LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2730, 11 July 1906, Page 65

LADIES' GOSSIP.

— America is famous for its beautiful women, and among the noted belles — a 6 they are still styled on the other side of the Atlantic — the two who 6tand out most prominently are Mrs Dana Gibson and Mrs Lee Tailer. Who has not heaid of the Gibson Girl? Her creator, Mr Charles Dana Gibson, who is still on the right 6ide of 40, is the fortunate husband of the lovely -woman who was before her marriage Miss Irene Langhorne. The Misses Langhorne enjoyed during their girlihood the pleasant reputation of being the best-looking group of sisters in Ameiica, and each and all were immortalised by the pencil of the brilliant artist who may be said to have crystallised, in an art sense, the" American type of womanhood. The marriage of Miss Irene Langhorne with Charles Dana Gibson took place 10 years ago. In 1897 Miss Nannie Langhorne, another of the sisters, &>ecame the wife of Mr Gould Shaw. It is this lady whose engagement to Mr Waldorf Astor has created so much interest ifl English society. Mrs Lee Tailer is a daughter of '^ear-admiral Yates Stirling, of the U.S. Bavy. £he \ras chosen, as the representa-

tive beauty of America for a famous book compiled in Canada. — The Baroness Burdett-Coutts, who is still hale and hearty, on April 21 entered on her ninety-third birthday. She is one of the few persons living — and .certainly one of the few well-known persons — who were born before the year of Waterloo. She was only 23 when she inherited what was regarded in those days as untold wealth from her grandfather. She was a beautiful girl, and it was thought that her riches would perhaps turn her head, or simply make her the wife of some needy nobleman. She kept her head as well as her heart, and from the first used her money most judiciously in every philanthropic and charitable cause of which ehe approved. " For many years," says a writer in an English paper, "the Baroness was counted by Queen Victoria as a friend ; indeed, I have always understood that the peerage conferred in 1871 was suggested by her Majesty, though the offer was made through Mr Gladstone, who was then Prime Minister." Through the late Father Davis she was the good angel of the fishing village of Baltimore, in County Cork, which over 20 years ago she lifted out of poverty by giving the inhabitants a chance of carrying on their industry with some hope of success by lending on easy terms the necessary money to buy proper modern boats and to start a net -making and technical school.^-

— Spanish fashions will, it is whispered, inevitably result from, the Royal Span: h marriage, and (says the Gentlewoman) we are promised Spanish lace and Spanish combs ; Spanish boleros and Toreador hats ; last, but not least, Spanish mantillas, which, by the way, should prove most picturesque and becoming, especially to dark-eyed beauties, or those with prematurely snowy locks. In olden days, one learns of many fair fashions as coming from Spain. Sir T. Gresham's memorable "payre of long Spanish silke stockings," which he presented to Edward VI, are alluded to by Stow in his "Chronicle" as "a great present," on account of the rarity of Spanish silk hose. And', writing to Sir William Cecil in 1500, Gresham mentions that he had "written into Spayne for silk hose," both for him and "my lady," his wife.

—It very rarely happens that the daughter of a commoner is honoured with royal sponsorship. One of Queen Alexandra's favourite god-children is, however, Miss Alexandra Maud James, the second child of Mr and Mrs Willie James, of West Dean Park. Mrs James was a Miss Forbes, of Newe, and thus she is a niece of Georgiana Lady Dudley. The Queen has known her from childhood, and after her marriage to the 'wealthy sportsman whose name she bears, she became at once a noted royal hostess — indeed, West Dean was honoured by visits from her Majesty as rrincess of Wales, the first of these royal sojourns making quite a sensation owing to the fact that this was the first time that the wife of the Heir-apparent had sojourned beneath the roof of a commoner. Miss Alexandra James, who has inherited her full share -of maternal grace and beauty, is one of the Queen's special favourites among her younger godchildren.

— One of the oddest of royal hobbies is that followed by Queen Maud of Denmark, who for years has made ivory her hobby. Not only has she a fine collection of ivory statues and other art objects, but she collects ivory in the tuck as well, an-d has a large collection of trophies of the elephant chase, many of which were sent to her by her brother, the present Prince of Wales, who has doubtless added to the collection during his trip through India. Most of these are supplied with tiny gold plates, telling where and under what circumstances the animal from which the tusk was taken was killed.

—On May Day in the year 1760 or thereabouts (for the actual day is uncertain) was born that glum soul Arthur Wellesley, afterwards Duke of Wellington. He was once asked by a lady whethei in his brilliant life he had not enjoyed the smiles of a great many pretty women "Plenty of chat, ma'am; plenty of that," he replied . " but no woman ever really loved me." At the end of his life a frequent exclamation with him was, " There- is nothing in this world worth living for." He fell in love, as a young man, with the beautiful Lady Catherine Pakenham. Her father forbade marriage, and the young soldier went to India, only cheered by the knowledge that Lady Catherine would not marry anybody else. They were forbidden to write to each other ; when, at the end of nine years, Wellesley returned, bringing his sheaves with him, it was to find the beautiful face of the girl he had left behind him scored and pitted with smallpox. She released him from his engagement, but a chivalrous sense of honour, rather than a passion, induced him to marry her ; and for many years they lived a thoroughly unhappy and loveless life.

—It is interesting to note that when Miss Angela Burdett-Coutts was created a baroness by Queen Victoria, 35 years ago, there was not a single peeress in her own right in the United Kingdom, though Lady Berners succeeded to her uncle's barony very shortly afterwards. There are now no fewer than 10 peeresses of the United Kingdom or of England, besides two Scottish baronesses — Lady Kinloss and Lady Gray. Baroness Clifton is the youngest as Baroness BurdettCoutts is the oldest, peeress in \er own right.

— The following short extract from an article in the Woman at Home, contributed by Emily Holt, presents Mrs Nicholas Longwortli (nee Alice Roosevelt) in a very favourable light :—Without laying claims to beauty, she is always a most attractive figure, and dresses with admirable taste and rather more individuality than most of her countrywomen display. Her pretty evening gowns are nearly always black or white, and^ accentuate her tall slenderness. She is fond of appearing at night in straight-falling, xcix simple white frocka. w\th long

trains, and she is one of the few women who can wear natural flowers becomingly in her hair. Perhaps her best feature is her eyes, which are large, full of changing lights, quick laughter, and keen sympathy ; but the charm she exercises lies wholly in her manner. A well-known foreign diplomat resident at Washington vouches for the completeness of her poise, her attention to every smallest detail that makes for a demonstration of kindliness, and her utter freedom from small affectations. Her frankness and simplicity have never been spoiled nor lost to her, though, as is natural to one in her high position, she has been flattered, overwhelmed with attentions and demands ; and in spite of the fact that she has been quite the most petted and run-after young woman in the United States she has found time to make new friends and keep up with her old ones — There is a marked vein of cleverness in the Lambton family, and the Duchess ot Leeds, who is a sister of Lord Durham and the Ladysmith admiral, inherits mmc than her share of the intellectual asset. This season she is bringing out a little volume of poems, for her real genius is poetical though hitherto she, has" mainly published prose. Some of her short stories indeed, and especially the Italian ones are veritable prose poems. She love" Italy, and generally winters in Bordigheia, where the associations and surroundings harmonise with her artistic instincts. For she is an artist to her finger tips, and a great lover of music. At one lime, like most of the Lambtons she was noted as a fine and fearless rider. The Duchess not only writes stories she has had the honour of figuring as the heroine of a novel herself. Sarah Grand selected \,*r ai Lhe prototype of her "Ideala," one of the most charming characters in moderr fiction, and one which the authoress evidently intended to embody her over jde. of the perfect fl'oman. Just at present the Duchess is wrapped up in her onl; son, the baby Marquess of Carmar then, who was born 10 years after *he youngest of his four sisters. — Most unhappy people have become so by gradually forming a habit of unhappiness, complaining about the weather, finding fault with their food, with crowded cars and with disagreeable companions oi work. A habit of complaining o.f criticising, of fault-finding or grumbling ever trifles, a habit of looking for shadows, is a most unfortunate habit to contract, especially in early life, for after a while, the victim becomes a slave. All of the impulses become perverted, until the tendency to pessimism to cynicism, :*: * chronic. — Success. — In the "Life of Sir Richard Burton, by Lady Burton, the story of his courtship is very prettily told. His wife's family thought he was not her equal in social position, and in any case objected to his supposed want of faith. But the lady had made up her mind. She wrote to her mother-— "He is the only being who awes me into respect, and any evil opinions you may have heard of him arise from his recklessly setting at defiance conventional people, talking . nonsense about religion and heart and principle, which those who do not know him unfortunately take seriously, and he amuses himself with watching their stupid faces. You are immensely proud of your families, but I believe that our proudest record will be our alliance with Richard Burton. I want to 'Lave.' I want a wild, roving, vagabond life. I am young, strong, and hardy with good nerves ; I like roughing it, and I always want to do something daring and spirited "' Finally, Cardinal Wiseman's intervention smoothed away all difficulties. Richard amused the Cardinal, as the family afterwards learnt, by saying sharply, "Practise her religion, indeed ! I should rather think she shall. A man without religion may be excused, but a woman without a religion is not the woman for me."

— Joseph Hatton, in "Cigarette Papers," moralises on the topic of ' Women and Luxury" : — Those of us who don't let the rush of life suspend our thinking are at no loss every morning for things humorous and pathetic in life as it is mirrored in our newspapers at the breakfast table. I am not so sure that we have the habit of looking out for them — even the leisured few of us. There are always poignant contrasts, such as ruffle the leisured person's philosophy if he or she pays attention to theia. On this page you are told how people are living on 4£d a day (or dying on less), and on another how fashionable women have taken to "artistic sleeping suits," a Bond street firm having "received an order for half a dozen dainty silk pyjamas" from an up-to-date society dame. Perhaps the contrasts do not always give one a balanced picture ; but this particular item, which I came across the other day, touched off a train of thought. The artistic sleeping suits were so luxuriously described. We were told that they have "replaced the Empire robe de nuit in the hearts of fair customers." They are "to be made in the palest shades of silk, hand-embroidered with flowers," and so forth. How women are tempted in these days ' What a vast variety of printed matter there is to induce them to waste their money, time, and talents in the rivalry of display ! To look at the ladies' special publications and to some newspaper pages devoted to women's interests you would think they cared for little else. It comes about, of course, because these publications exist largely on advertisement ,• but what a pity there is so much of it ! AH this disproportionate and ingenious puffery, with the extravagance it fosters, has surely a bad effect on the moral tone of Englishwomen and on their mental outlook. There are so many other things in which they should be taking a rational and gracious interest. — The Dowager Duchess of Newcastle is one of the great Roman Catholic ladies who are devoting their lives to the poor. The Duchess was told that of all tbo London districts Whitechapel was in greatest disrepute, owing to the exploits ol Jack the RiMer. ".Very well/ ehe

replied, " tiusa -I rriil -g&ixk.S&hiiteoh.a.'peT." Since that time she has laboured almost unceasingly among the poor in the East End, making her home, for the most part of the year, at St. Anthony's House, in Great Prescot street, in the heart of Whitechapel.

— Under the caption " King Alphonso's Smile," M.A.P. says : — By the merest accident (writes a correspondent) I chanced to be at the Hippodrome the other afternoon when King Alphonso visited the huge house in the company of his bride-elect. We all have a soft corner in our hearts for the boy monarch who has conducted his courtship so gloriously in his own way, but those who have not seen him are fain to declare that his looks are not the royal bridegroom's strong point. As a matter of fact, he is decidedly attractive in appearance. Like many other royalties, notably the Princess of Wales, his photographs do him much less than justice ; they accentuate the heaviness of nose and give no idea at all of the charts of King Alfonso's expression. His face is seldom seen in repose, and he has a way of being vividly and genuinely interested in everything, of enjoying the smallest things. If you did not know c who he was you would say he was a nice, wellbred boy, with a touch of the foreitf ler in him, just home from Eton or Harrow. Beside him Princess Ena looks serenity itself. She smiles frequently ; but unless outward appearances belie both, she has less of the joy of living. Fair, placid, capable, and majestic, she will make an admirable Queen of Spain and change many things in that country. At present she appears to find her greatest delight in the pleasure which everything gives her lover, and there can be little doubt in the minds of those who look on that face for once in the world's history asking and his queen will be fathoms deep in love with each other on their wedding day. King Alfonso's future brothers-in-law appear to have an immense regard and admiration for him, and it is pretty to see him with Princess Henry of Battenburg. He anticipates her every wish with such graceful courtesy as only Spain breeds, but he is not above cracking jokes with her. You would say he had set himself out to make the somewhat sad-faced Princess laugh And he succeeds. Those who are about her declare that King Alfonso makes Princess Henry laugh oftener in a week than she used to laugh in a year.

— John Bell, in Men and Women, writes the following account of the King of Italy's romantic love match — ' Eraan cipated from the professors, and passing all his examinations with credit, the Prince of Naples starts on the G^and Tour. He is an enthusiastic traveller. Every European country is visited, then Egypt and Palestine. Back in. Italy, he ipts to work to learn in earnest the calling which nis father followed, and did not disgrace — the calling of a soldier. With ♦he lapse of years he rises to high command, and then he hears of pretty Helen Petrovitch, the third daughter of Prince Nicholas, of Montenegro. To the Cot^rt of Cettinje, surely the most modest id Europe, our Prince Charming hies. The majestic figure, the luminous dark eyes, the finely chiselled features, the wavy masses of dark hair, and, not the least "important, the beautiful disposition o* Princess Helen, completely enslave him. Of noble ladies in Italy there are sufficient to choose from, but it is to the dark eyed daughter of the principality, to the princess with her motherly ways, that Victor Emmanuel bows down. 1+ is, indeed, a case of love at first sight. Montenegro rejoices over the match, so does democratic Italy ; but there are grumblings amongst the great ones ri thai lard. They want a princess who can add fortune to beauty, who has not been accus tomed to darn stockings and Jook after the household linen. But love laughs at these criticisms. The Prince of Naples will be faster of his own matrimonial destiny ; and so, though Nicholas, the picturesque ruler of a rude people, the loving father of a large family, is lotb to part with his Helen, the apple of his eye, he knows that she is worthy of beirg Queen of Italy, and her conquest makeo him happy.