A LETTER FROM HOME.

Otago Witness, Issue 3899, 4 December 1928, Page 64

A LETTER FROM HOME.

By

A Wanderer.

(Special for the Otago Witness.) Vanity Street. LONDON, October 11. The toilette sketched here by Stephanie is just right for ' us at the moment, v being something between a cold weather wrap and a costume. It is very effective, as you will see, and is composed of a midnight blue Kasha coat, lined with banana yellow; a yellow skirt, and a jumper of a combination of the two colours. Bands of the jumper material ornament the sleeves, collar, and pockets. If there is any disadvantage to these

ensembles, it is that they have to be kept as such, and not worn in “ bits and pieces”; but, provided one has a

An ensemble for mid-season in blue kasha and banana yellow. The colour scheme is carried out in the jumper and trimmings.

fairly decent range of clothes with which to ring the changes, they are a welcome addition to one’s wardrobe. Madeleine’s contribution is a smart little coat for chilly evenings. It is composed of patterned velvet in two shades of blue, and is ideal for wear over a sleeveless frock. I have seen some delightful evening frocks composed of velvet-embossed georgette—l don’t know if this is its correct description, but it answers the purpose, I trust, of conveying what I mean. The upper part, consisting of a tight-fitting bodice, has been of this particular fabric, while the skirt has been plain georgette of the same colour as that chosen for the velvet. Very full skirts,. with uneven hems, have been employed in this case, and, of course, the bodices have been sleeveless. The keynote of our autumn modes for evenjn e gowns seems to be simplicity, in spite of the fact that here and there one encounters an elaborate picture frock. But we are going to be some time before we adopt Victorian styles f' anything but special occasions; and I predict that we shall go through Christmas with something along the lines of a tight bodice, fluffy skirts of varying shapes, and flowers or shoulder knots with flowing ends. Certain it is that there will be no very drastic change

for the rank and file. This being so, I will urge our artists into a few renovi-

A little coat, macle of patterned velvet In two shades of blue, to wear on cool evenings, lien schemes in order that you may have new frocks for old. Try This! From time to time one comes across complicated and luscious cheese recipes, and nearly every good cook has a special formula which she insists is the best possible one for macaroni cheese. If you want a very simple, economical, and quick version of this dish, listen to this: For a-nice quantity for two people, you require Jib macaroni; a very good Jib of cheese—by.which I mean that it must not be less, and if you have a few odds and ends which you don’t require for the mouse trap you can work these in with advantage; a nice big knob of butter, about a gill of milk, and pepper and salt. First of all you place your macaroni, well broken un, into sufficient water to cover it, and with just a pinch of salt added. The water can be cold. Let it boil up, and remain boiling slowly until the macaroni is quite cooked, after which you will strain off the water, leaving the macaroni in the saucepan. Tip in your grated cheese—even if you have only chopped it fairly small, and not grated it, it will take no time to melt —your butter, and your milk, also the pepper, and possibly a little more salt. Stir this all together until it is thoroughly blended and the latter ingredients have formed a cream round the macaroni. Then turn the mixture into a wellbuttered pie-dish. Now all this performance can be got through in the morning, or even overnight, if you want to be well in advance. All you have to do when the time comes is cook the mixture for about a quarter of an hour in the oven, in order to get it thoroughly heated through, after which you can brown the top under the grill. If you care to add a little Parmesan cheese to finish, so much the better. Is That So?

Our picture this week is of a theatrical veteran—Lady Wyndham, who was once Miss Mary Moore. She is now a -great power in the theatrical world on the managerial side, being the lessor of two London theatres—the Criterion and the New—and she is regarded by the masculine fraternity as being “one of the hardest nuts to crack.” She has very definite ideas on the subject of the performances of our modern leading ladies, which she does not hesitate to express.

On the other hand, those who know her intimately say that she is always willing to give ear to a struggling playwright, or consider the claims of an unknown actress, and if she cannot do anything for them herself she can always tell them where to direct their energies. The theatrical partnership of Mr and Airs Wyndham was a source of delight to the older generation of playgoers. Lady Wyndham has a very deep voice which, when heard over the tetlephone, might easily be mistaken for that of a man, and consequently she strikes terror into the hearts of tentative aspirants to theatrical glory; but her bark is literally worse than her bite.

The forthcoming general election will afford excellent scope for feminine oratory, and it is a matter of satisfaction to our sex to know that up to the present we are represented by women who are brilliant speakers. Lady Iveagh, I understand, has sufficient eloquence to bring members back from the smoke room and the terrace, and she

is considered the best speaker among the women in Parliament. I have not heard her speak, but I have heard Lady Astor, and was much struck by her self-possession and easy style. Mrs Hilton Philipson should have the advantage afforded her by dramatic training, and a sense of the stage, but she hasn t plunged into the political fray very much, except in connection with the rescinding of the “Dora” legislatlon > when she became the champion of the small shopkeeper. Some rash soul, writing in a political journal, has suggested that a woman should have the honour of either moving or seconding the Adclress-in-Reply to the Speech from the Throne in November. If this would materialise the problem will arise of what the lady is to wear. The men who achieve this honour don Court dress, but it hardly seems suitable that the woman member should appear with a train and various impedimenta; therefore we may look for the period—and not far distant—when they standardise a dress for women M.P.s."

The Street of Adventure. This week I can give you your choice of four books. First of ail there is “The Partridge,” by Elizabeth Murray which is a study of pride. “Like as a partridge taken and kept in a cage, so is the heart of the proud.” Then there is a typical story bv Air J. Storer Clouston, entitled “ The Jade’s Progress.” Cicely Hamilton, whom I had the°pleasure of meeting last week after a lapse of some 15 years—l was a wihe-eyed “ stenog.” when I first saw her—has gnen us a hair-raising prophecy of what this country would be like after another war, and has called it “Lest Ye Die.” She has been seven years getting this book published, so I learn; and that reminds me that the last book on mv list is “ How to Write a Play,” bv the well-known dramatic critic, ' St. John Ervine. Mr Ervine has written several plajs, and criticised several thousands, and he can tell the aspiring playwright just how to hang on and fight. I should suggest this volume as a present for any potential playwright you may have in your family. It proceeds on the lines that heaven helps those who help themsenes, and that no one can do anything to teach an author his job—-if he doesn’t know it instinctively and has not common sense. I say “ his job,” but it means, of course, “ her job ” as well.