LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3239, 12 April 1916, Page 67

LADIES' GOSSIP.

story of an English governess's reply to a Prussian ollieer at the beginning of the war may still be worth giving. The officer came to see her and her friend off to London after the outbreak of war. Ha said to them, "Auf wiedcrsehen (till vve meet again) in England." The English

seriously to work to learn the trade. Their school, which was opened recently, was founded by the leading feminist, but they have had the wit to interest the principal hotel proprietors in„their scheme, which opens a fresh sphere of activity and usefulness to women. German women, who are accused of talking about nothing but butter, have I been supplied by the military authorities with a new topic. On Monday the Berlin shops began their annual clearance sales, but on Tuesday they were stopped by a military order, and the veto is apparently to be applied to the whole Empire. The reason given (states The Times) is that it | is desirable to avoid all unnecessary selling and buying of cotton and woollen goods, and the shops must therefore be discouraged from offering to the public special attractions to buy more clothes than they need. It is also urged that changes in the fashions must be reduced to a minimum. It appears that the military order is extremely unpopular, and- doubt is , expressed as to its legality. Excuses that Irritate. It is idle to say that one should not make excuses. The girl (or man, for that matter!) has yet to be born who never ! commits this small weakness. So that the | best we frail huroans can do is to avoid making excuses that annoy others and do not, after all, exonerate ourselves. i One of the most foolish of such excuses is, "I had no time." It is so seldom | satisfactory. For once that it is true, six : times it will be lame. One feels inclined | to retort cruelly, "You should have made 1 time," for there is such an art. The only drawback is that idle people seldom I practise it; it is left to those already j overburdened with work. "I forgot" is also a highly irritating i excuse, though it may be a valid reason I It ought not to have been possible to ! forget, one feels. There are forgettings I that imply lack of heart, of common--1 sense, of good taste. Perhaps it is as well not to acquire a | habit of making excuses, then, since most : of our efforts will be poor things at best. I But if we do now and again fall into | the temptation to do so, let us see to ' it that, as the saying goes, our excuses do "hold water." Altpratioiis ami Repairs, In "Annafs of a Yorkshire House" we get an interesting glimpse of the devices that people employed in the decoration of their rooms before printed wall-papers were available. The house is Cannon Hall, at Cawthorne, near Barnsley, the home of the Spence-Stanhopes, one of whom, Walter, was a notable macaroni, or dandy, as we should say, in the days of King' George 111. The young man is about to be married, and is having the hall done up and altered for the reception of his bride He consults her about the carpet for the drawing-room, of which he has seen one that will go with the pea green furniture very well. He is sending her the design of it by post; "I have neither Taste nor Choice in these Matters," he says, "but beg my dear Miss Pulleyn's Directions about it; it is necessary at the i same time to inform her that if she does

not order one immediately she will find a Want of it, for they cannot have one ready in less than a month, or perhaps six weeks, from the time it is ordered." That seems pretty prompt work for those j days of the hand-loom ; but the bridegroom could be trusted to make things hum. "I I got hither only the night before last," he says, "and since then have had with me the upholsterer, the bricklayer, the plasterer (for whitewashing only), the i painter, the white smith, the bell-hanger, ! the house-carpenter; and we have already ! taken down two beds and two doors and ! removed all the furniture out of two i rooms, taken down two chimney-pieces, i and broke through the pannel of wainscot. i Your bed-chamber will begin to be painted I on Monday, white, with an ebussean (sic) border; and what will contribute greatly to the work's being finished is that the figured ebusson border may be painted on ; writing paper, and afterwards pasted on the wainscot." Such a scheme was only , possible for the rich, and perhaps only 1 for them once in a lifetime, and it is -. interesting to see how our modern walli papers originated. Wn\U and ''ui'^stioTis. Salt placed first in the frying-pan preI vents grease from spluttering. Salt and water rubbed into the scalp j is good for falling hair after illness. To clean brass taps use finely powdered ! bathbrick mixed with paraffin. This 1 answers quite as well as brass polish, | and is more economical. i An enamelled bath-tub can be cleaned by rubbing it, when thoroughly dry, with a cloth clipped in turpentine and salt. ! Afterwards Avash it with clean warm 1 water. 1 Glycerine, though .considered by some to be an emollient, is often an irritant to a delicate skin, if used pure. If used, however, with an equal part of olive oil, it is good for the hands, but it should never be applied to the complexion.

Black straw quickly loses its depth of colour. To renovate mix together a couple of teaspoonfuls of black ink and almost as much weak gum ; rub into the straw with a stiff-bristled brush, and allow to dry. When a wooden table becomes inkstained it should be scrubbed with salt and vinegar. This is generally found most effective.

Piano keys which have become discoloured should be rubbed with alcohol. Dip a cloth into the spirit, rub the keys, and leave to dry. In place of a dish cloth use a piece of loofah about 4in square. This is far better for cleaning pots and pans as well as dishes.

To renovate a Japanese tray which has become shabby, first rub with sandpaper to procure a smooth surface, and then give two coats of paint, and lastly, one of enamel. Each coat must be allowed to dry before applying the next. The tray will look like new ano\ last a considerable time.

Most people use tape on which to hang their short curtains. Instead of this, why not try elastic cut a little less than the width of the window? This will not sag and look untidy as the tape so often does. Knitted Ties.—To prevent gentlemen's ties from stretching, stitch a piece of narrow ribbon along the centre, on wrong side, the entire length of the tie. A Good Starch. —While the starch is itill hot on the stove, drop in a lump of alum, and stir slowly until it is dissolved. A lump the size of a hazel nut to a quart of starch is the proportion. The iron will not .stick,' and aprons and blouses will keep clean longer, as the starch gives the fabric something of a waterproof nature. Spots can be rubbed off before the material has had time to absorb the dirt.

Never hang up a mackintosh. When not in use, brush and fold, after thoroughly drying it, and place in a drawer. It will last twice as long as if left hanging in the dust. To clean a mackintosh which has become hard and rigid, dissolve a handful of the best grey lime in half a bucketful of water. Apply the mixture with a small sponge. Leave. Then repeat sponging in three or four hours' time.

A navy silk blouse may be washed, and its appearance restored, almost equal to new, if the following rules are remembered and adhered to : Never use strong household soap containing soda. Never put silk into hot water; but use Avater only hike warm. Never rub or wring; but stir and squeeze instead. Rinse thoroughly in plenty of clean water; iron with a moderately hot iron, which should be tested first on a piece of damp silk. If a little stiffening is needed, add a little gum or dissolved gum arabic to final rinsing water. Rain water is best; but failing this, use water that has been boiled. Shred a cake of good toilet soap, add to half a gallon of hot water. When lather has cooled, squeeze and stir garment in it until clean. Rinse, then squeeze, first without cloths, and afterwards between dry cloths. Hang in a current of air, or outside in the shade

until three-parts dry; then roll in a cloth for a short time, afterwards carefully iron while damp.