LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2209, 2 July 1896, Page 43

LADIES' GOSSIP.

* . ■ To nee and to talk with Mary Anderson as she is to-day brings one no suggestion of the onoe famous " Queen of the Sfcnge." Nothing about her reaalls her past triumphs in the blstrionio art, unless it be her beauty and her manner, She is now 87, in the full flush of perfect mature womanhood. One not having seen her since she abandoned her professional career will observe that her tall, graceful figure is more rounded— with a slight tendency toward stoutness. Six years have made no changes -in the beanty of her features except to ripen and soften it. The girlish fairness has been transformed into avmore mature womanly beauty. Her vivacity of manner— alway§ one of her most delightful characteristics — has not been modified in the slightest degree; the same heartliness of spirit and healthy enthusiasm, so well remembered by chose who knew her intimately ; the same wholesomeness of thought; the same merry laugh — as if she laughed because she enjoyed nothing better in the world ; the same quickness and readiness of speech ; the same animation of the eyes are unchanged unless they be further accentunted, and in their development made more winsome and attractive. Bat of the aotress nothing remains. Her past Is her' past, and unless one recalls it, neither its trials nor triumphs seem to come back to her. And even when the past — her stage career— is brought up, the results are not exactly satisfactory, considered from a conversational standpoint, Not a portrait , in her surroundings presenfce-or suggests her as an actress. : > • . • "The ingenious American mind, always on the alert for new ideas, ha* (writes a New York correspondent of a Home paper), of course, evolved soma novelties in the way of entertainments for leap year, and of these the latest and most amusing, even if slightly ' questionable in taste, is the 'Widow's Luncheon.' This was given by a rather gay young matron of Philadelphia to nine bereaved ladies of her acquaintance. The lunoheon table was decorated exclusively with violets, panties, lilac, and great quanti-; ties of fern (green beiag the colour ot hope) tied into wreaths with huge bows of black and white satin ribbon. The tall candles— were in silver candlesticks without shades j and the menus on white satin blaek-edgcd cards, had a device of the coquettish trappings of widowhood— the tiny oap— the jet brooch an< bracelets, and the transparent black gauze fan painted In the corner. The name cards at each cover all bore appropriate quotations, one being 'A widow must assume all tho' innocence of a young girl without her ignorance ' ; and another, ' Widow, I say to thee, be thine own friend. Thy husband left thee wealthy, free, and wise ; continue so, sweet duok, continue so'; while yet another, on whioh was the name of a lady who Is anxiously seeking legal aid to free her from the matrimonial ohaio, contained Lady Teazle's inimitable speeoh, * You made me a wife, for which I am much obliged to you, and if you wish to make me more grateful still, make me a widow.' Daring the consumption of this eccentric lunoheon appropriate nrasio was performed in »n adjoining . room, 'Shonld atild acquaintance be forgot" and •If for widows you should sigh ' being on' the programme; acd when thelovibgoup was passed round it was drunk to the toast*,' •To the men, God rest them 1111 11, 1 It needs much intelligent cavoirfaire to arrange such a novel entertainment successfully, but a clever, original woman will evolve much fun for her guests from similar ideas." . • Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria is emulating Sandow. She practises with 1 large dumbbells, nnd can lift a man with one hand. She is said on one occasin, when a heavy iron column fell on a man, to have lifted it high enough to enable him to be drawn from under. She is a delioate-lookiDg woman of 34, wife of the Archduke Kail Stephan, and mother of five ohildren. • , ■ Among many curios and souvenirs of her honeymoon which the young Duoheas of Marl borough is bringing home is a young Nubian, whom she intends to train as & personal attendant. She will not be the first great lady to reap the benefit of a black man's services in that capacity. The Infanta Eulaliß of Spain never travels without .ft young negro attendant, for whom she interceded when he was found in mid-ocean a stowaway on board the ship in whioh she was returniDg from the Canaries. *"*■ • . • A well-known lapidary cautions those who own turquoise rings to remove the.m when washing the hands, leßt tho colour loe injured. The explanation of the change from blue' to green that sometimes takes place in the stones is that they are affectfcS by acid emanations from the skin, as well as by certain elements in some kinds of cologne and other perfumes. The charges in Ufa colour of the topaz are believed to be due to light and heat, as experiments with the stones show that strong sunlight will bleach

' . • An old dheaee has been given a new. name, " House nerves " is the latest appel« ation for the depressing get c! aUmeici

caused by staying too muoh indoors.^ The remody is Bimple. Drugs, doctors, tonics ara All useless. All that has to be done is to walk muoh in the fresh air and sunshine, and , go in for gaiety. j ■ . • A new museum, shortly to be opened in taris, will be particularly interesting to ladies. It will oontain specimens of all Btyles of dress, and of all things appertaining to the adornment of the female form divine. The collection will oommenoe with the fashions of 1895, and will be enlarged by new additions each succeeding year. Lace, linen, dresses, parasols, gloves, hats, bonnets, . jewels, and perfumery will be included, and all dated and classified. What a pity that the. idea was not thought of years ago 1 • . • A Baltimore paper tells that at the celebratien of a silver wedding recently a feature of the occasion was the exhibition of a piece of the wedding oake which was cut at the' reception following tha wedding 25 years ago. v It was, carefully put away after the reception, and has since been kept in a silver box. A piece of the wedding cake made in honour of the twenty-fifth anniversary wat put in the box with the other piece, and both pieces are to be kept until the second of the couple dies ; then they are to be put in his or her coffin. By the way (says a writer in Modern Society), one of the most interesting incidents oonnected wlilf the visit of our Royal Family to the Riviera this year, although it Is one which certainly will escape the special attention of all save those who happen toknow something of the private life of the Prince of Wales, is the meeting between our Heir-apparent and the Emperor of Austria. The story of their very peculiar intimacy is as touching as it is romantic. The facts are well known to all the members of the entourage of his Royal Highness. \ Briefly, they are as follpws : — For a long time previous to the tragedy at Meyerling the Prince of Wales (who belongs to that vast army of beiDga who always give the most admirably good advice to others while Ignoring it themeelves) had gravely disapproved of the conduct of,, the young Archduke Rndolpb, and especially of a certain individual who fed his Imperial Highness into most of his mad freaks ; and, not content with warning the young Archduke personally, as the Prince of Wales did, one eveniDg in Paris, at the house of Madame Standieh, at a supper after the Hippodrome, he wrote Rudolph several letters. These letters were .found by .the broken-hearted father when the rash youth was dead, and, coupled with the fact of the Prince of Wales having written to him (the Emperor) a very touching and sympathetic letter of condolence when the news of the tragedy reached . England, inspired the Austrian Kaiser with feelings of very speoial and tender regard for our Future One. This Jed to a long correspondence, which from that day to this has been uninterrupted — Francis Joseph being about the only Sovereign bur Prince 5e in regular correspondence with. 80, although they .have "met N but seldom, Albert Edward and Francis Joseph are oldfriends, insomuch as they know each other's hearts. • . • " Living pictures " cannot be called a . modern invention, since it is claimed that ttiey were first employed by Madame de Genlis for the purpose of educating the Dao d'Orleans' children, whose governess she was. With the help of several famous artists, she arranged pictures of biatorioal scenes which* ladies of the French Court posed for. f .• The young Empress of Russia evidently finds the Russian climate agrees with her,' for a correspondent, who had an audience with her recently, writes that she has quite lost the fragile appearance that distinguished her when she firßt married. It is de riguer to be dressed entirely in white when the Empress commands an interview, and. in black if it is the Dowager Empress. • . • The popular son of one of our bestknown statesmen .has. Bays an English paper, hit upon a charming idea. In his garden ho bas laid out a "Bed of Friendship." Of every friend he possesses he has asked a plant. The bed is a large one and is already a-growing and a-blowing with a variety of lovely plants which have reached him from every part of England and the Continent. ■ . * The Emerald Isle is renowned for the beauty of its women, who ara remarkable for brilliant colouring and eyes of the softest hue; bujino more lovely example can be found than the Countess of Annesley, to whose charms the most accomplished por-trait-painter finds it 'difficult tp do, justice. The fairest of Ireland's fair daughters^ is a clever musician and a performer on both the piano and guitar, as well as an interested student of botany. Lady Annesley's beautiful home, Oastlewellan, is surrounded by gardens famous for curious plants collected, from various parts of the globe, and- which give quite a tropical appearance to the grounds. -. ■ The reason commonly assigned for wearing the ring on the left hand is that, as the larger portion of the heart is on the left Bide, the left hand is of curse nearer the heart. Another reason given is that the left band is usually less employed than the right, and that the ring IsHJetter preserved by wearing it on the left. • . • In Austria a " man " and " woman " are supposed to be capable of conducting a home ottheir own from the ages of 14. In Germany, the man must be at least 18 years of age. In Franoe, the man must be 18 and the woman 15 ; in Belgium the same ages. In Spain, the intended husband must have passed his 11th year and the woman her 12tb. In Hungary, for Roman Catholics, the man must be 14 years old and the woman 12 ; for Protestants, the man must be 18 and- the woman 15. In Greece, the man must bave seen at least 14 summers and the woman 12. In Portugal, a boy of 14 is considered marriageable and' a woman of 12. In Russia and Saxony they are a little more sensible, and a youth must refrain from entering into matrimony till he can count 18 years and the woman till she can count 16. In Switzerland, the men ffom the age of 14 and the women from the age of 12 are allowed to marry. In Turkey, any youth and maiden who can walk properly, and can understand the necessary religious service, are allowed to be united for life. • . A few daya ago a man, walking In one of the most fashionable streets of" Paris, came acroßß a lost dog. It was a email toy terrier, and was olad in an elaborate coat trimmed with costly fare. la this goat was

a tiny pocket, containing a handkerchief bordered with exquisite laoe, and with a worked monogram, and a coronet. Round the dog's neck wasagold and jewelled bangle, and his coat was fastened by a brooch blazing with rubies and diamonds. * . ' Arabian women who have to go into mourning stain their hands and feet with indigo for eight days, and during that time they will drink no milk, on the ground that its white hue does not harmonise with their mental gloom. • . • A new idea in the way of bazaars was introduced by Lady Dafferin at the British "Embaasy in Paris recently, and all fashionable Paris rushed to behold it. Lord Dufferin's collection of -Oriental " objects da vertu " was put on exhibition, and among them was the gold umbrella and gold cup of the King of Burmab, a ecarf of gold presented to Lord Dufferin when Viceroy of India, and all kinds of exquieite work in metal?, woods, ivory, and jewels. • . • The name Olga, which has been given, to the infant daughter of the Czar and' Czarina, is an ancient Russian riame. It is also a favourite in the Russian imperial family. It is likely that nearly all the female children born in Russia during the next few months will be named Olga. • . • A favourite pick-me-up or quick lunch with the hurried society woman of the present day, is the yolks of two eggs or one whole egg with a teaspoonful of vinegar, a pinch of salt,. and half a teaepoonful' of Worcestershire sauce poured over them. ' The yolks are swallowed whole. ■ .* ■ Lord Archibald Campbell's enthusiasm for things Highland is attested to by, among other things, the names of his children. For instance, the name of his son and heir is Niall Diarmid, a name neither half of which seems to have been before used in the Argyle family since medieval times. As Lord Archibald's son will one day, if he lives, be bis Grace, Niall Diarmid, Duke of Argyll, it may be conjectured that in future such tame appellations as John and George will occur with diminished frequency in the family Bibies of Inverary. '.' It is not generally known that Lord Archibald's own name is not properly .a Campbell name at all. It is properly a Douglas name, like Sholto. It waß adopted by the Campbells when they first took to epeakiDg English. It was adopted by them (this is the carious thing) in the belief that it was the Lowland Scotch form of one of their own Gaelic names— n Gillespie." In the same way the name of John (now borne by the Marquis of Lome) was adopted by them In. the belief that it was the Lowland Sootch form of their own Gaelic " lan." But, while in the second belief they were quite right, in the first they were quite wrong, the names of Archibald and Gillespie having no earthly relation. It follow* rhat, but for a ludicrous blunder, no Lord "Archibald" Campbell would ever have existed. • . • The Crown Princess of Denmark is the tallest royal lady in Europe, her height being over 6ft 2in. She is .a granddaughter of Mdlle Desiree Clary, who was the fin>t sweetheart- of Napoleon Bonaparte. They quarrelled, and Mdlle Clary married Bernadotte, who eventually became King of Norway and Sweden. The Crown Princess of Denmark is the riohesb as well as the tallest European Princess, she having inherited a fortune of £5,000,000 from her maternal grandfather, Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, in addition to the fortune left her by her father. ',' The Sultan of Morocco, who is not inclined to pedestrian'ism, has had a little line of cars built through all the rooms of his palace, ending in his bedroom. A 'small motor pulls a novel sort of sleigh fitted with two seats, in which the Sultan is able to reollne at bis ease. v • . • A young couple in an Ohio city have been found courageous enough to face the trying ordeal of being married in a shop window. 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 drawingroom suites," hat racks, fender*, sideboards, chair?, tables, rolls of oarpet, and other articles of furniture,, the happy pair were made one by the officiating olergyman. A vast and enthusiastic orowd gathered in the street, and witnessed the entire proceedings with great interest. Recipes for Beauty. METHODS OJT ACQTJIBING AKD PBESERVING . CHARMS. ' ' Here are the secrets of beauty, aa they have been confided to the writer by many beautiful women. They will be read with interest by that vast army- of womon whose " possibilities " have never been developed. Bernbardt, who says modeßtly at 55, " You need not tell me I look young ; I kbow it," owes tier youthful faoe to her art in dressing. "My eyes don't shine," she said to a reporter. ° They only appear to shine when I am animated upon the stage, because I "have a little make-up around them. And for another cause. I know enough not to outshine them. I have never worn a jewel in my life next my face. Not for a thousand franos would I make a middle-aged gipsy of myself by wearing diamond earrings or bright jewels where they would flash brighter than my eyes. BEBNHARDT CONGEALS BAD POINTS. "You say my neok is lovely. You have never seen my neok 1 My gown is out low. So it is, but in the back I I need ornament around my chest and throat. My back is thin— and interesting. Look how fasclnatiDg lam when I turn around. My forte is my height, pid you ever see Sarah with a walking-skirt on 1 No, and you never will ! My skirts are all drabbly. I look taller so. Bernhard'fc beauty is her hair. ,It is full and red. Other red-haired women scrape the hair away from their pale foreheads and look Jike scarecrows. I puff mine down to my eyes. I- fall it up around my ears and lookbewitching I My beauty is in my personal taste." Mrs Leslie Carter became pretty by learning to hold up her chin. She has features too pointed for beauty, bub by lifting her head a charming expression was given her faoe. Emma Eamea is another woman who became beautiful by holding up her head, Her pose is too big, her mouth too small. - and her face too batchety for good look?. Notice the loveliness of her pictures— that bead raised with (be nmti ethereal ezpres*

sion in the faoa. Moat women can improve their looks by carrying the chin vp } not too high, bat clear of the collar. A young woman who acts as " coach " to musical celebrities, teaching them their parts at the piano, tells this story of seeing Calve* get ready for ". Carmen " at the Metropolitan Opera Honse : — OALVE MAKES UP HER EYES. 11 Calves eyes are her strong points— her eyes and her hands. She began with her eyes. Oat of a little box she took a pomade that I would call vaseline, and began rubbing . her eyebrows with it. Gently, with each palm alternately as one hand got tired, she rubbed the eyebrow, curving it upward in the middle arch of beauty and carrying it ap high over the eye. •• • Stop it,' I said to her after I had watched the operation for IB minutes. 'Your eyebrows are shining like ebony.' •"I shall need the shiny brows,' saidshe,^ ' for when I am excited my eyes are like* . stars.'" Oalve's palms are the admiration of the men of the audience. She makes them pink by robbing them 15 minutes with a rough towel. They are firm and smarting when she get 9 done. Her hair ripples naturally, but too tight to suit her. She wets it with cologne, dries it until it flies, gathers it at the neok in a olose tie, and is ready, for the stage. She loosens It, lets it fly, or throws it up on the top of her head. Yon can do anything with your hair if you keep It shampooed with a good drier like cologne. . PATTI DEPENDS ON MASSAGE. Patbi's system of beauty is massage. When she was young it might have been something easier. But for the woman of 50 who wants to look 30 massage is the best. Patti's maid begins every morning after breakfast and works until time for madame's luncheon. She smooths out the wrinkles of the bands, massaging them until the plumpness at the wrists melt away, and the knuckles alone are pudgy. Patti's figure comes in for its share .of rubbing. It is made shapely and firm by 'the vigorous treatment of the rolls of fat that ara bound to accentuate themselves upon the skin of a woman of middle life. But after the evening performance comes the hard work. When Patti is ready for bed her maid bands her a candle and a mirror. With this La Diva goes over her oomplexion inch by inch looking for wrinkles. After " Lucia di Lammermoor " there is a crease between the eyes; that looks like a frown, and makes Patti older than she wants to b?. Setting down the candle, madame bids the maid go to work. Slowly the fingertips travel over that wrinkle again and again, until not a trace of it is left. The neok next gets its share of rubbing. Madame has to aid in this herself. She does it by exercise. Twenty times she lifts her olenohed fists upward, 20 times outward, and 20 times at the sides. This gives the throat work and strengthens it. The maid rubs it and gets it into firm shape. . t6 develop possibilities. There is a woman whose name is, connected with society events everywhere who has a recipe for keeping young. It is to be massaged nightly, from h6ad to foot, with different preparations. A soft cream for her faoe, arms,' and throat. Spirits render her muscles strong, and she has a dip of cold water to make her as hardy as a girl.— New Yoik Paper.

Useful Hints.

Ink may, be taken out of paper in the following way if the stain Is not too old : — Take a teaspoonfnl of chlorinated lime and pour over it just enough water to cover it. Take a piece of old linen and moisten it with this mixture, and do not rub, but pat the stain, and it will slowly disappear. If one application does not remove the stain let the paper dry and then apply again. If castor oil 1b applied to a wart once a day for a month the watt will entirely disappear. In many oases it will not require so long a time. , , If a piece of camphor gum is placed in thedrawer where are kept dreas waists that are trimmed with steel, it will prevent the steel from tarnishing. ' Wormwood boiled in vinegar and applied as hot as can be borne on a sprain or braise is an invaluable remedy. The affected member should afterwards be rolled in flannel to retain the heat. A small piece of candle may ba made to burn, all night by puttiDg finely-powdered salt on it until it reaches the black part of the wick, A small even light may be kept in this way. It is said that if parsley is eaten with onions or a salad containing onions the odour of the onion will not affect the breath. The springs of the parsley should be eaten as you would eat celery. To stain would to look like ebony, take a solution of- sulphate of iron and wash the wood over twice. When the wood becomes dry apply two or there coats of a strong decoction of logwood. Wipe the wood dry and polish with a flannel wet in linseed oil. To set the colour and prevent delicatecoloured cambrics and dimities from fading when washed, dissolve two penny worth of ■ sugar of lead in a pail of oold water, and soak the garments in it two hours; then rinse and wash. When baking a cake, on removing it from the oven place the tin containing the cake on a damp towel for a moment, and the cake may readily be taken from the tin without sticking. Clover tea is excellent for purifying the blood, clearing the complexion, and removing pimples. Dried clover may be used for the 'tea. Do not wash oilcloths or linoleums in hot' soapsuds. Wash them with tepid water, and wipe with a cloth dampened in equal- parts of cold milk and water. Salt added to new milk will curdle it ; therefore, in preparing porridge, custards, or gravies, do not add the salt until the last thing. To Draveat a braise from discolouring

apply Immediately hot water, or, If that is not at hand, moisten some dry staroh with cold water and cover the bruised place,