LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2390, 21 December 1899, Page 56

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— The wedding gifts on the occasion of the ihamage- -of— Hr W. K:~ Tan'terbilt, jun., and Miss Virginia Tair were valued at 2,000,000d01, or about £400,000. The ■gigantic wealth of the Fairs the Vanderfcilts, the Oelrichs, the Astors, the Bhepards, and ail-t-heir relatives and friends iad been lavishly used to securß~t4ie~fii^t Wi»,morids and pearls obtainable, the cost boing no consideration. The gifts were so valuable that as received they were at once *ent to the vaults jof a trust company to be "by" the latest tliTngs in the way of fourglar-proof safes and patent -locks-.-- tlf £h« bride had attempted to carry all the ievrellery from one roo» i to another, she vould not haA'e accomplished the task, so ijreat was the Aveight o, silver, and The presents in !r.ded tAvo huge "fcclid eilver trays. On th; turf ace of the trajs, in relief, on an embossed ground, V«re old English paintings, religious in cfe»racter. The gift from the bridegroom's another was the finest diamond m-iere in )bh» ATorld, made up of very large stones. iThe easaalkst of the stones is as large as an almond. Mr Johon W. Mackay's gift- Avas *a diamond ornament to cover the whole 'iron* of Miss Fair's dress. One of the* most OMBaarkahle Avedding gifts on record Avas jfcb&t veoeived by the bride from her father, jt/ord Aeltton, on her marriage to the eldest eon of Lo7;d Peel, being can allowance of £30,000 a year. At the recent wedding of •Idird Bhaftesbury and Lady Constance 'feosvenor there was a record number of grweots, over 1000 altogether ; nearly 800 pt which were given to the bride and over 800 to the bridegroom. — Recent high Avinds in London resulted in the discovery of a neAv death-dealer — asxaelj, the hat pin. Five serious accident jfcases were treated in various hospitals in pae week, OAving to ladies' hats luwing jblewn off their Avearers' heads and, Avith h"t pins attached, careered into the eye of some unfortunate pa&ser-by. In two cases foe victims lost the sight, it is feared permanently. In. another case, a man had reBerrod an ugly scar in the cheek, which will »wk him for life ; -but this Avas caused by his getting a scratch from a hat pin in the £rowd at a theatre door. What with the Matinee hat and the deadly liat pin, a avornwi's hat is becoming such an intolerable fiuisance that sumptuary laws will need to b« made, abolishing it altogether, and re?iving the wimple or the hood, or some other antique but harmless mode. — It k a significant fact that legislation tkroughout the United States shoAvs a general tendency in favour of Avomen. At least 16 States during the past 12 months have enacted laws regarding property, businass enterprises, insurance, schools, marriage, jjivoroe, etc., all making conditions better for women. — Lady Juliette Lowthcr, the lovely daughter of a lovely mother, was said to be the wittiest as well as the prettiest detmte&te of last season. Lady de Grey, who wub for co long knoAvn to an admiring (World as Gladys, Lady Lonsdale, does not care to ccc very young girls brought for,trea\L and accordingly Lady Juliette was not Eeon by the great world till after she liad been presented. Even at the CreAve<3Prim*ose Avedding many people inquired as to wiio the tallest as Avell as the most bsautiful of Lady " Peggy's "' bridesmaids could be. Lady Juliette strongly recalls lier mother at the same age ; but she has more vivacity of expression, and her conversation is unusually clever and polished The niece of Lord Lonsdale on the one hand, and of Lord Pembroke on the other, (Liidy Juliette has a great love of outdooi lift and sport, joined to a keen interest in the intellectual side of ihings. L:tdy dc Q?cy, who looks scarcely older than hei jrtrang daughter, occupies a unique positior in eociety. She is exceedingly musical, anc both ehe and Lord de Grey have had ; deal to do Avith the astonishing rcceni iraccess of opera in 1-Kjndon. Lady de Grej jpends a portion of each year in Paris-, anc km is as popular in French as she is ii English society. Lord de Grey does noi share bis father Lord Ripon's interest ii politics. He is peihaps the keenest sports zn&n in the United Kingdom. —It is a touching and an eloquent lettc which Miss Florence Nightingale has Avrit ten from her sick chamber, at the age o 81, to the president of the Balaclava So ciety. Few men, as the veter.m philan tkropiist says, have seen more than she ha •ecn of the horrors of war ; and yet he lnnin surviving thought is of its glory am heroism — the heroism which turns common soldier, mere " food for poAV der," as pome have termed him, th " Tommy Atkins "' of the sketch-Avriter an occasional poet, into a man of true dignit and moral courage, ready to give his lif for his comrade, and to face instant deat •without hope of fame or reward. 'Hiafc i one of tie brighter sides nl Avai •EA-en bloodshed may be consecrated b ideals which raise the soul to its highest a 1 tamable level. —A " brilliant " story comes from Pari: and runs the glories of Arabian Niphts vcr hard. A young lady of noble family i determined, says a Paiis paper, to liaA-e gown of more splendour than tiny ev< kjiown, and is arranging its design Avith certain noted couluriere. KnoAving tlu added brilliancy is giA'en to the coinplexio by jcAvela, ehe has given orders for an ci eire costume to be made for her. and it

' to consist of practically nothing else but precious stones and precious metals. The pearls, diamonds, emeralds, and rubies are to be so set as to be in immediate contact with the wearer's skin ; and the skirt will ' be almost solid, the gold and silver being beaten so thinly as to be extremely pliable and light. The arms, hands, feet, neck, and shoulders are to be almost covered Avith I loops of pearls, strings of diamonds, rings, ' and bracelets, and the bodice Avill glitter Avith stars and crescents of precious stones, many of which have been purchased in the rough, and cut into the shapes necessary for the parts of the dress in which they are to be set. That this superb idea, adds the Paris scribe, will cost a fortune, goes Avithout saying. — From time immemorial poets luwe seized with avidity upon the convenient rhyme of " kiss" and "bliss,"' and have used their choicest raptures to tell the enchantment of an oscillatory caress. To the scientist, hoAvever, the matter appeals in a A-ery different light. To him a kiss is simply " a contraction of two obicularis oris muscles in juxtaposition," and as a corollary to the germ theories of dl-Kjase he adds that * : kbkd contact is a most effective method of spreading zzy infection that may !be lurking in the system.' 1 iieiUoal objections, seconded in some degiee by a blaso | world's tendency to discourage all forms of j emotional display have- -evoked a clioru-s of -objseiions__upon the rite~~oT "osculation. There is a great Tfeal- of- reason in the outcry. Indiscriminate kis§Lng_as it has been j practised, for instance," as -atr~ -ordinary ! form of greeting among women, is unnecessary, and often vulgar, according to the rules of good taste. It i.s certainly unhygie'iic, and a profanation of a caress that should be kept for the nearest and de;>rest. — Women have at last discovered that a ' waterproof may be at one and the tame • time a useful and becoming article of ' apparel. Time was, and that not so long ' aco. when only utility was considered esi sential ; now the day of the circular is ' oA-er, and a girl is expected to appear as neat and smart on a wet day as in dry • Aveather. The long cape in iteelf Avas a ! decided improvement in the way of Avater- ! proofs. Every year the Avaterproof coats are excelling those of the previous season. In Glasgow quite the nicest thing in coats is to be seen, being half-fitting and buttoned down the front AA'ith large, smooth pearl buttons. Two capes, one above the j other and reaching below the shoulders, are j finished with eight toavs of Avhite stitching and bound by a narrow white cord. The flap of the pocket on each side is treated in the same Avay, while a high roll collar at the neck completes a very desirable Avaterproof coat. The half-length or jacket waterproofs of last winter are again to the fore, but they are not quite so satisfactory, for they provide no sort of protection against rain for the lower part of the skirt, j —Home exchange. — During one of my brief holidays I saw tAvo very pleasing sights. One was a pretty girl presiding deftly and swiftly over the bookstall in one of the railway stations, and the other was the appearance of some 20 women clerks; — many of them spectacled, j but all, I think, young— in the cashier's and j advertisement offices of the Scotsman. j People have told me that I do not advoI cate AA'ith sufficient warmth the employment of women in, say, such duties as have usually been performed by men. Take, for instance, the counter work ( of a big post office. I haA'e often observed thai Avomen occupying such a position are somewhat dictatorial, and given to making unfair distinctions between- the men and the women Avho require their tervioes. But in the cases I have mentioned no complaint of the kind could be made. The lady clerks at the Scotsman offices Avent as systematically and quietly through their work as their masculine colleagues, and were eminently impartial in their treatment of people. As ' for the pretty girl at the bookstall, I approached her Avith some deference, especially as some of the golden youth of Edin- ' i burgh Avere lingering round t»he stall, and ; taking an unconscionable time to choose " their journals. But she attended to us all ! in our turn, and Avas, if anything, kinder ' | to her lady customers than to the gentle- ' i men. I remember once reading an account 5 i of a lady Avho kept »the bookstall at the 5 ) old Pre.ston station. She was a typical i Lancashire lass, Avith more than her fair ! share of good looks and mother-A\ it-, was , a favourite Avith all classes, and Avas> re1 ' fcpected as much as the A\as> liked. Men of L " eminence like Archbishop Tait, Lord Brou;;1 . hum, Charles Dickens, and Sir James CJra2 ' ham enjoyed a chat Avith Miss Lnmbe-rt; L ' ' aiid Dickens mentions her in one of his let- } ters to Mr W. H. Wills.— " Kathleen," in Leeds Mercury. I — The absence of the voil is a noticable fc feature of the summer girl's appearance. | It is seen only on rare oriusiom, usually ■* ' tied about the straAV hat and left to float, II i with no particular face value. The A'eil at " j its be<t is rather a concealment than a n | protection, and the athletic girl, avlio is at '' j present the Delphian oracle of fashion, has ; Avir-ely relegated it to its pivper sphere. r | She is proud of her tin and freckles, ac- " ' quired at considerable time and expense. Why '* I conceal tl'em? The injury the veil has. '* j undoubtedly wrought to the eyesight, it» l " • heat and general discomfort, have added LS to itu disfavour, and it is the exceptional !! j rather than tlie aA'or'.ge woman who is seen " noAv with covered faco. A famous oculist a once f-aid that every dot on a Avoman's veil r ~ meant a lOdol bill in lih pocket. But ie from present indications the oculist's bunk : " 1 account mutt suffer severely. — The Crite■Y , riou. ' c i — The Queen of Italy is still a Aery hendh ' some woman, and certaialy most sympithe's tic in manner and s-peeeh. But she is grow- '"• I ing too heavy. Her Majesty i&, indeed, •y ( heimer than any other Queen in Europe, t- j her Aveight being' 1761b, whereas Queen Vie- ! toria does not weigh more than 1711b. s > ', Next in weight comes the Queen of Spain, T ! who weighs 1471b, and then the Queen is of Belgium, who weighs 1431b. The Queen a of Portugal is only 1231b ; nnd the Empress dl ' of Russia does not Avcigli more than 12Qlb. a The murdered Empress of Austria was under at 1001b. 111 — The Queen's affection foi her immediate: n- family s«ems to increase with her year 6, and is she it not happy unless sereral of her rela-

tions surround her. Her Majesty pays special attention to the Duchess of York, and her Royal Highness and her children are objects cf great ' affection to her. Little Prince Edward of York " rules the roost " whenever he stays with his illustrious great grandmother, and his word has more influence Avith her than the suggestion of emperors. The young Prince is already much of a diplomatist. He always runs to open the door for her Majesty, and is the first to fetch her footstool.

— A simple couple, an Englishman and his wife, had driven out to one of the more famous suburbs of Stockholm, and had been particularly struck with the beauty of a villa they noticed perched among the '.vocdy. HaA ring learnt in their sojourn in Sweden that ..tea-houses generally occupy the ooign of vantage in resorts of this kind, the tourists ventured to accost a gentleman they saw Avalking in the garden. Invited to see the view from the house, the three fell into conversation, and were presently joined by a A"cry charming lady on fie balcony. Erfresr-ments were offered and accepted, and the hostess, in doing tho homnirs of the tea-table, bfgar. to speak of her loA-e of England, and of the beauty of Keswick, in the Lake Country. " A very distinguished countryman of yours crocs every year to JSLcswick." faid i.o J'-'S-lishni»a — " I mean the Crown Prince of Swe- : den." "Xes. 1 ' sakl the lr*dy, "that is how we know the Lake district so well. We go to Ke«Avick for the Church Conference." " But -i vTas speaking of the Crown PrincCjll~xe— ; pealed the hey-aUldwl -*;L=ii-n». — -'~06 \n;s I," tai<! the hostess with a smile; "my husband ia-tLe Crown Prince of Sweden."

— There is no more complete finish to dress than a good glove, one in harmony with the rest of the costume and perfect in tit. To have gloves made to order is an absurdity which few are acidified to, for gkne-moking has reached 6uch a point that \igly and mioshapon indeotl must l>e the hand which cannot lx> fitted from the stock of any first-class dealer. A glove should be fully long enough to come over the wrist, and should haA-e four or more fastenings, oi the hand will look short and thick.

— The Royal Bavarian Academy of Science has made t'le Princess Theresa of Bavar-a one of its member?. The Princess. Aviio is nearly 50 years of oge and the only daughter of the Prince Regent of Bavaria, has travelled extensively through Europe. Siberia, and parts of Africa and Brazil, and has ju'-t returned from a scientific tour through South America. Her Avorks ou travel (written under the nora-de-guerre of Th. v. Bayern) are standard Avorks, and hei- various journeys are taken entirely from a standpoint of pure science. — An ingenious method of advertising Avas adopted not long since by a Avoman engaged in business. She sent out her circulars addressed to likely people, sealed up in envelopes, but bearing only halfpenny stamps, the recipients in most ca=es paying the excess postage. Next day Avould arrive a letter expressing great regret for the mistake and a hope that the happening would not establish prejudice against the Avriter, Avho would be most pleased at any time to call personally, etc., etc. Tho lady's politeness Ava-s appreciated, and additional cuEtomers were enrolled.

— The Empress Dowager of Ohina is by birth a Tartar. The fact is worth noting. Tartars do not mutilate their daughters' feet. The girl has f -co use of her--. At the age of 11 sho Avas f d to a mandarin. Little T'si An made good use of her opportunitie?. What she did liofc > .'iw slie gu<w«ed, and Avhat she could not g,r s she learned. She learned to dance ; she .earned to road ; she learned more difficult thing's, too — how tv arrange a basket of fr.m, how to tone 1 .! flowers, how to smile, and io.v to hold her tongue. Astonished at the irodigv, t'lc mandarin s-eat her as a curiosity to his sovereign at Pekin. One day the Son of Heaven noticed her. The slaA'e became a favourite, and subsequently a secondary A\ifc. There, one might suppose

that, had she ambitions, they Avould have rested, but, as a matter of fact, it was there they began, and have beeii increasing eA'er since.