LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1989, 10 April 1890, Page 41

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— At a recent charity fancy dress ball in Yorkshire the feature of the evening was a series of dances representing different historical periods. The first of these, which was arranged by Lady Wenlook, was a Directoire quadrille, in which the rival beauties, Lady de Grey and Lady Helen Duncombe, both took part. There were minuets in which ladies wore the costume of the time of Louis XV and Louis XVI. Mrs Fairfax directed a hunting quadrille, the gentlemen wearing red coats and black satin breeches, the ladies the dresses and powder of the last century. Lady Herrics arranged a quadrille in which all the ladies were dressed to represent flowers. In another, each of the ladies represented one of Gainsborough's beauties.

— A contemporary points out that a very pretty oustom has this season been inaugurated by fashionable brides. The idea consists in placing in the bride's bouquet as many blossoms of one particular kind as there are bridesmaids, and one of these flowers, on her return from church, the newly-made wife presents to each of her attendant maidens as a souvenir. To one of the blossoms a ring is attached, and it is, of course, suggested that the recipient of this particular blossom will be the next bride.

— Lady Alice Stanley, who acoompanied her father, Lord Stanley, on a trip across the continent, reports that the BJackfeet Indians have a, captive white child— a Uttle

girl not more than nine years old— in their tribe. ' Lady Alice heard that she was a child of an officer in the 'United States army, who was killed, and his child captured, and she begs the Government to rescue her from the fate that sure to be hers when she is a little older.

—The latest odd thing in jewellery is a bracelet of gold wire, with a gold toad from lin to l£in long, in the attitude of hopping along one side of it. The gold of the toad is treated so as to have a greenish cast, and the effect is very startling and unpleasant, but the bracelet sells rapidly. — American papers assert that the rupture between Miss Oaldwell, the Yankee heiress, and her suitor, Prince Murat, has been bridged over by the gentleman consenting to allow the lady full control over her fortune, and the long-delayed marriage will be celebrated shortly. If this be true, the ancestor of the Prince will turn in their graves with indignation. It is bad enough for a girl to sell her virgin innocence to a husband who has a title, a fortune, and the snows of 60 summers on his head, but for a man to barter his title and his liberty for such a share of his wife's fortune as she may be inclined to dole out for his use, is 50 times worse. Miss Caldwell will doubtless gain the approbation of her countrymen and women, for being as " spry " and as cute as the typical Yankee is represented to be ; but should Prince Murat marry her on the conditions named, after declaring that any restrictions on the lady's fortune were " an insult to his honour and his rank," it will seem like a very undignified surrender.

— The bridesmaids of Mdlle Eiffel, daughter of the builder and designer of the famous tower which hears his name, wore black velvet Directoire hats, the costume of one being of soft sage-green silk made with very full bodice and sleeves, much puffed above the elbow ; and the other wore a toilet of maize cloth, cut princess form, edged with a narrow bordering of astrachan. .

—Clever imitations of the prettiest orchards are the newest things in jewels. Not only the form and colour, but also the texture of the flowers is imitated. They are not for poor folks, not only because a single jewelled blossom costs from £50 to £100, but because such an object would look absurd on a costume not of corresponding price. Lying in their frogskin cases they look as if none but the most audacious would dare to clasp them in her gown ; but a single blossom at the corsage instead of natural flowers make a brave show, and does not seem to be out of place if the bosom be snowy, and the gown rich.

— It is being rumoured that the wife of the Due d'Aosta has been left in a far from satisfactory position, financially speaking. She can really depend, in fact, on only a very meagre income, for whilst her father, the Prince Napoleon, was too poor to settle any large sum on his daughter, her husband, the Due d'Aosta, had really no fortune of which he could dispose. He had, it is true, the annuity allowed him as a prince of the House of Savoy, and also enjoyed as long as he lived the income which had belonged to bis first wife. But his annuity dies with him, and the whole of his first wife's fortune now goes to her children. Even the Cisterna Palace at Turin, in which he and the Princess Letitia were living, is now the property of these children. Nor did the Due ever save any appreciable sum. He was most extravagant in his tastes, and as a connoisseur collected artistic treasures in the most lavish way. He has, in fact, left behind him objets dart valued at at least £40,000, and should they be sold this sum will be available for his widow. The King has also expressed his intention of assisting his sister-in-law, though at present nothing has been settled.

— The following strange, wild statement is copied faithfully from a Women's Rights penny periodical : — " The Cost of a Husband. (This in large letters.) A Warning to Wives. (Smaller letters). The Crown Princess of Brazil haa lost her Crown through too blindly submitting to her husband. She is a woman born lo rule, not to obey ; had she ruled him she would have ruled the Empire of Brazil>but she gave up her true Royal Prerogative of Dominion, and Fate has taken her at her word ! "

— Women are never tired of looking into themselves and analysing their own feelings. Men are quite as vain, and more egotistical, but they are more shame-faced. Women will stand and gaze at themseles in a lookingglass quite calmly, though 500 people are present ; but a man, even if shut up alone with a plate glass mirror, will only steal furtive glances at it. The more interesting sex likes the kind of mental looking-glass which keeping a diary provides ; but a man soon tires cf that amusement. Besides, we are busy, most of us, and it begins to be distinctly a trouble after the first week or so to have to sit up late at night, after the day's work and the day's amusements 'are done, to compile our private annals. So the " dear Diry," as that delightful young Diarist, the " Bad Boy," called it, is first curtailed and then quietly dropped altogether.— Standard.

—Members of the fashionable world are interested in the suggestion of the triangular table for dinner parties. It is done by arranging three tables in a triangle. The host sits at the point of the triangle, with the two most distinguished female guests on his right and left hand. The hostess occupies the centre of the base of the triangle and has the distinguished men with her.

— I wonder (says a lady correspondent in a Home paper) to what size the men's buttonholes will grow ? Weekly, almost hourly, t cy have been increasing, and now they are assuming vast proportions. A group of three pink picotees, a couple of buds, and some fern sounds sufficiently immense, but that is excelled by another I noticed. It consisted of three orchids, all fine specimens. These were imbedded in a circle of Neapolitan violets. To relievo the stiffness and closeness of the violets, two or three sprays of lilies of the valley were introduced, and of course the orthodox bit of green in the shape of maidenhair, backed up by an ivy leaf, was added. It will soon be impossible fco see even a suggestion of a coat collar behind these structures, which will remiud one of the laige bouquets stuck into the coachmen's coats at a real old-fashioned wedding. — Henceforward, according to the Pall Mall, the hardest work, the irritating drudgery of society, is to be done by maohinery erected somewhere in the neighbour-

hood of the western end of Piccadilly. That machinery will be called the Court Bureau, and it will do more than an agency hitherto invented to realise the vulgar idea of " a lady " as a gorgeous person who lolls upon a sofa all day reading novels. The lady who wishes to leave cards or to send out invitations to a ball has merely to send a list of names to the Court Bureau, and the thing will be done. But this is not all. Its founders describe it as " a species of colossal club." It will always know the whereabouts of a subscriber at a given moment, and will forward his or her letters to the ends of the earth. Also it will publish a weekly list of arrivals in London. It will find houses and apartments, will engage rooms in hotels, and will even order your dinner at a fashionable restaurant. The bureau will also dabble a little in journalism, and has issued the first number of its weekly Court Directory. — There was some tittering the other day at a wedding breakfast when one of the faests wished the bride " many returns of appy occasion." —All Washington is raving just now over Senator Sawyer's palatial new residence. It is described as a most gorgeous edifice, with turrets and towers galore, a big baronial hall of polished oak, hand-painted walls, inlaid floors, and every other possible luxurious appliance which money can purchase. Senator Sawyer, of Wisconsin, made his money as the boss of the great lumber ring, which is said to have ruined thousands of labourers and lumber firms by its operations and to have debauched half a dozen State Legislatures.

— " Every little helps." It was probably acting on this principle that an invalid lady, who had been ordered two glasses of port a day, sternly refused to continue the stimulant. "No," she said, "I have just been reading of the way in which they are boycotting our goods in Portugal, and I should not be acting as a true Englishwoman if I did not retaliate, even at the cost of my health!"

— Two fashionable weddings which took place recently contained an element of novelty. At one, the bridegroom's best man, instead of being a bachelor, as is generally considered orthodox, was a married man, and the bride was given away by her mother. At the other the bridesmaids' dresses were somewhat uncommon. They were of white silk over scarlet petticoats, with zouave jackets lined and turned back with scarlet, and white silk hats trimmed with holly. The bouquets wers of white and scarlet tulips and tied with scarlet ribbons. It was quite a Christmas wedding, and considering that it was a dull, rainy day, a very happy choice.

—The very latest f ad 4 says a Boston paper, which has travelled about the country in the wake of Miss Edwards, the celebrated English has struck Boston with full force. This is the. adoption by ladies of fashion of Egyptian costumes at their afternoon teas. These costumes, which in many cases are said to be very " fetching," are modelled after the manner of the times of the Pharaohs. One of them, worn by a beautiful brunette, is described as of soft brown silk, with long flowing sleeves and yoke embroidered in silver.' The petticoat is of striped Syrian silk in rose colour and silver, with a wide sash of the same colours. The slashings of the outer gown show linings of Egyptian red. Over the shoulders hangs a brown gauze veil, embroidered in silver. Slippers in rose velvet, embroidered in silver and seed pearls, flesh-coloured stockings, a brown-pendant of dull gold, and an antique necklace of cornelian and silver complete the costume.

— Dinner parties and teas being multiplied, the fashionable decorations of the table are being multiplied. Colour feasts are still the rage, but gold or Bilver suppers are highly popular, and recently a " white " dinner was given, which was pronounced a most elegant and artistic success. A very prodigal use of wax candles gave a lovely and beautiful effect to the whole arrangement. — One advantage of the Emperor of Austria's determination not to allow his brother, the Grand Duke Karl Ludwig, to resign his claim to the crown of the dualmonarchy, is that, incaseof Francis Joseph's death, Austria will enjoy the honour of having an ideal Empress-Queen to direct its festivities. Karl Ludwig's wife, the Archduchess Maria Theresa, is one of the most charming women in Europe. Her father was Dom Pedro, the Portuguese Pretender, and the scapegoat par excellence of Europe at the beginning of this century. Fortu- | nately the Princess had inherited none of her father's objectionable characteristics, but j is beautiful, kindly, clever, and, in the highest sense of the world, royal. She is still a young woman, for her husband is more than 20 years her senior, and when she went to Vienna as a bride of 18, she made a bold strike against the splendid monotonous existence to which her new relatives wished to condemn her. She carried her point, too, Jby the aid of her husband, who worships her, .•and during all her married life has enjoyed a .freedom rare among those whose lot is cast .near thrones. Whatever her husband may .be, she cannot fail to prove immensely ; popuiar if ever called to reign in Vienna, for .she, in>cornmon with the Viennese, has the irue pleasure-loving nature of the South. — Most people consider themselves very .much to be pitied when they get the influenza. Not so (writes the lady correspondent of a Home paper) our friend Lucy, who is a hospital nurse. Her views are so original that I must give them. She writes in a somewhat feeble handwriting, as if she found it rather difficult to guide her hand over the paper at present, it runs about so strangely :— "lnfluenza at last has overtaken me. For weeks past I have scoffed and jeered at, my fellow nurses as one by one they were struck down by this dire disease, vanishing from our midst for four or live days, to reappear with visage wan and halting step. Calmly I surveyed these unfortunates from my pinnacle of self-assurance, and uttered many unpleasant truths as to the weakness of 'some people who could not stay on duty in times of need. I knew I should not be mean enough to knock up, and in a Pharisaical manner I went about my work, daily thanking Providence that I was not as other women are.

" But one morning I awoke with a strange gnawing sensation in my bones which I could not understand, yet I went on duty, and struggled somehow or other through the

morning work. But just before dinner Sister compelled me to take my temperature, 102deg was theresult, which was promptly reported at headquarters, In a short time I was sent for by our commander-in-chief, and crawled feebly down to her office, which, owing to the current of fresh air always to be found there, hw been christened by us nurses "The Re&igerator." Shivering, I waited for my summons to come, the windows shook, the rain descended, and all was dark and dismal. At last it was my turn, and the interview was short. I was to go to ! bed, have.a roaring fire, and a good novel. I "Ye gods ! in what Blysian fields have I fallen ? For two long years have I gone to bed fireless and bookless, and now to have all these luxuries hurled at one unawares is apt to produce a tightening sensation in the region of the thorax. To think that once more I could lie awake and watch the firelight danoing on the walls, throwing a warm homelike glow on eyerything, even on my battered old trunk, and after I had tired of watching the fire — the book ! As I gloated over my glorious good luck, Sister appeared, and in a few moments all these dreams became realities. Yes, there in the grate was the fire, in my hand « The Koman Singer,' and on a little table by my bedside some delicious looking tea and toast. Now here I am enjoying myself, repenting of all my sins, and resolving for the future to judge not at all, and as I slowly sip my tea good resolutions come pouring in upon me— Like Hooks of clouds in aping's defightful weather, Thronging in the blue air." — Nobody believes : — That all women wear tight shoes.

That all women wear tight stays.

That all women lay the seeds for rapid consumption by getting their petticoats wet on rainy days. That all women are jealous of each other. That all mince pies are indigestible. That oatmeal porridge will save your body and soul.

— A distinguished clergyman desiring to inform his mother of an interesting domestic event, sent her a post card containing the following directions : — From sweet Isaiah's sacred song, ninth chapter and verse six, First thirteen words please take, and then the following affix :— From Genesis, the thirty-fifth, verdo seventeen, no more, Then add verse twenty-six of Kings, book second, chapter four; The last two verses, chapter first, first book of Samuel, And you will learn what on that day your loving eon befell. The following is the first passage : " For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given."

Home Fashions.

Sleeves play a very important part in dress just now. All sleeves without exception are gathered on the shoulders, and are therefore cut wider and longer in the upper part than the linings on which they are made. The lining is, of course, as tight-fitting as possible. The extra length of the dress material is pleated in folds, which are sown into the back and front seams close to the armhole, which method has the effect of producing a sort of bouillonne, more or less deep according to the number of folds. It is often found necessary to line this portion of the material with stiff muslin, unless it be' of a nature to stand alone, as used to be said of rich silks in old times. Padding likewise is occasionally introduced if especial elevation be desired. The fulness should s§t well above the shoulder points— say 2in or morp,

Bonnets are remarkably diminutive, and some women look their best in miniature headgears, but they are by no means becoming to all, and those who have large faces and hair not too abundant will do well to preserve their allegiance to hats. Large and small hats are allowed ; there is but one rule in relation to them, and that is see whatever shape you choose, is a becoming one. Many of the newest bonnets are made like toques Some have a narrow band of fur at the edge, others are covered with tiny flowers, such as shaded violets, and some bonnets made of velvet are decorated with a number of small birds, four, five, and even six little victims being considered quite orthodox from the milliner's standpoint, whatever the pioneers of the crusade against the destruction of feathered creatures may say or think about the matter. Strings may be worn or not as found becoming or the reverse. Women with short necks do not need strings, and there are women with long necks who muffle their throats with lace 'and find bonnet strings unnecessary. The popular Medicis collar likewise obviates the necessity for wearing strings. At the same time there are numbers of ladies who will do well not to dispense with them. Women with necks which have lost their youthful roundness and those who have double chins and massive jaws will find bonnet strings neatly tied becoming. There can be no hard-and-fast rule in this direction.

Young girls favour an exaggerated simplicity in dress. The skirt, perfectly straight, is gathered or gauged round the hips ; the full bodices are fastened by a double row of small buttons down the back. A narrow band of velvet slightly pointed back and front serves to outline the waist.

Sleeves made of different colour and material to the rest of the bodice are advocated by fashion. Up till now it was customary to have sleeves of darker colour than that of the gown proper, including the bodice ; but with the advance of our English spring I notice a decided tendency to a change Jin this respect,— namely, sleeves of lighter colour than the dress. For dinner wear I was shown a gown of sapphire-blue velvet with long sleeves of golden-yellow brocade, or they might if preferred be made of yellow velvet. A little of the same colour may also be introduced in the skirt, and this connecting link is, I consider, an improvement. By the combination of these bright colours and the choice of rich materials, not to mention the shape of the sleeves, we see a close resemblance to the fashions of Venetian dames in past centuries; Muncasky's famous painting the "Entry of Charle3 V into Antwerp," for instance are almost exact models of the fashions of today. We note the characteristics of robe and bodice of velvet open from hem to bust to admit cascades of lace.

Velvet or velveteen form the trimming for J most new gowns now. Braids of every sort have been bo much used that it is a pleasure

to find total change in this particular. Moire as a trimming is quite out of date. A novel idea is for bridesmaids to wear floral handcuffs united by floral chains to the bride. Baskets filled with flowers and satin floral shoes are frequently carried in place of bouquets of the ordinary kind. Very stylish are Louis XIV coats, with long basques, buttons at the back, mousquetaire cuffs, and huge flap pockets. They look exceedingly well on stylish women and are much worn, I was shown one in pale green velvet. It was trimmed with gold passementerie and had a long waistcoat of rich brocade. Very many square bodices are cut extremely low, as low as to necessitate soft muslin chemisettes drawn on a ribbon, which, however, only appear across the front. A striped bodice nicely made gives length to the waist line, while a trained dress cut en Princesse never looks more attractive and elegant than when in striped floral silk, satin, or velvet. Shepherd's plaid gowns trimmed with black velvet are always in good taste, and every year we see them in spring and autumn. Decidedly novel are the fringes of blossoms or petals bo much used to border the hems of skirts and trim the edge of low-cut bodices. Eose leaves, poppy leaves, loops of ribbon, and dropping flowers are sold by the yard, and there are cordons of large soft-petalled roses for the same purpose. Ribbons are used to ornament gossamer dresses, principally satin, but sometimes watered ribbon, now in bunchU of long loopy, nowin butterfly bows joined one to another by festoons of ribbon.— South Australian Chronicle's Home Correspondent. HOME INTERESTS. Angels' Pudding. — Two ounces flour, 2oz sugar, 2oz butter, a pint of! cream, whites of three eggs, bake in small patty-pans, and send to the table covered with icing. • Orange Pudding.— Grate the rind of four oranges, squeeze in their juice, with that of one lemon. Mix with lib sugar, lib butter, and the yolks of a dozen eggs. Bake, spread over with meringue, brown, and eat with sauce.

Drop Ginger Cookies. — One cup each of molasses and sour cream, one-half cup of sugar, one egg, one teaspoonf ul each of soda, ginger, and cinnamon, and three heaping cups of flour.- Drop in spoonfuls on a dripping pan. Bake quick. Kentish Custard. — Put in the bottom of a glass dish six penny sponge cakes, pour over them as much sherry wine as they will absorb, put on the top of each a little apricot, strawberry, or raspberry jam, then pour round the cake half a pint of thick boiled custard.

Baked Oauliflowee.— Boil, but; not to break it, a head of broccoli or cauliflower, break carefully into small pieces about the size of the top of a wineglass. Trim and lay in a pie-dish, sprinkle with salt and a little pepper. Make a very light batter, and when well beaten pour over the cauliflower ; bake in a very brisk oyen. Another way is to break dressed cauliflower into pieces the size of a shilling. Mash some boiled potatoes with cream, pepper, salt, and one or two eggs whipped to a froth. 801 l the cauliflower in the mashed potato ; shape into croquettes, egg, breadcrumb, and then fry. Easy Method of Making Ice Cream.— Procure two pewter basins, one a good deal larger than the other (Che smaller one must have a cover), put youi cream in it with raspberry or strawberry juice, or whatyoulike besb to give a flavour and colour ; sweeten it to your taste. Cover it close and set in the larger basin, fill the latter with ice and a handful of salt; let the basin containing the oream stand in the ice three-quarters of an hour, then uncover it, stir the cream well together, cover it close again and let it stand half an hour longer, after that turn it into your plates or glasses. Wedding Cake. — Beat £lb butter to cream ; add the same weight of sugar, currants, sultaua raisins, candied peel, cut small, and flour ; four eggs, half a nutmeg grated, and a glass of brandy. Bake in a tin lined with greased paper, for two or three hours in a steady oven. Buy of a confectioner lib almond paste ; lay this on the top of the cake as soon as baked ; then make the icing by mixing lib icing sugar with the whites of two large or three small eggs, and a little lemon juice. It must be beaten until quite smooth ; spread it roughly all over, and let it dry ; then spread the second coating quite evenly with a broad paper knife. Ornament the cake by means of small white flower, or silver sweetmeats, together with a little of the icing passed through a paper cone. This will weigh about s£lb. For a richer cake, add 4oz each of dried cherries and sweet almonds to the mixture.