LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2690, 4 October 1905, Page 73

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— The Dowager Countess of Cavan, whose death occurred the other day, was a woman greatly beloved, full of whimsicalities, yet kindness itself. The poor people, among whom she loved to dispense charity in such a manner as to make her beneficiaries feel that by accepting her bounty they were conferring upon her the greatest favour, worshipped her. In society she was known as the queen of croquet. Nobody has done more to keep the game alive, and the revived vogue of the pastime owes much to her unwearying efforts. At Wheathanipstead House she had six perfect lawns for the game, and although she was proud of her covered tennis court, the largest of its character in England, she saw to it that her halfdozen croquet lawns were always occupied by expert players when she was entertaining. Like all the members of her family, she scorned, convention when it clashed with her personal predilections. Thus while, like so many ladies who do not plead guilty to the habit, she smoked, she openly avowed her fondness for the weed, and would smoke her cigarette with the best of them.

— Men are sometimes inclined to laugh' at us women for so carefully defining what our various costumes are intended for. We hare our golfing, cycling, and walkingcostumes, and one gown would certainly not be entirely suitable for all. If our dress allowance permits of a distinctive one for each pastime, then so much the better, nob only so far as utility, but decidedly so far as appearances go. A costume which is worn on all occasions soon loses its fresh smartness. But if Aye watch our fellowmen carefully, Are will soon see that a man is as particular about his golfing, cycling, or walkingsuits as we are fit to be. And very smart some pi them are,, especially the

fashionable liding breeches with the loose upper part, but tightly-fitting knee. They look and are said to be most comfortable. The loose coats, without belts, seem just the thing for country wear. Then knitted ties are still as great favourites as ever. Some arc machine-made, but they do not stand comparison with the slightly loose and more elastic handmade examples. The knitted tie is easily made, and less bulky to cany about while in process of manufacture than a sock or stocking, and besides, men must be so tired getting the present of a pair of sox. Pies-ents, like oilier things in life, are apt to depreciate in value, from their very monotony. So the girl who kniis may vary the nature of her birthday or other gift" to her men friends by knitting ties in their favourite shade 'of silk. — Lady writer in Glasgow Weekly Citizen. — A visitor to Lady Warwick's secondary agricultural school says that the agricultural girl is not a "stout daughter of the plough '' — she is young, small, and gigglish ° Some of the scholars received prizes in mathematics cookery, and French, and the ono who was first in the latter was described by a correspondent of Truth as "all lace and roses, cream while and plumpness." Another pupil was in pale lace, and open work white stockings. # A correspondent writes to a Home paper : "In last week's number you wrote of the failure of the Buckingham Palace yellow crocus beds. For some years I lived at Chelsea, and planted crocuses of different colours, and have done the same here in Bournemouth. But with the like result— white, blue, blue and white bloom in perfection, but directly a yellow flower shows itself it is seized upon by the sparrows. Why they choose this colour only I know not." 1 The Duchess of Buceleuch is, next to Queen Alexandra, whose Mistress of the Robes she is, the central figure of London's most exclusive society. Her official position as Mistress of the Hobes obliges her to give a dinner on the night before the opening of Parliament, and, with the exception of an invitation to Buckingham Palace, there is no higher honour than to be a guest at one of these functions. Though essentially kindly and charming,; the Duchess is punctilious to a degree, and her Grace has an immense dislike for what she calls '"modern manners-." Once, when Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria, she received a hasty summons to Buckingham Palace, and hurrying upstairs to dress, forgot to order the carriage. When she and the Duke were in readiness to stort the omission was discovered, and as it would have been practically high treason to keep Queen Victoria — who loathed unpuncttiality — waiting, there was nothing else for it but to take a four-wheeler.. But when the cab reached the Palace the police denied it admittance, so that the Duke and Duchess ■ had to finish their journey on foot, which was not. an over-pleasant proceeding, seeing that the night was wet. Many great ladies in tho land have been thankful that the Duchess of Buceleuch is Mistress of the Robes, because that distinguished personage is always required to be dressed in sombre black on State occasions. — A .romance i& recalled by the marriage of the only son of Mr Chaplin to Miss Gladys Wilson. Forty years ago the squire was a handsome young man, with an estate valued at half & million, and the prospect of a great career before him. The announcement that Lady Florence Paget, daughter of the Marquis of Anglesea, was to become Lady Florence Chaplin was deemed, therefore, the prelude to a very suitable match. Then suddenly the world was startled by the announcement that the marriage would not take place — for the sufficient reason that the bride-elect had given Mr Chaplin the slip, and popped off and married the Marquis of Hastings. Hermit's Derby followed, and Mr Chaplin's grim revenge upon the man -who had stolen his bride. It was another Florence whom Mr Chaplin eventually married. Lady Florence Sutherland-Leveson-Gower. The union, a very happy one, was blessed by three children, of whom the eldest is married. One of the bridegroom's sisters is Viscountess Castlereagh, and will some day be Marchioness of Londonderry. The Chaplins have repeatedly married into noble families. Mr Chaplin has only himself to blame that he is not in the House of Lords. He was offered a peerage when the-, late Lord Salisbury retired from the Cabinet. — Mine. Oyama, wife of Japan's great Field-Marshal, Japanese by birth, like her husband, but educated at Vassar College, on the Hudson's banks, is the most eminent Tvoinan in the Red Cross work today, says T.A.T. When she started to learn the duties of a nurse, she insisted on beginning at the beginning, learning all the other irksome and petty details of a probationer's work. She is idolised by the wounded Japanese soldiers, among whom she has toiled and suffered, much as did Florence Nightingale at Scutari. — What would our great-grandmothers have thought, I wonder, of the modern woman's club ; but then, poor dears, they would find so many things nowadays at which to raise disapproving hands and eyes that one more or less

could hardly count, though this one of ladies' clubs would, surely, fill them vrith amazement (writes Mrs jark May in the Bystander). In their dear, old, dull times 1 d.iy's visit to London was unheard of, and a week or so spent in the metropolis without the protection of husband or father an undreamt of piece of dissipation Whereas emancipated woman not only elects to take her week or month of sight-seeing or shopping alone, but even contrives to exist happily all the year round entirely "on her own" in "wicked" London.

Old Place, Mochruni, ■where Lord and Lady Bute spent their honeymoon, is well situated on the Wigtownshire uplands, between Luce Bay and Wigtown! Bay. The surrounding country is wild and lonely, and consists of hills, moors, and lochs. Old Place, which was originally built during the latter part of the fifteenth century by Sir John Dunbar, was thoi-oughly and carefully restored by ; the late Lord' Bute about 20 years ago, and it is now one of the best examples of a medieval house in Great Britain. The windows command beautiful . views over Mochrnm Loch and Castle Loch, each of which contains several pretty islands.

—"I have just come home, and all the fashions seem so queer." So remarked Mrs Archibald Little, authoress and traveller, to the Society of American" Women in London. "When."' the speaker added. "I saw that every woman's dress opened up behind it seemed to me that another worry had been added to life, even to that of poor man. Can't we women look beautiful in dresses that open in front ? And must our hats all require three pins or more, and must they always be sot askew?" Mrs Little appealed to American women" as leaders of fashion to consider whether current feminine attire was calculated to impress the beholder with respect. — The very antiquity of the earring ought to render it more valuable, and make it more highly prized and admired. We know that it is an ornament of the remotest historical antiquity, and that a considerable number of remarkably beautiful examples — beautiful alike in material, design, and workmanship — have been brought to ligbt by Dr Schliemann in Peloponnesus, and that other ear jewels and ornaments — perhaps more perfect than any modern examples, however artistic they may be — have been found in the sepulchres of ancient Etruria and Greece by Signor Castellani. East and West, women of nearly all nations have favoijred earrings as articles of personal adornment. In many Oriental races, with the exception of Hebrews and Egyptians, both sexes have worn earrings. Among the Persians. Babylonians, Lydians. Libyans, and Carthaginians both men and women did so; but in the West the usage has been confined to the softer sex. At one time a single earring was worn, biit, as a rule, two ornaments that matched and made a perfect pair were most in favour. It cannot be denied that there is a certain charm and chic in wearing one earring only — say, a large gold ring or a fine solitaire brilliant of the first water or a magnificent ruby or deep-lined emerald or lump of turquoise matrix. Were a present-day belle and leader of fashion to start, or rather revive, the old custom, how smart and hyper-chic some of us wotild pronounce it to be ! — A well-known lady writer strongly combated the idea that women are naturally stingy. "If,"' said she, "women' are less liberal than men, it is for the very sufficient reason that they have less money to spend. As a rule man is tho money earner and controls the exchequer, and it is too often the case that the amount a woman receives for housekeeping, clothes, and necessary expenses is, to' say the least, barely adequate for her wants. She is not expected to spend much on purely personal indulgences, and so it seems doubly hard that her enforced economies should bring upon her the charge of meanness. Many a man thinks nothing of ordering an expensive lunch or supper for himself when out for pleasure, while his -wife if she goes out shopping often hesitates about spending a few pence on refreshments. When it comes to real generosity, then. I .thinly it is largely found amongst women, for their gifts and charities frequently mean self-denial on their part, just because of their limited means."

— This season, more than ever, a desperate attempt has been made to revive the chaperon, and an equally firm stand ismade against her by the young married hostesses, who want all the room at their command for their young guests. I hope the chaperons will win the day (says a writer in the Lady's Pictorial). The decline of the chaperon has certainly been synonymous with the decline of manners, and one might almost go so far as to say morals.

— The German Empress is an early riser, and sits down to breakfast with the Emperor, winter and summer, punctually at 8 o'clock. At 1 o'clock the Imperial couple dine with their children; guests are "but seldom invited to this mid-day meal, and when they are they are ticated quite "en famillo." She is exceedingly fond of children, of all

iorts and conditions; and when she Is staying in the country she often stops ' her ' carriage' at the- sight i>f a group of children and lets them climb, into it in' search of bonbons which she carries with her for the delectation of any little ones she may happen to meet. — Writing in the World, a woman says i ■Hen talk quite as much, and every whit is foolishly, as women. We . are talkaiive, without doubt; we talk, nonsense nore often than not; we gossip, we jabble of dress; but the average man .oves the sound of his voice, and does lot much caie what he talks about so jong as Tie is engaged in conversation, finally, he is a slave to Fashion, and ' talks tailor " every 4 bit as much, as we •' talk dressmaker." — I think .it is quite time that girls pho go about alone, as most modern girls ,40, should be able to protect themselves should occasion arise .(writes a correspondent in the Daily Chronicle). Boxing is not a sport" for women, Gertainly; but it srill surely -do a girl no 7 harm to learn how to hit oujb from the shoulder. Wrestling, v again, may be a little rough; but it is ..certainly better' for a, girl >to" gain «, few knocks or bruises in a tussle with her brother, than that -she should be defenceless against- the attacks of a hooligan. — Within' very- wide limits men can tnake women anything they wish them to be (says Vanity Fair). If they prefer abandonrrjient in • tlie fair sex they can have it, and women themselves will think it natural. If they, prefer primness they can have it, and again women themselves will think it natural. Women have chosen their own ruler, and they obey her absolutely. Her name is Fashion. ;When man at last understands how to be master of-her, he wiflThave women at his leet. !. In' line witb the modern anti-germ craze is the new fad for having glass tops fitted to- all table tops, especially those •to be used in bedrooms, and to bureaus and similar articles of furniture. The fashion would seem to suggest a bare and cold effect, ' somewhat like that to°be observed" ir hospital furnishings, but as .the. glass tops are now used they rather Md to than detract from the decorative Quality of "the furniture. These covers sire made of glass about a quarter of an pjich thick and bevelled around the edges. [Naturally, they are made in order to fit certain pieces of furniture. Should it be ii French table de toilette the glass cover Jwould conform to its curves exactly, and • /when placed over the wooden top, perchance beautifully inlaid, it would naturally save it from future dust and marring. fWber the pices of furniture, however, lias a plain top^with nothing attractive /Lo show through the glass, it is customary ito place first on the table a fancy cover iand then to lay the glass cover over it. ,On"a first glance one often sees only the 'decorative cover, and is unconscious of the glass above. When it is remembered that brushes^ combs, little pots of cold

j cream, and the like are the necessary I furnishings of the table de toilette the cleanliness of the glass cover is vrarlily appreciated. A few card-tables have lately been seen covered in this fashion. Here the slipperiness of the glass greatly facilitates the taking-up of tricks, and as \ ash-trays and glasses are often an oocom- . paniment of card-playing its hard surface pis an advantage. Often a hard-some caidtafole has been marred tlirongh the careless placing of a lighted cigarette, -while the look of' ring-marks left fr jji ,gbsfci.-s is most familiar. — I sat in the hall of the Carlton Restaurant a fews da3>-s ago drinking tea, and gazing with respectful wonder at a lady •whose hat clung for dear life to the side of her head. It ■was a neat little lint, of the shape affectionately designated "porbpie>" and in John Leech's time (see his pictures) worn with the chignon, and sometimes tilted demurely down on the eyebrows. But rather than wear it over the right ear, Leech's "dear girls," I believe, would have professed their readiness to die. I watched it with concern, " lest it should topple over the small ear (much too small to hold it up) and roll along the floor, with my chivalrous instincts in chase. "You needn't be alarmed," said another lady, to whom I explained > these misgivings. "It <ron"t come off. I wish it would, just to see you running after a pork-pis, hat, as you call it. My dear man, the pork pie is as much out of date as your friend Leech. 'Ehis is bhe District Messsnger Hat, worn •in the style of tihe little boys wlio skip so usefully about the town. It is symbolic ( of the intrepid calm of woman in the . bustle of life." "01*, is it!" I murmur. — t L. F. Austin, in the Illustrated London ' News.' ' I — Sir George Murray is a man of decided views, but amenable to reason. First, , you must convince him. ~ The young ladies at the Post Office, when he was secretary j ■i(here, succeeded, either by accid&nt or de- j sign. They sent him a round-robin de- I siring that lock-up cupboards should be provided in which to deposit their hats anil -cloaks. Without hl&sitation Sir George declared that such an innovation was Wholly unnecessary, and refused 1 to grant the request. But to make certainty doubly \ sure, he agreed to pay a visit of inspec- j ■don-to the rooms devoted to the use of i the young ladies. He came back more tihan. ever convinced that his refusal was right and propeir. Then in a flash he < j altered ihis mind. During his absenc9 j I over this very tour his own kit and coat ' iad bean stolen ! If we could peep into some private diary we might find an entry ' showing that the young ladies themselves ; were not wholly free from the charge of '■ j complicity. "No matter, they got their ! lock-up cupboards. — The Russian Court always pass the j summer months in Peterhof, their resi- j j dence on the Gulf of Finland. There the ' little Grand Duchesses Tatiana. Marie, and Anastasie, and the Grand Duke Tsarevitch 1 Alexis were all born. The ' . last was the most beautiful child I ever ' saw (writes -Margaretta Eager, in the Woman at Home). Big and handsome, he was only seven weeks old when I left Russia, so he was too young for me to speak of his disposition. In Peterhof the Enrperbr and his family enjoy to the full the open-air life they all so much like. " The palace is built, Russian ' j fashion, with several balconies; weather ; permitting,, we took our meals in ours. The Russian summer is generally fine and warm. As in most northern latitudes, spring comes in with a burst. A i'ort- - night after the snow has melted the grass and trees are green, and it's " flowers^ flowers, all the way.'' The wild flowers j in Russia are particularly beautiful,' and • gardeners there have not the same grudge against them that the English have; so you find them everywhere — even in the ! gardens and on the,. lawns of the palaces. The parks in Peterhof ,are full of wild rabbits and hares. The Emperor will not allow them to be molested; consej quently they sit up and regard one with j great seriousness bub little fear. There is very good sea-balhing in Peterhof, but no one wears a bathing dress ! Once in the Crimea I thought I should like to ! bathe, but had no costume. I therefore sent one of the maids down the town to ! , get some serge for me. She returned | without it, and explained that the woman j in the shop had asked her for what pur- ' pose it was required. She told her the foreigner wanted a bathing dress. Whereupon the woman exclaimed : " Bathingdress, indeed ! French fashions in Russia. Tell her u> bathe in her skin, as her grandmother did before her." It was a libel on my grandmother ! — What enhances a woman's beauty more than jewels ? Diamonds that sparkle like her eyes; rubies that rival her lips; pearls that gleam like her teeth. And when the jewel is hung in her dainty 1 ear, quivering and shining and glowing 1 anew with every movement of its wearer, ' where could be found a more beautiful , ornament or decoration for Beauty's self 1 It is said that in the world-renowned statue of the Venus de Medici the ears are pierced for the reception of earrings, so the animate Venus of to-day may point to her celebrated and classic model , if she is desirous of pleading precedent

as an excuse for her vanity. Tt is a matter ot common ki.ovaedge that among the Greeks and Romans women wore earisngs. From Hera in the Iliad down to the beauties of our own time this ornament has been patronised and admired. Pliny, indeed, tells us that the Romans spent more money on earrings than on any other article of dress or adornment; while as for the Egyptians, it is universally admitted that the ear-ornaments worn by them were oi wonderful and exquisite beauty, judging by the specimens that have been preserved, and the antique designs of which have been imitated down to the present day. One wonders that earrings are not in universal favour, considering how eager women usually are to follow fashions set or adhered to by Royal ladies, when we call to mind the fact that all the most beautiful, graceful, and distinguished-looking j Queens and Princesses in Europe, whether j of the past generation or the present, I are faithful to their earrings, wearing them constantly, and never omitting them on State occasions. The subject can hardly be closed without an allusion to the widespread belief that the wearing of earrings benefits the eyes and eyesight —The "Thin Rice" of the Chinese.— The very first thing that a Chinaman takes when he gets up in the morning is a bowl of hot " congee," or, as he calls it, "thin rice." This is simply rice boiled away to a thinnish drink- ' able consistency. If allowed to cool it > would thicken into paste. Some care is required to make it properly. "If the water is visible and not the rice," says Yuan Mci, " that is not congee. If the rice is visible and not the water, that is not congee either. The two must be indistinguishably blended before ! you can call the result congee." — Belgium as a Lace Centre. — Belgium has long been an important centre of the lace industry. The art of making lace spread through Flanders from France and Italy in the middle centuries owing to the splendid qualities of Belgian flax, and it was there that the wonderful duchesse lace Ayas originated. Much of the so-called Spanish l ao e_black, with its large roses and trailing design — was also made in Flanders, I and for the last hundred years the cities , of Bruges, Ghent and Ypres have put on the market the three best grades of the modern valenciennes lace, each city having a distinct variation in design, due to the differences in workmanship, gradually introduced in the course of years in the : three localities. —Etiquette Hints for the Ball-room. — ! On entering a private ball-room first find and address yourself to' the hostess, after which you may acknowledge any friends present. Do not lay yourself 6pen to the remarks of others by dancing or sittmg-out too frequently with one person. Do not neglect your hostess, but try , when you wish her good-bye (if not be- j fore) in a few cordial words to make her < feel you appreciate her kindly efforts for your 'enjoyment. Whatever may be your abilities as a ( dancer, never make a display of them in < the ball-room. It is an exhibition in very bad taste. Dance easily and gracefully, ' and show that you enter into the amusement as a lady or gentleman ought to do, neither with careless indifference, which is insulting to your partner, nor with unbecoming levity, which is derogatory to yourself. The order of entering a public ballroom is the same as that 01 a private ball. The ladies enter first, with the gentlemen in attendance slightly m the rear. It would be vulgar to enter a ballroom arm-in-arm. It is correct to take your card of invitation with you to a public ball, as a guarantee that you have been invited, but it would be the height of ignorance to do so at a private ball. Married ladies are usually attended by their husbands at balls, but the rule is not necessarily observed. Unmarried ladies do not go to balls alone, but are chaperoned by their mothers, married sisters, or an elderly lady friend. Etiquette is rather hard on ladies in the matter of dances. They must not refuse one partner in order to dance Tvith another. If Ihey refuse, they must say they are not dancing this time. No gentleman should presume on a ball-room introduction, for out of the ball-room it has no force Whether it extends any further is entirely dependent on the will of the lady. In giving a ball, three weeks' notice is considered necessary, but with regard to a dan-cc. a short ten days' notice would suffice.

If any little contretemps happens, try, by taking very little notice of it yourself, to divert others' attention from it. It is always the lady of the house who is considered to give the ball ; she, therefore, sends out the invitations, and to her the" replies are addressed. The invitations should be issued not less than a fortnight before the occasion, and are generally sent on printed forms kept by all stationers. Those accepting the invitation should reply briefly within a couple of days. A gentleman having procured a partner, he cannot be too careful of her. He must never leave her until he has restored her to her ehaperone. He must be careful to guard her against any collision whilst

dancing, and give her his arm directly the dance is finished. It would not be etiquette to walk up and down the ballroom at the conclusion of a dance ; one turn round the room would be sufficient, and then the dancers would seek some cooler retreat. The gentleman should ask his partner if she would take any refreshment, and if she should reply in the affirmative, lie^ must see she is comfortably seated and provided with all she needs. He must stay with her all the time she is in the refreshment-room, then escort her to her chaperon, and bow before leaving her. A gentleman should always be in time to keep his engagements, as it looks very ungracious to keep a lady waiting after the music has begun. A gentleman should not forget his " duty " dances. It is correct for him to dance with one of the daughters of the j hou&e.