LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2527, 20 August 1902, Page 62

LADIES' GOSSIP.

• — T!i r re i-> a pretty custom "nhich ob«ains in the Rus a i:<n school- for gu Is of the higher tli 1 -^ I*.1 *. Instead of a medal, Xlie fcutud letter of die Caariaa's name is com-

pet-ed for. The badge is wrought in solid gold nearly two inches in length, and is mounted on a bow of soft blue ribbon, the Empress's favourite colour. Of course, the distinction is most ardently coveted, pnd it is not only a sign of success in da-s-icorns, but its fortunate possessor finds it a substantial advantage in after life if the wishes to adopt "teaching as a profession. A governess who holds- this "Favour of the Czamid" commands a higher salary than t-he could otlurv. ise Lave u&pued to; and flatten herself that a faint flavour of Imperial patronge clings to her evermore, fche even claims to outshine that danuerous m al, the lady holding English certificates, although very few families of the Russian l.obility aie content to entrust their children to any governess or nurses except those of English hirth. — Among the many new fan.«, the mon curious, but by no means the most beautiful (says "V'anitv,' in Vanity Fair), :s v tyrtoiseikell aifair like a wwigulL, whjcli^

when set working by means of a little s ; mple inn-er wheel, goes round and round and creates quite a small cyclone. Tiny pheasant, jay, and peacock feather fans are lot nearly so smart for summer wear as cchcato ones of iace. Cat and dog portrait fans are con=iderecl rath-er smart. On gauze and chicken skm portraits of pets are painted by h?nd. Far prettier are wedding fans f-lio'ivmg portraits of the bnde and her maids set in la<_c embioidtred with truelovers' knots.

— Queen Margate t of Italy ha« the recoid nmong Royalties of being able to ie.nl and write English, Fiench. German, and Italian. Siie aKo thoroughly understands Greek and Latin.

— The innovations nt C'ouit continue to be much talked about. At the la-t Court most ladies v ore tiain>, but compaiatively few carried floweis. Another featuie was the pievalence of white am.jiig the dieses; v was worn by o'd and young alike, usually embroideicd with either gild or si'\ei. Jewellery was. more lavishly worn than ever. Hoi' Majesty sets th? fashion in w taring .i great quantity of precious stones v hen iii full Court dres*. Pearls grow ever icaicpi* and more cctlv ; but at the .sam" time their vogue mere. ■:..«. Peails are moic costl\ than are diamonds, and are valued jicccrdingly. Almost, every lady m full diess WLar.s -pearls — .i single row necklet al l<a=t.

- The Countess of Bradford, who has replaced Lady Mary'Lygon as Lady-in-Wait-mg to tl.i Princess of Wai's, is the second daughter of the late .Earl of Scarborough. Her eldest sister, who w.is Lady Algith.i Lumlcy, is Baroness Bo.ton ; another 'isier is Lady Zetland, and *he youngest "» Connie- 1 -; Gruavenor, w Jio^e fiis-t- husband died in 1884, and who is i ow tlw wife of Mr "Wyndham. the lush f'pcieturv. L trly Biadfoid mained in 1869 the Kail, who. as Sir Geoige Bi 'djjman. was Conservative M P. for Noith Shropshire from 1567-85 The eldest son, Viscount Newpi it. was mrde Lord Salisbuiy's assistant piiv.it* seciet.uy in 1898. The eldest child I* now the> wife of Captain Pretyman, ( ivl Lord to the, AdmiiaJty. Another daughter i.s L'dy Dalkeith, whose husband is the c'.dest <nn of the Duke of Buccleuch.

— "I .should jike to see the faces of my relations when my will is read." remaike'd the fourth Marquis of Heitford, rather bitterly. A similar wish might have been expressed by a rich man w ho lately died at Berlin, with a miserly suspicion of relatives as fortune-hunters. He left three hundred marks to "every member of my fa"mily who .shall abstain from attending my funeial." Therefore only his hor.sek^rper, a distant, cousin, attended. But thue was a codicil — to be opened after the funeral. And therein he had demised the lesidue of the estate to the relatives who had sacrificed the three hundred maiks and paid him the last tubute of respect. So the housekeeper gets it all. The woist of these jokes is that the joker cannot enjoy them. — The Countess of Craven possesses a fan w hich is a blaze of diamond* ami luhies. emeialds and pearls, anel is valued at £2000. -

—It would be difficult to find a moic pathetic <-Un \ 'oi the lap-e of yeai-% than tint of Sir George Giey. the gieat ProConsul, and his wife. Years before old age came to them, on a bright day at sea, a cLuk shadoTv of suspicion fell across their li\ e« A letter was found on deck, and Sir Geoige Grey, who read it, sent his wife fishoie It was the beginning of two broken lh c-s For 30 years neither saw the other, and then, by an accident of mercy which happened ju«t bfcfoie it would have been too late, the truth was revealed. Sir George Grey discovered that his wife had known nothing of the letter. Thirty years of happiness were wasted, but it is said to have been pathetic to see the joy of the aged pair, sweetheaits ngain, in the last few ypais which weie left to them — St. James's Gazette.

— Piince Mnko of Montenegro, who is to marry Mdlle. Con&tantinovit<;fa, is the fcixth child, and the second son, of his Royal Highn'.s^, Nicholas I. Prince Mirko is only 23. Nevertheless, his eldest sister has been for 'some time a Russian grand duchess, while his second sister is Duchess of Leuch ten berg, and his third sister is Queen of Italy. So it is that his bride, who will be a Princess before he manies her, will have for her Eupporters the Czar and the King of Servia, while the bridegroom's best man will be her brother-in-law, the King of Italy, represented on the occasion by the Duke of Aosta. A Czar for a suppoiter. and a King for a best man : this is a record even in the annals of this favoured family.

—In the Hou<-e of Commons Mr A. J. Balfour lemained for several years without taking part in debate, and H is a note■woithy fact that in Mr Lucy's "Diaiy of the Beacon-field Parliament" the name of the member for Hertford does not once occur. His first intervention was in 1877, in connection with the Universities Bill. His views were broader and more enlightened than those of the average Tory member On May 17 he gave the firot* proof of his interest in the higher education of w omen by moving that degrees should be conferred upon them by the universities. "I observe," said the son of Lady Blanche Bidfour, ''that the functions of women as educatois are increasing tbioughoufc the country, and I consider it a matter of great importance that the privileges given to men .should be extended to women. I boheve that my proposal will be advantageous in the interests of the public generally." His bitterest opponent on this question was the Libeial Lord Edniond Fitzmaurice, who remiiked with Johnsonian emphasis that it was disgu-ting to hear so much of tins discussion about women. Mr Balfour's witty uncle, Mr Beresford Hope, asked whether he proposed to establish as a new degree the title "Spinster of Arts."' — The Woman at Home.

— Madame Nordica, who is once again in London, recently told an interviewer a hurnoious stoiy. On one occasion, during a visit paid by the late Duke of SaxeCoburg, when she lived at Clarence Gate, Ins Royal Highness asked for a glass of ielifist kttwa^de A vAx&h yjs oriered to be

brought. The weather was very warm on that particular afternoon, and quite a long time elapsed before the drink came ; in fact, the delay was such a lengthy one that even the Duke could not imagine what had happened. At length the door was flung open, and the butler, with an assistant waiter, entered in procession to serve the lemonade to the royal guest. The cause of the delay, it was explained afterwaids, was due to the anxiety of the servant to render all fitting homage to his Royal Highness", ?o he had gone in search of an extra man who was employed on all great occasion*.

— Her Royal Hi^line-- 5 the Pirnce" Christian completed hei fifty-sixth year on May 25. She is= the eMes-t of the Ring's surviving sister*, and is well known for the deep interevi she take 1 : in all blanches of philanthropic work. Her Royal High-nef-s is a splendid iiui-e, and has ( been indefatigable in promoting the welfare of the nui s ; n g pro fes■< i on .

— The advice has been given : '" No thinking yields better results than a clo. c e study "f one's physical advantages and drawbacks. Never befoie was ptisoual appearance of more account than to-d-iy. both m and out of bu'ine^*-. The time is coming when how, v ithout varsity, to make the most of (ineY- face and figure will be taught, in girls' School?.

— - If you ai-k any Spaniard (writes ''The Clubman,"' in the Sketch) why Queen Chii*tian. who has given o\er the heavy lesponsibihties of the Regency, has never been popular with the people, he v. ill shiug bib shoulders *and say that theie is no reason, or that the reason is that she is an Austrian ; but the leal reason, though every Spaniard is a little a<-lrimed to ov. n it. i» that the Queen could never tiring herself to face the hoiro:-- of the bull ii'u, and that the mob could not foigive her for shrinking from t!ia blood-thirsty delight? which were the -i <ne enjoyment m life.

— One of the n:o=t intt't.sting engagements announced for «ome time is that of Mi--*- Jcunne L.mg'rv, the beautiful d.uighU-r of Mr-. Langtry, to Mr lan Malcolm, M.P., the son oi" Colonel E D. Malcolm, a brother of the famous Malcolm of Portalloch, v. ho o\\ as 85,000 acres in the Highlands. Mr lan Malcolm is a wealthy son of a- gallant fathei. and ha:* well earned-^ of the tonntiy tlic hearty congiatulations and well-vs I-hes which "w ill be showered upon him. Though only 34 yeai« of age. he ha 5 - had considerable diplomatic experience. He has also turned his attention to literature, and is the author of

' The Calendar of Empire ' and numerous magazine articles. The bride-elect only 'Vame out ' a year or two ago. She is one of tbe prettiest piVls in society — tall and slight of flgine, with wonderfully expressive large brown eyes and a. wealth of daik hair.

—It seems strange that so highly civilised a city as Paris should have been practically without trained nurses until quite recently. The innovation was due to the efforts of an enterprising young American lady, who, in spite- of much opposition, imported several of them from London. A demand for their services sprang up at once, and it is quite likely that, as a lesult, the Fiench system of attending to the sick Mill be entiiely revolutionised, and French invalids will benefit accordingly. The old system under "which the doctors performed the fceivkes "which elscwLeie are attended to by skilled muses w .«■, naturally one tliit ca''ed fo' 1 impinvcment, and (he fact that the deficiency has been supplied by England should, "of course, be flattering to our national spirit. — Mrs Anne A\ re He-ly. wlio was presented with the Royal Red Cross on behalf of Queen Victoria in 1097, died on June sat As>liby-de-la-Zouih >She was the widow of a surgeon pudding at Ravenstone, and in 1854 she joined Miss Florence Nightingale's staff of nurses in the Crimea. and served in the Dardanelles from August until after the end of the war. After her return to England she nuised Mis.s Nightingale for some months. — A German lady named Elizabeth Opitz has ju>t married a Japanese noble, Viscount Kcistio Matsudara, son of the last feudal Lord of Schiinadara, near Nagasaki, and a pupil in the Forestry School at Eberswalde. This is the fir&t marriage between a German and a Japanese of princely rank. — The diamonds and duchesses are really getting quite dazzling. Every one seems to have bought some new jewel for the Coronation, and one magnificent tiara after another is making its appearance, as well as those lovely platinum chains with artistic pendants which are all the rage. Peoplp are still talking about the Duchess of Devonshire's magnificent new ciown whicb she wore al her Royal party — a- lovely traceiy of diamonds and ijve huge pearl-shaped pendant pearls. It was too lovely, and so beautifully worn! The Duchess of Portland's new crown, they say, is almost priceless. All brilliants and "very tall, it has a quantity of shaking diamonds, which make the most gorgeous effect, and some one who saw it in Paris, where it was made, eaid she had never seen anything so splendid as the great Portland diamond which blazes in the centre ; it is a great square stone, and some of the others are square, alternately with pear-shaped gems. T/hen Mrs Ronald Greville's emeralds and diamonds are "immense," in the American sense of the word, and Lady Essex's Russian crowu is perfectly lovely. — There is a great lun on charitable bazaars just now (.says To-day), and this kind of pliilanthropy is veiy fashionable with, the smart set. It is "often philanthropy, however, with a purpose. Ihe other day a well-kno"n n grand© dame, who was asked to open a bazaar in a provincial town, wrote in reply to the secretary : ''I shall be veiy pleased to do as you request on condition that all my expenses are paid. A cheque for £50 will arrange same." The committee agreed, thinking that they would get the money back again in purchases, but the thrifty dame only bought a pincu.-hion for 2s 6d. Ou the other hand, theie are women "who will ti&ejfjjjly givg ft bij; feUbscriuUqa U) fcg

associated with a title in a stall, and so ' something like a balance is generallystruck.

— Emerald* - seem to Lave come very much into fashion again tliis season, and were worn extensively at the last Court. Mrs Murray Giithrie's gown and necklace of large emeralds caused quite a little sensationT Mrs Cltoige Keppel wore the same lovely s-tonps and the emerald earrings with which she was lately presented, together with a large emerald and diamond pendant and other jewels galore. Mis Newi^nse wore her famous pearl necklace clasped with a big emerald, which i« said to have co«t £50.000 ; and altogether green gems vseie In, the ascendant.

To eiii^tr? publtctttiS)) i» the fortbcominn issue ettrrs should reoch the II -mess npee if possible on Saturday ni iht, but on noacccuiU later than Monday i aid

PC Dr*cri'jj{ion') of bill.-, <f c. . mvst be endorsed hif either the Witnt*s c<» r spordri't for the district or bjf the sccirta: it t<i the ball commiltse l'ne MS of any cot respondent* i'!to»lo <.<■' compli/ with this >vlc will hi Ftut fo the KCrtani foi envoi tement j,) tor to pcaru-fj. - EM SI r.L ISJi

WEnniWi AT CROOKSTOX

Dc.r Emmehr>c>,— The marriage o f Miss A. Fraser; daughter ci M John .Fleming, to Mr D. M. Rae, tccA place on the '6th August vt the icsuieiTc o[ the bride" s parents, Sprmgiield, Crookatou. The Rev. Mt Colli<\ M.A., performed th<» cercruory. The bride wore a handsome brown silk dress, with Russian b'ousc, white «ilk vert, and pnfied under sleeves veiled u\ white chiffon, also lace and oiangc b'ossom, the lily-shaped skirt be.ng ra-ade with scalloped flounces laid Oil brown velvet. The travelling dress of the brido and the bridesmaids' dresses were oE prct'y cornflower blue, made with Russian blousea trimmed with lace applique oa the beil sleevt-3 and sailor collars, with white siik vesta F'.d under s!erves, the skirt 3 trimmed with sc&l.op. d floui.ccs of mcchiuc-stitched silk. The costumes -wer° made at Biown, Ewing's. After ,i capital breakfast the usual toasts were propeed, and lesponded to in a most happy style. The bridal parly thrn diove to Tapanui, ■where, amid good wshes and rice, they ioofc train for Invercargil!. There were three bridesmaids— Mi=3 Fleming (sister of tha bride), Miss M. Fleming (niece of tli6 bride), and Miss Fraser. Mr VT. Crawford, Waikaka. Valley, whs groomsman. Amopg the dresses worn I noticed Mrs F.etmng (mother of the br.dfO, black figured costum? , Mis Collie, handsome black Eilk , Mrs T. Sim, black floured dress; Mrs Edie, back figured dress; Mis D. Fleming, black costume; Mrs A. Fleming, brown skirt and velvet blouse; Mrs Kerr, cardinal silk bouse with guipure lace, sailor collar, and dark skirt; Mrs C. Fleming, heliotrtpo silk blouse and blaci li°ured skirt, Mro Hyde, prune silk dress; M°ss Ramsay, bro.ui % civet blouse with cream !kco fichu and brown tweed skirt; Mrs Plakie, dark costume; Miss M'Lennan, white blouse and grey skirt. The presents were numerous, handsome, and useful. In the evening there was a large gathering of friends, who enjoyed themselves thoroughly either in dancing to music supplied by Aic-ssra Kundle aad Dackers or m playing ping-pong and other game*.— A Guest

bachelors' ball at mossburn.

Dear Emmelme,— The bachelors' ball. -heltl liere on the Sth mat., wa* attended by the following kdies. — Mi&s Mini head (Garston), m pink rnuslm evening blouse, black ski^t ; Misa M'Caulcy, pi:ik evening dress, covered with whit© nrt . Miss Beer, e\enmg dresa with black chiffon nud black sash; M:sa Lirzie- Beer, cream blouse trimmed with Heliotrope ribbon, black skirt ; Miss Eogers (Luinstlei:) b'.up silk eve-nng blouse tiimmed with, cicam silk, blade skirt. Mis 3 Crosbie (Lumsden) black costurre, Miss Butler, evsning costume of black siaah cloth; Miss Burke, cicam evening blouse, black skirt; Mi=s MacDov.ell cream blouse, tiimmed profußoly with lace black skirt, Miss Dcveieanx, heliotrope blouse, trimmed with \> Kite silk, black skirt; Miss Lizzie Andeison, white costume, trimmed with pmk ribbon; Mi<-s Agn«s Quayle, paia green nun's veiling costume; Mrs R^id, pmk evening dress covered with, black net; Mrs Kirkland, whi'ue evening blouse, black skirt; Mrs Felton, black costume; Mrs Robinson, red blouse, black skirt; Mrs Patterson, black costume; Mrs Quay.c, heliotrope blouse, black skirt ; Mrs Joseph Beer, white dress, trimmed with black ribbon, Mrs Georee Beer, black co«lume. Mr Herbert Beer and Mr E. King supplied the music, which was of first-rate quahtv, and Mr Cl'fford Beer acted a 9a 9 M.C. to the! entire satisfaction of all. Tho grwidl march was led by Mr and Mrs Kirkland. Mra Geo. Beer and Mrs B. M'Kay attended to the supper tables, which actually groaned under their load. Dancing was kept up" until oar.y next morning, when, after singing "They aio ieally jolly good fellows, the company dispersed, many of them, no doubt, determined never to meet again as bachelors.— Guest.

BACHELORS' BALI. AT MOUNT STUART. Dear Ernmeline,— The bachelors of Mount Stuart held their annual ball on Friday evenill" August 15. The schoolroom, in which the ball was held, was transformed for once into a veritable fairy bower, considerable taste being evidenced in tbo artistic arrangement ot f.cv.ers, ferns, and flags, etc., interspersed with. Chinese lantsrn?. Due regard was aleo paid to certain odd httlo corners that could not be possibly utilised for dancing. Lawrence, Waitahuna Table Hill, and Manuka Creek were, as usual, well represented, the fine night probably favouring a good atendance. Amongst tno ladies present -were Miss Bartlett, cream dress with lace insertion, Misa Craig, dark skirt, cieam tucked bodice, Miss Auld, black skirt, white bodice, with red übbojs; Miss Leecn cardinal \ft!«rb!ousc F cream lace collar, and) dark pkirt, Miss Cowen, white blouse and dark skirt; Miss Byar, cream dress; Miss Belle Bartlett, black drrss, relieved with scarlet front! and sash ; Mrs A. Bartlett, dark costume ; Misa Crozier, white, relieved with pink ribbons; Mibs Kyan, white, lelieved with heliotrope; Miss Bateman, dark skirt, white Mouse; Mis 3 Cameron, cream bodice, black skirt. During the evening 6ongs were rendered byMessrs Craig, M'Corkindale, and M'Kay, and' by Mr R. Craig, of Round Hill, -who sang by request the evergreen "Bonnie vee window.""' Music was supplied by Mr W. MiCenzie. Dancing was kept up with greit spirit until 4 a.m. Mr Craig, on behalf of himself and the visitors, thanked the bachelors of Mount LtuaH for the veiy enjoyable evening which they had spent, recalling many pleasant evenings on Mount Stuart in previous years, and anticipating similaT gatherings in the futvire. The strains of the National Anthem and "Auld lang syne'- 1 biought the- ball to a close. — Yisitoh.

Valuable Discovert fob the Haih.— lf your hair is turning grey or white, or falling off, use "The Mexican Hair Renewer,' for it will positively restore in every case Grey or White Jiair to its original colour, without leaviDg the disagreeable ffmell of most '_'"" e f atorerg." It makes the hair charmingly! beautiful, as well aa promoting the growth of the hair on bald spots, where the gland* are not decayed. Ask your Chemist foe " The Mexican Haib Ren-ewer," sold by, Chemipta and Perfumers everywhere. Whol*«ale depo^. 5J5 Farringtoa tOftd, Lona<«« England*