LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, 5 December 1900, Page 60

LADIES' GOSSIP.

• — The most fashionable jewel just now is the red sapphire. The red variety has only recently been discovered, and the stones fetch fancy prices — anything from £40 to £120. These new gems vary in shade from a light steel-blue tint, and, again, from a delicate amethyst, to quite a deep ruby-red. They are very brilliant, particularly when worn in artificial light. The various tints of these stones permit of unusual effect in designs and settings. For instance, a hair-ornament consists of three

gracefully-curling feathers, the centre one of sparkling mauve slones, the others of brilliant light-bhie. They are tied together by a bow of sapphires, and their beauty is accentuated by irends of large single diamonds. In a half -moon, the sapphires, shading from pale blue to deep mauve, appear again enhanced by an inner row of diamonds, and a triple scroll of sapphires with diamond-drops is shaded in the same way. A wee watch, all a-sparkle with pink and red sapphires, is valued at £800. Canarytinted diamonds are also in .high favour. A large one, round in form, is set simply in a ring of small brilliants, while tine white diamonds surround it.

— Prince Henry of Hesse, who has died at Munich in his sixty-second year, was the brother of the Grand Duke Ludwig IV, who married Princess Alice, and the eldest of the uncles of the reigning Grand Duke of Hesse, who married Princess Victoria of Edinburgh. His other uncle on the paternal side, Prince Y/illiam of Hesse, died at Darmstadt at the end of May. Prince Henry contracted a morganatic marriage, which cut him off from the succession, and left Prince William heir presumptive. But in 1884 Prince William also made a morganatic alliance, with Fraulein Louisa Bender, whose son, called Godfrey yon Lichenburgh, has, of course, no claim to succeed. The Grand Duke's only child is a daughter, born in 1895, so that the direct succession is very insecure. — The wedding recently took place o'£ the daughter of a famous Russian artist, and her bridal gown was beautifully and uniquely painted by the friends and colleagues of her father. It was of white satin, adorned with medallions of allegorical subjects framed in flowers, and iormed a complete gallery of contemporary art, comprising, as it did, paintings by many of the most celebrated Continental artists of the day. Strange to say, the colours used were so "dainty and delicate, that the effect of the dress was most beautiful and harmonious.

— " English ladies who may chance to possess among tlieii hoards some al the long old-fashioned drooping ostrich feathers, so much affected by our grandmothers in their riding hats, may find an immediate use for these relics, as the 'dernier cri' of fashion is a mushroom hat of softly-swathed tulle or chiffon in neutral tints, from the brim of which depend two or three long uncurled flat ostrich feathers of bright contrasting hue. I have seen one or two hats constructed in this way by English milliners, but they are a very modest imitation of the extravagances in which their Parisian sisters are at present revelling. On a recent Saturday nighfc at the club a very chic mondaine wore with a beige-tinted guipure dress over cream satin, the sleeveless corsage of whicfi was wreathed with ropes of pearls confined by knots of black velvet, a very large mushroom hat of emerald-green tulle, from which depended two long rosecoloured feathers, and, strange to say, this bizarre combination which sounds almost reminiscent of Greenwich Fair, was neither unpleasing nor untasteful. Another notorious Parisienne, a lovely blonde, was epante in a .costume of the palest pink, the chiffon overdress beautifully painted with trails of faintly-tinted Watteau roses, and a mushroom hat of pink tulle with mother-o'-pearl embroidery, and three enormous pink plumes drooping from the wide brim to decollete shoulders^ which are considered to be the most perfect in Europe." —In spite of the haughty demeanour of the widowed Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who was 47 on October 17, those who know her declare that there is at heart no kinder member of the Royal Family, and hei consideration has over and over again been shown for those who have done her any service. The daughter of an Emperor, gossip declared that the Duchess objected to yielding precedence to the Princess of Wales, who, naturally, took the next place tc the Queen in all great functions. Whether this was so or not, the succession of the late Duke of Edinburgh to the rulership of the Grand Duchy gave the Duchess the opportunity of being the wife of a Sovereign, and an extended opportunity of showing her graciousness, of which she was not slow to avail herself.

— The first woman to obtain the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Vienna Is Countess Gabrielle yon Wartehsleben. She is 30 years of age. She is a grand-daughter of Mej-erbeer, the composer.

— Picnic pie, a favourite di^'h for the moonlight al fresco suppers now in vogue, is made thus : Put some slices of thick juicy steak at the bottom of a pie-dish, and on these place a layer of oyster forcemeat, which is made with finely-minced veal, the same quantity of ham, equal proportions of chopped oysters and mushrooms, seasoned with parsley, pepper, and salt, and pounded in a mortar with a little suet. Season as many pigeons as required with salt, pepper, and fine herbs, fill up the interstices with quarters of hard-boiled eggs, moisten the whole with very rich stock, cover with a good crust, bake two hours, and when quite cold, eat it.

— The Gentlewoman says that the following anecdote' is quite true. The Prince of Wales went to call one afternoon upon a lady well known in society. It happened that the butler had gone home for a holiday, and, owing to the fact that " spring-cleaning " was going on, and the other servants were engaged, a new cook opened the door, who was unaware that his Royal Highness was a visitor at the house. "Is Mrs A. at home-? " inquired the Prince. "Yes, sir," was the answer; " would you mind stepping into the dining room, as the drawing room is being papered?" The Prince "stepped in." "What name, sir? " said the cook. The Prince gave his name, and the* cook shut "the door quickly and locked H.R.H. in. Then she flew to the top of the kitchen stairs and called, "Help! There's a. man in the dining room pretending he's the Prince of Wales ! " Mrs A. by this time came to the rescue, a,nd with the Prince had a good laugh over the joke.