LADIES3 COLUMN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14139, 19 February 1910, Page 5

LADIES 3 COLUMN.

(By Sister Ann.) OP LOCAL INTEREST. Sirs. Cornwall lias loft for England by tho s.s. Rnahinc. Mrs. F. S. Johns has gone to Nelson for a visit to her mother. Miss Ethel Glynos and Miss Weidemann leave for England next week by tho Arawa. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Brown and Miss E. Brown are also .travelling by the same boat. Dr. and Mrs. Walker and their little daughter havo left for the Dawson Falls’ House in search of fresh mountain air; Mr. Gordon Addenbrooke, of Uruti, and Miss Bertha Hohy wore married at 801 l Block last week. They havo just returned from a visit to Wanganui. Miss Mabel Rochfort was married to Mr. Drew, at Wanganui, last Tuesday. Part of the .honeymoon is to bo spent 'Camping out on Kapiti and part in Nelson. INFORMATION WANTED. A correspondent writes: Dear Sister Ann.—lf you could furnisli me with a lirtlo information on one point, I know many or your readers would also bo very grateful. Can you tell mo what tune Mr. Benjamin lippens goes to bed? On one occasion launy, wo were coming home from an evening party, somewhere near Hie witching hour of midnight, bowling merrily along tho footpaths in the moonlight, /is wo passed across one of tho intersecting roads, lo! down one of the side streets, came that well known form, his eagle eye anxknfsly scanning tho distance, but fortunately at that particular moment wo were safe. A few days later, a friend of mine had occasion to go into the country so got up at'4.Bo a.in .to make an early start. Lo 1 in th© distance, affable and smiling sweetly in anticipation of a catch, lie descried - Benjamin approaching on his wheel. A girl friend of mine, tolls mo that one evening she rode all the way from Belt Road to Watson Street minus lights and met'with no obstruction on route, hut do you know, though I know the dear soul 'would not wilfully deceive, I havo a shrewd suspicion that, that was an excursion into Dreamland. Of course, wo had some chance before Mr. Benjamin took it into his head to learn how to cycle, for then we wore at an advantage and could whizz out of his way. Now he is a P.M. in tho art and I must say, I have never enjoyed a spectacle so keenly since wo went to “Mother Goose” as when I ,’aw him fall off his machine coo day. He was coming down a gentle incline, when suddenly Ids front wheel began that curious wriggling, zig-zag .motion and off he came —rather heavily; I. suppose it was not quite a Christian act," hut I laughed long and loudly, ho did look so comical. Ho got up .quite quickly and looked hastily around to seo if any one had seen him fall, hut unfortunately I, with a stray -butcher boy or two. were tho only witnesses. -Could wo liayp-forsoen his fall an.d_

been able to charge, say, Is Tor the show, I am certain all Now Plymouth would have come, and wo could havo handed in a’ very largo sum to the seaside committee. If you can help mo in this little matter, you will confer a great benefit on all of us.—Yours sincerely—Alice. [I am sorry I cannot help yon. It is my own private opinion that he never sleeps. Coujd ymi not scrape acquaintance with his wife and so find out ?—Sister Ann.] VALENTINE’S DAY. Valentino’s Day has once more come and gone and beyond casual comment, little notice has been taken. Time was when the shop windows wore gay, and the streets of Devon Street quite busy with eager boys and girls hastening to the Post Oflice in order to secure coveted envelopes containing scented 'and gilded valentines: Inside these would be lines of impassioned though somewhat halting rhyme. Wo turned one out of a drawer the other day. Outside was a sheet of fretted silver paper, little doors in the middle opened, revealing a simpering painted youth in many coloured garments. He was tendering a rose. Above him were two doves with extraordinarily red bills, below were,two exceedingly plump hearts, one only transfixed with ail arrow, from which drops of ruddy blood were trickling—the other, alas! was tcnlly undamaged. On the inside of the page was a poem, beginning; The Rose is red, the violet’s blue Honey’s sweet—and so arc you.”

Perhaps, however, the eager inquirer at tho Post Office would have a valentine which was far from complimentary, for in truth, this festival gave cue a good chance to pay off old scores. I have in ray riiind’s eye visions of green and squint-eyed women and ferocious looking men with protruding teeth and sinister expressions. Tho receipt of these caused great humiliation and a burning desire to retaliate next year. ORIGIN OF VALENTINE S DAY. , Tho reason why St. Valentino should bo the patron saint of lovers is wrapped in mystery. We are told he was a priest and martyr, being beheaded in Rome at the end of tho third "century. This tragic event happened in tho middle of February. Chaucer alludes to tho custom cf sending valentincs.and so does Shakespeare. The extremely economical Samuel Pcpys, in tho reign of the second Charles, speaks of tho custom of drawing for valentines. Ho says in his quaint way: “I am this year my wife’s valentine, and it. will, cost me £5, for it is fit tho poor wretch should have something to content herself with.” Then ho adds in his thrifty ‘way: “That I must have laid out if \vo had not been valentines.” Two days afterwards he says: “I find that Airs. Pierce’s, little girl is my valentine, sh® lui'ing drawn me, winch I was not sorry for, it easing mo of something more that I. must havo given to others., In early Victorian days a whole army of minor poets and toilers were employed either in designing or com-: posing, valentines, or in making the stamped paper, filigree, tinsel, and ‘artificial flowers used in their ornamentation, and tho sum added to the J revenue- out of tho postage was 1 very considerable. Valentines also entered largely into the naval life of tho people. On February 14, 1797, Sir J., Jervis gained his splendid success against tho Spanish {loot. It was promptly named “tho : victory. of : St. Valentine,” and made the valentine more popular than ever with Jack. VALENTINE COLLECTIONS. A fine collection of 18th and IDtli century valentines, priced at £IOO, was, recently offered for sale, and there can be no doubt that some very groa£ artists, Bartolozzi, for example, had in the days of their youth, devoted a share of their attention to this forgotten form of art. Collectors may quite possibly discover the handiwork of Blake, Cruikshauk, or John Leech _ ’amongst a sheaf of old valentines. . As time goes on, valentine collections are sure to increase in value, and that rapidly. SIR ROBERT HART’S SON-IN-LAW. Air. IT. Cunningham Brodie, the cx-Libornl member for Reigatc, has ambitions in tho direction of social reform. Ho studied tho labour question in a very practical way, having spent eighteen months in workshops in Leeds and Manchester, working at the bench. -Ho is -a supporter of tho League, of young Liberals, a major of Yeomanry, ' 7 a member of tho Eighty Club, and. a Follow of-tho Society of Arts. In the interests of his business (colonial riiorchanilise) he has travelled very extensively in Africa, Australia, and Canada. HOW OUR KING* FIRST MET THE QUEEN. In a romantic fashion did King Edward' become acquainted with his future Queen, and the story is a reliable one. The late Princqss Mary of Tcck had met her young cousin, Princess Alix of Denmark, when cm a visit to lluniponhcim. She was so charming to behold and -know that a happy thought possessed the Princess Mary. She took home with her to England a photograph of tho young girl in her Main white frock and hat, a piece of black velvet tied round her throat and a rose in her bodice, and entrusted it to a crony of tho Prince of Wales. Tho latter, by the way, at that time, by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s desire, has already been introduced to a German Princess with a view-of negotiations matrimonial to follow. Tho friend artfully put the carte do in the Prince’s way. At onco .'.is Royal Highness fell into tho, trap. “What a lovely Jirl!” ho said. “Who is she?” Tho friend laughed, and would not tell. ■ The Prince then asked for tho photograph to keep, and put it into his pocket. Later, he met tho Princess, wholly ns it chanced, both were inspecting Worms Cathedral. It was the English Heir Apparent's first sight of her. lie vowed that the photograph did not do her justice—and nothing more was ever heard from that day of tho German Princess'.. —Tho Gentlewoman. ■ NINETY-NINE IN THE SHADE. Oh for a, lodge in a garden of cucumbers, Oh for an iceberg or two to control 1 Oh for a vale' that at midday dew • cumbers, Oh for a pleasure trip up to the Pole! Oh for. a little one-storey thermometer, With nothing but zeros all ranged in a row! Oh for a big double-barrelled hygrometer To measure the moisture that rolls from my brow!

oil that this cold world wore twenty times colder, That irony’s rod hot it seemeth to mo 1 Oh for a, turn of its dreaded cold shoulder, Oh, what a comfort an ague would be! Oh for a grotto frost lined and rillriven, Scoojied in a rock under cataract vast! Oh for a winter of discontent even, Oh for wot blankets judiciously cast! Oh for a soda fount sprouting up boldly From every hot lamp-post against the hot sky! Oh for a proud maid to look on mo coldly, Freezing my soul with a glauco of her CJt —ROSSITER JOHNSON. FICKLE FASHION. A WRAP MUFF. Quito now and really useful is the scarf muff that is suitable for day and evening wear alike. This is an adaptation of the summer scarf to winter needs. -Made of silk, or soft satin or mousseliuo do soio in any colour, but preferably in the shade that exactly matches the toilet with which it is worn, the scarf is edged with narrow bands of fur. , At the waist lino in front the ends are cleverly drarod up so as to form a largo muff. . The great beauty of this garment is that the muff is adjustable, so that tbo scarf may be worn with or Without tho muff as desired. The scarf is worn so as to encircle the shoulders and shield tho arms to tlie elbow. Below the muff there my ends of moderate length, ornamented with the fur trimmings. ORNAMENTS FOR THE HAIR. The question of what to wear in the hair.with tho now coiffure is becoming a serious problem. One thing that everyone seems agreed upon is, that whatever ornament is worn it must of a necessity be flat. Jewelled pins arc used,'in place of the. once popular side combs, whilo ‘'Cleopatra” bands of gold tissue, ornamented with, pearls, afo fastened across tho front of the head, and secured to tbo hair just behind the oars. Those flat bandeaux are not. however, .universally becoming, and many women modify tho stylo by tho, uso of soft, coloured satin ribbon about two and a half inches wide, arranged under tho all-round coil which is so popular at present. NEW JEWELLERY. Of now ideas in jewellery it is not easy to write. Earrings, for the time being, are not so popular as they once word’; tho single-stone variety sot as r. stud, or those' clusters of tiny 'rose diamonds set in- platinum, being first:, in favour amongst those who still wear 'them. A new idea for, evening wear is to mount small old paste buckles or paste placquos upon coloured velvet ribbon, ■which is destined to take the place’ of necklaces. ' In enamelled jewellery a novelty has boon introduced by a woll-known society woman, who has set the fashion. of having big enamelled shoo buckles made to match her evening toilets, which are worm in kid or suede slippers dyad the, exact colour of tbo frock with which the.y are worn,- silk hose, of the same colour being worn with them.