LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3249, 21 June 1916, Page 64

LADIES' GOSSIP.

The ex-Empress Eugenie has Irish blood in her veins, being the descendant of a Hibernian soldier of fortune, who made a name for himself in Spain.

Describing her experiences in Turkistan at a meeting of the Central Asian Society in London, Miss Ella Sykes said that divorce in Kashgar was exceedingly common, and anyone could be divorced for the small sum of 4d. In some cases, where a man wanted a wife, he had to give a hundred sheep to his would-be father-in-law. Where the man was extremely poor he was sometimes allowed to marry the girl on condition that he served his father-in-law for a term. It fell to the woman to do all the work.

Despite the fact that she is in her eightieth year, Miss Genevieve Ward is still acting. Questioned as to which is her favourite play, she replied: "It is difficult to say which is one's favourite play, but I think mine is 'Forget- rne-not.' I produced that great play at the Lyceum in 1879, and then went all over the world with it and played Stephanie de Mohrivart 2000 times." In reply to a question from an interviewer as to how she still kept up her wonderful vigour, she said her mode of living was simple. "I eat the merest fraction of meat a day—perhaps two ounces," she said, "and live almost entirely on milk and fruit. I do phyf-ica! exercises six mornings a week, and daily my dog and I take a three mile walk. Sometimes it is five, hut that is nothing."

A new fashion for women, that of wearing leggings, was advocated by Dr Edlin in speaking at a meeting arranged by tho Ancoats Healthy Homes Society. He said that one thing that had struck him about the Manchester women tramguards was their sensible costume, short skirts, good warm coat, and leggings. Before long he hoped to see that women generally would start wearing leggings. Women were often to be seen walking about with umbrellas to keep their hats %nd heads dry, while the rain drove

against their petticoats, which got drenched and dangled about their legs. He added : "The fashion amongst workfog women of wearing shawls and clogs—<*siawls which are wrapped over the chest —is a most sensible one." Over a year of war has changed the aspect of woman's world entirely, and has,- in fact, created a new woman. It has aged our girls. Those of 18, who in normal circumstances would have been "coming out" this season under the segis of a fond mother, underwent the process without nourish of trumpets, and are now doing their share to help those who so sorely need assistance. Instead of dancing, they are sewing and knitting, pouring out tea and coffee and handing bread and butter and cake to soldiers, and training in order to take up some useful form of work that will be of national service. They work under tho supervision of their elders, for the old adage, "Youth must be served," has been changed by warfare, and now, on every side, we see how thoroughly well youth realises that it is incumbent upon it to serve.

The exhortations of the Government afcout economy in food and dress remind .me of tho efforts of other Governments in the earlier days of our history to prevent waste and to enforce saving. In those days it was not exhortations that »ur riders employed, but the full majesty id the law. and perhaps for that very reason they failed every time, since stiftneckednes? and obduracy are no new characteristics of the British people. The first statute was passed in 1363. during the parlous times that followed the Black "Death, and enacted that "grooms as well vs servartL'6 of lords workmen and artificers •hall be served with meat and drink onco a day of flesh or of fish and the remnant of other victuals, as of milk, butter, cheese, and other such victuals according to (heir estate." Their total expenditure on cloth.es and hose was not to exceed two marks, and gol<L silver, and silk Were forbidden ihenx Yeomen might Spend up to 40s on their clothes, and gentlemen, and certain merchants might rovster away as much as five marks, while the importance of the mer-

chant class was indicated even in those days by the permission that they might wear silver. Six marks was the limit for knights "on the whole cloth of their vetture,'-' but if they were very wealthy they ''could wear at their pleasure, except ermins and letuses and apparel of pearls and Eton.', but only for then heads." The lowest labouring class, the ploughmen or serfs, who did not possess 40s worth of goods, were to wear only blanket or russet wool to the value of 12d and girdles of linen according to their estate, nor were they to eat or drink to excess. We have to remember that money in those days bought a good deal more than it does to-day. The clothiers were to see to it that no one exceeded the limits of expenditure for his class, and it is a measure of the self-confidence of the rulers of the time that the regulations were to apply to the wives and children of the people concerned.

Hints and Suir&esfioiis. To restore the colour to a faded carpet take a bowl of hot water, add to it a few drops of ammonia, and sponge the carpet, treating a small portion at a time. Dry thoroughly by rubbing with a clean cluster. By putting an apple into a tin in which cakes are kept they will retain their freshness for a fortnight or more. It is not generally known that a slice of lemon put into the copper when boiling clothes will make them beautifully Avhite. To remove stains made by hot dishes and plates on a polished table rub the white marks with a flannel dipped in a little ammonia. To clean decanters mix half a gill of vinegar with a handful of salt. Put a little in each decanter and shake well. Rinse in clear water.

Habitual numbness of the hands may be removed by rubbing them for a short time in cold water, followed with dry friction.

To prevent ivory from becoming yellow wipe it with alcohol instead of water, and this will enable it to retain its colour. The same method applies to piano keys. When washing cut glass add turpentine to the water in the proportion of one tablespoonful to two quarts of water. You will get a clear and brilliant polish. A little vaseline applied to the hinges of a door which creaks will stop all noise. It is far more satisfactory than oil. To remove iron-mould from linen make a solution of salts of lemon and warm water. After applying this mixture to the stain the article should be well rinsed in cold water and left to dry.

Only the yellow rind and juice of lemons should be used. The white pith under the yellow is bitter, and care should be taken not to use it at all, especially in cookery. To clean oilcloth wash with a floor-oloth dipped in a lather of warm but not hot soapsuds. use a scrubbing brush to oilcloth, or it will wear only half as long as it otherwise would rlo. When jam has fermented re-boil after taking off the mildew from the top. Add a little more sugar, take off the scum which rises while boiling, reduce to about one quarter, re-pot, and it will keep for any length of time.

To clean a macintosh dip it in cold soft water. Spread it out on a table and scrub over, using a small brush and a lather of yellow soap. When all the dirt has been removed dip the garment up and down in a bath of cold water till all the suds are removed, then hang in the open air or a good draught to dry. Do not place near a fire. The Odour of Onions. —To remove the* odour of onions after peeling them rub the hands over with celery and then wash them in cold water. Wash the knife in cold water also by holding it under the tap and letting the water run over it. Then dry, and polish in the knife machine or on the knife-board. Hot water should never be nsed to rejnove onion juice, for it causes it to set orrVthe knife or hands, and thus the disagreeable odour is retained instead of banished.