THE LADIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 46

THE LADIES.

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Art au, tbt Hwmit, rifhtf, till thhi tmOH. -— OAMPMtt.

l>«m will *• ptemdsto wm»« tatteri ttm ««y «ormmi* «ie> on *ny nutter of intUMt U tfatm, u< to nply throoth tkf sxidium of tbU rait, *• um«».riWM omlref UtenßeqptMMli «4ittwr. , ' ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. - Daisy.— (l) DrinEing vinegar is a very bad thing for your health. If your breath is bad, cleanse your mouth with orris root or a few drops of myrrh in warm water, or if the unpleasantness proceeds' from the teeth, have them extracted. (2) Neatly fold the napkin. Daisy No. 2.— 1 should not take turpentine if I were you. If you do you. may furnish a pase of spontaneous combustion. Any chemist will give you powdenl or tablets. (2) If another person desires' ,to be remombred to you, send back a kind remembrance, if you wish it ; if not, simply say " Thank you." (3) I cannot give you a description of the shoulder straps.but if you will send me your address I will send you a paper pattern. (4) The summer fashions are not out yet. When they are I shall have a talk about them. (5) Pink made with black velvet suits a fair person when there is no suspicion of auburn,about the hair. Ada writes:-* ln. 'your- last issue "Gracie" asks for a way of Btrefagthe'ning the voice, and you state in reply ' that the 'only method is to take lessons from a reliable teacher. This advice is sound so far as it goes, but it may be materially assisted by a simple expedient. Before going to bed bathe the chest and throat with cold water, and rub with a bath towel. This is a remedy I persevered in till my throat became quite strong. • To carry out this recipe regularly through cold weather will be an effort, but it certainly has its reward. Many people add sea salt to the water, and find it very invigorating. Madqk.— Your request for a knitted lace pattern is very indefinite. "However, I subjoin the simplest I know of :— Materials : Fine cotton, needles No 12 Walker's Guage ; cast on eight stitches, knit across plain ; first row, slip one, knit one, thread over twice, purljtwo together, knit two, thread over three times, knit two: second row, knit two, knit the first loop, purl the second loop, knit the third loop, knit two, thread over twide.purl two together, knit two ; third row, "slip one, knit one, thread over twice, purl two together, knit seven ; fourth row, knit seven, -fchread over twice, purl two together, knit two ; fifth row, slip one, knit one, thread over twioe, purl two together, knit seven;

requested to stay and pressed to prolong your<sall. In the very best of health we find a several hours' tete-a-tete quite a strain with any but those of our acquaintance between whom and ourselves there is more than common interest. With some we feel, as it is said somewhere in a child's poem of the sun, that he or she

Never came a' wink too soen Or stayed too long a day ; but these are those whom we love, or with whom we can. converse freely, who are at one with us on some things and interested with us In others. With those we love we lose ourselves, and become unconsoious of their presence, beyond that part of it that seems to live in ourselves. We eat, sleep, think without restraint or difficulty, and hours or a life in such company takes nothing from us that is not returned to us in kind; but half our acquaintances have not been made from any great attraction to them personally, or they to us, but rather from chance circumstances —from the neighbourhood we live in, or the church we attend, or the nature of our business. |§Some people are always in demand in a sick room, whether it beat a hospital or a private house. The health-giving power of their magnetism or sympathy does the patient good, and you will hear sick folks say to such a one," You always do me good. Such people are as welcome as spring flowers after the achiDg cold of winter. " I always feel better after a talk with you"xs no idle compliment, for sick"folks generally speak the trnth— that is why we think them so disagreeable sometimes. But how often visitors, instead of doing good, do harm. The patient, after hours of pain, is just falling into a peacefnl doze, when a bustling loud voice tells them to "cheer up; you 11 be better to-morrow," draws up the blind, and begius to recount all those little tales you know as well as I do— tales that require all your patience when well, and which demand too muoh of a feeble body racked with agony. "At any other time the sufferer would be glad- to hear how Bob is getting on at the office, and how Charlie conduotedftimself at his first exam, and how the crops look, and who is selling

on a summer morning. . She was v always cheerful and;never noisy, and knew just when you wanted to be quiet and when you wanted to be talked to, and whether it was the mind or body tbat was In most pain, and ministered accordingly. She never asked you what you could eat, but seemed to know instinctively, and brought it without speak? ing of it. It you heard her sweet voice singing, "it was the song to reach your heart," not to suit her own mood. This is the true Jspirit of the true nurse. She is her patient more than herself, by the mystery of sympathy— not that sympathy that cries for your pain, but that which draws it from you and infuses her life into you. She does not think of her own trouble, but of her patient's comfort, and what is well for the patient is well for her. But there are not many tuch; there is "lack of woman's nursing" in other places besides "Bingen on the Rhine." Some men are excellent nurses — better than many women —for when they are attending to a siak friend they completely forget themselves, doing all they can to comfort and cheer without showing weariness. Men would rather have women nurses, unless it be a David nursing his Jonathan, and when there is this bond between two men it " surpasses the love of women." . But to come back to our original theme — visitors to the sick room. Not one in ten is fitted by Nature for the office. ■ The professional hospital visitor, if one may be allowed the term, is as often as not a nuisance, although he or she means well. I remember, one of. this sort, some years ago, taking me with him on his Sunday afternoon round. " Why do you go ? " I asked. " One must . prepare some jewels for one's crown," he replied. He was a good- man and meant well, but he worked by rule, Irrespective of the need,* creed, or temperament. On enteriDg the long ward, Where dozens of sick men occupied the bedß, with wan and weary faces, I asked my energetio friend.- " What are you going to say to them ? " " Give them the three B's,\' he replied. And he did. It took me some time to find out what, he meant, but I discovered he'meant ruin, regeneration,^ and MBurrectioßr His method was peouliar. He marched up to each bed in succession,

taking the one nearest the door first, and as though the occupant was of necessity the most abandoned and reckless, he fired off his " three R's," and without waiting to see. if he / had hit the maik or otherwise, he stalked, on to the next bed. We went- all round the ward— at least he did. I began to feel as though we owed some of the patients an apology, and sat dawn to talk to one or two. "Oh, it's a glorious thing to feel you're , patting jewels in your crown," he exclaimed when we were outside in the fresh air again. " How do you think the jewels regard Hi" I ventured to ask. - " Not at all— not at all," he replied candidly, " Half of those men, when they see me coming, pretend to be asleep, and one old man Bhangs he can't hear a word ! But I'll do my level best with those three R's.", On Tuesday night the Kaihanga Club met at Mrs H. Mackenzie's, who, owing to the illness of one of Mrs Sinclair Thomson's children, kindly put her house at the dis- | posal of the club. It being visitors' evening, there were a large number of guests present. Mrs Mackenzie was chairwoman, and a very charming programme was gone through. The first item was a trio by Mrs Stilling at the piano, Miss M. Maitland on the violin, and Miss E. Rattray on the 'cello. Then Miss E. Mills sang a, charming little song, Mrs Mills playing her accompaniment. Miss Stanford then! read some extracts from her diary of her trip to California, which- were very interesting.. Mrs Mills and Mrs Williams then sang a duet, tbe two voices blending beautifully. The second part of the programme opened with a pianoforte solo by Miss Qwen Robert*. Then followed a moßt amusing-and, original dialogue by the Misses Oargill— the one representing , the tourist, with straw hat and 'tan boots ; the other the confiding colonial girl, who learns through getting a letter which is not intended for her tbat the tourist is only the son of a tailor, and wishes to marry her for her money. This dialogue was carried through in the most amusing way, and the performers received great applause. Mrs Hosking then gave a most enjoyable reading, which brought a pleasant evening's programme to a close. On Wednesday evening Mrs J. Mills gave a small impromptu dane, about 15 couples being present. It was given as a small farewell to the Misses Cargill, who leave for England this week. Two novel dances were introduced during the evening, the one being " The' Swedish dance," and the other " The valse of Vienna " — old dances revived. Amongst those present were Mrs Lindo Ferguson, Misses .Oargill, Miss F. Bpence, Miss Dymock, the Misses Rattray, Miss Wardrop, Miss E. M'Laren, Miss A. Roberts, Miss ' G. Roberts, Miss' Reid, and Miss O. Keid. - ' - On. Thursday the Misses Bpence gave a girls' afternoon to say good-bye to the Misses Cargill.- There. were about 40 present, and a good 'deal of mnsio was indulged in. Miss Gwen Roberts played beautifully, while Miss E. Cutten, Miss R. Reynolds, and Miss Julia Roberts contributed Bongs. , On Thursday evening Mrs Boyd gave a large "at home "to about 80 people. The first part of thet evening was spent in theatricals; which were capitally got up, all the best local amateur talent taking part. A pretty, little ■ stage was erected in one corner of the room,, with footlights and, all tbe. necessary adjuncts. The play was called *• My Lord in Livery," and was very bright and cleverly written.' Mr J. Oargill took the part of the old family butler, and -acted splendidly; while Mr-G. >Sievwright impersonated the footman, and acted in a manner that left nothing' to he desired.— Mr O. Rattray took the part of my lord in disguise, and did very well, making a most fasoinating flunkey in black and scarlet; Little Master Jack Boyd won all hearts as a little page, and, acted in the most creditable way. Three ladies— Mrs Hostfing, Miss G. Rattray, "and Miss E. M'Laren— took the part of the ladies who disgnise themselves as maids to the new footman. In the first scene they all wore styli6h walking costume?, and in the next scene Mrs Hosking wore, a lady's' maid's dress, with cap and apron, while Miss E. M'Laren made a charming waitress, with a cap ' with long streamers, and Miss G. Rattray was dreßsed as a cook. All did their respective parts well; and a little variety was imparted by- Mrs Hosking and Mr O. ' Rattray danciDg a most graceful minuet. After the theatricals dancing was indulged in till a late hour. I noticed Mrs Boyd in a hand- 1 some yellow silk covered with black lace; Mrs J. Mills, handsome black silk; with great quantities of jet trimming, on the bodice; Mrs H. Mackenzie, green silk, with pink silk «• rache and pink silk sleeves ; Mrs Lindo^erguson, black silk striped with pink and heliotrope straps Of ribbon on the bodice, and Watteau bow ; Mrs Williams, yellow silk, the front .being covered with black lace, while the train and bodice were of yellowsilk ; Mrs Rattray, handsome black velvet;' Mrs Hosking, yellow and white striped silk; Mrs Reid, stylish black velvet; Miss Williams, red covered with blackface; Miss M. JWilliams, pretty white and yellow dress ; Miss M. Maitland, white cashmere, with silk .trimmings, large sleeves of the silk; Miss P. Gibson, pale pink trimmed with bebe ribbons of green ; Miss Reynolds, pale pink covered with black laoa ; Miss M'Laren, old rose Liberty silk, with very large silk sleeves ; Miss F. Rattray, white silk covered with black lace ; Miss A. Roberts, yellow and black; Miss Gilkißon, red broche'silk; Mrs Ogston, pale pink bengaline with white lace ; Miss E. M'Laren, pale blue, with narrow black velvet ribbon trimmings. For Saturday afternoon Mr and the Misses Oargill issued- over 200 invitations for a large "at home." Owing' to the, doubtful day not quite so many were present, Btill there were considerably over 100, and a most delightful afternoon was spent. Dancing was indulged in in one room, and music in another. There was a fairly large number of the sterner sex for an afternoon entertainment. Daring the afternoon the Misses Car- - gill repealed the dialogue which they gave at the Savage Club, and it met with great applause, the men especially being pleased with the refeience to the tourists. • Mrs J. Mills also sang " Last night " beautifully, while Mrs Petre played several pieces.' * Mrs Mills' wore a most stjlish costume of black silk, tbe bodice being made of Indian silk, - with a black .velvet, Zouave trimmed with jet, an exquisite heliotrope velvet hat, with ' little green tips worn baok on tbe head, completing the costume j Mrs I*. Ferguson, stylish

t

red shot areas, with black velvet sleeves and trimmings ; Mrs Reid, black velvet cloak and black bonnet with yellow feathers ; Miss I. Oargill, smart blue serge; Miss Oargill, grey tweed, with white waistcoat ; Mrs H.,Mackenziei, black and white tweed, with jacket to match, Bailor hat ; Miss Wardrop, dark bine trimmed with narrow bands of red velvet, black hat; Miss F. Rattray, blaok dress, with yoke and sleeves of mignonette green velvet ; Miss I. Rattray, brown cashmere, with yoke and sleeves of brown velvet, large brown hat; Miss F. Spenoe, electric blue cloth dress, blaok hat trimmed with jet ; Miss G. Roberts, stylish tweed costume, with cape to match; Miss E. Gilkison, blue serge braided with black, and pink hat ; Mrs Napier Bell, brown cloth, with brown and blue bonnet; Miss R. Webster, cheoked tweed, with sleeves and yoke of grey velvet braided with black ; the MissesRoberts, smart, dark blue serges braided with blackj and blaok hats to match. After a most pleasant afternoon, everyone bade Misses I. and H. Oargill".Good-bye," with all good wishe3 for a pleasant trip. LADIES 5 LETTER ON THE IMPERIAL INSTITUTE. DBAE Alice, — In common with the " other Fellows " (of the I-nperial Institute) and their belongings, we received an invitation to the reception held by the Prince of Wales at the building, wbioh was opened by the Qaeen the preceding week. . For some time before people were rather exercised in their minds afl to what to wear. To provide oloakrooms for about 25,000 guests was a manifest impossibility. As the galleries were supposed to be chilly and enjoyment incomplete without a visit to the gardens, guests were told in the official programme to retain their wraps for the evening. A not very charming vision of figures resplendent in evening dress, accompanied by squires bearing waterproofs and "goloshes," naturally floated before one's eyes. A leading journal, in alluding to this difficulty, advised a compromise between garments of the garden party type and the grande toilette. The latter, of course, would be the natural attire of royalty and the favoured feWi whp were certain to be set down exactly at the ■ entrance, who could with ease and safety leave their wraps in their carriages, and to whom a walk in the gardens was not a necessavre dela vie. I decided upon thin walking boots and a garment of black lace over black satin, relieved with large yellow silk sleeves. For a wrap, a little black lace cape and a piece of black lace as, headgear, both of wbioh could be carried by myself , and would not annoy the * l Fellow" who accompanied me. On 'the day the wisdom of my choice apropos dcs lotto proved obvious, for it rained all afternoon, , rendering the streets dirty and slippery in the extreme. We took a bangpm to the scene of the festivities, and found the slipperiness of the roads .more concrete than abstract. One poor horse (how I pity these London horses 1) was down, and another came a cropper just as we passed it, nearly colliding with our cab. 1 When we approached the Institute we encountered the largest crowd of carriages we had ever seen, and should consider it unprecedented even in London. Our Jehu told ns he might be an hour before he could get even in line. Wo soon decided to be put down as near the railway from the railway station as " possible, and walked thence to ourdeßtina- ■ tion. The road, we found after crossing, was kept open merely for holders of cards of invitation, for we were stopped by a polite policeman— and how very polite the London - police are I — who insisted upon comforting himself by gazing upon ours. A number of people hurrying all one way along a speoialJy conserved and broadly constructed pavement do naturally., not incommode each other, so we arrived in the vestibule without any of the crushing and fighting that, according to the newspapers, occurred later in the evening. Owing to the enormous stream of carriages some people- n.ev6r arrived at all, /while others were pouring into the building after 11. The compromise between afternoon and evening dress was liberally interpreted. One man wore a tweed suit, another was accompanied by a white hat of the genus known as , butter cooler. Among the feminine portion the many and various anachronisms in dress were more noticeable. One female, was arrayed in a dark purple caskmere everyday gown, with a lace collar clasped by an enormous brooch, containing the hair of many generations. The gown was trimmed profusely with black silk fringe. Borne heads, were dazzling with diamdnds, others favoured the most bizarre of bonnets,- or the hoity-toiftest of hats. One was insensibly^ reminded of the crowd who cross the stage during a harliquinade. We found on consulting the programme that guests were advised to leave the vestibule and make either for the great ball or the gardens, and were enjoined to form in lanes to allow of the free progress of^ the royal party. We made for the hall, a* temporary wooden structure that had witnessed the ceremony of a week before. The dais is at one end, with an umbrella-like canopy, under which the Qaeen had sat. Hundreds of people flocked the same way, and soon found themselves seated facing each other on opposite aides of a passage which runs up the centre of the ball. We sat I should thinkan hour'most complacently surveying each other, when it occurred to. some one to wonder what we were there' 1 for. If the Prince entered the hall there was nothing for him to do but walk ont again, so we made up our minds simultaneously with enough people to form a large crowd to quit that assembly of, lost bouls, and to put ourselves into circulation in the galleries, which had appeared cool, while the ball, in spiteof the electric lighting, had become suf ? fooatingly hot, After about 10 minuteß' crush we arrived at the deßired goal, and found the coolness most refreshing. The ventilation seemed perfection throughout the building, The gallery to which we repaired was beautifully fitted up on either, side with lovely screens, armchairs, and rugs, the beauties of which were further emphasised by plants and shrubs in pots'. Our attention was attracted by a long refreshment oounter-rone of two-** presided- over by many (I hear 900). girls, neatly arrayed in caps and aprons, with the usual black gowns. The oatering and attendance were excellent/the "refreshments" approached, a cold Kipper to yartety, and

many thousands of people were fed with very little discomfort, which speaks well for the excellence of the arrangements.' Presently a few excited people and several calm custodians of the law arrived with the welcome news that the Prince, with his guests and attendant retinue, was approaching. A lane was hastily formed, and. then our future king appeared, descending the steps with his sister, the Princess Christian, on his arm. He looked, as usual, charming. His face abounds with humour, tast, and good sense. I have heard people say that the Princess Christian, our Princess Helena, is the plainest of the Queen's children. If this be true the royal family as a whole must be remarkably handsome, for a sweeter face I have seldom seen. The royal family and court; were all in mourning for the Duchess of Albany's father, the Prince of WaldeckPyrmont, so they bad not their usual brilliance. After the leading couple came the Princess Beatrice, Princess Victoria of Sohleswig-Holstein, several others, then the Princess May (Duchess of Teck), radiant and charming, as she always is, with her husband, the Duke of Teck— a royally handsome pair. Now came the couple— the affianced ones — the Duke of York and the lovely Princess May. The cheers were the loudest as they passed, the Princess in ' heliotrope,' with a diamond coronet. In one respect they are not a wellmatched couple, for she is a good head taller than her bridegroom elect. This is quite an illustration of the progress of modern woman, for statistics show her height to be enormously increasing, owing to the manly sports she is now allowed to indulge in. The petite figures and eloping shoulders of our grandmothers have disappeared, to make way for a race of Amazons, so that it is becoming increasingly difficult for these modern developments to find suitable partners for dancing, let alone for life. The "other Fellow " went crazy over Gladstone, saw nobody else, and talked of nothing else afterwards. You know how fast royalties always walk, well, the G.0.M., who was in Parliament almost before they were born, kept up, bowed, pale, and with a face for which you can find no word of description. We were quite close to him — in the first row, as it happened— and the figure that passed us far too rapidly seemed simply superhuman. It may be the extraordinary position that he holds at present ; it may be bis eminence ac a savant, as an orator, or as a politician — I don't know, but that was to us the sight of the evening? Princeß there are in dozens, princesses in scores, nobility is as the sand of the seashore, but there is only one Gladstone*; and we ignorant colonials, who bad never seen him before, saw him that night. The " other Fellow " raised a feeble cheer— he'd have done the same, he Bays, if it had been in St. Paul's or Westminster Abbey— and the vision was past. Afterwards we heard to our bitter shame that he had been hooted and hissed in the other part of the building. We, however, heard nothing of this ; he passed by, pale, steadfast, and in silence, except for one suppressed salute from an insignificant Dunedinite. Whether he is " marching through rapine to the dismemberment of the empire" I don't know, but he looked to us like a Divinity marching among a herd of titled clods. Some of the Indian Princes hurried by next— one of colossal height, an old man with a fine face, who probably felt late fox supper, for he ran with speed. The rear of the procession was brought up by the ladies in " attendance " in black, who appeared in their swift passage to be embryo, geuffanuffs. (Read your " Rose and Ring.") * f At this point, our inner man and woman thoroughly refreshed, we adjourned to the gardens, which were beautifully illuminated by Mr Pain,^ of pyrotechnic fame, and managed to emerge near the New Zealand Court, where we were rendered happy by the sight of a large moa skeleton, which we yearned to embrace. Among the many belated and out-of-place^looking guests, none stood out more prominently than the provincial mayors and their more provincial partners. Resplendent in their gorgeous chains of office, they wandered about taking, their pleasure sadly, as became such important folk. One of them became very lonely, and for relief unbosomed himself in the gardens to a policeman, whom Jbe informed he came from Berkshire. His delight was unbounded when the " cop." confided to him that he too was a Berkshire man. The peel of lovely bells presented by Mrs Miller, of Melbourne, was heard at intervals daring the evening. Their tone is remarkably clear and sweet. • - The most effective dress I noticed was of rosecoloured plusb, and one wonders which displayed the magnificent diamonds to the better advantage l , the whitest of white shoulders or the rosy gown. JThe wearer was accompanied by a pretty girl, very young and very tall, in a white opera cloak. Several bands were perched about the place and played some excellent mus'c. Special trains were advertised to leave at 1 and 1.30. We thought the crush might then be considerable, so 'made our way out in a dense crowd shortly after 12, after the most enjoyable everting we have had for some time. Tois is how it impressed us, but the papers — 3ome of them — told a different tale, and described a series of free fights, a bourgeois assembly (including the Archbishop of Canterbury and all our flowers of nobility), " the classes hissing Gladstone'," &o. These journals cried shame on the country for encouraging such a show, and on the management of the Institute for inviting so many people, and regretted the mixed character of the guests. ■' Fancy a reception oomposed of 12,500 reporters and their partners t Under such circumstances the crushing, fighting, hissing, and bourgeois contingent could never haye~had being in fact or fancy. Others of the leading papers were most complimentary Tn their accounts of the evening, and with small exception all the better class journals were justly indignant at the illustration of modern want of manners displayed in the hissing of a guest of the Prince, the host of the evening. But as I have told you, we heard nothing of all this bad spirit and worse manners, and experienced very little crushing, and that little conducted in a thoroughly good-natured manner. Don't you think, my dear "Alice," the mysterious English malady called "the spleen " has a good deal to do with the nonenjoyment of many folk ? If this be correot our pleasure was owing to prosaically good digestions, for we certainly did not sally

forth that evening with any wild ideas of amusement, but, aotiDg on the advice of the immortal Sairey, did not " proticipate," but took things " as they come and as they go." Now I expect I have about tired you out. Greet the Danedin folk for me, and whisper to the harbour and the hills of one who will never forget them. Meanwhile I remain Thistledown.

your sincere ♦

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— The Baroness Burdett-Coutts received, among many beautiful gifts on her recentlycelebrated 79th birthday, one that gave her peculiar pleasure. The painters and other workmen who have been for $ome weeks busily giving the town residence of the Baroness its spring renovation had subscribed together for a' basket of flowers, which was, with a scroll of the donors' names, placed on her ladyship's breakfast table. Delighted with the men's thoughtfulness, Lady Burdett-Coutts' sent for them, and in a graceful little speech expressed her gratification at the gift. . The Baroness usually celebrates the anniversary of her marriage day. in a very novel and pretty way. At one of her recent celebrations she booked 25 stalls at the Savoy Theatre, and there, wearing a wreath of roses and seated in the midst of 24 friends, she spent the evening. — Very encouraging results have (says a Home paper) followed from the attempt of the Edinburgh authorities to bring technical education into the homes of the artisan class. Daring the last season about 650_ young women have been receiving evening instruction in cookery, dressmaking, and laundry work, and their behaviour is said to have been most exemplary throughout. Through sheer ignorance, the cooking of the British working-class woman is the most wastefnl in Europe. Perhaps it is *not her fault. She goes straight from the board school to the factory, and is never taught to cook. But conjugal love will not make soup. Let the Edinburgh Town Council keep straight on, and we warrant that fewer Edinburgh working men will beat their wives. — What do you say to being married in a shop window 1 A young couple of Cleveland, in the United States, have been found courageous enough to face this trying ordeal. Of course there was a hidden meaning in this strange performance. The object was, as a matter of fact, to advertise the furniture shop' in the large window of which the marriage ceremony took place. There, in the midst of " elegant drawing-room snites," hat racks, fenders, side boards, rolls of carpet, and other articles of furniture, the happy pair were made one by the officiating clergymen. A vast and enthusiastic crowd gathered in the street and witnessed .the proceedings with great interest. Who says that romance is a thing of the past ? — It seems hardly credible that a designer of ladies' dresses should be receiving a bigger income than one of her Majesty 's judges.j udges. A correspondent states, however, on good authority, that a fashionable dress derigneHn the West End of London . makes' on an average between £3000 and £6000 a year. r — " I don't know of any one thing that impresses me more with the idea of the brotherhood of man," said a humorous writer recently, " than the universality .of the observance of Monday as wash day.' No -matter where a man may live, on that.day he sees the washing waving ; if in the city, in his own backyard or from pulley lines from back windows' or on roofs; if in the suburbs, and bis work be in the city, in many yards as the train flashes by. We may differ on questions of Church or State," but we all agree on Monday as wash day." — A charming entertainment was given at, the Palazzo Taverno, Rome, a few days ago, for the benefit of a charity. It consisted of a play in dumb show, representing the fairy tale of " The Sleeping Beauty," by children belonging to the noblest families in Rome. Their ages varied from three to fifteen; all the dresses were rich and elegant, and many of the little ones were bedecked with' the costly family jewels. Queen Margaret and her mother, the Duchess of Genoa, were present, and complimented the young performers. --The, Duke of York will have an ideal mother-in-law in the "popular Dnchess of Teak. Had she* become the second wife of King Victor Emmanuel, or had the hand^ some Duke of Teck succeeded to the throne of Wurtemberg, as he might have dope if his mother had been a " born " Princess, instead of a Countess, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge would have made, a oapital Queen. She is outside the Saxe-Oobqrg and Gotha family order, and is affiicted with none of the Saxe-Ooburg reserve and shyness which were occasionally apparent in Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort, and which mainly caused them to dislike town life and those ceremonials which brought them much before the multitude. The Duchess of Teck is at home with the British public, and "represents" with ease as well as grace ; and the future Dachess of York promises to tread worthily in her mother's footsteps. Royal shyness is a painful thing, not only to the personage it afflicts, but to the people also. It was a great trouble to the late Dake of Clarence, and has kept the Duchess of Fyfe in the background. The newly-betrothed pair seem to have more confidence in themselves, and to be better fitted in every way to encounter the " fierce light " that beats on the probable ocoupanta of a throne," and which may be regarded more as a compliment than otherwise by royalties who are suited to their position. Daring Qaeen Victoria's lifetime the Duchess of York will rank after her Majesty's daughters and daughter-in-law, and before the Duchess of Fife, Princesses Victoria and Maud of Wales, and the rest of the Queen's granddaughters. Should the Prince of Wales live to mount the throne, his onlj son will take bis title, and the Duchess of Yoik will become Princess of Wales, rankißg immediately after the Queen, and before all other princesses, aunts in- . eluded. . — Circus companies are always glad when, in the course of their tours through the country, they arrive at Windsor. The reason is that they are nearly sore to receive an invitation to parade before her Majesty, who yields them a good harvest by her liberal purchases of any ponies, &c, which may have particularly pleased her. The performers, too, share in the good fortune, for as the pageant passes the centre of the ter-

race, where are seated the Queen and her family, gold pieces are thrown to the clowns and others. — Silk sheets are an elegant caprice of people who find it difficult to spend their income. They are usually of plain white, and hem-stitched, with the monogram cipher along the hem. But sheets of pale pink and blue are also made with a delicate line of embroidery along the edge. The fancy is one which will probably be indulged in only by the favoured few, and it 3 reign, like that of silk lingerie, will be brief. — San Francisco is riding hard the latest fad of working initials on handkerchiefs with real diamonds. A handkerchief was made for a youth of the jeunesse doree of New York, of which the monogram was valued at over £1500. We imagine that it was bought for one of the other sex, and was not intended for personal use. In future, when the 1 * novelist speaks of the heroine's " pearly tears," he will have to wipe them away with a diamond pocket-handker-chief. — Although Queen Victoria's wishes are always conveyed as " commands," she has no legal power of enforcing them. Most men account the chance of obeying these " commands" as privileges; but there are historical cases of great men — notably those of Carlyle and Dickens— whose intense dislike of patronage prevented them for a long time from gratifying the Qae^n by appearing before her. — The young wife of an engineer residing near the Tiergarten hed gone to spend theJEaster holidays with her mother in Magdeburg, and appeared so well satisfied with the change that she prolonged her stay, notwithstanding the pathetic appeals of her lonesome husband. At last our involuntary , grass widower devised an original plan for inducing his little wife to return to her hearth and home. He got a friend of his who kept a camera to take a photo of his tiouse and send it to his wife, with* a letter stating that her intense longing for home would no doubt be somewhat mitigated when she saw that r the old place remained as she bad left it, and that she could now stay with her mamma as long as she liked. The very next train brought my lady unannounced, greatly excited and accompanied by 'mv mother. Whence this sudden apparition? The photo in question represented our engineer standing in front oE the house engaged in a lively conversation with the young lady next door, whose laughing features wereudistinctly pourtrayed in the picture. Explanations followed to the effect that the wholeaffair was a joke, but Madame did not quite see it, and stayed at home instead of going back to Magdeburg with her mamma. — In these days of business women, as well as of -business men, it is becoming evident that a readjustment of certain social and economic questions is necessary. It has, in fact, taken place in at least one family, where each side of the house earns an income. The husband was ill not long ago, and his wife was his devoted and untiring nurse. During his 1 first outing upon convalescence, he felt that he would like to testify to his gratitude and appreciation in some tangible way. What did he do 7 Pick out a bunch of roses, a book, or a trinket for her adornment ? Not at all. "He" bought a box of chocolates and paid the gas bill, which, in the division of household expenses, fell to her share. ' ■ ■ ■ ■ ' — A French paper tells a curious story of jealousy, a true tale of occurrences' that took place a while ago. Count de'X, a young officer of the Chasseurs, married a young and -beautiful girl, Mdlle.de- Q, a, great friend of the Count's sister. She was very.lovely, and he was violently in love;* but his whole previous career had been one course of successes with the beau sexe ; he had yet to learn what the word jealousy might mean in' so fiery a nature as bis. However, at first all was couleurde rose, the young couple adored each other, and the Count, who had given up his commission in the army, furnished a charming house in the Faubourg St. Germain for his young wife, and asked her father and his own sister to a petit diner, to celebrate the home-coming. On the very day, of this festival, however, he happened to go into his wife's room with a gift (a bracelet), with which he wished to surprise her on her return, for she had gone out shopping, and he opened the drawer of her secretaire to place the trinket there until Madame should come in and find it among her letters. Rummaging thus, he lit upon a packet of letters mysteriously sealed up. Of course they were love letters ; they told of a marriage broken off, and— the dishonour of the lady to whom they were ad-, dressed. Count de X was beside himself with rage and jealousy; and he resolved to poison' his wife and himself together, so as to obtain vengeance without creating any scandal. He wrote, to put off the two relatives who were invited to dinner and with hie own hands dropped the poison into the glasses destined for hia wife and himself on the dinner table. The Countess thought his manner very strange and unkind on her x return, but. he vouchsafed no 'explanation until the fatal draught had been drunk by them both ;»then he led her away to Madame's bedroom and told her what he had done,, and that they had only about three hours to live, adding a furious reproach for the.dishonour she had brought on him. Then the trusicame outj the young Countess refused to die branded withafalseaccusatiori,, and begged her husband to accept her statement that the letters had been addressed, not to herself, but another lady, whose name she ref nsed to divulge. The Count insisted on knowing the name, and repossessed himself of the letters'" in spite of her, and, as she lay dyiDg before his eyes, learned that the culprit was not his poor young wife, but his own sister, who had entrusted the incriminating correspondence to the Countess's care. Mdlle. de X came on the scene just before the hapless couple expired, and easily f onnd out what tad occured to oause the deplorable tragedy. She took good care to pocket the letters, and as the Count had written a letter saying he intended to commit suicide because of bis wife's sudden death of heart disease, tbe matter was hushed up. Mdlle. de X took the veil very soon after. Home Fashions. new Bonnets and fashions. So your headgear is on your mind, is it 7 Well, to comfort you, I will tell you that it

ie more difficult to find an ugly hat or bonnet than a pretty one, for tbe new fashions are certainly pretty. The onfy thing is to be judicious in choosing your style. There is a great variety, some hats having hardly any crowns at all, while others again have pointed ones, generally of velvet, like a witch's bat, rising out of a wide border.. In bonnets tbe same thing prevails, and you can wear a Puritan coif, a poke of the most voluminous kind, or a wonderful arrangement of lisse or, lace fans, rising apparently at their own sweet will from the hair, as you please. The ■ great thing to reoollect is that with any hat * or bonnet the hair shows so much now that it must be well groomed. Fringes are still worn, certainly, but they are what their name implies— namely, fringes, and nothing more. Directly they assert themselves and attract attention they are out of date. Thank goodness, we have outgrown the days of those heavy tousles women used to wear down to their eyebrows, till they looked more like a Skye terrier than aught else, and at least an inch of forehead must show between the fringe and the eyebrows. Hair is worn waved still, but it must possess the satiny sbsen in its ripples that constant brushing alone will give. Here is A PBETTY. HAT, and of the newest style. A flat shape, with a low, round crown, in dark and light green coarse straw, a twist of green velvet a shade lighter than the brim and darker than the crown baing twisted easily round it and caught in with a couple of paste buckles ; at the side is set an osprey aigrette, rising out of a graceful bunch of roses, a wreath of the same flowers being set below the brim, just resting on the soft wavy hair. This wreath is thickest on the side opposite to that on\vhioh tbe aigrette is, and tapers to a point on the other side. The effect of the soft pink roses on tbe golden hair and against the moss-green straw is extremely pretty. Another hat which looked extremely well on a tall, slight girl, dressed in a most becoming blaok voile, consisted of an almost flat hat of soft black ohip, with a pleated flounce of light French lace all round it, its ' only trimming being a double Alsatian bow of rather large dimensions, passed through a very brilliant paste buckle, and set right in the front, over the centre of the forehead. This bow was of the new strong purple, and matched the vest of her dress and the lining of her capa. The lace, flounce was wired to keep it stiff, and without being actually bent or turned up, the brim all round was slightly waved, thus giving a. softness to the outline of the hat most becoming to the face it shaded. • # To •niara pnblloatlon in the ftrtnoomuig lune lettari rtonlp reaoh the Wltnon offloe not later than Saturday night. IDeioripUoni of btlli, to., tnnit b« endorted by either on* jwn oorreipondent for the dlitrlot or bj tbe leoretary to the ball lommtttee. The MS. of any correspondent* who do not oomply with tbii rule will be lent v the iwretwry for enaoriement prki ti »ppoarin«.] • , - <-.m« WELCOME HOME AT MVING9TQR& "~ ' A welcome home was given ' t6i<?Mx : James Kennedy, who was married on June •26?'atKyebumto Miss Eliza Blanchard. After 'the ceremony the happy couple started for the residence of the bridegroom's mother (Mrs Baxter); where a supper and dance was given. Mr Blanchard supplied the music, and Mr D. Kennedy acted as M.C. Dancing was kept up with great spirit till the wee sma' hoors ayont the twaT, when everyone went home well pleased with their night's enjoyment. The bride's presents were both handsome and useful. —One who Enjoyed Hebself, HOME INTEBE6TS. Raisin Podding.— Shred- £lb beef suet very finely. Mix with this 4oz flour, 2oz ground rice, a pinch of salt, 4oz sugar, -4oz stoned raisins, and the grated rind bf?S small lemon. Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly, ¥fcir. in with them a quarter of a pint of milk^wnich has , been beaten up with' one egg. -Pour the mixture into a plain, well-buttered" mould, tie it closely down, plunge it into plenty tof fastboiling water, and let it boil quickly until done enough. Turn it out and.serve with pudding sauce. Plain Ckoute au Pot.— Make some stock from beef bones, about two quarts. Let it boil, and skim well. Meantime, prepare in the usual way two carrots, a. turnip, two leeks, or one good-sized onion, a pinoh of mixed savoury herbs, or, wanting these, a bunch of parsley, 1 a sprig of thyme,\ and a bay leaf, a little celeryseed, IS peppercorns, and, last of all, three stale crusts of bread (toasted brown) ; throw " these into the soup, let it boil up, skim again, draw it back, and let 'it simmer gently for two hours. Rub the vegetables and bread through a sieve. Mix the pulp with the liquor, return it to the stewpan, and let boil, add two or three drops of browning if neoessary, and serve. If a dozen pea shells or a cupful of green peas can be added to the sopp its flavour will be much improved. Family Qingebbread.— "Two pounds and a half of flour, 41b butter, £lb sugar, l£lb treacle, one packet of spice, and ginger to taste, two teaspoonf uls and a half, of baking powder, and _ three or four eggs. Potato Balls.— Mash some potatoes with butter, salt, pepper, and a little milk, and a little chopped parsley if liked. Make into small balls, dip in beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs, and fry in bailing dripping till a golden brown. A little minced tongue or ham is sometimes added to the potatoes to give flavour. Stwed Kidneys.— Skin and * parboil some sheep's kidneys, cut them in slices, and fry them in butter for a few minutes, ' with pepper and salt to taste. Mix a tablespoonful of flour with a piece of butter in a saucepan,- stir till it begins to colour, then add a teacupful of good stock. Let this boil five minutes, then add it to the kidneys, with a small quantity of parsley finely minced. Make the whole very hot (but da not let them boil), and serve. Vanilla Ceeam Puffs.— Mix smoothly 2oz floor with half a pink of milk and half a pint of cream, 2oz butter beaten to a cream, 4oa white sugar, six eggs, and one- teaspoonful of extract of vanilla. Line some moulds with puff paste, fill them three parts full with the cream, and bake for, half an hour. r Dbo?' Scones.— 'One pound of flour, 2oz hutter, half a teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful ot oream of tartar. Rub the soda and acid in the flour, then the butter, and add sufficient milk to make a stiff batter. Flour a hot baking sheet, and drop the scones on. Bake in a quick oven.

— A young woman sent to a newspaper a poem entitled " I Cannot Make Him Smile," and was much displeased when the editor sent it back with a line saying that the would probably sucoeed it she showed him the poam.

— "Pardon me, sir, but where do you come f rom 1 "— " From County Cork." — "Then that accounts for your brogue." — " May I ax~ where you dome from ? " — " From Worcester."— "^bin that accounts for your sauce."