LINDA’S LETTER TO HER COUNTRY COUSIN.

Southern Cross, Volume 6, Issue 5, 7 May 1898, Page 11

LINDA’S LETTER TO HER COUNTRY COUSIN.

My Dear Elsie, —In your last letter' you say that women add -smoking rooms to their clubs merely because it looks daringand establishes their right to smoke if they please. I fear you are wrong, for according to the Home papers the habit of -smoking is indulged in by the great middle class and working womanhood quite as unconstrainedly as it is by the aristocratic order. The Daily Telegraph asserts that the great wholesale manufacturers are beginning to find it necessary to carter especially for women smokers —highly-perfumed cigarettes, subtle luxuries of rose petal paper, goldtipped makes, and half-penny packets of ‘ brownies ’ are among the kinds most in demand. Jerome gives it as his opinion that all women should smoke, for he thinks women’s nerves require soothing even more than men’s, do and that tobacco has the desired effect. ‘ When the mistrsss . of the house smokes,’ he says, ‘I know that the servants have an easy time,’ but that might be explained by the self-indulgent character letting things go rather than taking the trouble to correct what is wrong. Coming nearer home we find Miss Cunningham, at the Women’s Convention, saying ‘ I think smoking is a very good thing.’ Well, perhaps it is, but I must say I fail to see it, and I still think that the beet women, those who have the truest ideals, will never smoke. Evidently in this, as in the matter of ■clothes, Royalty does not set the fashion, for our good Queen, we are told, has such a deep-rooted and constitutional objection to the smoke of a cigarette or a cigar, that smoking is strictly forbidden at Windsor Castle, at Osborne, and at, Balmoral. Smoking suggests men, and men suggest football, and football reminds me of a circular I received from the secretaries of the Rugby Union intimating that they intend holding a carnival in August, and inviting me to assist. Bazaars seem to be the order of the day, for, 1 am told, that ,S. John’s and All Saints Guilds are

getting up an entertainment of the kind in aid of their churches. We went to a sacred concert in the First Church last Friday. I experienced a mild horror when I beard the applause and saw people laughing and eating sweets where one is accustomed to see them sitting demure and reverent every Sunday, but a concert without applause would be a very tame affair, and the music and singing were well worthy of it. Mrs Blue sang ‘Alla Stella Oonfidente’ in a clear strong voice, and Mrs H. A. Macdonald sang ‘ The Last Milestone,’ and a song that did not strike me as being a sacred one; it was ‘ Call Me Back.’ The audience seemed to appreciate Mrs Macdonald’s singing very much. The whole performance reflected great credit upon Mr W. Quinn, the conductor, who spared no pains to make it a success. On Thursday night we put on our new autumn bonnets and went to hear Mr Zimmer’s pupils play various instruments, and slug part songs. The entertainment was a very creditable one, and I was sorry there was not a larger audience. How much do you think I gave for a cosey F It is covered with pretty cretonne, lined with turkey red, has a coloured cord round it, and is stuffed with —well, I don’t know what it is stuffed with, but it cost the prodigious sum of 1 Messrs Herbert Haynes and Co., have a great many of these coseya, all square shaped hut covered with cretonnes of different patterns. Tou will be glad to know that the bothering part of brdice making is much simplified by ready made busk fronts, with hooks and eyes attached ; collar linings of buckram can also be bought. These aids, together with the valuable paper patterns, have robbed home dressmaking of half its power to fill our souls with dismay. Last week I told you to save your empty reels. Now I am going to tell you how to make a pretty little table, the legs of which will be made of reels. You require 64, 16 for each leg, various sizes 24 to 80, all equal number, divisible by 4, of each size. For the top of the table a piece of deal 25 inches by 15 inches is required. To the back of this screw and glue two pieces of wood 12 inches by 2 inches ; then get a blacksmith to make you 4 iron rods 21 inches long, and thin enough to pass easily through the reels ; inch requires to be turned over at an angle sufficient to allow of the legs spreading slightly, and also flattened out, and two small screw holes made in it. The other end of each rod must be made into a screw for \ an inch, and a small nut attached. Then thread the reels on the rods, and be very careful to get them in regular order, put a little glue between each reel. Cut a small piece out of the side of the first one to allow you to put a screw in the holes made in the turned over portion of the rod when fixing lo the table top. I he last reel must have a hole grooved out at the bottom to allow of the little nut

being screwed up tightly into it. Then paint with black enamel and your table legs will look like ebony. Let them dry and then screw them firmly to the pieces of wood already attached to the top. Give the whole table a coat of enamel and it will be complete. A most handy and comfortable arrangement for afternoon tea and a constant reminder of your affectionate cousin, Linda.