LADIES’ GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 67

LADIES’ GOSSIP.

A lady of a neutral country who lias come to England, after recently being in Vienna and Berlin, says rather too much is being rriade here of the potato-bread expedient. Potato bread is common at all times in many parts of Germany, she says, and is not disliked. A more striking example of the “potato-bread spirit” was that ladies in Germany are not wearing furs this year. Their furs have been sent to the troops—which accounts for a recent picture of soldiers carrying muffs in the German and Austrian trenches.

The Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, it is stated, has sent a printed form to the mother of each undergraduate, should she have a mother living, failing which the form is sent to the girl’s father or other legal guardian, and the recipient is requested to take part in a referendum, on the cancellation of the College rule forbidding smoking, for which some of the undergraduates have asked.

The unalterable law of fashion to-day is that ,a woman must look supple; and with a loose waist, a ftee chest, and properly balanced boots or shoes on her feet, she should arrive at the springy fleet movements of a Diana. At present, however, the bad habits of last year’s tight skirts still make her walk anything but graceful. Hats are all small, most of them black, although a few flowers are to be seen as trimmings. Veils are general, and the tight coiffure of the moment gives all women the effect of having small heads. Neatness, trimness, and extremely good grooming are the first elements, and almost the last, of good millinery and good dressing at the present time.

The Queen of Norway, as a young girl, loved to escape from the restrictions of her semi-public life, and hidden behind the name “Miss Wills,” to travel with ordinary people in ordinary railway carriages. When Prince Karl courted her, as her father before him had courted the future Queen Alexandra, under the beeches at Fredensborg, her pet name was “Harry.” The youngest and most vivacious, Princess Maud was considered also the prettiest of King Edward’s daughters. She looks unmistakably like her mother, and has thus far kept her freshness—she is forty-four, three years the senior of the King—in a way that promises that she may have the invincible youthfulness of our own Queen-M other. The great war has brought its anxieties to the Norwegian Royal Family. Pr Louisa Garrett Anderson, daughter of Dr Garrett Anderson, the famous woman surgeon and pioneer lady mayor, is about to take charge of a military hospital of 500 beds in England. Dr Louisa, as she is known to her friends, has just returned from Wimereux, where she was in charge of the hospital there—tke first woman’s hospital to which official recognition was given by the War Office. All the patients under her care at Wimereux were British soldiers. Before she took charge of the hospital at Wimereux Dr Garrett Anderson was in control of the women’s hospital hi Paris, where some marvellous feats of surgery have been accomplished by the women surgeons. Every day the Empress of Russia and her two elder daughters, the Grand Duchess Olga and the Grand Duchess Tatiana, visit the hospital wards. They wear the simple garments of Sisters of Charity. The Czarina personally takes the temperature of the soldiers most seriously ill. She is present at painful operations, giving courage to the sufferers by her

comforting words. Every detail in the hospital supervision • comes under her critical eye. She and her daughters allow' no manifestations of observance for rank. They work side by side with the other nurses. The soldiers are happy to catch but a glance at the figure of their wonderful Empress, condescending to bind up their wounds. They return to the held wild with enthusiasm for the war, ready to die for their Sovereign.

A story illustrating the Queen’s sense of humour is told regarding her Majesty’s recent visit to a hospital. The matron previous to the visit interviewed her Majesty to plan out the details of the visit, and wrote down on a slip of paper a list of questions she wished to ask. On entering the Royal presence she accidentally dropped the paper at the feet of the Queen, who picked it up and read the first question, which' w r as, “Can H.M. walk on gravel?” “H.M.,” said the Queen, smiling, “prefers gravel to red carpet, but never gets it.”