LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 224, 28 May 1896, Page 43

LADIES' GOSSIP.

1 . • Lady Bcooke, the wife of the Rajah o£ Sarawak, is considered to be one of the finest; ' amateur pianists among Englishwomen. Sue is not only a musician of exceptional execution, but she has a scientific knowledge of every branch of the art. 1 . • A writer in the Court Circular says :— " For a pair of ideal, devoted lovers commend me ta the young Prince Carl affd hia bright-eyed fiancee, Princess Maud. I have , come across the young people several times lately, and if ever happiness beamed oa, young folks' faoes it does on theirs. Free from all irksome attendance and troublesome espionage, they- have lately been, running round the West End shops and fashionable thoroughfares enjoying to their hearts' content the spring shows, and evec making purchases in favoured establishments. The other morning I came- upon them in Bond street, where they had been visiting a well-known tioket office and concert agency. Princess Maud hailed a passing, very shabby hansom and jumped is, closely followed by her attendant swain, and hastily thrust her umbrella through the roof to give cabby directions where to proceed with his distinguished fares, not before, however, gaining recognition at' the -bands of two passers-by— a faot which caused »n evident flush of annoyance to pass across the Prinoess's countenance." *.' Of all members of the Royal Family the Daohess of Fife i» the one. who dUlikes publicity the most, and yet probably no other princess* goes into- publio so often without being recognised. .The Duchess: is extremely fond of walking, and- doao most of her shopping on foot, and as she generally wears a thick veil' her identity is seldom revealed. Her Royal Highness does not care about great festivities, and particularly dlslikos the official ceremonies of the Court, such as drawing-room and State concerts. The Duchees is never so happy as when she is in the nursery with her two little girls, and, indeed, ib may truly be said that she inherits all the home instincts of her mother, the Princess of Waleß. The Daohesfl, like her sisters, Princesses Victoria and Maud, is a good needle woman, and has acknowledge of cooking such aa would astonish a good many middle- cltsa housekeepers. -.-The "Ellen Terry- skip" and. the "Bernbardt mouth," one learns from an American society journal, have gone out of fashion among the ladies of New York. Even the " Trilby foot " has ceased to attract, and fashionable bootmakers are on tbe verge of deßpair. The craze at present is tho " Duse eyelid droop." Thii particular contention, I understand, is modelled on a peculiar fall of the eyelid that gives to the eyes of the famous Italian actress "an expression of dreamy and deeply-lustrous softneso." The description sounds very like that of another. less aesthetic mode of eyelid manipulation which ia vulgarly known as " winking the other eye." The main point to be noticed is that all the " swell" dames of New Yoik, Washington, Ohioago, and even of ohaste and classic Boston, are smitten with the Duse droop. • . ' They have a highly ingenious contrivance at Palermo for teaching babies to walk. A sort of crinoline of basketwork, as , stiff fis a deck chair, is secured round the baby's waist, and comes down, just below its ankles. When the baby walks tha frame does nothing; but when the baby tries to fall it holds it upright. • . • Tbe DuchoßS of Fife, like everyone else, has been learning to cycle, *ndh%B been taking lassons at- a private riding -school at Brighton, accompanied by her husband,' who was much interested in her progress. In order to steady the rider, it. is customary with a beginner for the instructor to place his arm round the pupil aa he walks beside her, but, says Success, ia this case the master was obviously ahy of following the usual practice. The Duke of Fife observing his hesitation, said, with an amueed smile, " Oh, you can put your arm round her waists. I shan't mind."