LADIES' GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3339, 13 March 1918, Page 50

LADIES' GOSSIP.

"That is for the Red Cross," said a woman who called at the Red Cross Headquarters, London, as she handed in a small brown-paper parcel addressed to Sir Robert Hudson. She left before the parcel could be opened. It contained a canvas bag with i)116 in gold, but nothing by which the donor could be known. Mr Lloyd George's woman secretary, Miss F. L. Stevenson (says a writer in the Express), has a rival in Miss Madge White, private secretary to Dr Addison, the Minister of Reconstruction, who finds her indispensable. She has been with him five years, and was previously secretary to Mr Robert L. Bremner, the greatest living authority on Iceland. Miss White, who is young and attractive, always smiling, even into the telephone, is the daughter of the late John White," of Pollokshields, Glasgow, and is, as. one might say these days, a rising young Scotswoman. relates how Woolwich Arsenal broke into a riot of colour. Girls in some departments were able to, indulge their passion . for flowers, but in the danger buildings nothing extraneous to the work must enter. The substitution of coloured ribbons for the Government shoe laces was the result. The fashion was introduced by the Cap Shop girls, who appeared one morning with bright emerald-green ribbon in their shoes. The following morning the whole factory was in the fashion. Shoes were tied with bine, pink, red, white ribbon; with anything but the Government boot lace of "untanned leather. The fashion spread to the office; the _ women clerks paraded the platform during the dinner hour with resplendent shoe laces. The attendants also followed suit, and dear, old Auntie Ellis, the senior attendant, was discovered wearing shoe-strings of bright scarlet. At a well-known- Oxford street shop, London, • silver-grey rabbitskins are being ■ offered at half a crown each, unmounted of course, but ready for lining. They are soft, thick furs, not' at all unlike chinchilla in appearance, and with a lit'tle\ careful v manipulation they could easily be fashioned into square sailor collars warm shoulder-capes. Lined with grey satin, or possibly with a remnant of grey, silver brocade, they could be made into separate stoles or high, straight collar-bands, while muffs to match need not he beyond the skill of the amateur furrier. Charming little fur sets for children can be made out of these grey rabbitskins. Mr Prothero, the President of the Board of Agriculture, does not do things by halves, and his tribute to the work achieved by women on the land (rendered in a leUer to Lady Londonderry) is magnificent. He declares that the 200,000 women who are doing ''real national work" on the land in England and YVales are showing a spirit of patriotism, self-sacrifice, and devotion to duty identical with that which animates their men folk by land and sea, and truly are helping to win the war. They had to overcome many prejudices and encounter some ridicule in embarking on work so new to them; but no one laughs now except at the prejudices. In most of the labour about a farm they can hold their own, and even in forms of work where success depends more largely on their physical strength, they have proved that "women can do as well as men most - things to which they have set their minds." ' - . . Last autumn many women and girls went into some of the country districts in England to help with the fruit-picking. One curious thing happened as a result of this influx of women. There werent enough houses to go round, and the authorities were puzzled as to where in the world they could find housing accommodation for the pickers Finally they commandeered as many bungalows and caravans as they could lay hands upon no matter whether the owners wanted them or not. Some of the owners, however obtained exemption for their homes hv offering to do fruit-picking themselves. Tliis was the only way in which they could keep them. ¥o"r Character l>y Your Walk / Did you ever realise that a great deal of character may be read by watching a person's walk. Below you will find a few characteristics which it will be quite easy for you to recognise in one or other ,of your friends by watching their walk. For instance", there is the man or woman who in walking, takes a quick, short step. This' is a sure sign that he or she is of a nervous and energetic temperament. His or her mind is always alert and active. The man or woman who walks with a mincing, jumpy gait is surely given to idle curiousity. In a woman this walk is a sign of an affected and* coy nature. Those persons who plant their feet with

a stolid and heavy tread are deliberate in all their actions, and very decided in their ideas. Should you see a man or woman walking with head thrown well back on the shoulders, you may be-quite sure that they have an ambitious nature. These are the people who have the courage of their convictions, and are bound to be successful in life. They are always ready- to seize the opportunity. An uneven and jerky stride betrays hesitation. It is a sign of a weak and vacillating nature, and one that is prone to be easily led. It will veer with every wind that blows. If the head is habitually thrown forward when walking, it shows that the person is of an obstinate nature. A person who walks with toes turned in is one whose attitude towards things in general is, of the comfortable "don't worry" order. He or she is apt to gloss over his own faults and the faults of others rather than let any unpleasantness disturb the even tenor of his way. A step light to the point of noiselessness betrays a' shy and deceitful nature, and one that would go to almost any lengths to attain its own ends. \ A fearless, upright nature is shown by a walk in which the feet are planted with a light yet firm tread. These qualities are accentuated by the fact of the feet being kept rather far apart. If a man or woman walks with the toes very much turned out, it shows a generous and kindly disposition. Extravagance is betrayed when the heels are planked upon the ground slightly in advance of the toes.

Ron'ts for Parents. Don't stimulate children with precocious \ intellects by rewards and prizes for learning. Don't express in your children's hearing and dissatisfaction with their school rules or arrangements, but complain at headquarters. Don't force the decorative portions of education too* early or too liberally upon them; remember: the three R's. Don't lose sight of the fact that the mind and body are so connected and combined that a disturbance in the .one cannot fail to 'be reciprocated by the other. Hints and Smnreafions. Throw a slimy sponge into a basin of salt and water. Squeeze and rinse it well in this, and all traces of sliminess will disappear. Shake up some used -tealeaves in water bottles that have got discoloured. Use the leaves just as they come from the teapot, and afterwards well rinse the bottles with cold water. Only the yellow rind and juice of lemons should be used. The white pith under the yellow is bitter, and care should b 3 taken not to use at all, especially in cookery. To cook kippers, place them on a tin or dish, put a small piece of butter on each, cover the-tin, and place in the oven for 10 minutes. This method preserves the flavour of the fish. When peeling onions, place in a large basin of water and keep hands, knife, and onion under water. This prevents the eyes from being affected by the onion, and the knife from smelling. Cleaning a bottle that has had sour milk in it by filling with clear warm water, crushing a coal cinder small enough to go through the neck, putting this into the bottkj and shaking well. It will leave the bottle clear and bright looking7~and remove any trace of sourness. Pictures hung bv a single wire have an annoying way of getting uneven on account of the slipping of the wire on the picture hook. This can sometimes be avoided by first hanging the picture face to the wall and then turning it round. The single turn this makes in the wire near the hook prevents slipping. Very few peopfe seem to know that mint grows well in water. Fill a jar with water, and place 'thexmint in it, and ,you will find that the shoots will grow continually. When picking the mint the sprigs from the top should be taken in preference to those growing lower down. This is a good way to clean drab or light-coloured cloth gaiters. Peel some potatoes and grate them or scrape finely. Then apply- them to the surface of the cloth, making the gaiters quite wet. Hang them up to dry. Brush off the potatoes, and the gaiters will look quite fresh and new. How to Test the Heat of the Oven.— Place a piece of white paper in the oven, and if the heat be too great it will blacken or burn; if it only turns a light brown colour, it is fit for pastry. If the paper turns, a dark yellow shade, the oven will be right for baking" the heavier kinds of ' cake; if a light yellow, then it is fit for sponge cakes and the lighter kinds of biscuits. To freshen ribbons which are creased, damp them between white tissue paper, and iron. If soiled, wash them in suds made of tepid water and white soap. Rinse in cold water, put between folds of a clean cloth, and press out the moisture (do not wring, but smooth the ribbon out as much as possible), and iron until dry. This will give just a nice stiffness to the ribbon, which is an advantage in making bows, etc. Such materials as serge, cheviot, cashmere, etc., are easily cleaned at home. First remove the grease spots with naphtha —preferably outside, as this fluid is very inflammable. Make a lather of warm soap-suds, using a good, not strong, soap, and a teaspoonful of borax to every 'two quarts of water. Into this dip the material up and down, and wash it between the hands. Then wring gently and partly dry it. Hang it in the shade, and when nearly dry, iron it on the "wrong side with a moderately hot iron. Black goods are best restored by sponging; them with ammonia and alchohol. Wash alpaca in the same water as cashmere,, adding a little gum arabic to the rinsing water.