LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2167, 5 September 1895, Page 42

LADIES' GOSSIP.

- , • Nothing impressed NasrulJah Khan so much as his visit to Windsor Castle. He seemed surprised at the extreme reverence with whioh the Quaen is treated by everyone, and be quickly rose to the occasion, and although her M ijesty was most gracious and tried to put him at bis ease, he maintained sn attitude of great diffidence, and in handJog bis father's autograph letter through Mr Fowler to the Qoeen, his hand shook and hie face for the first time showed signs of emotion. Nasrullah always takes his great water pipe with him, two servants being necessary to look after it. He even took it to Windsor, but was not allowed to use it until after bis reception by the Queen. The Shah of Persia did the same thing, and also had a coffee pot borne about by his servants, which contained some special concoction which immediately revived him when he felt tired.

* .'. ' Ever since the Middle Ages the ermine has been the fur royal, and it is still used in the trimming of the State garments of kings and queens, but it long ago fell into disfavour with women of fashion. White ermine akins became so cheap that the Canadian, Siberian, and Chinese hunters no longer cent them to market.

* . ■ Haa a ball ever taken place at whioh both ladies and cavaliers danced booted and spurred? Ie a question asked in a Home paper, and the answer is as follows : — This novelty took place recently at a military club Sn Vienna. Both ladies and gentlemen danced booted and spurred ; they wore the familiar colours usually associated with the hunting field, and every article of their equipment down to the last button was rezu-latt-d by the committee of the club. ' The ladies wore red coats, black caps, and short skirts that displayed to advantage the black top boots; and the gentlemen wore the stereotyped red coat and white breeches, and bunting capß of black velvet. The eyeglass, which acroßS the Chancel is popularly regarded as an eisential part of the huntsman's full dr«88, completed the equipment. At the celebrated ball at Brussels given by the Duchess of Richmond on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, some of the cavalry officers are believed to have danced booted »nd sparred. Certain it is that the officers irho attended on that occasion left, after an fcour or two's dancing, direct for the field of the memorable battle.

*.' The first party to go round on the Hail's Court wheel, a description of whioh

appeared in the Witness a few weeks ago, were the Princess of Wales, the Princesses Viotorla and Maud of Wales, the Crown Prince of Denmark, tha Dake and Duchess of Sparta, Prince Maximilian of Baden, the Duke and Duchess of York, Princes* Louise, Duchess of Fife, Prince Adolphus of Teck, and Prince Francis of Teck. What a weight of responsibility was on that wheel 1

• . • Just^ now white hair ia extremely fashionable, and many ladies, according to a Home paper, are assiduously washing their tresses in eau de Cologne, which is said to make tbe hair white.

• . ■ "Talking about saving money," said a veteran millionaire, "it is a hundred times harder now to keep cash in your pockets than it was when I was a young fellow and didn't spend a penny. I tell you it's hard for them to save in these times. Every youog man wants a bicjele, and it's mighty hard to stand on the street and see your friends spinning by on wheels and not invest yourself. Again, it's a great privation for a young fellow not to be well dressed. The distinction between goed clothes and poor is so sharp nowaday* that it is galling to be conspicuous by cheap attire. Again, there is the theatre, the excursion boat, the races, and a score of other inducements to spend money which hardly existed in my day, and I'm glad they didn't, for if they had I honestly think I would have been a poor man now."' • . • The' Countess Giennoti, second lady of honour in waiting on the Qaeen of Italy, for some years worked in Newark, New Jersey, as a cigarette maker. She was born in Genoa 22 years ago, and went to America with her father. Carmine Giennoti, when she was a little girl. She returned to Italy at the age of 15, where she attracted the fancy of the Qaeen, and was made a personal servant. Sh« speedily became a favourite, and eventually was made a countess.

• . • The Grand Duke Michael is going back to Russia, from which the late Czar banished him four yeara ago. He is to resume possession of his confiscated estates. The oause of the exile at Cannes and Wiesbaden was his morganatic marriage with Sophia, the Countess Merenberg. The Grand Duke Is a great, broad-shouldered, handsome athlete of 32, a splendid shot, a strong tennis player, and enthusiastic enough about golf to have founded a golf club in tbe R'viera town. Tho Prince of Wales is one of his close friends— a circumstance that may have had something to do with his recall to favour by the young C/nar.

• . • Paris takes the palm as regards the luxury rife among her gilded celebrities. La Belle Jeanette,a lady of historic fame, has thus arranged heir bathroom. To begin with, the light falls through a large skylight of dark blue panes. The bath itself is in pink crystal, encircled with silver, with steps of the same metal. Further, it ia draped with costly Malines lace. In her own room erotics predominate. The Alengon lace curtains of her bed are oaught up with bunchea of lace Sowers, while garlands of the same trim the head of her bedstead.

• . • There are no laundries on board ship ; they take np too much room. So the chief steward lays in thousands of pillowslips, sheets, and towels. These come on board tied up in bales of a dozen each, and are stored in the linen locker, a cubby-hole of a place on the main deck. The ventilator pipes from the engine room run through it, and keep it hot. There is no danger of lluen getting mildewed there. The linen which has been used is thrown into another room, provided with the same atmosphere, and is so kept thoroughly dry. Where there are clean napkins every day, frequent changes of otateroom linen, and an everlasting replenishing of towel racks, the demands upon the linen locker are very extensive. A liner like the New York puts to sea with about 9000 serviettes, 10,000 towels, 6000 or 7000 sheets, 8000 pillowslipg, and about 1000 tablecloths. Most of these find their way to the soiled linen locker in the course of tho voyage. When the vessel arrives they are carted off to a laundry. •.• The Orleans marriage famished probably the first example in history of an exclusively royal banquet being given at an hotel. Forty guests, besides the Dae d'Orleans and the Oomtessede Paris, sat down to the dinner given by the Dae at the Savoy Hotel on this occasion, and all of them were jnembera of reigning or ex-reigning families. It i« said tbat the bodice trimming of pearls and diamonds given by the Dae D'Aosta to his bride includes some of the fineßt pear-shaped pearls in the world. They were chosen at the PonteVecchio in Florence, which is considered tbe finest pearl market in Europe. •.• Here is a story with a moral. In Qneen's Oollrg», London, 12 years ago, there was a maid with a m\nd for mathematics. Her friends used to say to her, " Wait until you marry, and you will wish you knew more of croup and cookery, and less of cilculas." But the mathematical maid laucjhed them to acorn. " I shall never marry," she said. "I shall be a senior wrangler, then a professor, and the first mathematician in all England." The young woman is now Mrs Beerbohm Tree. The moral is that mathematical pursuits are not necessarily fatal to marriage.

* .' Lady Latbom, the county secretary for encouraging the English ailk manufacture, tells with delight tbat rapid strides have lately been made in popularising these goods of English work. Lady Lathom is eminently practical, aud declares that their stumbling-block has hitherto been tbe expense of production and the inferiority of design, "In these bard times," says she, " when so many of us are living up to, and, I fear, sometimes beyond, our means, we cannot be expected to pay more money for less effective designs because the material is of British manufacture than for the cheaper article made in Prance or Switzerland. * But lately, really artistic and beautiful patterns have been executed, and at the same price as the foreign silks, so that we have every hope of soon feeing the English silks as frequently worn as the foraign."

• . ■ Court folk, says a writer in a Home paper, are wondering whether the marriage of the Duke of Aosta will hurry up that of the Prince of Naples, who is bnt 10 months younger than his handsome cousin, and whose position, as the only son of a king, might well have warranted his marrying three or four years ago. It may be remembered that the respective fathers of these two Princes reverted the usual order of royal

alliances, as the younger brother, Amadeo, Duke of Aosta, alao King of Spain for a while, married first, almost a year before the older brother, now King Umbsrto of Italy. The wedding of tho more important Prlnoe had been delayed for very obviouß reasons. His first fiancie, a beautiful Austrian archduchess, was accidentally burnt to death; and a respectable time bad then to elapse before the next consort chosen for him, his cousin Margherlta, was deemed old enough to be married. The present Queen of Italy became a bride when little more than 16 years of age.

• . • According to a Home paper an enterprising woman of wealth set her heart on a certain diamond brooch, whiob she had no wish to pay for. Her husband refused to present it to her, so she sought an interview with its owner. She reminded the jeweller of the large sums she had from time to time spent with him. She also hinted that, as her husband's min^s w«re now paying better, her account would probably increase. Would he take half-price for the brooch 7 The tradesman smiled at the idea. "I am much indebted to you for your patronage," said he, with a bow ; " but your dealing* with us are not sufficiently large for ma to oblige you in this instance. Now, if you were such a purchaser of jewellery as is the Baroness Yon Gemdoter, I might be" " The baroness 1 " interrupted the bargainhuntreßß. " She is a great friend of mine. She will stay at my bouse. If I were to get her to deal with you, what would you do for me 1 " " Well, in that case you could have 50 per cent, off the brooch." The lady smiled this time. " No. no llf she opens a good account with you, you must give it to me." " Bring the baroness here, and I will do what I can," promised the shopkeeper. The baroness arrived. She was early conducted " ca6«ally " to the establishment in question. A choice selection of goods bad been got ready her. Shortly after, tbe diamond brooch repoged safely in the lady's jewel case.

• . • My readers may remember the fact that the then Princess Alix in May last year stayed at Harrogate to take the waterß. Oathcart House, belonging to Mr and Mrs Allen, was chosen for her place of residence, and a twin son and daughter were bora at that time to this fortunate couple, and the Princess etood sponsor for the two little strangers to this world of sin. Oae was christened Nicholas Charles Barnard Hes«e, and the other Alix Beatrice Emma. The EmpTeßßof All the Rusaiaa has not forgotten her god-children on their birthdays. She has sent them two littla petticoats, her own handiwork, and a polished oak box lined with crimson plush and white satin. The contents oonsist of gold -mounted and enamelled knives, forks, and spoons, napkin rings, salt cellars and spoons. E *eh article is highly chased and stamped with the Russian arms and the lucky twins' initials. A delightful godmother, truly 1 Cathcarfc House was a lucky one indeed, as this year's history will declare.

• . • Rither an amusing sketch appears in the Temps of the handsome and vivacious princess who, by the marrbge of her stepson, has just been relegated to tbe category of tho " dowagors." The writer gives a piquant account of the way in which a match was made between Princess Lnefcitin Bonaparte and the late Duke of Aoata. His exMijeaty Amadeo, a seiious and somewhat depressed character, frequently had occasion to offer wholesome advice to his too enterprising kinswoman, who listed with a smile, but never took the lesson to heart. Oae day, in more solemn tones than usual, he warned her that unless she gave up her frivolities she would never find a huiband. " Ob, there will always be yon, my dear une'e 1 ' was the laughing reply. Amadeo took her at her word, and forthwith made a definite offer. The marriage so speedily arranged waa almost as speedily dissolved by tho Dako's death, and Princess Lar.itia, deprived of her mentor, defies King Humbert and rides her bicycle as gaily aB ever.

Some Home Fashions.

For the present, dark, if not actually black, frocks are decidedly ths most satisfactory wear, and if colour is indispensable it oan be supplied by the blouse, whioh is still as often as not of bright-coloured silk, covered with acoordion-pleated black chiffon. But with the early summer or late spring we shall see some startling mixtures, if one can trust to the mixtures now being worn in more southerly climates. Scarlet and bright green, pink and Havana brown, blue and bright yellow, white, pink, and lemon colour — all these are among tbe harmonies (?) I have had reported to me, together with the fact that gold or silver heels are coming in for ballroom satin shoes.

it is certainly the season of shreds and patches in the way of toilet, for sucti a thing as a dress all of one piece or material appears un thought of; coat and skirt may match; tho bodice, pretty safe to be a loose-fronted blouse, is of a second tint, while the belt and neckband, and very often the gauntlet cuffs, are of a third shade, the materials also differing, the coat and skirt being cloth of somfl kind, the shirt of silk or lace, and the bel., &0., of velvet. Sometimes these latter parrs of one's dress are of impossible plaid silk, a violent tartan, but of no pattern known to any earthly Scotch weaver.

I saw one tbe other day of a broken plaid of lemon colour, bright red, white, and purpled It sounds gruesome I admit, but all the same, worn over a soft Havana-brown cashmere dregs, it really looked lovely. Have you begun your SPRING CLEANING

yet ? If so, and you have to repaper, let ma tell you of the newest furnishing idea. This is to replace wall-paper by damask or chintz hangings, tbe latter frilled at the top to disguise the rod which supports it, and with a full Bounce at the foot. One advantage is tbat, put up in fcbis way, the hangings can ba easily dusted or cleaned. Where pictures are bung in the room, these hangings are gently lifted to foraa a drapery for the frames, which peep through. In short, it is an old mode revived.

Another old fasion that is coming in, they say, is the ferronniare, or jewel fastened to a gold chain which goes round the head, allowing the ornament to fall in the centre of the forehead. I fear thia will bring with it a revival of tbe bandeaux a la vierge, bid-

ing the ears, which so far have not won universal favour by any means, the favourite style being to turn the hair back from the forehead in a natntal wave (tho nature of which, however, I fear, depends a good deal on crimping toDgB and hair wavers), and fasten in a tiny knot at the back of tbe head. Another return is fcbo side onri, which has been seen more than once in Paris, sometimes singly, sometimes in a triple row, kept in place with side combs ; bnt though piquant enough for a fancy ball, this mode looks rather old for every-day wear.

THE MUCH BE-BOWKD BONNET still holds its own, and the idea seema to be to give the effect of a head about to take fligbt from its owner's shouldera. I saw one the other day, a mass of tiny Banksia roaea forming a sort of Dutch shape on the head, and finished off with four black -wings, placed, so to speak, at tho four corners, in full flight. I never saw such a funny erec> tion, though, I am bound to confess, on a pretty girl its efLo^ left little to be desired. — " Elspjsth," in the Weekly Citizen.

£7* Description* of balls. &o . must be endorsed by cither tlte Witncis correspondent for the district, or by the sccroWry to the ball committee. The MS. of any correspondents who do not comply with this rule will be sent to the secretary for eb>lor»t!ment prior to appearing.— KMMUl.lNK.

To ensure publication in Hie forthcoming Issue, letters should roach the Witu^'i olllc lr prmible #n S»lurd»7 ulght, but on no account later tbat MiiniU) night.

T)A.NCE AT RIVKKTON.

Dear Emmewne,— A mo3t enjoyable dance was given here on August 21 by Mestlaines Walker and Pavill. Quite a large number of bjth old and young were present, and dancing was kept up until an eavly hour, everyone seeming to thoroughly enjoy themselves The hostesses had gone to fi great deal of trouble to ensure the enj lyment of their numerous guests, and must be cnngratuUti'd on tha happy results attained, about which only one opinion could be expressed. Some very tasteful cjstumsa were worn, aud I noticed Miss Jacks m in a black evening drcs-i relieved with caidinal; Miss Donne, black skirt, cirdinnl blome ; Missra M'lnnes (2), dark skirts, white blouses ; Mhs Kobinun, coffee-coloured evening dres3 ; Miss A. Robinson, white ; Miss Mills, pink dre<s ; Mias Scobie, rose pink evening dresa trimmed with lace ; Miss Beitha Stevenson, cardinal evening dress relieved with laco ; MUs Walker, pale blue evening dress ; Miss Buyiba Clapp, pink with black velvet corselet ; Mis 3 Tillie Clapp, dark skirt heliotrope blouse ; Miss Campbell, white muslin ; Miss Moore, brown plush. Among the married ladies were Mrs Walker, grey twef d ; Mrs Paull, bltck skirt, cream blouse ; Mrs Moore, black Uco »'drt, pink blou;-e ; Mrs Stevenson, black silk skirt, pale greeu blame ; Mrs Willett wove a very neat tennis costume. — Vkha.