LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2400, 1 March 1900, Page 56

LADIES' GOSSIP.

—It is a departure in Britain for a woman to be given formally the charge of a congregation. This has been done by the Congregational Church oi Brotherton, in Yorkshire. Miss Melville has taken an active part in ~ church work, chiefly in Leeds, for the last 30 years, and for some years has been preaching at mission services. This Brotherton Church is small and poor, *and has only £50, a year to offer to its pastor. It is no disparagement of SJiss Melville's abilities and earnestness to suppose ihat she has been offered the pastorate because in these latter days no worthy man could be found to accept the charge and £50 a year. One must liA r e first and preach afterwards. — Mrs Price, relieving officer to OsAvestry Union, has resigned "lie. appointment after 12 months' work, principally because of her health being undermined by strain. It Avill be remembered the guardians appointed a- lady in defiance of the Local Government Board, Avho considered the Avork unsuitable for a Avoman to perform. — The leader of the Universal Brotherhood Organisation, Avhich is the later form of the Tlieosophical Society in America, is Mrs Katherine Tingley. She is most energetic in Avork of a philanthropic kind ; and through one department of her organisation proA-ided nearly 10,000 American soldiers Avith much-needed food and medical aid on their return from the Cuban War. Another of her humanitarian works is the_ establishment of " Lotus Homes " for destitute children. — - The latest im-ention in the Avay of feminine adornment is a serpent striped Avith sequins and coloured velvet, while the eyes and spectacle-mark of the cobra are out-lined in diamonds. The snake is so constructed that it Avill tAvine round the arm. In this Avay, remarks "Madame,"' Avoman revenges herself on the old enemy. There is this in common, moreover, between the original Serpent of Eden and the modern imitation, that no introduction is required to commence the acquaintance ! — Lady Salisbury Avas one of the mo&b delightful of unconventional Avomen. " I have ahvays been called one of the Avorstdrcs&ed women in England," she once said, merrily, to an acquaintance (according to a [ correspondent of the Ladies' Pictorial), " and now I .shall be called the wov&tdressed, as my children's old nur.se corawlahis of having no interest in life since

they are groAvn up, and I am going to let her be my maid ! " FeAV people -were aware how talented was the late wife of the Premier. Her ladyship was something ot an j architect, and the Chalet Cecil, in the South of France, was the result of her cleverness in that direction. It was Lady Salisbury, indeed, who chose the site of Beaulieu, designed the house, and superintended its erec- j tion and interior arrangements, and she was exceedingly proud of her acconrplishment. Regarding the illness to which she succumbed, it is said that it originally arose from too frequent bathing at Walmer Castle, where Lord Salisbury resided as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, several years ago. It had been known ior some months past that her ladyship's case was hopeless. — An Englishwoman has been honoured by the French Academy by the award of ■ one ot its literary prizes. The lady is ] Madame James Darmesteter — better known to readers of English verse as -"*A. Mary J F. Kobinson " — to Avhom the academy has I awarded lOOOf for her "Vie de Renan." As _ a biographer, translator, essayi&t, and his- j torian, Madame Darmesteter has earned dis- j tinction, and amongst her best-known books ' of verse may be mentioned " The Crowned , Hippolytus," published in 1880, and "An' Italian Garden," in 1886." — An English barrister married on December 15 last a girl of pure Indian blood, ! and belonging to the highest Brahmin caste. I Miss Bonnerjee, whose lather is an Indian barrister, and who resides half of the year in England, has been educated at Girt on, took the natural science tripos, is a licen- ' tiate of the Association of Apothecaries, and a duly qualified medical practitioner. — It will be remembered that at Earl's Court last year there Avas an exhibition of , South African natiA'es. This year's exhibition, it is to be hoped, Avill be more edifying. It is to be devoted to " Woman : Her Art and Her Work," and the help of a number of distinguished women in Great Britain, the Continent, and the colonies, has been secured. — Madame Lonbet, Avife of the President of the French Republic, takes airings daily ! in the Bois. She goes there in a smartbrougham. Her body-guard, says a contemporary, is a detectiA r e on a cycle, who* rides behind. When it rains the carriage stops, the cyclist dismounts, opens the door, and receiA r es from the lady Avho is Avith Madame Lonbet two indiarubber overalls. They are for himself and the coachman. J — There Avere &o many subjects and speakers at the last Women's International { Congress that the report of the transac- i tions Avill occupy seven volumes, Avhich aie shortly to be published at 3s each. j — Furs are so beautiful this year, Avrites " Betty Modish," in Hearth and Home, that they positively invite extravagance at eA'ery corner. A friend not many days ago ,Avas pondering before the AvindoAv of a wellknown furrier' Sj and determining Avhether she could afford a fox boa exhibited. She J kneAv that fox Avas not an expensive fur, { and after a Avhile made up her mind to be- . come the possessor of the coveted pelt, j Great Avas her astonishment on learning the price — 90gs ! It happened to be ? silver fox skin — that rarest ot all furs. My friend, I need scarce relate, came out of that shop a wiser and a sadder Avoman. It is the Avay, • it seems,, Avith all good furs this season. The time was when a feAv guineas purchased quite a respectable sable necklet ; noAV a goodly number are required to obtain a fur that can be relied upon as being genuine. . — Horticulture in Britain has not hitherto offered many openings to the many women avlio are being yearly trained in it. When the Avar is over, and prosperity sets in again in the South of the Dark Continent, it is Avhispered th;it there are ti'oops of enterprising young Avomen ready to go out and make market-gardening pay in the vicinity of, the mining toAA'ns. — Lady Sarah Wilson possesses the prowl distinction of being the first lady Avar correspondent avlio bears a courtesy title. She is the aunt of the present Duke of Marlborough, and her sisters are the Duchess of Roxourghe, Lady TAveedmouth, Lady Wimborne, Lady de Ramsey, and Lady Cur- • zon, Avhile a brother won the late Lord Randolph Churchill. Lady Sarah Wilson. Avho is extremely popular, Avith a brisk, alert manner and considerable Avit, mairied in 1891 Captain Gordon Wilson, of the Blues. < —It AAOuid seem to be only the A'oung girls Avho now appear at balls in diaphanous materials — chiffon, net. and tulle. If the matrons don them, &ays The Queen, the net of chiffon is only the groundwork for diaphanous sequins ; but siting trimmed Avith chiffon are the preA r ailiiig moc'e, one colour melting into another, .sometimes shot and sometimes shaded, pink and yellow-pink j toning to flame, maize to orange ; the.-c are dominant ideas. Tucks have been diverted to many neAV uses, and mam' evening a;owns en princevse have a pointed belt and tunic cut in one, of chiffon, AA'hich, from the top ' of the belt to Avell over the hips, consists of small tucks, the stuff expanding at the feet, and helped greatly in this effect by silks and chiffon frillings one above another. | Diamond buttons and buckles figure on the front of the bodice, holding bands of rib bons, or perhaps an inner A-e^t, in place with .sparkling effect. — The appointment of Sister Clara Mavesyn Chad wick to the superintendence of the nursing staff of the steamer Princess of Wales is one more of those links between the public service and the ancient families of England, of Avhich the present Avar has produced so many instances. Her family j settled on their oavii lands in Lancashire be- ' fore the reign of Echvard 111, and mi era ted | to Mavesyn Rldw.ire, in Staffordshire, a j property Avhich became theirs by heirphip i from the Malvoisins of the Noiman Con- ' quest. NeAV Hall, ir Warwickshire, Avhere they latterly resided, they inherited in the last century from the Sacheveiells. The fathei ot Miss Chadwick served with credit in the Indian Mutiny, and Avhen reverse of fortune made it necessary foi the young lady to undertake actiA'e Work phe. chose ' army nursing, in Avhich, aftei preliminary ' training in a ciA T il hospital, she became a ' proficient. Her longest term of service has been passed in Malta, at th old hospital of the Knights of St. John. —It is a Avell-knoAvn fact among the * devout ladies avlio have had the honour of seeing comfortable Pope Pius IX, and.

later on, the pale -and emaciated Leo XIII, that both had astonishingly clear complexions, or rather smooth and pure-look-ing skins almost completely devoid of Avrinkles. This rare and much-to-be enAded privilege Avas supposed to be the result of a life passed mostly indoors, of a sober and refreshing diet, and a calm and easy conscience. The myjstery, hoAveA T er, says a Avriter in a Home"paper, is unveiling itself, thanks to the ferocious commercial spirit AA'hich takes hold of all men and Avomen in our times and penetrates every - Avhere, not* excepting the most sacred places. IU is knoAvn now that, in a monastery perched on a summit of the Abruzzi Mountains, the monks have manipulated from centuries back an unguent, the composition of Avhich they alone have the secret, and Avhich nourishes the skir in the most marvellous manner, and prevents it from shrivelling up. From time immemorial the recluses prepared it Avith aAve for the Popes alone, to whom it jvas sent, they say, tAvice a year in six little silver tirns. The Popes sent in return, their benediction and the sum of 1000 lire. But it is to be feared that the holy men have found out the extreme demand there is now for cosmetics for the skin, as they timidly begin to put on the, market in Florence the marA^ellous unguent of the " Brothers of St. Donato," the origin of AA r hich has just been discovered.