LADIES’ GOSSIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 56

LADIES’ GOSSIP.

A MODEL NURSERY. For connection with one of the largest shops of Paris a day nursery was some years ago established for the babies of . the married women employed by the establishment. The , room is most attractive, with its white and gold walls and furniture and its,little cots with soft blue quilts. A separate cupboard is provided for each child, tiny padded chairs and brightly coloured toys for the older ones, also creeping pans for exercise. On arrival each baby is given a bath and dressed for the day in clothes provided by the nursery. The utmost care is taken of the health of the infants. One of the conditions is that mothers, when possible, shall nurse their infants themselves, and to enable them to do so, they are allowed to visit the nursery at intervals of three hours. They also come half an hour later to work and leave half an hour earlier than other employees, no difference being made in their salaries, and a suitable mid-day meal is provided for them. Infants remain in the nursery up to the age of 15 months. There is one instance of a family of five children -who benefitted by this model nursery. ‘ MARY STUART’S CHAPEL. The chapel of Mary, Queen of Scots, situated at Roscoff, Britany, was lately swept away by gales and high tides on the Breton coast. It was, however, previously in a» semi-ruined condition. This chapel dated from 1548, and was built on the spot where Mary landed as a, child after she had been betrothed to the Dauphine Francis. The unfortunate queen’s memory is still cherished in every part of France where she stayed. WALLPAPER REMNANTS. Remnants of wallpaper are splendid for converting an ordinary cardboard hat box into a thing of beauty and usefulness. Cardboard boxes are less heavy to travel about with than the ordinary fibre ones, and when they get shabby can be renewed for a few pence. The square kind is the best for large hats, as the latter can be attached with cotton to the sides, but the small, round boxes are charming for little pull-on shapes, or those with small brims. The best way to make these boxes is to purchase an ordinary brown cardboard hat box from a shop and paste the chintz paper over the box, both inside and out. Glove and ribbon boxes can also be covered with pretty wallpaper. Some people like to line all their oudboards with gay-coloured wallpaper. Drawers in the guest room look very inviting lined in this way. At party time wallpaper is invaluable for private theatricals, where impromptu scenery is required at a moment’s notice. Pieces of wallpaper pasted on to cardboard, make excellent backgrounds, and give scenic effects. Never throw away wallpaper of any description, for it is sure to come in useful at some time or other. NEED FOR LABOUR-SAVING HOUSES. British women are positive slaves of illconstructed. badly arranged, and generally over furnished homes. The result is endless and unnecessary work in running about beating, brushing and dusting. Miss Edith Place, of Chelsea, a mucli-tra veiled woman, who made this remark to the members of the Architectural Association, London, gave them her view of what

domestic architecture should be. London women were the victims of builders who had no idea of the enormous difficulties and the endless work they were throwing upon domestic workers. The scarcity of domestic labour would ultimately compel women to rearrange their homes and builders to construct houses easier to manage. Mrs Charles Peel thought we were only at the beginning of the movement for real labour-saving homes. Housekeeping was not an eight-hour day and a five and a-half day job, but continuous slavery that could only be ended bv proper home reorganisation. ROUMANIAN FOLK SONCS. A feature of the festivities connected with the coronation of the King and Queen of Roumania was the doinas, or popular ballads, which are sung by the peasantry on festive occasions. Many of them are purely idyllic and full of the graceful representation of nature frequently found also in Greek folk-song, while others, also like those of the Greeks and Bulgars, contain an element of rugged savagery which is, however, modified by the poetic grace which characterises Roumanian folk-litera-ture. Singing is, in fact, one of the accomplishments on which the Roumanians pride themselves. A CHRISTMAS FAIR. THE NEW ZEALAND SECTION THE COUNTESS OF ATHLONE AND THE PRODUCE. (Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON. Decmber 14. One of the most delightful of Christmas market fairs took place this afternoon at Claridge’s Hotel, where three large rooms were crowded with seasonable pro luce, choice game, attractive toys, and beautiful needlework. The fair was organised n aid of H.R.H. the Duchess of Albany Memorial Fund, whose purpose is the endowment of a children’s ward at the Royal Hospital ior Women and Children, in Waterloo road. Very appropriately, the Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (the only daughter of the late Duchess of Albany) was there to open the fair, and she remained the whole afternoon. The Princess is very vivacious and attractive, and she made many purchases from all the stalls. The Earl of Athlone was with her, and he, too, was keenly interested and was a generous buyer. Lady Allen’s stall was a great centre of attraction, and its contents, tastefully arranged, were very quickly sold out. There was a keen demand for New Zealand butter, honey, and apples. The butter, put up in neat one-pound carriers, came from Messrs Lovell and Christmas; the honey and the apples from Messrs A. J. Mills and Co. The fruit was piled in decorative gilt baskets, surmounted with small New Zealand flags. In addition to the produce there was a great display of beautiful art needlework—hut long before the close it had all been disposed of. All this was done by Lady Allen’s work party of New Zealanders, who continue to meet once a week at Hans Crescent, and who now have given evidence of their equal ability to turn out the simple clothing required by hospitals, to provide the needs of diminutive inmates of the Mothercraft Centre, and to produce art needlework equal to the best that any London shop can supply. One of the working committee, Mrs W. H. Cruickshank, was responsible for- much that was specially ehoice, but it is perhaps hardly fair to make individual selections when everything on i;be stall was in such excellent taste and so attractive: Lady Allen received donations in money from various friends —some of the contributions ooming from generous donors in New Zealand. Those distant supporters of the cause will need no assurance from me that the money was spent to excellent advantage. The Princess Alice, of course, made the formal preliminary round of all the stills, and the natrons, stallholders, and helpers were all presented fo her. After that she paid many informal return visits and talked with animation to everyone. She was very much interested in the New Zealand produce display, and not only purchased honey and butter, but. made eager inquiries as to where she could buy it in the future, remarking that, she often had butter that was not nice. From the practical to the artistic —the needlework interested her immensely. and it was impossible for her to resist purchasing several of the floral vrist purses and floral mounted silk sachets made by Mrs Cruickshank. At the stall with Lady Allen one saw as helpers Mrs A. M. Mvers. Mrs Bernard Mvers, Mrs Cruickshank. Mrs F. M. B, Fisher. Mrs Holl, Mrs Hobson, and Mrs Friend. . Of course. New Zealanders in London turned up in great numbers, for they always delight, in helping a good cause, and they are always, too, glad of the opportunity to buy the good things produced by their own country. HINTS AND SUCCESSIONS. To clean silver moisten the plate-powder with a little methylated spirit. Fish can be preserved for some , time if it is sprinkled with coarse sugar. Stains on nickel silver will yield if rubbed with a soft cloth dipped in ammonia. Polish with a leather. When tying down jam, dip the cover in vinegar, and tie down whilst the jam is hot. This will keep it from working. Tiles will look like new if they are wiped with a cloth wrung out of skimmed milk, or polished with a furniture cream. A substitute for glue can be made by rubbing a piece of cold boiled potato on paper until it is of the right consistency. This will be found equal to strong glue or cement. Varnished paper may be washed with warm water and soap; the soap should be removed with a chamois leather wrung out in clear cold water. Leave to dry without further wiping. Lemons can be kept from drying and shrinking during the hot weather if they are placed in a bowl of cold water. Change the water daily, and the lemons will remain pulp and juicy for quite a long time. A good polish for oilcloth can be made from candle ends. Melt the ends in the oven, and mix with them enough turpentine to make a Soft, creamy paste. This is a substitute for beeswax and turpentine.