WOMAN’S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1930, Page 17

WOMAN’S WORLD

THE PORCELAIN BELL. A SAXON MILLENARY. Meisisen, in Saxony, celebrates its thousandth birthday ibis year, and will rino- in that birthday to the sound of a porcelain bell. Meissen is renowned as the home of Dresden china, and a peal of bells has been east in the. famoxis product of the town, porcelain. So from the old church of St. Nicholas the porcelain bells will proclaim their message of good cheer. In Europe, bells are inseparably bound up with the life of the people, and play a very important part in national and daily lifg. Croatia consecrates its church bells. .When a new bell is east and put up, the whole community takes part in a ceremony as important as a wedding, and it is a very

great honour to be invited to be a “koum,” a kind of godfather, to the new bell. The bells are carried in procession, surrounded by all the townspeople and the city authorities, and with much rejoicing and honoui’ they are mounted in the high church steeple. The bells of Moscow, said to have been as many as 5000, were famous the world over, for the Russians loved. bells and the music of the steeple.. Switzer* land and’ Belgium find time for the music of the bells, and the famous carillons of the country live in the, memory when one’s visit is over. Nor are the bells of the high church steeples the only ones which are accorded the dignity of a festival, for in parts of the Black Forest the Glockentests, or Bell Fairs, are still held. Such ■fnirx. •ararn nriaimillv intended to give

lairs .were ongmaiiy nnLiiutu. w ~ shepherds, and goatherds an opportunity of changing the bells, which they had purchased at the Martinmas fairs for others which suited them better, and Whitsuntide was deemed the occasion for this exchanges But. now the. bell fair is ,only an excxisq for a holiday. Everybody rings a bell, and from all the

countryside round the young men and maidens, attired in their best clothes, come into the town or village. At the inn the landlord' and his family and a crowd of helping relations hurry to get beer -and mugs ready for the thirsty bell ringers.' — . The ‘-fair” Is a street of stalls, wnere trifles of little wortn are sold. The fun of the fair continues through the day. Relays of the beer dear to the Black Forest peasantry arrive in large drays drawn by huge white horses, also decorated with bells and red tassels. And at the end of the day, thoroughly tired and worn out with the roystering, the bell ringers seek their homes carrying with them their clanging, jangling bells.

WHEN YOU TRAVEL. ' -1 REEVING FRESH AND NEAT. ' Half the weariness will be taken from travel 11 the secret of keeping fresh and neat during the nours spent on the road, or in the train, is learned. It is a simple one. Hut into your nag a small roll of. cottcfn wool, a lipstick, a little fettle of rosewater or elderflower water, a powder puff well filled with powder, a pocket comb and a mirror. When you feci hot or uncomfortable, take a scrap of cotton wool, moisten it with rosewater, and pass it over the face; ary with another pad, and then use your powder puff and lipstick. Cleanse the bands in the same way. Some people prefer to cleanse the face with a lit lie co N C”eam. but the result is not nearly so refreshing. There is anomer way of U< face without liquid, which may be t'.icd. Keep a small box of powdered oatmeal in your handbag, together with a piece oi soft chamois leather. Dip the leather .in the oatmeal and rub it over race and hands. ‘ Then finish off with the } waer puff. This is a very cool and refreshing way of dealinn with the skin.

CLEANING CLOTHES AT HOME. SOME SIMPLE METHODS. To remove the shiny look from black cloth, take one ounce of lump ammonia and one ounce of white Castile soap.. Put both in a jug, add one pint of hor water, and stir until dissolved. Now sponge the material with the liquid along the weave of the cloth. Hang tu dry in a light, airy place, 'and the fabric will come up almost equal to new. Where more drastic efforts are needed, take fuller’s earth, four ounces; salt of tartar, two ounces; and potash three ounces. Lightly moisten the fuller’* earth with a little pure spirits of tur pentine, then work the whole into a paste with sufficient soft soap to bind ft. Cut into squares and set aside to dry.

To apply, moisten a piece ; of cloth and rub on a little of the mixture, then apply it to the cloth and rub till it lathers, afterwards sponging . off with tepid water. To obtain the best results in the shortest time, rub aeddry as possible, and go over a second feime with it sponge moistened with solution ol common ammonia. If necessary, ihe.a stiff brush. This preparation wiH also remove grease.

EoY serge renovation, at ’mine there ip : .nothing- to equal quillia-bark. rut twopennyworth of the bark powder in a basin, and pour over it about half a pint of boiling starch. Strain, allow it to become quite cold, and sponge and rub the garment all over. Do not make the material too moist, or it may shrink. COURT FISH. Ingredients; Four fish steaks, 2 or 3 tablespoonsful olive oil, 1 good tablespoonful flour, 1 egg, a number of cloves, 2oz walnuts, salt and pepper.

Wash and boil the fish, adding salt and pepper. Drain, keeping the pieces unbroken, and keep them warm while preparing the saner, leaving a little of the soup with them to prevent drying. Heat the olive oil and add the flour gradually. Cook slowly till well heated and mixed. Now add fish soup according to quantity of sauce required—gradually, to avoid lumpfl. Add the clovefl, and more salt and pepper if required, and boil for about ten minutes. Remove the 1 cloves. Have the egg well beaten and the walnuts ready crushed, but not too finely. When sauce is ready, mix with the egg and walnuts and set over low heat, stirring constantly till egg thickens. Have the fish slices arranged on a large plate and turn the sauce all over theih. i 'Serve immediately, garnished,’m wit>Ho cauartered walnuts.

FOR BEAUTY AND HEALTH, GREEK DANCES HELPFUL. • “I’m going dancing.” This idiomatic little phrase conjures up a picture of- a crowded, brilliant ballroom, pretty girls, well-groomed men. Dancing is “in our blood,” and the most untutored amongst us cannot resist ifc A dreamy lilting melody, a fascinating rhythm, sets our feet tapping in spite of ourselves. And, if we only realised it, this is our primitive nature reasserting itself. The desire to dance has been with us through the ages. Of all peoples the ancient Greeks were undoubtedly the best exponents of the poetry of motion. Every movement they made was a thought expressed. Their style of dancing—the most natural and beautiful of all—still survives and is extensively taught to-day._ It is the one form of the art which really fits in with the “ou-of-doors mood,” finding its correct background .amongst the scented w’Oods, and the green fields. Greek interpretative - dancing is very popular to-day with people of all ages. Without a vestige of the artificiality of the ballet,. it is yet decorative' to a degree. Every position, is based upon natural movement, and go it gives perfect poise, extraordinary grace, . and health. Doctors are waxing enthusiastic about it. They find the execution of the dances in the open air, and the loosening of the limbs without contortion, to be most beneficial to nervous and anaemic patients. A Greek interpretative dance may be symbolic, imitative, or decorative, or it may be an embodiment of all three. The dancing is expressive of a definite train of thought, and, by poses and facial expressions, it conveys a story. The lyric walk, one of the fundamental movements in Greek dancing is in itself a-study in grace and balance. Moreover, it is the basis of the wellknown stage walk taught in schools of drama. Indeed, Greek dancing is generally'a compulsory subject in dramatic schools, as it is realised that this type of dancing does more than any other to bring about individuality,

confidence, 'and : mobility of features and form.’’ , • Greek dancing ig usually performed barefooted, in a costume which is simplicity itself. Ncdriy- everyone is familiar with ' the attractive, classical chiton and the becoming hair fillet worn by one ; group of world-renowned students. There Is much variety in Greek dancing. Sometimes the dancer may impersonate a Goddess on high Olympus, endowed with the dignity and majesty of a queen; or she may be a care-free nymph, faun, or dryad, romping her happy way through life in the “great out-doors”; again, she may be just herself, revelling'in the joy of. birds and breezes, the movement of the, stars, the splash of the waves. Through it all, she expresses the thrill of living—her reasons for “going' dancing,” TALES ABOUT TE!A’‘ ■ (By E.R.C.) ■ " - In spite of her emancipation, modern woman still loves the good, old-fash-ioned “cup of tea” beloved of her ancestors. Its introduction into England, according to Dr. Johnson, was through the Earls Arlington and Ossory, who brought it from Holland. On September 30, in the year 1658, there appeared an advertisement in one of the leading newspapers of the day, “That excellent and by all physicians approved, China drink, called by the Chineans, Teha, by other nations Tay, alias Tee, is sold at the Sultaness Head Coffee-House in Sweeting’s Rents, by the Royal Exchange, London.” The fashion for tea drinking quickly spread among the wealthy classes, though there were many who denounced it on purely economical grounds. In 1745. the “.Female Spectator” declared that “it js the utter destruction of all economy, the bane of good housewifery, and the source of idleness!”

Hostesses of those days usually offered tea only to their “very best”- company, and in many households, we are told, than a pound will last them a twelve month.” Southey tells of a country lady who, having received a pound "of tea as a present from a town friend, invited her neighbours (who regarded themselves as highly favoured) to partake of this'luxury. Poor hostess! In her ignorance, she boiled the whole pound of leaves ih-a’kettle and served Jem with salt and butter I

A PEEP INTO THE ZODIAC. AUGUST 25. TO SEPTEMBER 23. The Zodiacal sign. Virgo and - the planet Mercury have rule over this period of the year,/and predominate in the lives and destinies of those bom during this tim’T The sign confers a kind, modest rind retiring disposition, but one that' it. rarely understood ,on fjs-t acquaintance,• probably being considered somewhat cold and lacking, iu sympathy. You jill be eelf-conscious, yet rarely lose self-possession; seldom awed by superior’s, but capable in any emergency. You ; -wjll have a strong love of nature, and. definite personal likes and dislikes. y You are able -to blend the practical with the ideal, and.have the secret of keeping young, even to an old age. You are inclined to/ reason largely from externals;, but you can be a good and faithful friend, tl/ough you do not like to share your friends with others. You should be active/aild possessed of strong mental and physical* endurance. You are not easily; deceived, for you can see clearly into the -motives of other, people. You will need to guard against bejng too exacting, dissatisfied and critical. Avoid selfishness, train yourself to stand hearing the truth and do not, be- too much alive to your own interests. A man-- born under this sign will be well suited 'for ; commercial- .life; be should find success with foodstuffs, with' curios, or with antiques. He may . also, do wclL with photography, dyeing, chemistry, or journalistic work.. Tup best localities for happiness and success will be big towns and cities, or near large bodies of water

This sign usually gives a late marriage, disappointments, and some taroiness.in love affairs. Beware - intrigues and complications, for strife or secrets may easily disturb the home life. The best harmonv is found with one corn between April 21 and May x . 21, June 22 and -July 23, October 24 afid November 22, or December 23 and January 20. The fortunate stones are the sardonyx and jade* colours, black and orange; flowers, gardenia; day, Wednesday, PERFUMED ROOMS. CHARMING RESULTS POSSIBLE. Life would lie almost intolerable Sometimes if wo could hot scent ■ our rooms to make them fresh and dispel the atmosphere of languor. Rose-leaves, powdered orris root, powdered bergamot peel, cloves" cinnamon, and. lavender are useful for this purpose. So also . are dried verbena, dried acacia, and ean.dal'wood. . .. • In perfuming a room, half-fill a-.cmall thin saucepan with cold water, put in the dry scent, and allow the mixturie to boil up slowly. . As the steam diffuses into the room,'a deliciously subtle odour will be noticeable, and this will linger for hours afterwards. A simpler .way of achieving a similar rcs’ult io to leave a pot-pourri bowl in the room, stirring up the contents from time to time; or a bi" lavender cushion, occasionally warmed and sliakeii up, will be found wonderfully refreshing. If you can ' discover' the particular perfume which''iu’st ; suits your “type,” so much the‘better." But if none seems to do this, it ihay‘;be possible' to concoct one by •'cfire'ftilly mixing' two or more of the \dry ! Scents mentioned. : Women who subject to fainting attacks ma;/., Often;' r 'be revived by a whiff' of strtMg’^i-e - 'violet scent, especially if thirn is ''qilickly followed by an’ inhalation from ' the rose-water bottle. Headaches may be overcome by treatment with eau-de-Cologne, violet and the merest trace of ammonia. The results of overwork and worry may be banished in a room scented with rose, sweet-pea, or violet, while irritability and sieenlessness will every probably give wav to peace and rest in an apartment smelling faintly of white lilac or. in extreme, cases,, lavender, violet, or a ‘judicious'comfiina'tion of the tW : ■' ' ' : " ; ” APPLE DISHES. ' For jellied apples yo.u .will- require eight nice red. specimens, and 14 cupsful of- wafer, the- juice of. one orange, 1% ennsful of and, .one tablespoonful of * cooking sherry. Pare and core : the apples. Heat, ..in. a porcelain pan, the water, the orange juice and the sugiir. Add apples, pared, and cored, and cook slowly until tender. Remove carefully to a glass dish and fill the centres with rcu. jelly. Let the syrup simmer slowly until it thicken^-j. then add the sherry and a little grated lemon rind.. After cooling slightly, pour this over the apples. ■ A. very nice I little luncheon dish can I made by eo-twing idbe bottom of a baking-dish with - • Breadcrumbs, then adding a lay eta-M thinly sliced, peeled apples, some-■grated cheese, and a little salt, the ingredients- being repeated in this order until; the 1 dish is full. Cover with milk, and bake-in a slow oven until the apples aro-r-ifioft; ■ The resultant “apple cheese” is-sustaining as well as appetising.