OVER THE TEACUPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2671, 24 May 1905, Page 65

OVER THE TEACUPS.

' My dear Readers, — The exquisite beauty ', of our mild late autumn has so enthralled me that I find myself longing to unburden my mind of decorative schemes in autumn leaves an-d berries for table and house adornment, for painting, and, dearest, most magnificent of all in their rich colou2*iiigV ! for the silk embroidery I so lore. ■ ifct, on the principle that to recall an exquisite memory to brighten a dull houiis true wisdom, and since you have ail been revelling in the same joys as myself, we will keep them hermetically sealed in Memory's golden treasure-chest until some j grey wintry day, when yet spring seems far distant, and then remind ourselves oi the glories and realisations of this perfect season. Meantime, there are several topics which I haw noted for you since we last met "Over the Teacups," and the first has some bearing on our last "Chat on Books." In our recent glance through the pages of "The Roadmender," we saw plainly enough the actual poverty of the English country labourer. It is not ugly, sordid, repulsive, as slum poverty is. Ths old, thatcbed cottages, with their little gardens, are so picturesyue, if so insanitary, and decent poverty embowered in roses and set about with bold sunflowers, fragrant wallflower, and cheerful marigolds does not thrust itself upon the imagination — is not, in a word, realisable as is the sordid degradation, the visible want, framed in filth and immorality, of the slums. Yefc the poverty of the English rur^l labourer is keen and bitter enough ; and reading the simple, everyday facts of rent, food, and wages of these patient people on the one hand, and in some other magazine, taken at haphazard, noting the jewels, amusements, establishments generally of the wealthy and the great, is almost to become a Democrat. A writer in the Comhill Magazine, under the significant heading of "The Deserted Village," after giving a brief description! of the village in which he has made his horne — just such an ideal combination of oolour and ohaim as one finds in the pages of Mrs Allingham's "Happy England" — goes on to say, as indicating conclusively that its situation should r&der the village and its inhabitants well-to-do, even prosperous: — "The village is an island, an oasis of shady elms, in the midst- of an ocean of corniand, and the coriilan-d is 'some of the deepest and mast fruitful to be found in England, in so much as there is not a hedge or a tree to be seen upon it, for none of it must be wasted. In a good haa-vest, even when the corn has not been laid, the tall and close straw laughs at reaping and binding machines designed to garner the scanty crops of the Americai, and Canadian prairies." Yet, look whai this ample, golden treasure of the eartl( brings to the men who spend their Jive* in ploughing, sowing, and reaping it. Th«* is not a labourer in the village who would not regard 16s a week as wealth beyond the dreams of avaiice. The so-oalixl "gardener"' who works for me earns Hi* princely sum of half a crown pei diem from me, and I have been accused of raising th* tariff. . . He is much richer than Hit neighbours, and once . . . propounded the opinion, "I think every man ought io be ablo to earn two bob a day !" Then, in order to fully realise the position, one must remember that these wages, poor as they are, may not be constant, since "in wintei superfluous hands are turned off, as in the case of factories and works wihen orders are slack. Cottage rent is from Is to 2s 6d, club payments must be kept up at all hazards by men whose earnings are thus small and precarious. That men so situated contrive to exist- and to bring up their families is nothing short of a miracfe; but it is a miracle of hardship and patience under constant suffering." Do you not long to transplant these patient toilers to the hope end possibilities of our own adopted land? An article on "Shooting from a Howdaih," which I read in a late number of the Badminton, interested me immensely. Not tliafc I ani "a good shot" — no ; it was the sidelights on the elephant's little ways that drew me. •'It is not generally known,'" says the writer, "that some elephants are capital retrievers, so long as the bird is actually dead. The elephant I rode would always pick up a dead bird and pass it back to the mahout, if the place whei*e it fell was but fairly well marked. On one occasion I remember his actually picking up a dropped cartridge from the thickest of the long grass." Commenting 'on the sti'ange contra< dictions of "this ponderous mass of flesJi,' J and how intelligence is contrasted by stupidity, courage by cowardice, the writej says, ''He will turn on a wounded and in» furiated tiger, and trample him to death, while he runs from a hen crossing the road in front of him. A swarm of bees sends him crashing through the jungle, with no more regard for its tangled growth thaa if he were on a racecourse. . . . One of the elephants with our party seemed! quiet enough, but was said to have killed three men: one be had impaled to the trank of a great tree, and had broken bis tusk in withdrawing it from the wood. The unfortunate man's only offence had been, that of discounting while *Hathi* was in;

Mr G. Hall, Miss Grierson, Mrs Massey, Miss Callender, Miss Hay, Mr G. M'Leod, Mr J. N M'Leod, Miss Crofts, Miss Harvey, Mr Campbell, Mr Jamie, Miss Swinburne, Miss Robinson, Mies V. Mitchell, Mr H. Mitchel], Mr M. Mitchell, Mr P. Traill, Miss Sharp, Miss Moffett, Messrs Moffett (2), Mr Kempthorne, Mr Olliver, Dr Snow, etc., etc. Mrs A. Morris gave an enjoyable euchre party at her residence, "Awatea," Gladstone, on Friday evening, about 30 guests being present. Miss J. Moodie (Dunedin) is at present ona visit to Mrs A. M. Macdonald, "Enwood." Misa Black, who has lately returned from the Old Country, is at present the guest of Mrs J. Black, Yarrow street. Miss Olive Herdman is spending a short holiday in Invercargill with her parents. Mr and Mrs J. H. Kirk and family left on Friday for Christchurch, where they intend ' residing for a few months. < Miss Rhoda Barr, of the Southland Girls' , High School, resigned at the end of last term, ' and has gone to Auckland to take a position at a private college. Lovers of skating are looking forward to the rinking season, which opens on Monday evening in the Zealandia Hall. | 4. 1 1 # OAMARU, May 20. There will be a golf match on Wednesday, when the Timaru Men's Club nieefa the local team on the Redcastle links. Luncheon will be provided by the ladies, and it is anticipated that there will be a goodly number present to watch the play. West's pictures ana*the Brescians drew immense audiences to the Wea<r Street Hall at all their performances. It is- no exaggeration to say that the films are some of the finest that we have ever seen in the colony, and it is doubtful ifythey have been excelled even at Home. Especially beautiful were those representing the Falls of Clyde and Killarney; but, there! all the views were lovely. Some of the "first- nighters" in the crowded auditorium were Mr and Mrs Holmes, Mr and Mrs Porter, Dr and Mrs MAdam, Dr and Mrs

Mrs Snow, black silk; Mrs Denniston, black net over silk, white evening wrap ; Mrs Cook, black gown, white lace trimming ; Mrs Cobham, black chiffon, white lace fichu ; Mrs Gibbs, black silk with deep yoke of tucked cream chiffon; Mrs Graham, black silk; Miss Graham, white silk, long blue coat; Mrs Roper, black satin, black coat with handsome lace trimming; Mrs W. Reese, black satin and lace; Mrs Stringer, black and white gown; the Misses Wilkin, white silk; Mrs Hurst-Seager, black net, grey evening cloak; Mrs Mills, black; Miss Mills, turquoise silk, Miss Meares, white silk, white evening cloak; Miss Gibson, pale pink gown, pale grey evening coat. Mrs Elworthy is back from Gisborne, where she has been staying with Mrs Williamson. Mrs Melville Jameson, Timaru, is in town, and is staying with her mother, Mrs Elworthy, Papanui road. Miss M. Meares has gone to Timaru, where she is the guest of Mrs Newman. Mrs Boyle and the Misse3 Boyle have returned town after visiting Mrs Studholme, near Waima-te. Mrs F. Gordon, North Island, is staying with Mrs Michael Campbell, at Avonside. Miss^E. Reeves has returned to town from. Kowhai Bush, where she and Miss Morland have been staying. Mr and Mrs Henry Wood have returned to town after spending several weeks at the seaside. Mr and Mrs George Holmes, Tai Tayu, left this week for Rotorua. On Thursday afternoon Mrs Stead gave one of her charming teas at "Strowan." Tea was served in the dining room, the tables being artistically decorated with autumn flowers and leaves. -"Pit," which has suddenly become exceedingly popular here, proved a great attraction in the billiard room, and a >very enjoyable time was spent. Mrs Stead received her guests wearing a costume of black silk, with white lace adornment ; Miss Stead- was in cream 'canvas prettily trimmed with lace; Mrs Wilfred Stead, brown cloth gown, pretty white furs; Mrs C. Dalgety, pretty blue cloth

Incurables Bazaar. The latest development is the Poster competition, which is being arranged by the secretary, Mrs Pollen. A great many films are being represented. Imagine the beauty of eleotric'light worn by one of our stateliest girls, who has designed a charming costume. Another will represent a well-known firm which supialies sporting requisites ol every description. Each English mail brings out quantities of Liberty and other dainty aiticle-s, the beauties of which we learn from those who have seen them. A most attractive and sensible stall will be laden with blouses and underskirts of every variety. A cookery book of tried and originaJ recipes has bean compiled by two energetic girls, and copies will be sold for the benefit of the home. Miss Arkwright, daughter of the Hon. R. Arjcyvright, Overtoil, is visiting friends at Christchurch. Is it not remarkable the demand for picture post-cards? Instead of decreasing, the stationers say they are selling more than ever. In the window of one shop here is a letter of appreciation from. Miss Nellie Stewart, who is an ardent colieetor, and found in this little shop the best, most complete, and by far the most attractive collection which she had seen anywhere in the world. The Rev. Otho Fitzgerald and Mrs Fitzgerald (Waipiro) are in Wellington on a visit. A jolly little dance came off a-t the Sydney Street Schoolroom last Wednesday — the second of Miss Borlase s assemblies. The Star Boating Club ball is arranged for June 23, and rumours are abroad of another private dance to be given by 12 girls. A ball is being held at the Lower Hutt next Friday, the hostesses being several Hutt ladies. The engagement has been announced of Miss Olive Kirkoaldie, youngest daughter of Mr Jno. Kirkcaldie. to Mr Charle3 Finch, of the Bank of New South Wales staff. Miss Nannie Heath is spending the term holidays with Napier friends. Mr and 1 Mrs Herepath have been in Wellington for a few days, and visited the golf links on several occa^Kns. This week the engagement has been an-

motion, which for some reason, brought on an attack of murderous fury."

The description of "Methods of Mounting," other than ascending that short ladder which picture-books have rendered us familiar with from childhood amused me exceedingly. In the case of the mahout, • for instance, who does not require his charge to kneel down, he, "standing in front of the elephant, catches hold of the tip of each ear with each hand, then -stands on the point of the stiffened trunk, when — irey, presto ! — at the word of command up goes the trunk with the ' "man on rfr, rising till a suitable angle is " gained -so that the mahout can step off to to his elephant's neck." '- ;^ -The rajah, however, mounts very dif- j ferently to the humble mahout. First of fell; huge, gaily-comparisoned "hathi" Ifrieels down, -then an attendant gets a _ firm grip of his tail, holding it_ so as to form a loop with where it joins the j animal's . body. Stepping first on the ' elephant's heel, the rajah — and often there is 16 stone of rajah, mind! — places his iiext step in the thick loop of the twisted tail, and thence on to patient hathi' s , hack, -whence he easily enters the howdah. One could scarcely demand a stronger proof of the enormous strenjgth of everx

! part of this huge beast. And for intellii gence and.dociKby, how- is this? — "If an ; attendant-^-who sits behind one in the howdah— rhas .reason to mount whilst in motion,' the elephant at his driver's orders" I half stops in his stride and holds out one i of" his hind legs, which the attendant l nimbly steps on to, and, with a firm hold of the "rope ■ behind the howdah, jumps aloft." " " , You are not tired yet, are you? Some of you, at least, I know "are as fond of animals as I am, and I must just quote a few lines more. "At the end of a long, hot day with a heavy howdah and three men on hisHback — to say nothing of the enormous pad under the howdah, — hathi shows plainly that he is very tired. Possibly, also, either before or after the day's shooting, the great fellow will have had to travel some miles to uproot his meal of shrubs and bushes and bring it into camp on his back. He is quite happy, though, if, camped by the river's bank, he can have his bath and a scrub after the day's toils. Lying down in a few feet of water, sleepy and contented, he is brushed and cleaned by his mahout, getting blacker and blacker as the day's , dust and dirt comes off." i One scarcely expects to find a note of picturesque colour in Vladivostock. Our thoughts run on its grim association with past diplomacy i and present war. Yet even here the note of colour makes itself felt, for one reads of the drosky drivers as "fair- whiskered and ligbt-eyed, picturesquely clad in cloaks of blue velvet, and with red shirt sleeves showing through' the armholes, while their heads were snugly fitted with curly Astrakan hats." It sounds rather chic for a cab driver's costume, don't you think? One more topic we will touch on, and it shall be most seasonable. People often ask me about the washing of flannel or nuns' veiling underwear and blouses ; and though I always give the same answer, the question continually recurs in some such phrase as, "I really can't remember what proportions you said" ; or, "I have such a bad memory and I forgot to write it down." Well, my dear, forgetful friends, I will write it down now, and do you CUT IT OUT AND KEEP IT ! Take a cake of sunlight soap and melt all or half of it in sufficient boiling water to reduce it to a jelly; add one tablespoonful of this jelly and one tablespoonful of liquid ammonia to each gallon of- the washing water, which should be just a nice temperature for the hands — no hotter. Squeeze and rub the articles well about in this ; wring them out and plunge straight into a second water prepared exactly the same, and of the same temperature; squeeze and handle about in this till all the dirt is removed, and wring them well out, putting them without delay into the third and last water, which must be perfectly free frorn^ soap, ammonia, or blue. Wring dry, shake well, and hang out in a windy place. Never rub the soap on the articles, never have the water too hot or too cold, always choose a nice, breezy day, and you must succeed in washing any woollens, from blouses to blankets; with which practical item let us say au revoir.