TO CULTIVATE CHARM.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1930, Page 23 (Supplement)

TO CULTIVATE CHARM.

A VALUABLE QUALITY.

(By

H.E.)

Charm is the quality which makes a plain-looking woman the most soughtafter and the most interesting person in any gathering. Charm may ..lie in the tilt of the head, in a lurking smilej in the tone of the voice. It is an indefinable gift, but it is a valuable one. To those who are without charm, I would suggest the cultivation of something so similar that few will detect the difference. I have studied the art of auto-suggestion, and I honestly believe that, by a series of self-applied suggestions, any woman may cultivate a charming manner and thus increase her chance of social success.

But it is useless to try to convince others of her charm unless she herself firmly believes in it. She must dig deeply into the recesses of her mind, and ask herself: “Am I truthful, kind,' gentle?” Yes! Very well! She knows herself to be as good as the average, person. But she must continue: “Am I anxious to. please others; do I wish to add to the happiness of those abbut me?” Yes!. Very, well! She really is charming. And no w : she . must suggest her charm to herself until at last she is so sure of it that it becomes, apparent to others.,. Her slogan must be: “I have charm. I wish to charm. Ido charm.”

Of course, such a gift cannot actually be cultivated so. easily as this!. A charming person—unless she was born that way—has had to conquer her irritable temper; has had to set herself to be kind to dull folk, to take an interest in the doings and thoughts of people who are uncongenial to her. It is not easy to be charming. _ It may be

simple enough to .be sweet and kind and interested when life seems like a song, but ehe. who would be charming must be able to smile though' troubles threaten to hedge her in on every side. . It seems to be that a firm belief in herself and her power to please is the charming woman’s greatest ally. She does not become conceited simply because she knows that conceit is anything but attractive, and she does not become boring because she is too keenly interested in life. In short, she values her own personality too highly to do anything which might let it down. Let us be charming! The world badly needs the lost charm of bygone days. Modern woman may have more brains, more ability, but—she could certainly do with a little of the charm of her ancestress.

COFFEE-CREAM PUDDING. Ingredients: Four tablespoonsful coffee, (5 tablespoonsful ground rice, 4 tablespoonsful cream, sugar to taste, 2 eggs. Boil the coffee for about 15 minutes; -then strain it to obtain about threequarters of a pint of clear liquid. Mix the rice gradually with this, cook slowly till thick, stirring often, and set aside to cool. When cold, add the cream and the sugar, and mix well. Next add the yolks of the eggs, after which beat up the whites to a stiff froth and add this also. Grease a pudding dish and turn the mixture in. Sprinkle with sugar, bake in a moderate oven for about threequarters of an hour, and serve hot.