THE LADIES

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 3, 2 October 1880, Page 19

THE LADIES

— Black silk stockings embroidered with jet are the latest thing out. — An Indian muslin dress, worn lately at a reception in London, Avas embroidered in thirty different colors, the result of four months work. — The prettiest dross worn at Allan West's reunion in the Choral Hall, Avas a black velvet, with pink satin trimming. — There is a swell dressmaker in Auckland who boasts that she doesn't like to work for servants, and, therefore, manages to spoil any gowns which they bring her to make up. What a high-souled noble-minded creature to be sure. — The Princess Amazulu, first cousin to King Cetewayo, has rapidly progressed in English civilizstion ; she was last heard of, clothed, and in her right mind, selling cigars at the "annual grand barmaid contest" in London. Sic transit, &c. — Mrs. Beechag, a lady who was totally blind, appeared at a public meeting in Sydney last week to testify to the wonderful cure affected for her by Milner Stephen, the barrister Avho works miracles by means of prayer. Others benefitted by Mr. Stephen also came forward and spoke up for him. — The scullery maid at the Timaru Hospital has had her Avages docked ten per cent. The poor damsel has, hoAvever, one thing to console herself Avith for the loss of her tAVO pounds annually. She can dub herself " a Civil Servant of the colony of NeAv Zealand," a dignity surely worth the dirty forty shillings. — Ladies, you can have dimples cheap. An. expert offers to make them where they don't exist, and his fee is moderate. The process is simple. A portion of the muscle of the cheek is cut out. The skin heals over, and " voila la fossette." In other words, behold the dimple ! Ladies Avho Avould Avear false dimples can certainly afford to lose a little cheek. They have too much. — Professional beautyism is not to be wholly confined to ladies. A society has been enrolled in London to Avhich only beauty men Avill be admitted. A " conquest book" is to be one of the features, and candidates must have three certificates, from as many ladies in " society." Couldn't one of these be started in Auckland 2 There are plenty of lady-killers amougst us and Mr.. Coates would make a splendid first president. What do you say, girls ? — The folloAving verses suggest Avhat Avill probably happen now the " Deceased Wife's Sister Bill " has become luav : — Beneath the spreading chesnut tree The A'illage smithy stends — With Mrs. Smith it's all U P, She's gone to other lands. Smith goes on Sunday to tli-e church And hears her sister's voice j He leaves liis scruples in the lurch, And she makes his heart rejoice, The morning sees his suit commenced, I The evening sees it done ; Next day the Parson ties the knot — Makes Pa and Auntie one. — It is whispered that Mrs. Langtiy, Avith a certain young Earl in her eye, is playing for a divorce rrom Mr. L., but that the partner of her joys doesn't exactly seem to see it in the light she should Avish him to. Besides, the young bail's mamma, Lady S., is on the warpath, and the influence of her tongue, backed by her position in society, is painfully felt by the "Jersey Lily," Avho is beginning to find the list of closed doors on the increase. Some people think it's time. Some years ago visitors to the Langham Hotel, in London, used often t<> notice in the-reading-room a lady, avliosc evident object it Avas to attract attention. She Avas of uncertain age, apparently in the forties, but affected a very young-ladyish style of costume. She had a mass of curiously dressed yellowish hair, which seemed to be cocked up in a different fashion every day, iioav being fluffed over her forehead, doggy-Avise, iioav being alloAved to fly out in wild wisps, like horsehair. This lady Avas by no means pretty, and her apparel Avas more ostentatious than tasteful. She had no idea of assorting her colours, nor could she even attain to that original eccentricity which, beingahead of the fashions of to-day, sometimes sets those for to-morroAv. All this avoulcl have been immaterial if the lady in question had not, as | above said, been so evidently desirous of being stared at. Her studied postures, her intent Avay of gazing at people through a double eyeglass, as if she had met them all before, but could not remember where, and her tripping gait, Avhen she crossed the room to fetch a neAvspaper or to speak to a waiter, often induced other visitors to wonder Avho she Avas. Many took her for an actress, but Avhen a man had stayed a feAv days in the hotel, he always learned that the fair oddity Avas a Miss de la liamee, better known as "Ouida." She has, in one of her novels, expressed the opinion that the souls encased in the bodies of literary critics are those of departed cocks. Whether the comparison Avas suggested to her mind by the recollection of tlte particular thing over which cocks are generally said to crow, one cannot say ; certain it is that the chanticleers Avho have raised their voices over Miss de la Ramee's books have never ventured to deny that she was a writer of parts. A parallel may not unfitly be drawn betAveen her and George Eliot, for she has genius, and, like George Eliot, seems to feel a keen sympathy with the Aveek and oppressed, whether Avomen or dogs, and a hatred of injustice. But lioav different is the manner by AA'hich the tAvo authoresses respectively express their sentiments. Miss de la Ramee does not like England, in which she remotely resembles Lord Byron. Her address, during most of the year, is Villa Farina, near Florence,