LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 56

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— It is commonly believed that peerage-, cfmnot ba inherited 'bj women, but that this- , is not noeessuiih the case i-. slioavh, says < "Madame,"' by the recent fucce^ion of the neAV Lady Bcrkoley to her mother Ihe late Binoness (in her oami ughl). AA-ho had previously succeeded her uncle. The fact is that all the old -scotch pet-rage*, ai.d many of the old English ones are inhorlti'ble by a daughter Avhun there frc no s,,!^-, in prelevenoo to moie distant nvle heiis The daughter oi" the late Duke of Buckingham, for iiistiu^t?. inlipmed liis :>neifcrit b .ronv, and is Lauy Knilo-s in her owo right. Awii'lc ! the more modem litles of Karl Temple and ! Viscount Col them mciL clstwliere. .Similarly j tiic '"nrklom ol Moiya aid b.'.roi.f .it (Jrav «ci-f up t'i q-t-.ii'i : .. ; niv united, bin on die tlc.'.th of the hist holder :''cv wen- s V p a-ate-d, 'die- b 'vony (o .( \vd\, wiio is hoaa : J^iioncji uivy ni Jiei 1 o\. ;i nghi. j — Tho ' Lovely Woman "' Il)iis coiiipTains i.i j,f<vi j-'nj -'n Society nf tiic LL l"iool "ioo i --lio lias to bear: it i* quite i .ie ilui Jil old pre- | conceived notions oi ih n povoi 1 of b'vuity v pvc r-io^D^d. Opoh (•.•.mci Mno.-i^, yoiii ■ i _nd. . ri'ey mny tik iii'Ve 1 plain v.-fiiicu. but •iioi ti'. .'i LU :ij rwes 1.: rei'll'i jnett,' yjr). Vov in^L.mcr — o.i.i f-hc Mjs-I, !- ! ft o^.l, ,1 p'lOL.-JgKiph .(.JI.U-'*' I llj; .. 1 of merry- luokmg gu-K fom the niciilel'licii* — heic .'ic m\ ioui »>stei-. not. ono r ally good-look'ug or. anion^ Uil 1 'ot ; jiluiu -i*-i1 It '/retty poi'it- ib in i'l^m, entirely de^ei-sdeuL on the A', ,ia riie<" v ess tlteii lviii .ma pub o;i i,'iei: • .otliC: ; but as nice girls as one could a\'i-l> to meet. ' YeL, though it may round, vanity per-

sonified, if people Avould uv\\ ■• hn , I should bu quite as uiie t ..~ tl uv rue. i Avould gladly be domo.sticJLcd. ii J A^ tie diloA\cd. 1 lwuy not cock, be'.au.-e of my complexion ; or study, because ol my eye a ; or cycle, became oi my ii^me. J have no talent for the stage, and do not e.ue to be001110 a shop gii'l ; and in all othci piofes"ions good looks are a decided diMVibad. I tried teaching small children once. The

effect was fatal. The children's, mother ticcused me of flirting with hei hasbaud, a short, stom, apopletic man of 50, bect-us 0 he remarked in her bearing j was a inciooking young women. Wen ii ™_a own position fight shy of a beautiful ay ; "'; aid. after all is" said and done, it is nut oven -i girl marries very much aboA - e jici cv\ n j)osition. I shall probably end, ii T rn.-uy ;a all. in marrying an old msn who Avtnits a handsome Ante to piesido at dinner table. Personally, ] considrr fiction mucii to blame foi tho undue homage mid to beauty. A gir' is too apt, !o conuiidti ui<.'-, if she is loA'ely. loA-eliness i^ enough, and only Avakes up too late to find thai, if she had counted le.ss on her ince. and moie on grace ond iiitclligence. s*lv AA'ould bj a better and happiei woman.

— Lady doctors aie f<'st making tiiciv piesence felt in tho medical profession, and judging from the pass list ior Tiachelor of Surgery, ju&t issued bb t A the University of London, they are coming forwaid m everincreasing numbers. Out o' six candidates who luiA'e pL'fssed in the liist division tlvee me kciie.-, all, it may b3 added, from t;he Royal Fice Hospital. Theie Aver^ a -;orc of passes in the «econd divisjou, nine be' lg successful lady candidates from the 1-Joyal Free Hospital and the London School of Medicine.

— 1 saw a piece ot most beautiful sab 1 .? the other day, and incidentally heard th-it the Do\Aagei Czniinb of Russia and the Duchess ot Saxe-Coburg (Duches.s of Edinburgh and Princes? Niarie AlexandroAca of Russia) OAvn the veiy finest &etb of sables iii the world. It is as Avell io make a virtue of necessity when you can, so I, not possessing a single inch of sable, can truly say I don't very much care for the costly lul' The Czarina used to delight in giving he.? friends beautiful and appiopviate piesenhs of different furs, and the sables which the Princess of Wale.s sometimes Avears with a Court die&s of velvet Avere the Czarina* silver-wedding gift to her sistei. When her niece married, her Majesty gaA"e her three superb fur tea-gOAvns ; one of sable, clasped with beautiful pearls ; another of Avhite sirver fox, Avith cords of gold bullion ; and the third of that exquisite fur, blue fox, girdled Avriii a chair set Avith diamonds. The pooi young princess Avas throAvn out of her carriage, and died from the shock not long after her marriage. — " Kathleen,' in Leeds Mercury.

— The terrible losses in the war are culls- \ ing great grief to the Queen. It is not ofien that The Queen breaks down when b«d news h brought to her, for she is a woman of strong courage, but she takes our reverses terribly to heart, and her sons and daughters do all in their poA\er to diveit hei during this sad and trying time. A significant incident occurred a few weeks ago. Some intimate friends were dining at Windsor, and when the Avar came uppermost \a conversation Princess Beatrice made a sign that the subject should be dropped. — The Emperor Nicholas II recently caused a passport to be granted to a wretched-looking woman in order that she might go to Siberia and bring home her sick ! husband. The crime for -which the man had ' been sent to the mine? was rather a <:uriou» j one. It if; well known that at Easter time i it is the custom for the Imperial Family to visit the Metropolitan Church of the capital and assist at the public ceremonies, which are more gorgeous in Russia than in any other country. At the end of the 1 ceremony ihere is a general kissing on the j lips, pnd 'he exchange of these two sin- ' tencef : "Christ is risen!" '* He is risen j indeed !"' Thcr etiquette prescribes that the Czar phall hiss the rh'st humble person he meets' when corning out of the church. This- j person is generally the sentiy. who has b_ Y e:i | carefully Aveshrd and perfumed for the occa- ! Mon. A few years ago, Alexander Hi, lunin^ the Czarina on hi^ arm, ':ud followed by n cortege ot Giand Dikes o\A Grand Duchesses-, had re-ichcd th*i ilireshold of ihc r'ather'ral wlkp he >a->v tha sentry, a shoil daik man, whose piercing ejes were fixed on his Mij^ly up in d p - ! if;. nee. The Czar approach id. "him, the man j bewed slightly lo receive the untold favour, the sluun kiss awis given, and the s i( eiod Avoids pronounced: " Chiist I s - risen!' " Xc, indeed he is !'' ;'nsv. ei^d the man, in a load voice. T.i o days J.uei ri)e uare- j less, onioe. wao a-id so badly chcaen his subject i'or the Imperial siioav and thu cheekA and fanatical tlev, aalio had :-o yub-iclv bravo J the Czar oi all ihe TviissLt^ A\<.-re both sent to Siborv.. The poor .Tewc&s lias only just received news, of hei 1 hiisb.nd. — I linvo ofte.i lieard. says a Avuier in " M.-V.P.," that Mme. Putti does not Use Avatur to AVcish her ta^a. This i-, entnoly a mistake. The day neA-ei ]j<i--- : :es bui v. hit the cUv.t ir-Ls v, ritsr liber t >liy. B.,ih A\c and 31me. Alb.mi ha\-e a nini belief m iosi 1 rold civai.i iv.de by a n-rtain English poj--iinntr vi gici^ rcpuiatioa. Airei Avaihlng the\ <ilv. ays mb t heir face* a\ ell avuli ihicreuiii; aKo belWe mo kins,-. .p ior iln 1 . tii<^e. ihe i'ljncess in Wales. a\li.>sc- lwo i e.\ion i> ( >:Cjiusite. !ji !kvi--, m ma^\i'.;o ioi , lit: iace. and lias iiisulcd Avaier uA'eiA' day tor her toilet. Tlie Kpiiutf^ Fri'deiU'l"- outs laitli in eau-d'J \'oloi.','ic. 0,. aaliicji >' boiiie is ixiin'ed every 'iioriinig i.'lo he; Kith. Fin iih~, 1 may quote anoihi'i 'iit.it 1 idv, \'"li'jso retipc ior :t iTvoel complexion is the >':ii|ilos v of all. "Wash vein 1 life »vnh hot \\ . lev <'d o \*evv mild --o in- hciov '.oiii;.' '.') b.d, and wo-"., it Avtii < old miii \al'r ; ni' -.< s( )( ,p s~]u-i\ } mi r.se " 1 --l^idips <m lucli class in China it-c I the dai -cicst tliinible-s nnagiaablti, M-mc o j Lht-m beiiiL 1 ; „.ir\cd fiom enoinir.us pcorls, . onici-iioisted \.-ui; !jind« oi iine i.olu. on Avhicli aii iiiaiintr (if quai.tt and i inia--iic dosi^us arc eiuraved. A ni.>ln»r or-j'ojvl c<,se i> .hi.v- m.cle to ke-cj) th- 1 !l!'iv>bk' in, i'l'd with it the C'lincse laciy ho-> <> pail oi. delicate scis.-ji.rs ot fin-i.st sli^ei. enclosed in a sheath oi jnutliei-oi-jjeail, with

a ncpdle-case to match. The Qiuieii of S'^n ov.'ns a thimble which was a present ncr.i her I' oval htisb.uid. It is mads in 'lie j-hapc of a lotas baud, of thi linett <-,old, and i^fatudded A\itli dumoiids, a, Inch cue to aruingcd that the;- U.ua her name and the date d her mauia^e.

— Thai, bl.icli will bo wuvn very generally all through the n inter In England is, , alas! a foregone conclusion, now that so many Englishwomen have fiicnds and re- , lations at the front, for, however long this , TiaiTiVa.il war may lr.«t, the off -recurring ', lir-t of casualties must nv.ke sad gaps in many homer-. In all c'.u-'js of deop mourning, AAiile-i Jfrs Mary Whilloy in " Ma-d-ime. crape v. ill be more worn than ever, ■ iind m greater quantities. Among the ma- ' teii.ils which are paitiuilarlj suitable for mourning, the new black crepolmc coid sttms likely to be very much worn. It is , ni.i quite so heavy as the ordinary crapecloth, a 1 ) hough it is somewhat .similar in appeardiue, and it looks particularly ell trimmed with flat strappings or ro'uleoux oi crape. Yv"hen it comes to a question of half-mourning, and when it is allowable to lc'ievo the suinbieneiss of one's attiie by h.le touches of bite or helotrope, any number of piotty notions naturally suggest them selves, for there can be no doubt that the modes of the moment die exceedingly giacenil and becoming, and that the gowns this v. inter would have been most chic and striking had they not been shadowed, unfortunately, as they are at pie-sent, by the gloom of the Avar. Witb black walking gowns, made, as so many of them are jus!now. in fine cloth or serge, with simple little bolero coats of the same material, it will be possible to ring moirv changes when the time comes for the wearing of half-mourning.

— Our (Modern Society) fashion correspondent writes from Paris :— " Purs will hs much worn this winter, which will not be displeasing to ladies of fashion. Nothing is &oiter, more harmonious, more sumptuous than iur. which gives the most, simple dre^s the stump oi opulence, and is the mo&t delightful accompaniment to the visage ; moreover, it always traces a sharp line of demarcation between true richness and that which is only sham. Fine fur is, fortunately, inimitable. Fur, from :iu ornamental point of view, marie its appearance in the Middle Mantles, capes, and dresses were triir.mcd with it. The vignettes, prints, and stained glass of the period sbov. us every personage of importance clad in fur. In the time of the Crusades its use was so general that Philippe le Bel, in France, and Henry 11, in England, issued decrees forbidding all who were not of high position to wear it. Moreover, furs varied according to social condition. The nobles wore only ermine and vair ; burghers, marten, sealskin, squirrel, and iamb ; monks, cat, rabbit, and badger. Sealskin is to be the queen oi fashion this winter. This beautiful fui is most effective and becoming, especially when used with trimmings of chinchilla or ovmine. What a proof of our versatility. In recent years this princely fur has been slightly neglected, notwithstanding its dark and becoming colour, its rich, soft, velvety quality, and its harmonising so well with the delicate complexions that are due to our refined existence and with golden hair. Now, it appears that the seal is diminishing in numbers ; in fact, disappearing, therefore the price of the fur has become prohibitive, and fashion decrees that sealskin is to be the leading fur. " Seals ki]', moreover, is a superb fur, and go»s with am- complexion, and with every shade of hair. It makes magnificent jackets, boleros, stoles, and mantles in inexhaustible variety. Persons inclined to be too stout would do well to avoid garments composed entirely of fur, and content themselves with using it for rich trimmings or luxurious accessories. fiable, ermine, and chinchilla, are still in high favour. Sable and chinchilla are of a soft grace, of quiet and harmonious colours, that render their use easy. Ermine contrasts with dark furs in a somewhat crude fashion, but. strangely enough, the contrast, crude though it be, finds great favour with our elegantes. '■Broadtail, "nhich aat.s all the rage in previous winter*, hn<- fallen M'oui grandeur I into decadence. It will scarcely be nted i for anything but incru.-t uions, for which it is very convenient, being as soft as I silk. Fancy muffs are very much |in xo^ue. and every fancy is i .ulmissib'.e a 5!a 5 ! loug as it is stylish and I personal. A combination of velvet and ! satin, embroidered with spangles and trimmed m iLh application lace, is particularly effectivs. " A ohrfnning muff, which I thought extremely pretty, was composed of painted velvet, adorned with small tufts of featheio iHid a, large sigreite bow of satin to match. Another, equally dainty, was of draped purple vc-jvet, ed^ed with black and gold lace, and finished with a large rof-etce of gold-coloured satin with scarf ends. '• A rather evrions one was made of a fox ••'kin rolled with tbp head of the fox in the centre. All Uip'-c r.tvfis are lined wit 111 1 swans-down, with which is mixed j perfumed powder. Iris ;>nd p»au d'Espagne i are the mo -si agreeable, but th.s is a quesj tion oi* yi2m>;uil taste. Lsi'ge boas mpdc di one ci more fox skins are also much Wfi-n, cither blue tr silver fox. They have bacome an in(!i:<pens.Kble accessory to our • •'h'c-^«. and with tailor-made costumes i lUfc-se boas ;r-e t vtremely chic. | " Ouo nf these bo !.>. Is a marvellous specij men nf bhick fox. lar^e, broad, exquisitely l '-;>it, Vi th Ir.ng. fi-ie hair. When borts arc j not v oi" the '•pverity of the tailor-made drc-v ;c; c softened by a s.-jii of very dull vl'ite Tulle, h n,_'ecl at tin. end and falling | ip fi'ont. on i lie left, a^ far ,r- ,he bottom j i,f thf shi Vl The «civF h?« two end-'. It ! is f.iMen<d .ii the ion n a c ~eir oT c ai!or'" | hi, i. whicli hpc\r- it c\n*p to^cth o r. Other ! v ir,\-i in i !ie a iiuo style aic fringed in i sjlV vith .-' "ew pEUlprn« in filvcr."' ] In ,"ii article on " The Life of a Bachelor j f-irl 'n ,' ]Vj City," in thf Young Woman i jor -Li uarv. wo "arc oM that there never | was . t'.ino whon women' n life was so full, so varl( a. io many-siueri in its interests. Our little gaTs th'-si. meal in the big boarcl-in^-liouso "to irlwch her careful friends would probably direct, her. ia gu. iait^atiou A

says liic AM-itcr, into the manifold activities of educated Avomen noAvadays. Opposite her is a medical student, and by her sicb a teacher in one of the girls' public day schools. The Avoman at ith the thin, Avorn face, in the well-cut black dress, is the head of a department in a great drapery hou^e, and the curly-haired, roundfaced girl next her is studying at the Guildhall School of Music. Further on is a; lady in a sage-green dress, and Avith somewhat rampant- locks, avlio draws for the illustrated papers. There are journalists pnd nurses and girl clerk* by the dozen. The newcomer listens bewildered to the scraps of conversation that reach her, and foes to bed at last to dream of the time when she, too, Avill be independent, perhaps even famous. Poor little bachelor girl ! She Avill find out all too soon of lioav little account is one human atom in a great city. She Avill certainly discoA-er thafc though, as Are are constantly being (old, '" there is plenty of room at the top,"' A r efc the loAver ranks of almost every profession that an educated woman can take up are tern .->)-.- ovsrcroAvded, and that the average AvniKan-Avorker is miserably paid. But, tii'tev all the sordid struggle, and Avhen all dr&A'-'i.acl^ are alloAved for, what a life ifc is ! Hoav the heart beats, hoAV you feel yourself one Avith your kind, when" you set out in the morning to do your share of the world's Avork ! Hoav pleasant to come home at night feeling that you haA r e played your part, have paid your debt to society for lie bread you eat and the roof that covers you ! One sometimes hears ii, said that a taste of independence unfits women for married life. I think that quite as often it leads them to appreciate a settled home and the stay of a sure affection. A Avoman who has knoAA'n Avhat it is to fight the world for herself ought to bring a more comprehending sympathy to her husband, and more practical wisdom to the ordering of her oAA'n household.