LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 56

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— It is mai vellous what power some comparatively weakly ladies have over horses in the hunting field and in breaking nags, even in ca.se.-j where men might fail. They have light hands, and some way the knack of not irritating the mouth of the animal they would control. It is said that in South 'American there is a Miss Vaughan Lewis, a clergyman's daughter, and still under 30 years of age, who is au fait at horsebreaking, and is almost unrivalled out there by man or woman. That we, many of us, rifle our horses' tempers by showing a bit too much of our own there is no doubt.

— A lady who is •well-known in London society now in beleagured Mafeking, and said to be living down in one of the mines for safety is the Hon. Mrs Rochforfc Maguire. She is the eldest daughter of Viscount Peel, and before her marriage acted as hostess for him while he was Speaker of the House of Commons. The Hon. Mrs Goldman, Viscount Peel's second daughter, is ■working as a Red Cross nurse. Lady Sykes-»has joined ths Red Cross contingent at Estcourt. Lord and Lady Henry Cavendish Bentinck and Captain and Mrs Jocelyn Bagot have gone out with the Portland Ambulance, and many other people well known in society have tried to get positions of usefulness at the seat of war, several of them having even imdergone training, but the military authorities absolutely decline amateur assistance.

— There is at present, writes the author oi " How to be Happy Though Married,"' a want of reverence for everything in heaven and earth, and this expresses itself in a disregard lor the feelings of others, which*, is the essence of bad manners. Reverence for the aged is wanting at the present time, and there is certainly not too much chivalry for women as such. Men will gladly make room in a railway carriage or tramcar for one who is young and pretty, but how is it with a woman who is neither? Men moving in what is called good society (real women with impunity in a way that would have gained them a horse-whipping, or rather an ais-whipping, 50 years ago. It is only too true that these man Jiave in many cases been spoiled by fast girls, who, having no respect for themselves, did not exact it from them. If young women have " not the slightest objection, and rather like it," men will smoke in their faces, appear before them in any, nr senrcety any, clothes, call them by their Christian names, say words and refer to things which should be nameless, and in all other ways illustrate the truth that men respect women as, and jnly as, women respect themselves. Bad -manners are said to be prevalent in connection with public and private entertainments. There are men who seem to think that an invitation to a party is a superfluous formality. They go to large "crushes" without being asked, hoping to .rseape notice in the crowd. That there is

safety in numbers, they are quite convinced ; and even if they were asked, '"Friend, how earnest thou in hither?" they Avould not have the grace to remain speechless, but would give some very impertinent answer. And when they do receive an invitation, young men of the period leave it unanswered for days in hopes something better may turn up. Nor are their manners more apparent when they go to a part} 7 ". They take no notice of the hostess and her daughter,-;. If asked to dance with a lady or bring her in to supper, they say, " Let me see her," as though she were a horse, and then perhaps make the excuse, "I'm engaged," while they whisper the real reason to a like-minded companion — " not good enough!" These and similar instances are adduced hy those who think that we are losing our manners to prove the truth of their opinion. — Home paper.

— The German Empress, who has expressed her delight at her recent visit to England, is the ideal of German wifehood. She is a lady, kindly, friendly, and hospitable, but withal frugal to a fault — even to the extent, we are told, of altering the clothes of the elder princes in order that they may fib the younger children ! The Empress causes her own court gowns to be altered beyond recognition in order that she may wear them again and waste nothing. Our own princesses, too, set an excellent example in this matter. Everyone who sees- the Princess of Wales frequently knows that the perfect taste of her attire

is not achieved or accompanied by the possession of an inordinate number of different costumes, and that JS.R.H. does not scorn to wear a successful dress sometimes into the second year.

— A correspondent of the Gentlewoman declaies that there exists a home for fattening thin person-:. She says : "I can assure you there is such a place at a certain fashionable seaside resort. I went there myself, and interviewed six very thin young ladies and one thin young gentleman who were doing the 'cure.' Tliev are fed largely and constantly. Every" hour before a meal thay drink glasses of boiling water, and then lie clown to rest until the meal is served. After a meal they have to rest again. The doctor insists on a certain amount being eaten. The cure is not a pleasant, but it is a becoming one, and is us good for nervous as for badly nourished people. These two ills, nervousue&s and mal-nutrition, generally go hand-in-hand." The patients were encouraged to amuse themselves as much as possible, and when the correspondent left they were engaged in a quiet game of tennis. Much of the cure depends upon the diet, Avhich is specially arranged for each patient. By Llie bye, I wonder if my fair readers know that from tune immemorial canols have been considered as one of the best possible " beautifiers " for the skin. They are very nutritious vegetables, and lank with celery and spinach among the most wholesome. Celery is, in many cases, an admirable remedy foi rheumatism, and spinach for anaemia. lamby no means a vegetarian, but I think there is no question thai we do not eat enough vegetable food.. At this

moment I know families who scarcely know the ta^tc of a single vegetable except, indeed, the eternal potato. I have no doubt that they think me a Harmless lunatic when I suggest that they might have a change in their diet by growing a iew green vegetables in their gardens. They don't care about fish, bscause they see so much of it, and soup is to them an unknown quantity. Occasionally they have a prune pie, or, very occasionally, a Yorkshire pudding. I do not suppose they find this diet monotonous, for they have always been accustomed to it, and are exceedingly conservative in matters of the kind. — "Kathleen," in Leeds Mercury.

— The Queen has given permission for a new portrait of herself, painted by Mr Benjamin Constant, to be exhibited in the Paris Exposition. Her Majesty is represented sitting in a State chair in a black velvet dress trimmed with white lace, and she wears the Order ox the Garter, and has a small crown on her head.

— A large and useful teapot has (says Society Gossip) been constructed on scientific principles. The object is to avoid too long Infusion of the tea, with the consequent extraction of tlie tannin and more deleterious substances. The inner side of the teapot is carried round beneath the lid, so as ,to form a deep flange which, being airtight, does not permit the water to rise within its space. Beneath ths lid is a drainer to contain the tea leaves. When the pot is filled up with water and the tea has stood the requisite time in the drainer, according to ta&tc, a little metal valve connected with the space within the flange is turned, to allow csscope of the air imprisoned therein. The water on the tea sillies into the pot to replace the escaped air, leaving the tea without further infusion. The Gei»ha teapot, as it has been calk-d, will be found useful by medical men and di.spciif.ing chemists for making medicinal infu.-io:..*, a& the exact, ijme necessary for extracliag the required properties from the leaves or roots can be regulated by the small valve mentioned.

— Lady Aberdeen is a popular speaker among women, and the hall oi the Glasgow Christian Institute was quite filled lately at the Scottish Aj others' meeting to hear her. The L'oiL.uess ol Eylinton v. as i/i the chair. It was an iutere.-.ting spectacle that crov, d of Scottish mothers ot all clashes, of women with the bond of motherhood to draw them together. L-idy Aberdeen sp >k" of her visit to Canada, and told of the admiration which Scottish people ;ro nocorded in that part of the world. In speaking of the high standard of honour oncl duty, of the truthful, steadfast Scottish character, she pointed the moral of a. mother's influence in maintaining such characteristics amongst the race. She rather feared that the perpetuation "of these noble qualities would bo difficult, that outside influences every clay were growing stronger, r and that guilds and clubs and societies of all sorts were not of the best in j<the way of guiding Scottish youths to re- [ "cognise the worth and the importance 61 acquiring these characteristics. — Lady Reporter, Weekly Citizen.

— Temperature has a serious off ecu. upon the marriageable chances of girls of different complexions. Ib is a noticeable trait in the character of fickle-minded man that during hot weather he gives the preference to his lady friends whose chief charm is their fair complexion, while during the colder seasons the darker beauties reign supreme. The reason is not far to seek. The cool-looking faces, together with the light-coloured dresses during summer, attract his lordship as much as a dip in the sea. The appearance of a well-favoured blonde is so refreshing during the heat of summer, and this explains why fair girls have such a good time during .the holiday season. On the other hand, their dork-haired sisters take the field during the reign of concerts and balls. What is more attractive in cold weather than a bright and cheerful face whose beauty is heightened by the quiet colours prevailing during late autumn and winter? Girls who wish to make the most of those heart-palpitating moments when lordly man humbies himself and lays his heart at their feet had better keep this view of the matter in sight, for the chances are against a fellow thinking as much of his summer idyll when fogs and frosts are about, and his fortunes will then bo offered to some darker rival.

— Although several of those very near and dear to our Royal Family are now seeing active service in South Africa, only one is married — namely, .Prince Adolphus of Teck, to whose pretty young wife tlie Queen has lately been paying such marked attention. The marriage of Prince and Princess Adolphus was quite a romance. They became attached to one another while still boy and girl, and long before there Avas any question of Princess Victoria Mary of Teck becoming our future Queen. The marriage of the Duke and Duchess of York, of course, greatly modified and altered the position of the Duke and Duchess of Teck's sons. The Queen, however, whose permission had to be asked before a formal engagement could be entered into between Prince "Dolly" and "Lady Meg," was exceedingly pleased that her young kinsman had had the good taste to choose for his bride the daughter of one of her own oldest and truest friends, Constance, Duchess of Westminster. Since his marriage, five years ago, Prince Adolphus of Teck has not allowed anything to interfere with his profession, and the Princess spent the year following her wedding in one of the quietest of provincial towns ; but, of course, her father's splendid town mansion, Grosvenor House, was always ready to receive her and her popular husband. The youngest of her three children was born on the eve of Prince Adolplms's departure for the Cape. — The betrothal of the youthful and beautiful Princess Elizabeth of Austria to Duke Ulric of Wurtcmberg is reported from Vienna. The Princess is the only child of the late GVown Prince Rudolph and the Princess Stephanie. She is only 16 years of age, and of a most pleasant disposition. The bridegroom-elect is the son of the Duke Philippe, of Wurtemberg, and the Archduchess Maria Theresa, who is the daughter of the late Archduke Albert, the victor of Cujjtowza. The Prince, who is 22 years of age, is a lieutenant in the 2nd Wurfcemberg Uhlans, and a promising noting

oiSccr, who will in all probability ,some day inherit a great part of his mother's immense fortune. It is said to be quite likely that the marriage of the Crown Princess Stephanie to Count Yon Lonyay will really happen after that of her daughter. — The late Madame de Falbe was for long a distinguished figure in fashionable assemblies in London and at her residence at Luton Hoo. It was at her house that the engagement of the Duke of Clarence and the Princess May is understood to have taken place. The wife of .the late Dani&h Minister was the daughter of Mr Thomas Hawke, an M.P., and had been married thrice. She was close upon 80 years of age.

— Says a lady writer in a Home paper : The turquoise still holds a high place in the lists of fashionable stores, and is worn in brooches, rings, hat pins, and all sores of jewellery ornaments. A novelty I loticed the other day was a design in turq luises in the form of little bees with ruby even and diamond wings. These form iov'dy little lace pins, and are sold double with chains of turquoises and diamonds between. Chains of gold studded with turquoises are used for mufi's, or twisted round the uedc for evening wear. The turquoise is essentially a becoming jewel, and as such v. is likely to continue as great a favourite. — Princess Elizabeth yon Hohenlohe, the daughter of the German Chancellor, has formed a society oi' v nurses to tend the wounded in time of war. The members are all volunteers, and ladies moving In the highest society of the Empire. At the present time 20 ladies are being so trained. — H.R.H. the Princess Chri&tijii lias been giving sittings for her portiais ?, t Buckingham Palace to Wilhelm Hoi or: /u Fimck, a young American painter. This is the first portrait her Royal Highness Las had painted in over 20 years.

— In till grides of life the stature of women has increased amazingly during the past few decades:, and, so far as our ov>n Royalties arc concerned, boih the Princess of Wales and the Princess May are much taller than their husband I.1 '. Prince Geur£? looks quite small beside his wife. Looking at phorogr.iphs of either father or ton, it. i'j noticeable that they generally stand 1 chind in any group where l;tdies aic. In real Iruth, they pro seld_nn photogr.ip.ie-"! in groups except on a raised dais bclihid the ladies, just ay the Queen is always posed on a laised platiorvn, which is artfully concealed by drapery.

— One of the lust acts of the French Ch«mber of Deputies before being prorogued some time ago was to pass a bill empowering qualified women to practise as lawyers. It may be recalled that a year ago\i young wcmaii named Mdlle. Chauvin, who had passed the requirements of the French bar, was denied enrolment as an advocate of the appeal court. Although not admitted as a barrister, Mdlie. Clmuvin has, :'or some months been established as a lavyyer at Passy. In her rooms at her villa '-lie give* consultations daily to anybody who chooses to utilise her profound knowledge of the codes. "Merit of her clients are women, but she is freciuently consulted by barristers', for whom she prepares cases.

— The oldest orange tree in France is

dead. It was brought t;> France in 1421 by Queen Lconore of Cci&tHle, wife of Charles 111 of Navarre, and in 1684 Louis: XIV ordered it to be transplanted to the orange grove in Versailles, and there it has remained ever since. During the last two centuries che tree has been known as the Grand Bourbon, and for many years every possible care has been taken to preserve it from decay. Now it has died, at the great age of 478 years.

— The chairman ol' the Bristol licensing justices has made the remarkable statement that women make far better publicans than men. Licensed houses kept by women are said to be generally managed to the satisfaction of the magistrate'^, and fewer women than men are brought before the court for transgressing the law. At the same time, it Js complained thdt women give scant measure, being more parsimonious and less generous than men.

— Quills are now clasped with diamond buckles having very visible prongs, says the Queen. There is a disposition' in toques to adopt once more the turban-like form which Marie Antoinette Avoi'e when Le Brim painted her. The brims of hats only seem to exist at the sides, to form a foundation for either a feather or a bouquet. Fashion runs riot between the Trelawny, the Directoire toque, and the modified Empire headgear. Brims are becoming more and more flexible, and no hat of a certain class would be a la mode without ends falling at the back and fringed, and this falling drapery is certainly becoming. Metallic effects in feathers are being largely patronised by the best milliners. Ribbon embroidery or thin material, the ribbon gathered, is to be seen on many of the crowns and as linings to the brims, and this treatment has also found acceptance on the materials employed for blouses. We are indebted for a great many ideas to the Revolutionary period in France, and the picturesque would seem to be the most important element. Light blue headgears have the preference over all others ; indeed, every fashionable dame shows a dash of sky-blue somewhere in her costume. Even with winter approaching chiffon and silk tucked are considered an essential element in dress. Turquoise and steel are employed together in much of the embroidery for millinery purposes. — London papej.

— There are no more attractive little articles of jewellery than pretty earrings, although for many years Dame Fashion has had nothing to do with them, and has taught us to look upon them as dowdy and barbaric. Bub with her usual capriciousness she lias been going in for the dowdy in dress lately, and has been growing increasingly barbaric in the matter of jewellery, and has led her votaries to load themselves with chains and jewels sufficient to make a Hindoo idol turn green with envy. Now she decrees that earrings must be added to the other splendours of the female toilette. True, several Royal and aristocratic ladies have led the van for some time back, but although an odd woman here and there has imitated them, the sex. have not followed like the proverbial flock of sheep. Women's eyes are opening, however, to the daintiness and alhmngness of Jewels in the ears*, and their minds §re. beinj^ exercised

over the painful subject of car-piercing. Happy are those who have undergone the operation in childhood, but how few they are in number!

If we must wear earrings, there is nothing for it but to have the ears pierced, for in spile of the many devices for clasping the jewels on the lobe of the ear, the only way in which absolute safety can be secured is to wear the earring in the pierced ear. It is ludicrous to hear the terror expressed by some for this simple little operation, for the actual boring is very slightly painful, if indeed it is not rendered quite painless by the use of cocaine. The little golden rings that are worn till the wounds heal are drawn in with the piercer like a thread after a needle. The lobe of the car gets inflamed, of course, and the rings have to bs turned around frequently to prevent the skin forming over them, but not one in ten suffers much discomfort during the process of healing. So, girls, if you want to wear these sweet little pearls, diamonds, or turquoise studs that are so charmingly becoming, you must hope to be one of the nine, or if you should be the tenth, the gratified vanity should be compensation for all the bother. — Lady Reporter, in Glasgow Citizen.