogram in diamonds surmounted the stoppers and lids of all the gold mounted bottles and boxes. The lavish groom desired- to have the ivory toilet brushes correspondingly decorated, but at the instance of the sensible lady refrained. Lord Hastings gave a blotting book, on the silver cover of which are engraved the names of all the races won by the Duke of Portland's horses since 1881, the amount of the winnings being £100,134 4s. — In Philadelphia, where there is a guild of working women called the " New Century Guild," the society, of Coloured Working Women lately appealed to be allowed to cooperate, and the request was granted, a ballot being taken among the members showing an overwhelming majority in favour of generous frendliness towards the coloured women. > r ..-.-'-. < — Wood-carving is becoming quite an oc-

cupation for gentlewomen — not the poor and decayed types, but those who have time; and money at command. In Sweden this seems - a real sensible craze, and is one of the people's chief recreations through the long, dark winter. Impatient learners soon give it up, and so do awkward creatures whose chief knack consists in cutting their fingers ; but average industry soons triumphs over a few difficulties and turns out all kinds of wooden sculpture after a little practice. -—It reads like a fairy story rather than a statement of actual fact, the accounts of the splendid trousseau given by the EmDress of Russia to her niece the i'Orown Princess of Greece; who is now sister-in-law as well as niece. Dozens and dozens each of everything a woman needs in the way of clothing aTe included, and the question arises when will they all be worn ? and whether or no they will not become old-fashioned as also deteriorate in quality before they can be made use of. The trousseau is one of • the most magnificent , ever supplied, and is now on view at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. One phenomenal dressing-gown of fur is made of white silver fox,- trimmed with a wide border of real gold thread. The eeoond is of sable, fastened in front , with six clasps, composed of real pearls. A- .third gown, the most gorgeous of all, is made of the rare, blue fox fur, its .only ornameni being a belt of diamonds. I read that the bride was taken by the Czarina herself to the church in a veritable Cinderella coach drawn by eight milk-white horses, the coach itself carrying out the idea, for it was composed of gold and covered with diamonds. The bridegroom, the Grand Duke Paul, rode by side of the carriage ; he is tajl, spare, and pale. All the ladies wore national costume. — A style of evening coiffure has been introduced that is simply a revival, of. 1866. Just like the heads in fashion magazines of that date. A deal of hair, is piled on the top of the head and plenty, more hangs down at the back. It looks like too much of a good thing, till you are used to it. —A Philadelphia lady, who has been twice happily married herself, lately gave, this advice to a young friend just entering society : "Keep your eyes wide open, so that when the right man comes along you. will see him ; you will surely recognise him, and the recognition will be mutual." — Paris is swarming with " Jews, Turks," &c. (overhaul the Prayer-book for the rest of the list I) just now, and two of the Mohammedan visitors were lately heard discu&sing the personal merits of the President. "Heis a handsome fellow, this Carnot, and has plenty of dignity," said one. " Yes," said the other rather contemptuously, " he is well enough, but why does he always go about with that same lady 1 Has he got only one wife goodlooking enough to bring out on public occasions 1 " —Mrs Sam Foom,- a Chinese lady who haa lately gone back to China with her husband, has a singular story. She was a little slave girl, and was rescued years ago by Dr Gibson. She gave a lecture some time since, in one of the Methodist churches of San Francisco, on the history of her life. Her husband, a Christian Chinaman, started in business 10 years ago, and made a vow that when he was worth 3000dol he would go back to China to preach the gospel to his countrymen. The couple have gone back accordingly, as self-supporting missionaries. —During the last week (says a Home writer) the papers have been f nil of women's speeches and women's resolutions. First came the "Dames and Habitations of the Primrose League," then the "Town and County Women's Liberal and Radical Association," then the " British Women's Temperance Association," and lastly the Literary Ladies' Dinner. Ohercliez la fernme ; and you find her— every where ! Really this " Rise of Women " is a most remarkable and — to the higher sex — a somewhat perplexing phenomenon. Dinner table conversation is being revolutionised, and we are treated to Home Rule over our soup, with the housing of the [poor and the social evil to follow. The Primrose League set the ball rolling, and the Primrose League is pre-eminently a woman's movement. . — A New York photographer mentioned recently that the favourite portrait with purchasers in early times was that of Adelaide Neilson. "Do you still sell pictures of Neilson ? " he was asked. " Yes, many thousands and thousands of them." " Did you pay her anything for the privilege ? " " Certainly not. The first person I ever paid was Sarah Bernhardt. I gave her ISOOdol at first, and gold thousands and tens of thousands of her pictures on European as well as local orders." " How about Patti ? " "Oh, Patti sells enormously. She poses easily and gracefully, and makes a very fair portrait, as well as a pretty picture." " Did you have,to pay her anything for the privilege?" "Oh, yes; lOOOdol. But one of the greatest cards of recent years is Mrs Langtry. Scores of thousands of her , photographs are sold every year. I gave- her 1500dol, of which lOOOdol were paid in cash, and 500dol in works of art Perhaps the greatest favourite we have ever known, however, i 3 Mary Anderson." — The bedroom in which Albert the Good breathed his last, at Windsor Castle, has a memorial inscription, inserted into the white marble chimney-piece ; the lettering of which is, of course, in gold. This curious sort of commemorative tablet is placed immediately above , the fireplace, and below what old-fashioned folks call the mantelshelf, and the words run thus : — " In this room the dearly-beloved Albert, Prince Consort, departed this life, at a quarter before 11 p.m., on Saturday, December 14, 1861; in the presence of his utterly broken-hearted wife, and their disconsolate children, the Prince of Wales, Princess Alice, and. Princess Helena." Needless to say, the apartment I is never used in any way ! —No one really likes court balls, for they are almost always long, tedious, and.depressing functions. There is very little dancing, and what there is is very badly done, for no one would be so unfashionable as to dance well in the presence of the Prince of Wales, who dancep a queer sort of springy jig which is exceedingly uncomfortable for his .partners. It may be imagined, therefore, that , there is little ' pleasure „in dancing .-with, him, especially as he is in the habit of dancing on his partner's delicate toes, at ; least -half the time,' with result which are eminently, pain.

' fal next morning. There Is still less pleasure in dancing with the'young Princesses of Wales, for they are awkward and ungraceful, and have nothing to say— in fact, behave like big school girls instead of grown-up young ladies. jPrincess "May" of Teck is a very different young person. She dances divinely, is very fond of it, and is an exceedingly lively rattle into the bargain. Nor for the matter of that, is' John Brown's sanctum. We (Home paper) were chatting, not. long ago, with a worthy lady, and after expatiating with fervour one the many amiable qualities of the late J. 8., as far as all his subordinates were concerned, she added, with great elation, " And the Queen won't have the things in his room touched, except just to keep them dusted! There they all stand, just as he left them, the last day he occupied the apartment, down |to the little ornaments and trifles he was in the habit of using I " — A once superstitious man who consulted a "dream bock" for every dream he had during a period- of 15 years, says that if they had all been verified, according to the " book," he would have met with six violent deaths, married 11 blonde-haired and five dark-tressed girls, inherited nine fortunes, and made 14 trips to foreign lands. He is still living, an old bachelor, has never been more than 10 miles from the town in which he was born, and hasn't got a shilling laid up for inclement weather. But he has lost all faith in dreams and dream books. — " The old story of .Prince Albert Victor's marriage to Princess Victoria of Teck is again revived," remarks the World. "It seems a great pity, as the two young people like each other, that it should not be allowed. Princess Victoria is as much au English princess as anyone can be. She is pretty, nice, and popular. She was born in England, and i.as been brought up there, and if there are any drawbacks they are only pecuniary ones, and those the country need not consider. The Queen would not care for the marriage, but I understand she does not oppose it nearly so strongly as other members of the family, who see no reason why Princess Victoria should be preferred to their • own children. — At a recent ball in Paris the ladies were all dressed in black and the gentlemen in white. The effect is said to have been intensely comical, especially in the quadrilles. The gentlemen in white cotton dress-coats excited the wildest merriment, which was further increased by their eccentric behaviour, whilst the ladies, on the other hand, in their heavy, dark costumes, observed the most rigid decorum. — A good notion for short-sighted women is that of buying a fan with eye-glasses attached. The frame of the glasses fits into the stick and folds up with the rest. Lenses ought to be suited to the eyes of the purchaser. Tiny watches sometimes tick in the handles of these works of art, but it is doubtful whether they can be warranted as good timists. The watch bracelet has made way for the purse bracelet, in which can be carried enough money for a church collection, cab fare, or railway ticket. Whoever would have thought that the sensible, prosaic button-hooks could come into favour as brooch and bangle jewellery, and run the true lovers* knots, double hearts, initial or date gimcracks, quite hard for popularity 7 This is such a handy ornament that one wonders why it never was evolved before, especially • as many-buttoned chussures have been worn for an age. — Frequently the Austrian editor makes extensive use of his imagination, and he can invent thoroughly. Some time ago one of the best-known Vienna papers published a long paragraph purporting to be a telegram from" London. It was very interesting. It told how the three daughters of the Prince of Wales were walking down Whitehall, when they observed that a wretchedlooking woman selling flowers was doing no business. They therefore took her basket and sold flowers for about three hours, making a great deal of money, which they gave to the poor woman. The story did not have the least foundation in fact, of course, and the princesses were not in London auywhere near the time the incident was said to have occurred. — " What's Hecuba to me, or Ito Hecuba ?" &c., might the English court, when told to go into black for the Dowager Queen of Bavaria, justly inquire. People might even consent to " weep " a little weep for so unfortunate and gentle a lady if only they were not asked to upset their social economy by a silly donning of sable draperies for a Queen who could hardly be considered a remote relative even of our own Sovereign, unless, indeed, one counts fourth and fifth cousinBhips. Of all the insensate customs this court mourning business is surely the silliest. She was a good woman, this ill-fated Queen, who lived to see one son commit suicide and another become as hopelessly insane as his brother. Her devotion to the memory of the former, and fcer patient tenderness with the infirmities of the latter were something pathetic. She was rather a bigoted Roman Catholic, and almost worshipped her " director," the erudite Abbe Hanneberg, who converted her to the Romish faith ; but her life was spent in charities and benevolent care of the poor, and she will be deeply regretted by her humbler neighbours around the Schloss Hohenschwangan. The Queen was constantly to be found in their cottages in time of need, and they liked her none the less that she looked and dressed like a queen to the last ; her hair had turned white, but her features were striking, and her carriage exceedingly upright and dignified almost to the close. Poor Louis II was always.gentle and affectionate to his mother ; and though mad as a March hare, would be persuaded by her, when he had turned a deaf ear to all other remonstrators ; and up to a few weeks of his untimely death, Queen Marie hoped that he . would recover his reason. No such hope - can be entertained of Otho, the present occui. pant "of the throne. He is a mere idiot, who passes hours of each day searching' in the soil of his grounds for hidden treasures; turning over the soil with his hands, and stealthily pocketing twigs, pebbles, and gravel, wbjch he fancies are gold and jewels. 'Deprived, of his mother's wise and tender - supervision, Mb • fnture life will be ; sad and . dreary indeed. - ■ 1 -^Ehe Queen o£ Siam has just had 18 pairs ' of shoes,' made to order, gent he? fiom Eng-

land. In accordance with the Queen's wish each of them' is made in plush, but no two pairs are alike, either in colour or in decoration. One pair is of a lovely shade of electric-blue, with a bordering of small roses worked in coloured silk across the toe. A second pair is in amber plush. A third is in crimson, and in this case the decoration is of fine beads ; in a fourth plush is only partly employed, and the French kid toe is elaborately beaded in red and gold. They are cut in the Oxford shape. The laces and all the etceteras match the shoes for which they are intended to perfection, and, as the colours are extremely uncommon, it has in some cases been necessary to have these small adjuncts dyed expressly. The shoes (which are of a -very small size) are really masterpieces of the bootmaker's art, so exquisite is the workmanship throughout. - ■ — "It is scarcely the right thing," said a young bride, " to look a gift horse in the mouth, yet it is hard not to speak one's mind on a 'matter of this kind. It does seem to me that people might think a while before buying wedding presents. I am sure if they had done so I thould not have received nine biscuit boxes. What am Ito do with them all 1 I can only use one at a time, or at the most two. Now, 1 what is to be done with the other se 7 en 7 It's too perplexing. If I could only show them, it wouldn't be so bad, but I can't even do that." " Dear me I I don't know why you should worry over such a paltry thing as that," observed her sister, who had been married nine years. " Those extra biscuit boxes will be very useful by-and-bye. Select the one or two you want to keep, and then put the others carefully away. Whenever any of your friends marry let a biscuit box be your gift It'll save you lots of money. When I was married I received six fishserven among my presents. I was cross until some one gave me the hint I have just given you, and then I was happy. It wasn't long before I had made good use of my fishservers." — Some of the leading Parisans (gossips the fashion writer of a Home paper) declare that they are dead tired' of black. It been worn so long by everybody something else is absolutely craved for ; red, green, anything by way of a change. Being 'Republicans there is no neoessity for them to be always mourniug for deceased royalties, as we are, so they can wear all the colours of the rainbow without being deemed heartless, or, worse still, unfashionable. Is it not marvellous how the English court is obliged to keep in jet and orape? The Queen; the household, and the diplomatic circle can never get out of it, unless customs alter, and ceremonial mourning is merely 1 assumed for a day or so, just out of respect. Two or three American belles, who were packed up and ready some weeks ago for the grand European rush, mean to wear little else but white. In white woollen materials there is an endless variety; then there are silks, pongees, laces, muslins, lawns, and linens, so the changes could well be rung on dozens of dresses, did a wealthy woman so wish. At one time, white was rather reserved for really youthful wearers. The girlish heroine' generally put on snowy robes .when her lover was anywhere about, , but her mother never ventured on the like. Nowadays they dress to match ; and I wish you could have sc^n the utterly lovely white and silver xaiment I beheld but lately, worn by a titled dame who must own to 41 summers, as. her real age is chronicled year by year. Her front teeth are like pearls, her front hair is as thick as thick, her complexion is clear and delicate. There is really no reason why she should not dress as her eldest girl, instead of wearing caps, shawls, and baggy bodices, like mothers of grown-up families used to do. The black lace cloak is likely to become an institution, the same as the black lace dress. Full, long widths of lace are gathered into a high collar of jetted silk, caught again at the waist, and then fall, straight to the feet. The skirts of the cloak fall free, while the waist is usually lined with silk. There . is a sleeve that fits the arm to the waist,,and another that hangs down a considerable distance. A few of these cloaks are made after the pattern of the Connemara, with heavy jet ornaments about the shoulders. There is something rather taking in the notion of being clad, outwardly at least, in black lace from head to foot, with bonnet, dress, mantle, or cloak all corresponding. ,The cruel enemy of such elegance is dust, which sometimes does more damage in three or four minutes than a couple of weeks' hard wear. Other long mantles are made of rich silk, and the Bleeves, almost reaching from shoulder to hem, are of lace. In short, lace is going to be very prevalent, and happy they who can afford the best quality ; for cheap.ness in this is too evident. — Queen Marguerite of Italy is one of the best violoncello players of the day. This noble instrument has an increasing fascination for the fair lady musicians, and the reason is not far off. The 'cello is the most nearly human instrument, because its range of tones coincides with that oi the hnman voice. Its tones stir the bosom more easily to sympathetic romances Its size and ten sion are nearly the same as the size and tension of the human bosom, and the vibration of one body is more apt to thrill the other just as that harpstring, which is most nearly in accord with another, will vibrate more easily with the air waves. It is a curious fact that 'cello players more frequently 1 observe than any others that the strings of the instrument will speak out quite loudly when the voice strikes the tone of one of its strings. Sitting alone in its corner, or hanging in its closet, theinstrument often startles its master's guests by suddenly adding a loud note to a hearty laugh of some one of: them. And more laughable still, if one gives his nose a resonant blow (and the humour of the actual fact will excuse the mention of a disagreeable operation) the 'cello will often take a spasmodic snort itself j as if in sarcastic instruction to its masters to learn to perform that nasal cavatina in pianissimo tones. — In Cyprus' they still celebrate the festival of Venus Aphrodite, and the yearly custom is observed of immersing the virgin, a young girl selected for the occasion, and as- the act is performed each Cypriote lover in the crowd of boats in the bay throws a spray of salt ..water over tbe^eiras who sits beside him. There is little Jaeauty in a Cypriote woman from an American standpoint, and. yet| the peculiarities of the race as evinced in their

physical likeness have a prototyps in the image of Venus Aphrodite which General Di Cesnola found in her temple on the island. It is an interesting fact that all, the women of Cyprus, except the most decidedly ugly ones, tave the same contour to the nose as seen in the image of this goddess, made from 600 to 1000 years before the Christian era. — An ■ American writer decribes Sarah Bernhardt, always an interesting figure, re- i hearsing the part of Lena in '• As in a Looking Glass " : — " Two days after her return to Paris, from I a long and arduous tour through Italy, Egypt, and the Danubian principalities, she ' set to work rehearsing Lena twice a day, sometimes for eight or ten hours, with only a j short interruption- for dinner, when her { swiffc horses, waiting at the stage door, would whirlher away to the distant Boulevard Pereire. Sarah frequently remained at the theatre till 2 in. the morning, showing no signs of fatigue, and on one occasion at that late hour she went off to Laferriere to try on her dresses, the description of which has gone all over the world. Even during the last 20 days that this killing pace lasted she found time so attend to business, to have two new plays read to her, and to receive innumerable callers. • " She used to arrive on the stage fresh and -.bright, attired in the style which has become so.peculiarly her own, the dark velvet, sleeveless gabardine, edged with feather trimming, opening on a' loose, closely pleated robe or blouse of white china crepe or soft .silk, hanging in straight folds from the neck to the feet, and confined below the waist by the broad jewelled girdles she loves. Sometimes the outer garment was of crimson velvet, trimmed with fur, but always under the same robe, had the narrow gathered sleeves down to the wrists, and the high collar circling the throat. She seems to care little for jewellery; she never wears earrings, a r ring or two, a pin fastened in her bosom are all the ornaments she puts on. Her wonderful hair is carelessly tossed on the small head, confined by a comb only, and tumbled by the favourite gesture of her hands as she repeatedly runs her fingers through the crisp, ruddy mass. When ishe cuts and wishes to have a comparatively smooth coiffure she can only subdue the rebellious locks by soaking them in water. i 11 Sarah came to rehearsals accompanied by her big hound, who was with her on her | travels, and is christened Tosco. The ani- | mal is devoted to her, for she exercises a I wonderful fascination over the brute creation ; but he has an uncertain temper, and strong dislikes, which caused him to snail and show his teeth in a manner discouraging to the performers who were the objects of I these demonstrations. At such times Sarah, in the midst of a tender or passionate tirade, would look round, rise, chastise the dog, sternly bid him lie down, and without effort or transition resume the cooing love 3peech with all the sweetness of her golden voice. "In her dressing room, which is haunted by all the celebrities of Paris between the acts — and French waits, are interminable — Sarah Bernhardt, is perfectly natural and unaffected, receiving compliments and embraces, shaking hands and accepting congratulations with frank good, nature and pleasant simplicity. She ' makes up ' less than any English actress, and not at all in private life. She i 3 remarkably young looking, even in broad daylight ; her temples are smooth as a girl's, her forehead has no lines, her complexion, although colourless, shows no sign of age ; a slight smile about the lips when in repose alone tells that the' hey day of youth is past. In conversation she talks rapidly, and with a superabundance of similes ; she is never commonplace, and always unconventional. When she is with her son Maurice, a tall, handsome, English-look-ing man, with a pretty wife, the little Polish princess, it can scarcely be imagined that she is their mother, and when she says with a smile 'In a month I shall be a grandmother,' the words in her mouth seem pnly an added coquetry." In a Garden. Baby, see the flowers l , — Baby sees Fairer things than these, Fairer though they be than dreaimof hours. Baby, hear the birds I —Baby knows Better songs than those, Sweeter though they sound than sweetest words. Baby, see the moon I \ —Baby's eyes i Laugh to watch it rise, Answering light with love and night with noon. Baby, hear the sea I —Baby's face ( Takes a graver grace, Touched with wonder what the sound may- bo. Baby, see the star I — Baby's band Opens, warm and bland, Calm in claim of all things fair that are. Baby, hear the bells ! — Baby's head i Bows, as ripe for bed, Now the flowers curl round and close their cells. — Algernon Charles Swisbueke. HOME INTERESTS. Brown Betty..— Fill a piedish with alter- J nate layers of breadcrumbs dotted with butter and slightly sprinkled with spice, and sharp-flavoured apples cut thin and strewn with sugar. Let the top layer be of crumbs, and then bake a nice light brown. • Beead Omelet. — Soak a teacupful of fine breadcrumbs over night in the same quantity of milk. Beat the yolks and whites of ifive eggs separately. Mix the yolks 'with the bread and milk, stir in the whites, add a teaspoonf ul of salt,- and fry a light brown in butter. A Nic^e Breakfast Dish.— Chop fine two heaping cupfuls of cold boiled potatoes, add to these two-thirds of a cup of milk in which half a teaspoonful of butter is cut fine, and an egg well beaten is added. Heat gem pans hot, butter them well, fill wij;h the mixture, dust them with flour, and pufc in a hot oven until nicely browned. •Ham Omelet.— The scraps left of boiled , ham, if not more than three great spoonfuls, make a good omelet for breakfast.' Take four or five eggs, beat well, add a cupful of milk, put the ham in a fryingpan^on.the fire, warm a few minutes, then add the milk and eggs and stir together. This makes enough for five in a family. • , . ,'•••* ■ Ega MiNOEpiE.— Chop eight hard-boiled eggs'with double their weight bfjcookecl peef, very fine;; add lib of.wash.cd and 'dried, cur-

rants, the peel of two small lemons minced fine, £lb each of candied orange and citron cut thin, seven tablespoonfuls of sweet wine; mace, nutmeg, salt, and sugar to the taste. Mix all well together and press in a jar for use. Caee of Caepbts. — It is quite desirable to have something with which to sweep carpets to prevent raising a dust and to brighten the colours. Probably the safest and best way is to take half a packet of soft paper and cut or tear it into bits not over an inch square. Wet it and press out the water, then scatter over the carpet. It should not fall in large lumps, but be picked apart so that it will cover almost an entire room. When the broom is used it will roll into little balls, and as it is swept over the carpet will take up the dust quite thoroughly. Some housekeepers go over the carpet the second time with clean paper. Very course salt used dryis good. If the house has damp corners it should be used sparingly, as it has a tendency to attract moisture. Wet leaves are used by ' some country families. One old lady has a quantity "of cuttings of woollen and white goods. Those she moistens and throws over the carpet. When she is done, the scraps go into a tub of water, are whirled about, and then thrown upon an old wire screen, where they dry and are clean for the next time. Brooms should always be hung up by a ringf in the top of the handle. If they are set upon the floor, especially while damp, they get out of shape,' and the ends of the brush are curved out, rendering them almost useless. Do not stand them up with the brush uppermost. If they are damp, the water will soak into thie body of the broom, and not only rust the wire and rot the cord with which the broom is made, but will make the broom straws smell musty and disagreeable, and finally rot them altogether. Mops and window brushes also should be hung up by the handles.