WOMAN'S WORLD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8100, 27 August 1904, Page 3

WOMAN'S WORLD.

Sirs Annie Bc_nut was, -at lateet dates, again lecturing on "Theosophy" in London, and drawing large audiences. Madame Humbert's daughter, the " ettrnal fisnceo " of tho famous Crawford millions .swindle, but an innocent tool of the conspirators, has settled at lianiein-on-the-Wese.-, where she intends to ea-rn her living by teaching music and languages. It. is a rare thing for a woman in Japan to seek divorce, though husbands frequently give sufficient cause. Tho fact that the care of the children would fall upon the wife should she obtain. % divorce is n> sufficient deterrent to tho mothers who are poor, and the condition of oxtrcme subjection suffered by nearly all Japanese -women probably deters wealthy wive 3 'from seeking divorce. "We decry tho hard-drinking days of our grandfathers, but both sexes alike have usually only themselves 'io blame for " the brokendown nervous system" which is the universal compltuut of to-day (says the "I/adies' Field.") Unlimited champagne, whisky and even tea are nob good for any human organisation, and when we add perpetual cigarette smoking to this category of offences, small ■wonder thr.t even the most perfect constitutions rebel. \ That monarchs have family iiarfl-9 everyone knows, but -th© exact manner in which they should bo spelled is known to very few. One of our ge.eallogists has recently taken, much pains 'to discover tho correct manner o£ spelling King Edward's family name, and, after searching for st long time in the Royal archives, h3 cays 'that King Edward, were he a. private gentleman, woiiid have to be addressed as Mr Wettin, that being tho original name of tho Saxe-Coburg family. Mr Leiter, Lady Curzon's father., who recently died in America;, wa3 worth £1.000.000. At the timo of tbe sale of the world-famous Borghese rubies, probably the finest in existence, there was great rivalry for their possession. It -was well known that Quoen Victoria had set her heart on securing -hera, but so had Mr 3 Levi Z. Leiter, of Chicago, and when tho hammer fell on the last bid it was known tliat she had bought the precious baubles for the enormous sum of £110,000. A milUoniairo and his wife having been specially shown over -a, famous building within sight of Windsor Castle, th© lady put into .the attendant's hand a coin, which he was surprised to find was a halfpenny. Thinking that some mistake bad been made, he wen-t to tho gentleman end politely asked him how he wouid Hike the money spent. The millionaire calmly replied that he was very sorry, but tihat was the only coppor coin they had — they had only silver left. The Marquis of Anglesey, who lately became bankrupt, spent a- very large p-_it of his large fortune on jewels and- clothes. "We are told -that he laid out £3000 a. year on hosiery aioiie, and his goid thread braces, with 1&: carat buckles, cost £60 a ptir. The money spent in six years on jewellt-ry amounted to £213.000. He is fond of theatricals, and played the part of Prince Pekoe in "Aladdin" ai Anglesey Castle. He chose this part, a-3 it gave opportunity for much change of costume, Sarah Bernhardt paid her annual visit to London .-centiy. Sho is a great favourite with English playgoers, and is herself fond of English people, though she speaks the language in a lame but pretty fashion. Her vitality, .-ays '" The Gentlewoman." is marvellous. She cats little and drinks less, and sleeps but shortly and lightly; yet can. chatter all day, besides act at night, -and is ever ready for a- game of croquet or tennis. "When at the seaside she goes out shrimping and paddling with all the pleasure of a child. She is sixty year 3 old. At tho last Court Queen Alexandra, wore a pa-rare •of amethysts -and diamonds. The amethyst ia a very beautiful Btone in itself, like tho opal, but because of its. small value has baen hitherto neglected. Now, however, the tfashion of wearing stones beautifully «c. and artistically mounted is driving out tho mere display of expensive jewellery, and •bringing ornaments within the reach o£ narrow purses. The peridot, the topaz, the amethyst the. opal and the turquoise are all decorative, and in the hands of a clever jeweller can be made effective and pretty. Madame Flammarion, it- is said, never allows anyone to cut her husband's hair but herself, and she uses tho shorn locks for pillows. Her home in the Rue de Cassini. Paris, is full of pillows .stuffed with such c.ippin?s. Telescopes, heliometres, sextants, astrolobes and other astronomical instruments are scattered all about anions theru. The Flatnmarions were married thirty years ago, and took their bridal tour in a balloon. In all the time since then the wife has been a veritable helpmeet to her huebtuid. She not only makes observations and calculations, but mcasuros the distance of stars for him. The attempt to abolish 'ha side saddle for woman bos pirobably been suggested by travellers returning i'rom California, where cross riding is the custom in country places. In tho Park of San Francisco, the netroloum-watered roads are ridden now and then by a pioneer on a mian's saddle, but the side paddle is still tbe fashion. At Santa Barbara., however, and elsewhere on the Pacific Coast, it is hardly known. Nearly all woinnn ride, and they wear a straight, full divided skirt, and ride with two stirrup". On the precipitous rocks of the Ypsemite this is ihe only safe aeat; the tracks are rather stairs than roads, end the precipices enough io turn tho strongest head. | The Jananefift woman do*, not. attempt to do her elaborate coiffure herself; it is arranged for her by ' a maid, or an. itinerant hairdresser undertakes tho operation for a fee varviriar from three halfpence "to irFOßence. She wilL efifc the best part of a. dar in -front of her curious metal lookinjr-tflass ."""'ith a handle resembling a fan while it is beine. done, but once done it lasts about » week. The hair ib Von'rht V> the cons' «ii.ncy -f c"«,t *by means of pomatum, and tbm literally moulded into some quaint shape. _V Jf»n&nesn lady has no. jewellery, but her husband will spend large sums on ber ornamental combs nnd haimins. For pais, occasions her head will bo literally crowded with Hai-nuti- . of tortoi«eshell, coral. Venetian glass, ivory, mother-of-peafl. and flowers. These hair ornaments, owing to their value, become heirlooms, and are handed on from generation to feneration; They a*" well «« tho style of fcai-dreßsing, ind'eate the number of years o* the wearer! A Japanese, woman is not at all ashamed of ber age. and tel!s you cheerful]-" what n't ia. the fact being that a. she gets older her position in the household imnrovea.