LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2292, 3 February 1898, Page 43

LADIES' GOSSIP.

1 . ■ Tns widuws of India promise io be among the pioneers of social reform in the Eastern Empire of the Queen, many of them having already adapted the spirited domestic policy of the West in favour of a second husband. The members of the Kayasth community have Mfcherco sternly clung to Mahommedan prejudicas upon the subject, but a pretty widow belonging to this ctste — a woman of only 21 — recently put aside her mourning garments and accepted the hand and heart of a successor to her iormer lord and master. The marriage, which caused a considerable stir in native circles, was celebrated in B .'lnbay, a large number o£ social reformers belorg'mg to that city, including Judge Ranadt, being present at the ceremony. No di&turbanca took place to mar the harmony of the festive gathering, though fears were entertained thit fanaticism would avail itself of ths opportunity to indulge in a pyrotechnical display of Z3al and wild and insensate folly. India is now within measurable distance of the period when the Tony Wellers of the country will be warning their sons to " bevars of vidders."

•," The most costly fan in the woild is owned by an American girl — the betrothal gift of her fiance, a well-known millionaire's son. It ia an ivory fan set with diamonds and ornamented with eight miniatures of celebrated pictures, the value being estimated at several thousand pounds.

• . • A story is in circulation, at the Court of The Hague concerning the young Queen of Holland which shows that »he fully shares

the prom fenced aversion of her subjects fo£ German} * an <2 i Q every particular prefers tha French. '''£*> seems that on the lasfc occasion when shei m . efc Emperor William she insisted on respon^'' D £ * n French to the remarks which he stressed to her in German, and on his asking he^- SQ e did not speak German sho tartly"*- replied that it was merely because she " pre\ f .? rred French." That she has a ready tongue %°f ber own is demonstrated by the fact thaE\the first time she met the Prince of Wales sb9\informed him that he was the only amiable "Englishman that she had yet met.

■ . • In some parts of Sicily vhe birth of & girl is looked upon as such a mtjsfortune that a black flag is hung out of the \window to proclaim the sad event. Having to"*«be supported by the family as long as they stye unmarried, and being obliged to dower" \the bridegroom, they are looked upon as expensive luxuries. Boys, on the other hand, ar6 very soon self- supporting, and when the time comes for marrying, increase the family wealth by bringing home a bride and herr dot. The giils live in seclusion, are most kindly treated, and at the age of 14 or 16 they are disposed of in marriage on a purely financial basis.

• . • It is a lamentable fact in connection with the education of our boys and girls that they are not all taught to swim Britannia rules the waves, and surely her sons, at-least, should be able to swim through them. Yet we hear that the majority even of those en« gaged in seamanship are unable to swim. We hope now that swimming baths are being built in so many parts of London, as well as other large towns, thus giving increased opportunities for the learning and practice of this healthy and most necessary exc?rcise, that at no distant date swimming will form part of the education' of every British lad. Eton sets other schools a good example in this respect, for as no boy is allowed to join in any aquatic sport without first learnicg to swim — and as it is tha ambition of almost all of them to join the sports — there are very few among them who are not expert swimmers. — Home Chat.

• . • M. Jacques Dainala, tha husband of Madame Bernhardt, who died in 1889, was a great favourite with the theatre-going public. He was a G-ceek, bad served in cho Greek army and diplomatic servic.*, but relinquished a verj promising career to go on the stage. The dreaaa of his life was to set foot wifch his famous wife oh the boards of tti3 Comedia Frangdse ; but he died ere this was accomplished] M. Danaala's end wa3 no doubt considerably hasieG-ad by ths eff-icts of the large dosas of morphia nun. cociißC which ktt w£>3 in the habit of taking, ia spice of all that Madame Sarah Bsrnhardt could do to indues him to desist from such deadly indulgence.

• . • The. latent event on a bicycling gymkhana programme is a bill-sticking contest. A lady and gentleman enter the lists together. The latter carries pastepofc and brosb, and as she rides, aloflg ths l&iy ranst stick a bill as well as carry the poster. Lacy Adela Gochrane and Mr Vereker recently took first prizas in such a competition.

• . ■ The latest information from the new gold fields tells of a number of ladies temporarily residing in towns on ths Pacific slope, and known as "Klondyke widows." Their husbands, however, ara not dead, but are simply away gold-seeking, and these " widows " are vety popular on account g£ the prospective fortunes tint may oae day be theirs.

• . • The era-He presented by the Qaeeu to the Dake of York's baby was made for the Princess Royal in ] 810, and all the Que?n'a babies slept in it. Th" shsstf. arc- 01 fine Irish linej, edged with Val^oiiar-css fooe, rtnd tha blankets are of the warmest nan ligh*e,it Spanish woo].

• . ■ Tattooing is coming to fLsj fr-wt again in Paris, which means that womeo are lakiagf it up, since mere man would fisd it difficult to set a fashion of that kiad. Indian ink figures are no*?? called " fc&fctaugrashp," and aye d^na in mo.ny colour.'. Otis great tettooisfc has Ki'idfi them atu art lv erder to ±orm an idea of his skill one must hays seen one of his gpidor's v/ebs on a white shoulder or ons of bis dragons, which s.tn simply beyoad description.

• . • The husband of Madame New-file;, was Mr Gawur, famous for invsallof-s in 00n2.eet'oii with the *"eieph.one. Goir.g up In a balloon that gentleman wa3 never ss?n at hoard of ogaio. By the Jaw of France, the wife conld not touch her husband's proper! y for a period of seven years ; and that time did Madame Nordica have to wait ere she ca«:e into ber fortune.

■ . ■ Queen Margherita, o£ Italy, wio delights in ai! outdoor exercises JUul is an ardent cyclic, is also devoted to alpine climbfng. Every year she visits U-rsss'juy £01* the purpose of mountaineering in that district dear to the hearts of alpine climbers. Qiite recently her Majesty ascended a mountain to a distance of no lees than 12,000f:. When the royal party reached this height they were overtaken by a snowstorm and were glad to take refuge in a hut belonging to the Ampins Club, which, in honour of the viai*-. has been named the " Begins Mrvgherifca."

■ . • An inquirer in Utah saya that pilygausy is still practised by soma of the M^nrocm-;. A Mormon lady explained that, as man w.\s " mauy-sidecl " and women "onesided," i;o needed a separate wife for "every mcou." Whsn he wanted ie3t he sought the restfal wife ; when he was playfnl he yearned fo? tho wife who sang and danced. La a wellmanaged household, no doubt, tho husband would have a row of electric but toaa in bis study, and when he felb a particular mooi? coming on he would press a button which would flash a message to one of the wives, as thus : "Jane and tambourine,'' or "Margaret and quiet conversation," or >f Eleanor, anc? where in Jeiusalom are my shirts? "

• . • Priacess Beatrice went up to Y/irite Lodge in November to personally convey hot own and her august mamma's condolences to the Duke of Teck and the Duchess ot York, Her Royal Highness looks comely and youthful in her wreds, which are made fashioaably and in a style that suite her face. And when the crape bonnet and ve.il are taken off it can be seen that her pretty brown hair is as plentiful as ever, and is dressetl most becomingly in the Pompadour mode, with a fringe on the forehead. The widow's' cap comes forward in flat folds, ending ia] a point jast above this fringe, and baa air Alsatian bow with double loops caught bacift