AN INTERESTING CORRESPONDENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2804, 11 December 1907, Page 73

AN INTERESTING CORRESPONDENT.

The following extracts are from a delightfully chatty letter received by last mail from Mdlle. Helene Rubinstein. My readers will remember the visit paid by the charming little beauty specialist to New Zealand just' on the eve of her departure for Eusppe. She told me then, " Over the Teacups," what great projects she had in view, and what a wealth ot new discoveries and experiences she hoped to extract from her Continental tour. Apparently the reality, comes up to her expectations — and ours. From time to time I expect to hear from her, and shall pass on anything of general interest to you.

EMMELINE.

Berlin, October 12, 1907.

Berlin and Vienna as a choice" of base of operations on my present European 6tudy trip could not very well be improved upon. In both these cities one enjoys advantages for the study of hygiene of beauty which cannot be equalled! elsewhere in the world. The subject has really assumed dimensions ot a cult. /'ln my next- letter to you I shall probably have occasion to describe the difference which exists between the systems o fbeauty culture as practised in these two centres and in Paris. The difference is indeed most radical.

For the purpose of studying the question of obesity, .or flesh reducing, I was enabled to take a run down to Marienbad, w hich is noted for its flesh or fat reducing waters. This little to^\n is beautifully located in Bohemia. It is one of the world's beauty spots. That it should ha\e been selected by Nature as a, re:>ort to make fat people lose fat when the d?ligbts of the place alone are sufficient to make people get fatter seems to be one of Nature's little jokes.

I have also taken advantage of an opportunity to make a visit to another health resort, Kissingen. This place is likewise the embodiment of a joke, a big joke, not on the part of Nature, but by the grace of the management. The resort supports a flesh-reducing and a flesh -producing ' sanatorium, both under one roof. The psychology of the institution is most curious. One part of the inmates are starved, the other over-fed. In the one case over-eating may bring about a sudden termination of eaithly career ; in the other it is heartily desired. The fat man with a good appetite looks with envious eyes on the lean man with earth's best eatables before him ; but the fat man may not have them, and tlie lean man will not have them. The drollest incidents occur, and ho, for the man oi Twain to do them justice.

I shall leave Berlin in about ten days, and after spending some more time in Vienna, start on my trip through the interesting Balkan States, ultimately getting to Constantinople. Natural herbal hair dyes are the attraction. Fiom there my plans" are back to Paris by way of Russia.