LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2369, 27 July 1899, Page 52

LADIES' GOSSIP.

•-The Duchess of Portland was, in the opinion of many, the loveliest woman at "the State ball atßuckingham Palace. Every eye, it is said, followed her as she moved through the quadrilles with the Duke of Connaught. Her dress was a cloud of chiffon, trimmed with tea roses over white satin, and her famous rivieres of diamonds jwere thrown back, and hung from her shoulders almost to her waist behind.

— The first reason why rich Americans leave home to live in England is because social conditions there are fixed and reliable, and because rich and poor alike do ias they please there with a degree of liSberty that is unknown anywhere else on the globe. • It is simply a fact that must •be thrown into the balance with the rest of '*h<» conditions — this amazing freedom, this tabsence of a prying press with its defilement of men's homes and lives, this making the home a castle, and enclosing every •garden with a high stone wall. It makes fei grand contribution to comfort certainly, fcut quite as important a factor in the conientment of the masses. — Julian Ralph, in •Harper's.

— A Continental city was the scene of tin odd elopment recently. Late one night the lover and his friends made a raid on ibhe home of his affianced, who was waiting muffled for their advent, and hastily placsng her in a carriage they drove away. 'Arrived at his home the bold lover, in order to press a loving salute ta her lips, raised her veil. Then he saw, not his ryoung peasant -lady love, but instead his mother-in-law. She had got jwind of the trick, forced her daughter to schange rooms with her, attired herself in fcer daughter's clothes, and played the part out.

— A short time ago particulars of the jgreat demand for carnations in New York and the astounding -prices paid for the new JLawson pinks were given on this page. The worship of the Lawson pink has now reached England, and only a few days iago the Campania arrived with a large consignment of the flowers for London. Prices ibave come down somewhat, and now average about £1 a dozen for the pinks. It may be remembered that Mr Lawson issued a challenge of £1000 to anyone who could produce a pink equal to the one that bears mis wife's name. A well known florist, JMr C. W. Ward, of Long Island, accepted jthe challenge, and grew what is considered foy many capable judges to be as fine a pample as that of the Lawson. The challenger, however, has not paid up, and it is feaid that litigation will ensue.

—As it (has been asserted without contradiction, by those who profess to know, fchat Lord Rosebery has brought up his children as strict Presbyterians, it may be Stated here that, when at Epsom, ail the members of the family attend Divine service at Christ Church, Epsom Downs, for the 'incumbent of which, Canon Hunter, Lord ERosebery feels sincere respect and admiration. It will be remembered that on the Sunday after Lord Rosebery was made {Prime Minister, Canon Hunter offered a 'pecial prayer on his behalf.

— Paris, which sets the fashion, is dis(Mnctly inclined to yet more closely fitting Ckirts.

— A very remarkable woman has just died 3n Florence — the Princess Francesca RosJpigliosi. She was born in 1827, and was fthe daughter -of the Due de Cadore by his wife the Marquise de Lagrange. For many years the salon of the Princess — who for nearly half a century lived in Rome, in that splendid palace in the Piazza Nayina which contains Guido's famous Aurora — was the most brilliant, not only in the Eternal City but in all Italy. In her early years sh» was known as Duchess di Zagarolo — her husband, who died in 1879, aiot having as yet come into his princely title. She was not only very beautifiil and witty, but exceedingly charitable and deservedly popular. She had known every jonan and woman of note of her time, and fcer correspondence must be of great value and interest. Of late the Princess Rospigliosi has lived very quietly in Florence Snel Siena. Her castle and domain of Zagarolo is famous as the scene of the murder of Francesco Cenci. — London Letter. —An Albanian woman expects to be beaten unless she behaves well, this being the prerogative of the husbands in that country. When an Albanian marries he is bound tc provide his wife with food, clothes and a home in keeping with his station and means, and cannot require her to earn money for herself or him by her labour. Divorce is quite common. Excessive corpulence on the part of the husband is considered sufficient excuse for the wife to obtain i divorce.

— Prince Alexander of Teck, who is the latest fiance assigned by rumour to the 3roung Queen of Holland, is the third son of the Duke of Teck and the late Princess Mary, and is in his twenty-fifth year. — When quite a little child, the Princess Victoria, the present Queen of England, went with her mother to visit Queen Adelaide. The Duchess of Kent, Princess Victoria's mother, wa: obliged to leave her little iauditer alone with Queen Adelaide

for some time, and the latter, to make the young Princess feel at home, said : " Now, my dear, you have an hour to spend with me, and you shall do exactly as you like." "Exactly as I like?" echoed Princess Victoria, doubtfully. "Yes," replied Queen Adelaide, little imagining what was to follow. " Then, dear Auntie Adelaide," the child said, wistfully, "may I clean the windows?" Queen Adelaide was rather startled at first, but the future Queen of England had her way, setting to work with sleeves carefully rolled up and an apron tied round her waist.

— The following is a description of a " whiti breakfast " — that is to say, a breakfast the menu of which is made up of white food only — given at a house party gathered to enjoy the Easter festival: — A dainty maid all in white, with the cap and apron insignia of her calling, announced breakfast served. Upon the roomy window seats flooded by spring white sunlight are banked ferns and lilies. The room is light and cheerful, with opal-tinted walls and white enamelled woodwork and artistic mahogany furniture. The round table, covered with snowy linen, and decked with old silver, has as a centre-piece a beautiful rockcrystal rase containing a few choice lilies. Watercress and white radishes are laid as relishes at each place. Temptingly cooled with crushed ice and maraschino, grapes with, outer skins removed is the" first course It is followed by snowy whit- hominy, hot and flaky, served with yellow cream. Sweetbread bechamel follows, served with mushrooms a la creme, creamed potatoes garnished with parsley, and rice muffins. A cup of French coffee, almost concealed by a light cap of whipped cream, concludes +he menu.

— "Dilly-dally until 30" is tiie watchword of a- club of " Bacheloi Girls " in Michigan. The members pledge themselves not to wed or ever, entertain proposals to marry till three decadea have passed over theh heads.

— A certain class of people are yeiy fond oi stating that patriotism is dead, of declaring that we Scottish people are losing our national characteristics of dress and accent, and that we are becoming indifferent to. even half-ashamed of, such peculiarities. It may be so ; men may be ceasing to don the kilt, and recite Scottist poetry but such assertions dare not be made about the women of the country. For are not our besc Buchanan street warehouses showing dozens of stockings made of the different tartans, which have proved themselves, and are proving themselves, desirable tc the fashionable women of the town. These tartan stockings are in design calculated to please all, the different clans are represented, and now a girl has her hose, if she be patriotically attired, tc match her belt, tie, oi hatband. They are moderately priced, and a couple of pairs of such stockings would be undoubtedly suitable for golfing and similar pastimes in the summer and autumn.

—An American woman, Dr M'Gee, has received a commission as acting assistantsurgeon in Uncle Sam'i. army. Her appointment is not permanent, but will be re newed as opportunity for the employment ol her services occurs. She holds the rank and enjoys the pay of a second lieutenant, wears a neat uniform with a skirt, and has regular quarters provided for her.

— " The generality of Frenchwomen have small and pretty hands, of which they are vastly proud, and of which they take great care, devoting both time and attention to their nails, which they trim in a way peculiarly their own — to a sharp pomt — which is toe suggestive of a claw to be attractive. Ideal nails, to my fancy, are those of an oval shape, with the ' half -moon ' at the base fully developed. Except for this 'half -moon,' which should be an almost lilac tint, the nails should be pink in colour They should be trimmed to correspond with the form of the tips of the fingers, neither too pointed nor too square. The white edge of the nail should only be long enough to show a slight edge beyond the pink portion. The surface of the nails should be smooth, and to a certain extent polished. The scarfskin, which borders the nail all round, and which, unless carefully watched, is apt to push forward with the nail and half cover it ; should be gently forced back with the towel. Twice a week will be sufficient for the thorough manicuring of the finger tips if the nails are frequently brushed when the hands are washed."

— - ■ A Paris photograpner ha* introduced- a novel style of taking photographs, "which he calls "mummy photography." The subject is swathed in mummy cerements, put into a genuine sarcophagus imported from Cairo, and pictured in an upright position. A smiling, living face looking nut from embroidered grave-clothes gives an odd effect. No French actress's salon is complete without a counterfeit presentment her own mummy.

— A pretty story is oeing fcqld about Lord Oewe's proposal to his bride. He had always beer, very fond of her as a child, and liking had grown to love. Before he mode any overtures tt her or to Lord Roscbcry he asked his own daughter. Lady Annabel Crewe-Milnes, if ;he would like a stepmother. The answer cairn promptly : "There's only one in the worlu I Avoiild like, and that is Peggy Primrose." Lord Crewe meditated thereon, with the result that all the world knows.

— The Princess- of Wales takes a special interest in medical work as a field for woman's enterprise.

— One often sees comments in the papers referring to the fins physique with which British girls ire now blest. This condition is attributed to the healthier life they lead m consequence of die open-air exercise in which they indulge. But, so far, nothing has been said about men. Perhapi they imagine they were siway- ac big ai they are now. It is interesting, therefore, to turn to th. weights of the crews in the University boat race, the figures of which reveal the fact that much heavier men now row for the University than was the ca&e in former years. — Truth

— Lady Hopetoun. wife of the Lord Chamberlain, is one of the cleverest of a galaxy of female Niinrods, which includes Lady Sandhurst, Lady Beaumont, and the Duchess of Bedford, and she can bring down anything, from a partridge tjt <t stag, aj»

skilfully as can most men. In Australia sly used to practice regularly at the -riflerange, and her score of " bulls "' was the envy of mere men shooters. Deer stalking is her favourite relaxation, and many a fine buck has fallen to hei gun. — During May last the Countess of Warwick, in accordance with an arrangement she has made, was serving behind the countei at lier now famous shop in Xe-w Bond street, London. The shop was thronged untiJ closing time with persons anxious to see the Countess acting as shop assistant. — Lady Sybil Primrose, Lord Bosebery's elder daughter, will ■shortly, it is rumoured, follow the example ot her' sister, the Countess of Crewe. The prospective husband is said to be an English peer, who is distantly related to Lady Sybil. * — The Queen of the Belgians, wno is now, happily, quickly^reeovering, is one of the most interesting of the Queen's of Europe. She is a woman of great versatility, and as a horsewoman she has no rival now that tht Empress of Austria is dead. One of her favourite amusements is to organise equestrian entertainments, to which only intimate friends are admitted. She is also a successful artist, but it is for her womanly instincts that she is adored by "her subjects, whe remember the devotion with which she nursed her father-in-law during his long illness ; the heroic fortitude she displayed at the death of her only son, and her sisterly tenderness toward the Empress Maximilian, whose life she once saved at the risk of her own. Married at the age of 17, Queen Marie Henriette knew nothing of life. She was a daughter of Archduke Joseph of Austria and lived at her father's castle at Pesth, where the manners and customs of the past still prevailed almost in their integrity. At midnight it was the. Archduke, himselt who descended Aie grand staircase to lock in person the outer gate of his dwelling and the principal hall. "This hall, with its raftered roof, was divided into twt portions, the one raised a step or two above the other. On the higher floor sat the daughters of the house, quite a: busily engaged in needlework and embroidery as their ladies and waiting-maids below. They always went out unattended to do, then shopping and to purchase the birthday, Christmas, and other gifts which were lavishly bestowed on the servants. It was under this primitive and almost democratic, system of practical education that Queen Marie Henriette learned to ride, draw, paint, and play the harp.