LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 55

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— Hairdressing has become nowadays such an important feature in ladies' toilets, and the new fashion regimes such a quantity of hair, that the oW art of wig-making is being revived. Most English ladies are gifted with a sufficient quantity of hair to complete with success the new puffy coiffure ; but the Parisiennes. have to call to their aid the artist in artificial hair, and to-day tile ghost of an elegante of the Grand Roi's time could enter any hairdresser's shop in the Avenue de l'Opera and find all she was accustomed to wear afe Court ceremonies. It is not an exaggeration to speak of the coiffeurs as artists, for nothing is more delicate and difficult than the handling of human hair, and wig-mak-ing was always considered as quite above the other crafts. — Dress amongst smart women costs more than double or treble the amount our grandfathers were called on to lay out, says M.ArP. The clever woman who has to make a big show on small means often has recourse to minor shops, whilst sometimes the deft fingers of the maid, whom she takes with her to pick up the latest modes, turn out the smartest creations. Many quite smart women' are driven to selling gowns which they have been seen in a few times, and ofttimes purchase in exchange toilets which, like their own, are not absolutely new, though no one but the wearer could recognise that the first frehsne^.s is off. There is a most successful private emporium in a fashionable quarter where, for a third or quarter of the original price, you can purchase gowns from Worth, Doucet, Felix, Fenwick, Jay, Redfern. The names of the famous makers are still marked on the waistband, but the gowns _ have been worn, say, from three to a dozen times, and so they are ranked as secondhand. The proprietress his her regular customers, knows their measures and styles, and keeps all the cast-oil's of certain society dames tor particular clients., who have just the same figtue. She confesses that in the first few years she made, a satisfactory forlune out of her business. — No living woman can compete with Miss Bristow as the best woman mountaineer. She was the rirst to climb the Matterhorn by the ordinary route and descend by the Zmutt Ridge — a feat which the earlier mountaineers considered impossible. Not long afterwards she ascended the Grepon Aiguille with Mr Mummery." To this should be added Mrs Bullock-Work-man, who has lately broken the record m the Himalayas by climbing Mount Koser Gunge, of the Shigar Valle3 r , to a height of 20,000 ft, 5000 ft higher than any other woman has ever been. The following are well-known lady mountaineers : Miss Coote, who achieved a great thing in climbing to the top of the Wetterhorn ; Mrs Jackson, who found a new route up the Dent Blanche ; Mrs Main, who has done wonders in the Engadine ; Mrs Norman Neruda, who has distinguished herself in the Dolomites ; and Mdlle. Paillon, who has achieved no less distinction in the Alps o£ Dauphine. — One would have thought that the Ladies' Kennel Association and the International Kennel Club would have kept Mrs Stennard Robinson fully employed; bub

apparently, says "Madame," this is not the ';case, for she is now endeavouring to form a, " Country House Club," for the purpose jpf providing prizes at the leading agricultural shows, for the encouragement of ladies tin the breeding and exhibition of horses, cattle, live stock, and farm produce generally. It is proposed that this new club should combine with the Ladies' Kennel 'Association in the establishment of a LonJdon club house, and also in obtaining show igrounds for exhibitions. The idea is a bold .one, and can only be carried to a successful issue if it be supported by the leading lady .'breeders and agriculturists, and the club

managed by a paid and experienced secretary or manager. The programme is very eoinprehensiA c, for besides the items already mentioned, it is proposed to have a fmreau for sales and exchanges, and for the disposal of farm, field, and garden produce.

— Though the policy of the military authorities in using less glaring colours in uniforms has been very marked of late years, red remains the most popular colour for national standards. Of 25 countries, 19 •liave flags Avith red in them, the list including Great Britain, United States, STrance. Germany, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Spain. Belgium, SAveden, SAvitzerland, Turkey, Mexico, Chili, Portugal, Venezuela, and Cuba. Three countries have black as ,one of the elements of their flags — Germany, Belgium, and China, but Germany is the only one of the three which has •black and white altogether. There are six countries which have green as a colour : •Ireland, Brazil (the flag of which is green, chiefly), Mexico, Egypt, Italy, and Persia. Nine countries have flags in which the colour is partly of yelloAV. These countries aie Austria, Spain, Belgium, Egypt, SAveden, China, Persia, Brazil, and Veaezuela. Countries Avith flags partly Avhite are the United States, .France, Germany, Russia, Austria, Italy, SAvitzerland, Turkey, Persia, 'Japan, Mexico, Holland, Denmark, Portugal, Cuba, and Chili. There is no while in the National Standard of England, "but .the British naval flag has a white background. — In the most elaborate ball gowns, wonderful artificial flower trails play an important part, and the blossoms and foliage formed so perfectly that they have all the appearance of the fresh flowers - and leaves. — A novelty in belts is one of black leather. This is used in Paris as a contrast with gowns of pale colours. For instance, a frock of pale iron-grey satin cloth, gntix a~ bolero of stitched pleats arranged

over a vest of grey velvet, is provided with one of these belts. By the way, there is a pretty shoulder collar attached to the bolero of grey velvet, decked Avith stitched bands of lavender glace.

— The DoAvager Czarina is a great favourite in Russia. Among other stories illustrating her character is this : She saw on her husband's table a document regarding a political prisoner. On the margin, Alexander 111 had written : " Pardon impossible ; to be sent to Siberia." The Czarina took up the pen, and striking out the semicolon after "impossible," put it before the word. Then the indorsement read : " Pardon ; impossible to be sent to Siberia." The Czar let it stand.

— Jewelled buttons, which always remain a classic fashion, seem again coming into more everyday favour, and in the fashionable "Directory" garments of this winter's revival, whether for indoor or outdoor wear, the enamel, or turquoise, or pearl, or dia-mond-encrusted button plays a well-evi-denced part, says the Sketch. Another of the passions of fashion at the present moment seems to lie in the new-fangled adoption of earrings, and every other Avellgroomed woman one meets has now noticeably succumbed .to this decorative usage, which not so very long ago we were wont to dub our mothers .barbaric for having supported. As a matter of mere fact, the reappearance of this particular form of ornament, however, is due largely to its becomingness, and, though this generation is only now beginning to adopt it in England, Fionch and American women, who have Dcrh admittedly the best taste in dress of ali other nations, have always supported a mode which certainly adds to the general daintiness of a feminine ensemble.

— One of the most remarkable weddings ever known took place recently at the home of George W. de Weese, the blind secretary of the Blind People's Af&ociation, Cleveland. The gioom was W. M. Moore, aged 33. He is blind. The bride was Mi&s Lizzie Broun. She is blind. The knot was tied by Justice of the Peace Dwight Palmer. He is blind. The best man was William Vandewysl. He is blind. Fifty guests were invited. All were blind. An orchestra composed of blind men played the wedding march .After the ceremony a literary and musical programme was carried out by blind people. — Tlie head of the nursing staff at Harrismith, in the Orange Fiee State, is Miss Margaret M'Keclmie, who was " commandeered." She is an Englishwoman, born at Harrismith, and trained at Guy's Hospital. She hoped to have Dr Wilson as head of the hospital, but he has been ordered to the fiont. .Miss M'Kcchnie, says the Hospital, resides with her mother and two brothers ,it Harrismith. One of the litter holds an office under the Free State Cc/vciirmenl, and will remain near his lister. The other has been sent, with Dv Wilson to the ironfc.

— For some inscrutable reason, the Emperor of Austria seems determined that the Archduchess Stephanie shall not remarry. Every one project matrimonial of her Imjaerial Highness with which she hope> to wipe away, to some extent, the bitter

memories of her former union with the HeirApparent to the Austro-Hungarian throne, the Emperor opposes. And where he fails himself, his Majesty calls to his aid the Pope. He has once again successfully taken this course, the prospective bridegroom in this instance being Count Lonyai. The Archduchess, who is one of the most beautiful women in Europe, has no inclination, after the sad memories of her life, to wish to share the glitter of a throne. Her inclination is for seclusion and privacy, and these she can only secure by such a marriage as that which has now been frustrated. — Engagement rings are now being made set Avith precious stones in the following order : - — Diamond, emerald, amethyst, ruby, emerald, sapphire, and turquoise, the initial letters of the names of these gems, as will be seen, forming the word

"dearest."

— The Women's Local Government Society has just lately done a very good piece of work at Hampstead. A married lady, owning her house and paying all its rates and taxes out of her private purse, claimed the right to vote in guardian, vestry, oi-il school board elections. This was uisputsi by the rate collector, the clerk, and the solicitor to the vestry, because her husband lives with her. The magistrates also refused to recognise her' as occupier, and she appealed to the society, supporting her claim under the Local Government Act of 1894. Legal advice was taken, and finally the dispute ended in her favour, the justices' decision was reversed, and it was proved that as occupier of her own house she had a right tc the vote she claimed.

— The Queen of the Netherlands is an enthusiastic amateur gardener, and owns a miniature greenhouse which she manages entirely herself. This is within a few minutes' walk of the palace, and she visits it daily, no matter what the weather. Once she remarked to a friend, " Here, among my flower pots, I can forget that I'm a Queen."

— iiiss Ethel V. Cave, who has just been appointed a sub-professor at the Royal Academy of Music, of which she has been a student for the lasb live years, is a native of Bristol, but has resided in Hampstead for the greater part of her life. She entered the Academy at the ag> of 14, and her awards there include bronze and silver medals and certificate for piano, medals for harmony and sight-singing, and in the spring of last year she divided equally with Miss Elsie Home the " Agnes Zimmerman " prize for good sight-reading.

— There is a romantic and pretty little story about Lord Kelvin's second marriage. In the early seventies he, then Sir William Thompson, Avas in West Indian wateis, on board his schooner-yacht, the Lalla Rookh. His first wife, the daughter of Mr Walter Crum, of Thornlie Bank, had been dead about two or three years, and he had been absorbed in electrical engineering in connection with the Atlantic cable, the Brazilian and River Plate cables, and lastly, with the West Indian cables. As a light recreation Le took up the question of simplifying the method of signals at sea. To tiim it might have been light w-ork, but it was pretty puzzling to the minds of ordinary landsmen. He had been talking of it at the dinner table of a friend in Madeira ; and the only apprehension that seemed able to grasp it was that of his host's daughter, a lady he greatly, but silently, admired. " I quite understand it, Sir William," she said. '"Are you sure?" he questioned, half doubtfully. '" If I sent you a signal from my yacht do you think you could read it and could answer me?" " Well, I would try," she responded. " I believe I should succeed in making it out." The signal was sent ; and she did succeed in making it out, arid in transmitting the reply. The question was : " Will you marry me?" and the answer was : "Yes."'

— Lady Warwick will be glad to learn, if she is not already acquainted with the fact, that the education of women as farmers has made a notable advance in the United States. About a year ago 50 women students entered at the Minneapolis College of Agriculture for a three years' course in scientific farming. With the exception of some of the heavier lines of work, .such as carpentering and blacksmithing, they have been going through the same training as the male .students, with courses of cooking, sewing, and domestic economy in addition. This is as it should be, and' there is certainly no reason why young women likely to live on farms,, whether they marry farmers or not, should learn how to farm in the most intelligent and efficient manner. Hundreds of thousands of women in the world are farmers, from necessity or choice. Very many of them are widows of farmers, and others are orphins who have not married. The census of 1891 showed that there were 21.692 female farmers and graziers in England and Wales, 564 female occupiers of market gardens or niir&eries, and 10 other other women managing some kind of busi-

ne<-s classed agricultural, without including 52 female owners of agricultural machines (probably thieshmg machines). In Continental Europe the proportion of female to male formers i& much greater than it is in this country, as many thousands of widows or daughters of peasant proprietors carry on small holdings, at least until the eldest boy is of age. Stories have often been told of women in the United States managing great callle ranches ; but these aie extremely few in compnriison with the number of women who are carrying on small f,u ms. Many a woman, says one American writer, has conducted a farm successfully and paid off a mortgage left upon it by a shiftless or unlucky father or husband Again, he s">ys California has a score of energetic pucce^sful women fruit-growers ; o^iid a,b many n omen m Florida have succeeded in fruit and Howcr fa lining where men have failed. In the Eastern Slates it is not at all uncommon to find a woman managing the farm curried on formerly b}' a deceased hur-band, father, or brother. It is irne that the vast majority of female farmers are *o by accident, and not by design, and it is the distinct choice of agriculture as a career for wnspen that gives originality 10 Luly Warwick's uridertak mc;, which ill air'ord a happy, if not very jiro&jjeiousj country oceayatiuii to Ikoaa who

are studying farming or gardening under her scheme. There is one thing to be said, of a training for women m gardening, especially which cannot be stated in reference to many another career for Avomen, namely, that, eA'en if the student marries, the A'alue of her training Avill not be lost, as is so often the ca&o in other branches of industry. It is often said, Avith truth, that Avhen a father goes to great expense in training his daughter for a profession or business, the outlay may be almost or entirely thrown away in the event of her marrying. But, unless a- Avoman is to pass her life in the heart of a croAvded town, a training in horticulture Avill be valuable, and a source of delight to her, however much married she may be. — Leeds Mercury.