LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3338, 6 March 1918, Page 50

LADIES' GOSSIP.

Sir Lernard Mallet, the RegistrarGeneral of Births and Deaths, shows that since the war began the population of the Unit&d Kingdom has increased by excess of births over deaths t£ such an extent as more than to counterbalance the whole of the losses of our armies in the field. ■On the other hand", the civil population of the Central Empires has steadily, and even, rapidly, declined since the war began, and he that this loss, added to the loss by deaths in the field, has reduced the total population of the Central Empires by at least four millions. ( St Barbara should become the "patroness" of munition workers (says a writer in the Daily Chronicle.) She has been considered the tutelary saint of explosives, and of those who use them, not because she made much noise in the world herself, but- because her story contains incidental reference to a thunderstorm. This is why the magazine of a French warship bears the mysterious name.of -"La Sainte Barbe." During normal times the coalminers of Flanders take a holiday at this time of the year called "the fortnight of St Barbara," which corresponds to our Lancashire "wakes."

Lady Sempill, in opening a Home Life Exhibition in Aberdeen the other day, referred to the extravagance which was being practised notwithstanding the war, and the suffering and sacrifice it entailed. Speaking of extravagance in dress, she said the shops were much fo blame for setting before the public temptations in this connection. In some of their shops there were tempting frivolities in ladies' dresses, and made one's heart ache to enter some of them. She herself stood transfixed in one of them recently, and she felt inclined to throw a bomb amongst the rubbish she saw before her. In order to win the war the people must exercise rigid economy in the matter of food. It was only by this means they could hope to defeat the U-boats. Miss Ainity More is one of the luckiest young women on the London stage. ,She began at the top of.the tree and stayed there. She has never danced or played out of London, and before she was out of her teens her name was a household word. When she went* to interview her first manager. it happened that by a curious stroke of luck the girl who was to play

a principal part was unable to do so at the last moment, and as Miss More happened to be exactly the same size, the clothes fitted her, and she was given the part. That was six years ago in the ballet Round the World. A career that began with a leading part at the Empire was quickly followed with other leading parts, and the quality of Miss More's work, and perhaps her Irish Wood and her quick wits, made her one of those whom the public warms to and wants to see again and again. Her dancing has a great spontaneity, for she dances each evening as the mood takes her, altering her impression of a dance sometimes when the orchestra gives the cue. Miss G. B. Stern is one of the many women writers whose dramatic training has influenced their work. She is a cousin of M. Henri Lavedan, the French novelist, and was a pupil at Notting Hill High School, which had also nurtured the diverse literary talents of Miss Violet Hunt, Miss Olive Wadsley, and Colette Willy, so her sojourn at the Academy of Dramatic Art was plainly incidental. But the experience was of the greatest value to her, for it has provided her with most of her material. Her first book,. "Pantomine," was a faithful portrait of the Academy, and her second, "See-Saw," was one of the few realistic stage novels of merit. It is the story of the struggle to fame of a vaudeville star and the gradual murder of her genius by a far inferior performer whom she marries, and it deserves to live for its picture of the noisy, nerve-wracking, jolly atmosphere of the music-halls, as well as for its account of the tragedy of the artist—who has to ask of each event not only "Will this make me happy?" but also "Will it be good for my work?"

Ike YM C.A. Sir Arthur Yapp, who was appointed Director of Food Economy at Home last year, is the man who is largely responsible for the wonderful development of the Y.M.O.A. since the war began. Looking back, one can scarcely imagine how the troops could have got on at all without the Y.M.C.A. and the comfort that it gives. Besides the work in the field—and, as everyone knows, there are Y.M.C.A. huts from the bases right up to the firing line—the Y.M.C.A- keeps a friendly eye on the boys when they are home on leave. A loiiely __ soldier—perhaps a Colonial pining for "a little home life —may walk into a Y.M.C.A. Hut in London and make it known that he feels inclined for a little hospitality. At once he will be given the addresses of- friendly people who will be only too glad to offer it to him. Or again, men on leave who like to-, spend a day sightseeing have only to inquire at a Y.M.C.A. Hut. For there is a*small staff of men who act as hon. guides and conduct men through the ancient and-"hlstorical buildings of London, telling them all that there is of interest about them. Many thousands of men have been personally conducted in this manner. Then, if Tommy's girl comes to town to meet him, he and she need not spend the greater part of the day walking the streets, for he can take her to Ciro's Club. The once famous night club now wears the badge of the red triangle. And here Tommy can take and entertain his best girl. '/ . . And the Y.M.C.A. is doing its best to help the British prisoners of war in Switzerland. There is a hut at Murren with the usual canteen and recreation rooms. Lectures and classes for the soldiers are given by University professors, the lectures illustrated by lantern slides. Educational classes of all kinds are held here. And, for those who like the work, instruction in the art of profitable gardening is also given. The Y.M.C.A. provide the land, tools, seeds, and manure, and receive half the ultimate profits, the other half being divided among the men in proportion to the number of hours worked. There is another Y.M.C.A. hut in Switzerland, at Leysin, for the British prisoners of war suffering from tubercular trouble.

Hints and Sosrsrestions. After cleaning brass taps with patentpolish smear lightly all over with vaseline. This will be found to keep the taps clean twice as long, and much easier to clean next time. - T Enamelled saucepans should always be hardened when new by being put into cold water in a larger vessel, brought slowly to the boil, and boiled fast for a few minutes." Don't put cold 'water into a boiling-hot enamelled pan. Water in which fish has been boiled should be poured, when cold, on to'the rosebecl, if you are not making it into soup. It will improve your roses wonderfully. To Economise Soap.—Keep in the bathroom a wide-mouthed bottle, into which place all the odds and ends of soap. When the jar is three parts full, fill up with boiling water, add a teaspoonful of borax, the juice of a lemon, and a little oatmeal. Turn out into a shallow tin, . and when set a good cake of soap will result.

A good scouring with salt and vinegar

is quite the best way of cleaning enamel pots, pans, plates, etc. The only danger •with this ware is that of the enamel cracking and chipping. As soon as this happens, the utensils should be discarded, or they may cause serious trouble should the enamel get into the food. Potato parings cut rather small, washed and partly dried, are preferable to tea leaves for sweeping carpets, as it brightens the colours, with "no danger of staining.— Tjn that has become rusty or stained may be cleaned by dipping the cut surface of a raw potato in fine bathbrick, and rubbing well with this. If anything on which kerosene, has been spilled—hands included—is rubbed with raw potato, the smell will immediately disappear. If your neck is badly discoloured, have you ever tried an oatmeal poultice for it? Mix a little fine oatmeal into a paste with cold milk, spread it on a piece of old linen, and bandage it on to the neck, which should have "been well washed first of all. Do this every night for a week, wash the neck well in the morning,_ and rub a slice of freshly-cut lemon over it._ Suede shoes which have become shiny can be freshened by rubbing with fine sandpaper. To prevent china and earthenware from cracking, stand in cold water for 24 hours before using. After scrubbing a bread board, rub well with half a lemon, then wash with cold water, and place in the wind to dry. This will keep it beautifully white. . A Use fo*r Old Stockings.—When woollen stockings are quite beyond wearing, wash and dry. them, cut off the feet, draw one leg v over the other, and then fold over, and tack down the sides, so as to form a bag like a washing glove. The hand can be easily slipped inside. This makes a splendid' polisher for shoes, stoves, or any bright articles, and keeps the hands clean at the same time. Tomato 'is said to be successful in many cases in removing inkstains from white materials, such as handkerchiefs, muslin frills, etc. It must, however, be done as soon as -possible after the mishap has occurred. A clean piece of blotting-paper should be laid under the- stain, and a slice of raw, ripe tomato rubbed over the surface, fresh pieces 'of blotting-paper being substituted until the ink spot has vanished.

You can store your apple 3 for the winter in the following way : —Get a perfectly clean, dry barrel, and place a layer of dry sand at the bottom. Then place a row of apples on this stem downwards, and repeat until the barrel is quite full. Be careful to see that the apples do not touch each' other. Store in a cool, dry place, and the apples will keep all winter.