Ladies' Column

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14238, 2 July 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

Ladies' Column

Mrs Luslc fs at present staying at efton House.' Mr and Mrs Bridges have returned rem a trip to Gisbomo. Mr. P. J. P. Ward, Mr J\ S..Dawson nd Mr A. E. L. Reid, of Sydney, who re at present touring New Zealand, pent a pleasant week-end in Timaru.

The members of the Timaru Hookey i Hub held their annual- dance on. Thura- , ay evening, and socially and j nancially the function was a great sue- j i'ss. The room was prettily decorated | dth evergreens and club colours, .and j he stage was artistically arranged as j drawing room. Amongst the ladies : resent were Mrs McWhirter, lovely j date glace silk trimmed with cream j ice and net; Mrs Mcllae, lovely grey j repe do cheno over glace silk founda- ! ion, trimmed with silver sequins; Miss i Icßae, dainty frock of white silk and , ice; Miss McWhirter, pretty white rock trimmed with lace; Miss D. Mc- j Vhirter, wliito silk dress; Missi G. McVhirter, beautiful white cliifi'on taifota rimmed with rich lace and gold, hair landed with gold; Miss A. Howens, mart pale blue silk gown; Misses lodgers, smart white toilettes; Misa Luld, pale blue silk; Miss_ M. Auld, vliito frock; Miss Dunloi>, cream dress; diss Mason, silver grey crepe de eheri© iver pink glace silk, pink roses in loiffure; Miss M. Mason, white muslin; klisa Crerar, cream chiffon taffeta; Hiss AVats-on, wedgewood blue silk; vliss Quinn, pretty white radium silk; Hiss M. Quinn, lovely white chiffon ;affeta trimmed with silver; Miss Dngley, shell pink chifEon taffeta; Miss Beauchop (Auckland), beautiful gown >f Tokio blue satin veiled in gold tissue; Vliss Sullivan, dainty pale blue silk jown, trimmed in cream lace and silver; Sliss Harrison., whito muslin; Miss P. Hardener, lovely pale pink glace silk, trimrfied with gold;_ Miss _ M. Moore, dainty frock of white Indian muslin; Miss Renfree, pale grey silk gown; Miss Bradley, white muslin. Amongst the gentlemen present were: —Messrs Vincent, Clarke, Avent, Anderson (2), Blackie, Quinn, O'Hagan, I-Ceith, Duff, Marshall, Rodgers, McWhirter (2), Norrie, Glover, Grant, Edmonds, MetBon, Davio and Bradley. Mr Coombs' band supplied delightful music.

COOKING IN EARTHENWARE. J Mnrmites and casseroles aro now such oo'mmon objects in the china shops that It is hard to realise that ten or twelve years ago these importations from the ooptinental cuisine were so little in demand that except in the French quar•rs of London there was hardly a dealer who kejrfc them in stock. The popularising of cooking in fireproof ware promises well for tho general improvement of domestic cookery. It is a cleanly method, economical as it Is'thoroughly conservative, retaining to j the full the nutritious elements of th« funds, and as the earthen vessel can be discreetly swathed in a clean napkin and brought straight from oven to table it ensures hot service, which in many dishes cooked in this stylo is a consideration of tho first importance. The novice who adventures for the

first time upon marmite cookery has something to learn before her efforts are likely to be crowned with success. Borne little care is necessary to prevont the vessels cracking at tho outset; the risk is materially lessened as they become well seasoned. Borne continental housewives believe that rubbing them ■well over with a close orgarliois an infallible safeguard. Probably a prepossession in favour of the gout may have inspired the idea. A plan more to be recommended is to soak the vessel in cold water for several hours before it is used. When used for the first time it should be brought very j slowly to tho simmering point. At all | times the oook should be careful never to put the cooker on the stove or in the oven without water or fat in it, and never under any circumstances to put a hot vessel fresh from the fire in cold water or on a oold sink; it must be allowed to cool gradually, otherwise the probable result is catastrophe. The observance of tlieso simple rules will go far to ensure suooess in oasserole cookery. It must always bo borne in mind that this is a process of slow cooking and cannot possibly be hurried; but if ■low, it is very thorough and tho results are excellent. Curries should always be associated with the casserole. It is unnecessary to give special recipes. Any curry, any stew of meat or vegetables, or both hot-pots, etc., can bo prepared from any ordinary recipe more satisfactorily in the fireproof earthenware cooker than in any other utensil. A oomplete list of the ware can be obtained from any up to date dealer. All the requirements of boiling, braising, ■tewing and baking can bo met with a modest equipment of a round marmite or iiwo, an oval casserolo for game or poulty or joints, a saucepan, and a stewing pot. Tho marmite is higher than the latter, and is well adapted for stock or soup making. Its two small side handles enable it to stand on the g*a stove or cooking range without .taking up much room.

CHARM OF THE MUFF. ' l To Robert Herrick belongs the dis- < tinction of first realising the poetry i of dress and of expressing it in charm- ! ing lyrics. Of his Julia's petticoat he j has told us that > " Sometimes 'twould pant, and sigh | and heave, As if to stir it scarce had leave j i But having got it, thereupon . ! 'Twould make a brave expansion." i 'And in another delightful piece we. tea i with him how . '■ "A sweet disorder in the dress ! Kindlbs in clothes a wantonness." 3

But in all his dainty verse no reference will be found to the muff. This oan only be due to muffs not being used hy ladies in his day, for had they been we should certainly have had soma quaintly-phrased lyrio telling us how Julia's muff helped to bewitch her lover's heart. . It is an old truth that such, things as ribbons, silks, laces, trinkets and fans do much to inspire the tender passion.. Thus Browning makes a coquette say: ' "Teach me to manipulate a fan i As the Spanish ladies can-" j Sweet, laughing oven above an agi- ( tated fan lightly held in a "lily white j hand"—is there anything more fascin- ; ating! There is at least one thing that i equals it for charm, and that is the S same eyes looking over the top of a. i muff. j There is a closer similarity between ; the fan and the muff than the special J use of either suggests. For instance, ; oach may be usoci to hide a face, and ' the handling of either, is a pretty j action. In whatovor position the muff ! be held —swung along atb mow, held by i both hands in front of the body, car- j ried resting ®aainsi the hips, held extended from the waist, lifted to the j lips, presaaa agahisfc old© of the j face, raised fio held at an i ohglo against tba tuda ofiho hat—it ; looks "chio.** No woman w!?*y, When' swings her right land to , wmdStSSco like a pendulum can be said to : W jgwweful. 1 But if she carries a muff, aad'|iegjlgent» ly swings it at her side, how appear ancos are altered 1 An ungraceful action i ,at once becomes graceful ing; in a word, tho muff Sjoilia wonders. In wild, windy weatlior.a-gmoeM'ttpaf poarancc is scarcely to be exgftctod./Xetf, oven under those adverse conditions with the help of Ihe muff it is proserrodi There is, indeed a certain pictapeequeness about a lady's figure aa with nor head bending forward, her muff raised to her face or hut, and her fikirts blonl»g out buliiud, she faces ihe sU>£m,

Again tlio muff is accountable for much of the charm, a fair i'aco agkuv with colour, , buried iu a. soft, warm muff looking decidedly attractive. In courtship the muff plays a. by no means insignificant part. Jt pervos a, very pretty purpose in "being used to hido those sweet, sudden blushes that delight every lover's heart. Hido them completely it doe 3 not, hut an it is held against the face half conceals and liall: i reveals the crimson colour that some j pretty compliment has brought to girlish cheeks. I There is something exceedingly he- | coming about a muff. It gives one a sense of comfort and -warmth. It is stylish without being obtrusively so. It ! fita admirably into its place; more jnj conspicuously and m®e appropriately j than most things. It adds in some in- ' definable way to the charm of its posj sessor. It has many graceful uses, and | as in the case of the fan, there is often j win&omeness and piquancy in the way !it is held. In musical plays we have '.grown a little tired of the fluttering j fans of pretty Geishas and the twirling ' parasols of sweet English girls. "Why ; not a song of the muff, or of muff and j furs combined? R-

"NO ONE TO LOVE!" Love is the greatest blessing man and womankind receive hero below. It I is also the greatest curse they suffer I from in this dear old world of ours.

j You see, it just depends on liow you j take itl Some people fly from it to the uttermost ends of the world and there j find it ready and waiting for them, j others court it witli open nrms and | pleading words and it passes them coldly by and leaves them lamenting. There i are so many different kinds of love! j The love of a mother for her child j is the purest and most sacred of nil. | The love of a good son or daughter for their parents brings down the blessing ; of Heaven upon their bent heads. I But the love of a maid for a man is ! the kind of love that has always posv sessed the most attraction for mankind i and always will till the world ends, i The rosy mantle of romance is thrown | around the theme. Tho poets sing it, | around it the dramatists weave their j drama. Wo feel from our earliest fnfancy that love is tho one greatest good of ! all —the thing to be sought for —above ! all others in this world, often with

tears, and at the end of all things we find ourselves still with empty hands and often a too full heart. What a lot of wasted devotion there is in this world—or is it really not wasted —but all of it goes to form some q;reat scheme worked out by a Higher Intelligence than ours, but all for the best in the end. "I have no one to love me, how often we hear that desolate cry in our passage through the world. "No one to love me, no one to love," and there are others whose cup of life is brimming over and spilling carelessly on tlio ground from the adoration poured into it, and they turn from it with hatred, and only pray to be left alone —at peace with themselves. It all seems so terribly unfair, doesn't it?

I onco knew a girl who carried all before her; men and women bowed down before her curious gift of fascination. She cared for none of them!

Another girl—a friend of hers—who craved for love and admiration and received none, bitterly compared their several lots.

"All the men run after her, and she encourages them to do it; it's so selfish of her. I shouldn't mind so much if she really wanted them —but apparently she doesn't. She might share them," was her bitter cry. Fancy being so desperate that yeu want to share a man whose affections were engaged elsewhere. It makes one shiver!

I tried to comfort her—to assure her her turn would come—but she know her fnto better than I did. She is now a bitter, dissatisfied old maid —and the remarks she still makes about that one particular woman would fairly make tho straightest hair curl!

And it wasn't the other woman's fault altogether. It is all very sad when one oomes to think about it seriously. Why should one have all and another nothing. We can only hope on that nil is for the best in the best of all possible worlds. L.B.