LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2275, 7 October 1897, Page 44

LADIES' GOSSIP.

* . * Some of the most aristocratic ladies in St. Petersburg have lately received a rebuff they will not forget from the Czarina. Her Imperial Majesty formed a plan for the benefit of the poor of the city, which was as follows : Ten ladies were selected by her to work with her one afternoon a week to mtke with their own hands children's garments. These tea ladies were asked to find 10 other ladies who would each make one little frock, and give, moreover, a trlfl.3 of money. The idea caught on wonderfully, but what was the Empress's surprise when she received from each of the outside dames the richest specimen of frock imaginable of velvet and silk, and evidently made by the best firms, instead of a useful woollen article Buch as the originator had intended. Each of the donors received her coßtly gift back again with a message from the Empress to the effect that it was a misunderstanding, and for such articles the had no use.

■ . •It is said that very great affection exists between Princess Baatrice of SaxeCoburg and her brother, Prince Alfred, and that they write one another frequent and lengthy letters when parted, those of the lady (who is not yet 14) being especially remarkable for the wisdom and philosophy of their sentiments. " Princess Beatrice has more than once informed intimate friends of her desire to live always with her mother, to whom she is deeply attached.

• . ■ The last time that Queen Victoria danced at any State ball was in 1860, and since then she has never been present at any one of these entertainments at Buckingham Palace. It is a great mistake, however, to believe that she has never danced at all since thep, for at the tenants' and servants' balls, which until a few years back sbe was wont to give every autumn at Balmoral Castle daring her stay in the Highlands, she has often trodden a measure with one of her favourite attendants.

• . • The officers of the regiment of Hussars of the Guard at St. Petersburg gave their captain, the Grand Duke Sargius, a very severe lesson the other day. There exist?, it appears, a very strict rule among the crack regiments of the Guards of most European armies forbidding the officers to flirt with the wives or sweethearts of comrades in the same regiment. This rule was ruthlessly violated a short time ago by the Grand Duke in ,the case of Mdlle Dournavo, a very pretty girl, engaged to be married to Count Osten Sacken, one of his fellow-officers. Enamoured of her charms and captivated by her fascination of manner, the Grand Duke began to lavish all sorts of flattering attentions upon her, and, in vulgar parlance, to make love to her, which she, prompted by foolish vanity, reciprocated by commencing a flirtation with him. The Count laid the case before the officers, and, despite the Grand Duke's royal blood, ifc was unanimously decided to " send

him to Coventry." All intercourse with him, save that of an official character, was therefore completely severed, so much go that when he appeared at mess no one spoke to him or replied to his remarks. Much disgusted, and finding the situation Intolerable, the Prince complained to his father, who laid the matter before the Czar, asking at the same time that the officers should be dismissed. This the Czar would not hear of doing, and, being of opinion that his young cousin had only got what he richly deserved, transferred him to another regiment. The Count's marriage has been broken off, and Mdlle Dournavo, finding herself much talked of in St. Petersburg society, has sought refuge abroad.

' . * The Empress Elizabeth of Austria is without doubt the most unfortunate of living sovereigns. Fate has been systematically cruel to her, and has transformed her into a " wandering soul," driven from place to place without rest, without the slightest ray of happiness to brighten up the dark misfortunes in which she is plunged. Since the tragic death of her son, the Orown Prince Rudolf, she has sought rest and consolation by devoting herself to art. The magnificent palace of Achillion at Corfu, upon which she spent no less, than 30,000,000fr, was built under her personal superintendence; bat when the work was completed, and a masterpiece in architectural art achieved; the Empress took her departure, and nowadays only occasionally pays ja short .visit to her favourite residence. The palace of Achillion is built on a hill near the village of Gastouri, and facing it' at the bottom of the great park is another hill dotted with country residences and oil mills. The view from the palace being thereby considerably obstructed, the Empress proposed to buy up the hill, and thus get rid of her neighbours. ' The latter, however, either refused point blank to part with their family estates or else asked snch exorbitant prices as to nip- negotiations, in the bud. The Empress consequently determined ,to leave the neighbourhood herself, and hag since tried to sell the palace ; but as the latter stands in one of those estates which cost £50,000 a year to keep up it is still on her hand?, and years will probably elapse before a sufficiently wealthy Croesus will be found to purchase it. , • . • The Queen's first 'governess, Mademoiselle Lebzen, who was the daughter of a Hanoverian olergyman, was raised to the rank of a Hanoverian baroness, this title having been conferred upon her by George IV at the special request of Princess Sophia. Her Majesty, when quite a child, began to learn four European languages. Baroness Lsbzen remained as governess and ad lady-in-attendance till the Princess became Queen; and long afterwards, amidst the cares of State and . domestic duties, her royal pupil continued to write to her regularly. The baroness died in 1870, at the age of 87.

*.* A critical observer the other day, says a writer in an American contemporary; during an • hour's walk on one of New York's fashionable thoroughfares, devoted his attention to the women's hats. Embalmed, in these masterpieces of the milliner's art he counted half a hundred different species of birds, many of them our rarest and most beautiful songsters. That one brief observation was more than enough to explain the silence that is falling on our woodland gladf s. It made it a matter of .wonder, indeed, that the blue-bird, the oriole, the greenfinch, with | their fatal dower of beauty, have not already become extinct before the pitiless demands of fashion. But it is not only the song-birds that suffer. Many of the most beautiful and interesting water-fowl are being exterminated by the fair destroyer. Rocky hr adlands on our coast, once lively with the flicker of innumerable wings, are now deserted. WindiDg creeks and sedgy shallows that once echoed with bird calls now lie in a loneliness broken only by the plaintive whistle of a rare and frightened plover. It was found that almost every kind of bird could be made useful for feminine adornment, and forthwith every kind of bird acquired a market value. Men and boys and boats along the coast made money selling their feathered spoils at 10c a victim. The only permanent cure is to be found in so awakening public feeling that women will realise what it means to wear birds on their b&ts, and that men will show a frank disapproval of the unwomanly heartle3sness of the fashion.

• . • The Dake and Duchess of Bedford's Davonshire " cottage," Endsleigb, Tavistock, one of the most picturesque seats in England, cost £60,000, and has more than 60 miles of drives and grass rides within itß ring fence.

• . • The rage for toy bulldogs in London society continues unabated. Among those who have specimens are Lady de Grey, Lady Carnarvon, the Duchess of Sutherland, and Mrs Baillie of Docbfour.

• . • The Queen's dining room always presents a very bright and brisk aspect, for, in addition to the crowd of servants in their royal liveries, and some of her Majesty's Highland and Indian domestics, there are the head functionaries of the kitchen and the clerks of the cellar in their respective uniforms. ' The cleik of the kitchen, who is at the head of the cuisine department, receives £700 a year, with his boar.i and lodging, and he is provided with a staff of four assistant clerks and a female menial, who is officially known as the " necessary woman." The chef is aided by four master cook 3, two yeomen of the kitchen (one of whom is the confectioner), two bakers, two roasting cooks, two coffee women, and a perfect regiment of assistants, male and female of their kind — apprentice?, scourers, kitchenmaids, two steam apparatus workers, two " green office men," and a storekeet>er. • . • The Duchess of Devonshire,- one of the most conspicuous and accomplished of political hostesses, is an adept in the art of housekeeping. She exercises personal supervision over her large staff of servants, believing that there is nothing so advantageous to domestics as being in touch with a refined mißtress..

When the Queen of Madagascar was first exiled to the island of Reunion, she was inconsolable, and spent her time in " weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth." After a bit her ex-Majesty looked about for a more profitable pastime, and finally hit upon the notion that she might try to learn the art of knitting stockings. Her first endeavours were not crowned with success ; but in the end she produced a pair of socks which were duly forwarded to the Governor of the island.

History does not tell us whether the Governor inflicted the, ' socks on his own feet or presented them to a local museum. Anyway, the Queen knits socks and stockings of all kinds, sizes, and shapes for her own entourage, but not for herself, the reason being that she is not sufficiently expert to manufacture " royal hose."

* . * At, Marlborough House over 80 indoor servants are ejnployed, and until the two daughters of the Prince and Princess were married they, as well as their still unmarried sister Victoria, were allowed .the services of two footmen each te attend exclusively to their service, one man being always on duty and the other off. In addition to .these many indoor servants, there ara 50 men more employed at the Marlborough House stables.

* . ' A carious plan is adopted by the public schools of several continental citiei for the inculcation of economy. In Brussels the children are requested by their teachers to pick np on their way to school each Apparently useless articles as empty paint tubes', scraps of metal, tin cans, bits of tinfoil, &c. In eight months the following amounts were collected :— Tinfoil, 19251b ; old paint tubes, 2201b; bottle capsules. 44151b j scraps of metal, 12211b ;— total, 77811b. The whole of •this apparent rubbish was disposed of, and the proceeds were applied so as to blothe N £oO, poor children completely and send 90-invalids to hospitals and convalescent homes, *nd there still remained a considerable -balance, which was 'distributed among the sick poor of the city. . : l Dieting to Restore the Hair. The very first thing which. a clever specialist whom I know orders for tte hair when it is falling out is a strict diet. The relation of diet to hair has been tested scientifically, and much can be done by ifc. «fl?he natural inclination of hair after it falls oat is to come in again, and' with a little care ifc generally grows. A simple diet, easily digested, but at the same time nutritious, is ordered. Vegetables, and if the person is thin, rice and porridge, and" potatoes and . roast meats are necessary ; but indigestible fcfods and those which create acidity are strictly forbidden..- Too many sweets and ices and pastry are' all bad for the hair, for, naturally, bad health produces atrophy of the hair roots and seriously interferes with its growth. With perfect health generally oomes thick hair.* An excellent tonic can be made of equal parte of bay rum and ordinary petroleum oil. If the hair trouble comes from a parasite at the hair roots nothing can be found better than ordinary petroleum oil, which is death to all unnatural animal life. Here are two other excellent tonics given to me by a famous doctor in Paris — Dr Lutard — for the hair. The liquid vaseline and philocarpine I mcd all winter, and found it the very best 'thing. l have ever used. It brought ■ on an entirely new and (hick growth of hair, and though it is dear, the resale will be 4 worth the outlay, as several of my friends have used it with Bplendid success. / Hair ' Wash., Vaseline liquide- ... .1. '„. 7gr Philecarpine ";.. - Ogr 035 milligr Hair Wash. Tincture de quinquina rouge ' ... 30 grammes - Tincture de cantharididi 2gr Acide phenique ... ' 2gr ' Tincture de-.Strychnos Ogr 50 J£au de Cologne aa Q.5.P. ... > ... ' lzO grammes Enile de coco — Pomade. ' ' Essence de Kuscus £ grammes 80 ' Esprit de Vincoaceatro .' 2gr 80 Enile de Sibiue t ; " XV. gouth. Tincture d'ambre musque... ...' 9gr 15 Orange ... , ... 30gc middle Age Is Fashionable. One of the most remarkable features of the closing years of the nineteenth century is the circumstance that it is no longer desirable in society to be in the first flush of youth and beauty. Muslins and sweet ingenuousdess no longer charm the altered taste of the times. The queens of fashion and favour are women who have reached, if not passed, the borderland of middle age.

Toere is no more popular woman in sooiety than the Dowager Countess of Dadley, the charming grandmother of the three-year-old Viscount Ednam. Her blue eyes have a magnetism such as was never excelled in the days of her peerless yoath ; and the admiration she excites is the envy of the most fascinating of debutantes.

Mary, Countess of llcbeeter, the lovely daughter of the Earl of Dartrey, is another society queen who is idolised by hundreds of her subjects, although it is a quarter of a century since she was led to the altar.

The Duchess of Devonshire has a larger train of admirers at 60 than she could have hoped to have at 17.

Lady de Grey's tali, queenly figure and beautiful face are the centre of an admiring crowd wherever she goes. She is an arbitress of fashion, as well as an enslaver of hearts ; and yet this beautiful countess was a widow when she mairied Earl de Grey 12 years ago.

As the fashionable age for women is from 30 to 40 or 50, the fashionable age for men is from 3a upwards; and to excite much interest or attention in fashionable circles, a man must have left his salad days far behind him and have drunk deep of the cup of life. " "