OVER THE TEACUPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 51

OVER THE TEACUPS.

Dear Readers, — So many of you com*' plain of the difficulty of washing your heads without taking cold that we will discuss thab question first of all. I think one very frequent cause is washing the hair too late in the evening and going to bed before it is properly dry. An excellent plan is to rub a little Eau de Cologne or lavender water into the scalp after the hair is dried. If scent is disliked whisky will do equally well, since it is the warmth of the spirit which prevents that chill which culminates in a cold. And while we speak of chills, it really is worth remembering that there is no batter remedy' for chills in the family medicine chest than spirits of camphor — five drops on a Jump, of sugar ; repeat the dose at intervals until the feeling of shivering and chill wears off. Bed is always the best place for persons who think they have taken" a chill— not the too customary variation of the remedy contained in " retiring early," but straight off to bed when the feeliDg of chill first makes itself fait. Many a severe cold might bs avoided in this way. ! And now about our complexions, which still show traces of the summer holidays. | We'l, many people just now are enthusiastic I over the merits of lanoline. Some English ladies whom I recently met- had most lovely complexions — " rose softly blooming " ineffect, and frankly and delightfully innocent in rouge, cream, or powder. They told ma that the only cosmetic they used was lanoline rubbed into the face, neck, and hands three times a day. Certainly they were almost as closely veiled as Eastern women when they boated, cycled, or rode. But I give you the formula for what it is worth. And while on the subject of our own little vanities, it is amusing to notice the dimensions which masculine vanity may assume. " The German Emperor's wardrobe is valued at £100,000 . . twelve valets devote their entire attention to its care." Apropos of fashions, I hope you have no prejudice anenfc the Russian blouse in its various forms and variations, for there is no doubt it is going to be very fashionable this winter, and will be a roost welcome relief to the all-pervading coal; and skirt, with which, indeed, since the autumn sales with their '* lines ". of ready -made costumes, *-' familiarity has bred contempt.-" In all degrees of misfitting coat with forlornly- limp and sagging skirt we watch the ready-made tailor costume pervading the trams and pavements.- ■ But concerning the Russian blouse, some < of - the models made in' cloth with high roll collar opening over a bright vest, are wonderfully stylish for tall, slender figures, while a lower collar and fullar fileevea — more in the real moujik style — render* the Russian blouses extremely becomicg to very young girls whoara tall and have slender, unformed figures. Very bright effects for our winter gowns may be effectively introduced by taking advantage of the craze for tartan; but it is one of those fashions which will oe ludicrous in its abuse. After reading something of the heartrending conditions under which the bead and sequin trimming, recently so extremely fashionable, is made, I shall never be abl« to admire it again. It is all made by women and children, and is paid for at the rate of [ jive farthings for 20yds 1 According to Frank Hird, who hss been contribating a series of articles on cnild labour entitled "The Cry of the Children " to the Ludgate Maga- ; zinc, we women have a heavy indictment to answer in this one paragraph alone : " The craza for 'bargains' which is the chief characteristic of all feminine shopping, has been responsible tor more misery, longer hours, of work, and the conutanb and steady fall of wages, than any of the economic reasons so glibly advanced to account for the increasing poverty amongst the large class that supplies the shops and warehouses devoted to the sale of objects of feminine adornment." ' ' - Mr Hird's articles on woman and child labour, its conditions and surroundings, have been most interesting, and alas I as sad ar interesting. I cannot help thinking that thej most do good. Sach an array of terribh facts cannot surely pass unheeded, bat; -whatever form the good may take, it will not be that of inducing women to cease bargain huntiDg ! Women and girls will still cove; their hats with hideous cheap flowers so lodj as the fashion continue?, even though the] know that ' the.se flowers are made By half, starved women and little children, living it sordid, miserable homes, and paid at the piti ful rate of 3d per großs (20 dozen) for violets; 19 per gross for cornflower?, and the magnificent cum of 2,6 6d per gross for roses I Mr Hird tells a pathetic story of one oi these poor little cbild-workers who waa taken for a short holiday into the country. For two years the child had been " helping her mother to supply a large warehouse with countless gross of roses," but her only knowledge of flowers so far, though she was 10 years old, was of the wretched calico travesties which she had helped tv make all her dreary little working life. The awe and delight with which she s&vf real flowers, including countless roses ( blooming in the cottage garden was only equalled by the despair of ever being able to imitate them. "I shan't ever be able to make roses like these 'ere. We ain't got no time to stick 'em together like this." And then in an awed, anxious whisper: "Do you think as Gawd's riled with us for making them there roses so bad 1 " Do not facts like these take the joy out of even the most gorgeous bargains in cheap flowers, my sisters 1 Still on the subject of flowers— bat tha real ones that we love this time— l see that violets and UHes of the vsdlsy are • special favourites o£ our beloved Princssa of -Wales, aad. over £OQ£t of: f r».raes are ftllad entirely

with violets for her pleasure. Ons of the Bweet-scented daphnes is also a great favourite with the Princess. There is no end to the curious methods of making money which our high-pressure j civilisation developes. For example, »n American firm which makes canoed soups j was recently requested to quote "wish- ] bones" in lots of 1000. The inquiry re- I vealed to the firm a new source of income, j and the " wishbones," which hitherto have i gone with the skeletons of the fowls to be ground up for fertilising purpose?, now^bid fair to acquire a fancy value for " decorative And sentimental purposes." The latest journals tell us of a perfect Braze for wearing jewellery in Paris just now >—in fact, the whole figure seems merely, a itand for the display of jewels — and their wunterfeifs. Dog collar necklets, jewelled Vaist ceinturep, diamond buttons to fasten the back of the bodice, ropee of pearls to draw the apology for a sleeve still higher up the arm, and jewelled clasps to attach the floral garnitures of the train. How many of the jewels are genuine 7 and does counterfeit jewellery, like cheap j flowers and sham embroidery, mean want, , tnisery, and , starvation for the wretched ! workers ?- 'I have tried over a great pile of ! new songs and music for you, with some- | what meagre rssn^s. However, you will, 1 ) Bm sure, likethe following: — "A May-more- \ Ing," words by Frederic Weafcherly, music by , Oenza; "Out on the deep blue sea," words j by Clifton Bingaam, music by W. H. Jude; ] '" Cradle song," words by A. de Chatilloc, j music by Benjamin Godard ; "The voice of the Father," words by Clifton Bingham, music by Frederic Cowen. j I see that the third volume of " The Story of the Empire " is to be written by Miss { Flora Shaw, and as it will comprise a succinct history of Australasia the amount of success achieved will be of interest to us. The word " Empire " reminds me to commend to your reading a very clever and charming book recently read, "The Growth of the Empire,', by Arthur H. Jose. It is so brief, bo brilliant and so well writteD, that even those i among you who eschew " heavy " reading j would be fascinated by the charm of the writing. When next we meet the festivities of the Otago Jubilee will be a thing of the past— j but the time will be, I hope, a delightful one | for all of you who are able to join the army j of pleasure-seekers whom we expect to fill ] ourpleasure programme, — Youi sincere friend, Emmeline.