OVER THE TEACUPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 60

OVER THE TEACUPS.

My Dear Readers, — What can we do for the guild sale? has become in every modern parish a sorfc of prize conundrum which all the devout try to solve, and for which no one gets any credit, because tho.se who do nothing liad always thought of something better, only they " didn't like to fuss round." The recent illustrations of the Sydney Poster Ball suggest to me that here lies' a novelty which some hard-working guild ml^at work up with advantage. Tlie scale of magnificence Be comparatively -modest, no do<, as befits the modest prizes usually offered by church societies, but local interest — the interest of the brewing - and food supply companies, the bicycling and drapery, music and ait depots, would be, or could be, successfully enlisted, and a big haul might surely be fairly anticipated. : We are a, broad-minded people ; we do not on occasion disdain fortime-telling, waxworks, and in aid of church funds. What objection could be made to a Poster Ball? To country guilds I -offer a very simple and easy suggestion — " an Olde English Merrie-making "" — to take the form of a Christmas gathering of all ages and' classes. -Christmas tree on a huge scale to be a prominent feature ; Christmas games of all kinds, a Christmas stall with plum puddings and cakes, mince -pies, etc. , for sale ; and refreshments to be served at a certain hour, the gathering to • conclude with the entrance of , a party of village " Waits," singing Christmas carols. The decorations of the hall, the supper table, and Christmas stall should all be carried out on the idea of the old-fashioned English Christmas, and the Christmas-tree should be loaded with really pretty and dainty Christmas gifts that everyone would wish to purchase a, memento of " Ye Olde English Merrie-making." A j>assing phrase in a cheap journal amused me very much the other day. It occurred in a little article on "Lifting the. Skirt." "It is first remarked that " while it is considered bad- form for a woman to carry her skirts while walking, there are conditions when they must do so," and the article goes on to assure readers that " this is onea)f the keys to the lock of ladyism." I have heard of many different tests by which one may discover the true gentlewoman, but it is reserved for the privileged readers of this article. to be instructed in the " lock of ladyism " and the key which fits it — i.e., the fashionable method of lifting the skirt. lam so sorry that the. instructions were far too intricate for me at least to master. A word or two on dress must always creep in as we chat "over our teacups." I doubt not that Eve and her daughters took anxious counsel as to the most becoming method of arranging the fantastically cut edges of their leaf or skin garments, and I am equally sure that Adam's taste was not consulted. And the thought of this primitive costuming reminds me of an item in recent cables, which showed a new use for v< the grand old flag " — that Union Jack which we all so love. When H.M.S. Ringdove made her tour of the newly-annexed Pacific Islands, it was found that on Santa Crux the Union Jack had been hauled down — an admiring native woman had annexed it as a new toilette ! Was ever a mere original conception of the costume of a female patriot? Could -loyalty and robbery be more quaintly mingled 'i The lucky .animal of the moment, whosetfny metal effigy is hung on muff chains, and bracelets, crowns, hat pins, and links together webs of old lace, is — a cow ! Gold cows, silver cows, jewelled cows, and ebony cows rival the erstwhile popularity of little pigs as toilette trifles. They invade the drawing ro6m as flower holders, the tea-tray as- milk' jugs, and the ■ table 'as fern-pots, but whether this fancy of the' moment* will reach our distant shores and little social world may be' doubted. J see that a Chinese College has been started in London, the .professors having already arrived and begun work, though the college is not yet built. This Chinese College bids fair to quite outshine the popularity of the Chinese classes at Oxford and Cambridge, for in the new Chinese College the professors are all Chinese, who wear their Oriental dress — at any rate, during classes. It is said that already a large number of students is enrolled. And this brings me to the mention of a most i* teresting book which I am now reading — " Village Life in China," by Arthur H. ■ Smith, D.D. It is a bulky volume, but the easy style of the writer, the facility and clearness with which he deals with his topic, all prevent any sense of monotony in the big volume. I shall, at an early date, try to give you some of my impressions of it. To tell the truth, I am conscious of treating you somewhat shabbily to-day, and I must claim, your indulgence on the score of the enormous amount of work entailed by the preparations for my "At Home !' on December 6, which reminds me thab only two of our clvb — "Ted" and "Inconnu" — have so far answered my invitation ! I suppose it did not occur to you, but I think I have a curious passion for reali&m, for when I was a small child, playing with my dolls, I iould not bfiar the charmed atmosphere of whatever I was " pretending " at the moment to lack one realistic detail, or to 'be broken by the stupid jokes of " grown-ups." Every man and woman knows the name ol Colonel " Bob " Ingersoll, whose bril-

liant pamphlets — as blasphemous as briLliant — set all the world talking j'ears ago ; but I for one never read much about , his private life, so the following, taken from a current journal, was news to me: — "Ingersoll made a large amount each year, and it was all at the disposal of his family. There was a family purse, large and strong, and placed where every member of the family could find it, and it was kept filled by the head of the house. Each took what was wanted without asking leave or making account of expenditures. It is little wonder that a home where such thoughtfulness prevailed was a verritabie paradise." But, then, what a charming family they must have been, never to abuse such abso"lute and unrestricted financial liberty! During the winter I managed to get hold of two perfectly delicious recipes for German salad dressing, and made a careful note of them. for you. Now that salads — given some of the warm weather which the clerk of the weather owes iis such arrears of — will enter so much in our nienu, I cannot do better than give them to you. Two recipes for German salad dressing : JSTo. 1. — Two harcl boiled eggs, 2 raw yolks of eggs, 8 tablespoonfuls good olive oil, J teaspoonful made mustard, 2 tablcspoamfuls tarragon vinegar, black pepper and salt to taste. Rub the hard-boiled yolks of eggs in a basin wirh a wooden spoon till smooth ; add the raw yolks one by one ; woik well together, slowly stir in half the oil ; stop, and put in the mustard, and continue adding the rest of the oil. When thoroughly mixed, carefully add the vinegar, and season. This is also an excellent satire to accompany any cold cooked vegetables, such as beetroot. JSfo. 2. — Three floury cold boiled potatoes, 3 haid boiled yolks of eggs, 2 tablebpoonfuls olive oil, 1 taLlespoonful vinegar, 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley, 2 tea.spoonfuls capers, \ teaspoonful eschalot, pepper and salt to taste. Rub boiled potatoes and yolks of eggs quite smoothly through a sieve, and putting them in a basin, work in slowly and smoothly the oil and vinegar, then add the chopped parsley and e&chalot, and well season. This sauce is intended to be rather thick, but if too much so, add more oil and vinegar. If at all possible, I shall try to have a brief chat on Christmas presents at an early date — but perhaps someone will sympathise with me when I acknowledge that I never was so hurried and 'behindhand beore! and some sweet soul will perhaps make excuses for me if I fail to do what I desire on your fcehalf. — Your affectionate EMMELINE. •