MOTHERS' CORNER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10683, 1 February 1913, Page 4

MOTHERS' CORNER.

(Specially Compiled for tho "Star.") " Every homo is a mint for the coining of character." HOBBIES. A well-known man says r£ life th.it its chief characteristic is that it is intensely interesting. Wo all feel the truth of this, and show it by our love of our newspapers and even of gossip. A world that contains aeroplanes, Dreadnoughts, wars, wrecks, to say nothing of its gorgeous beauty of scenery ana instances of heroism, cannot fail to bo worth watching. Living as we however, so far from most of the big events of the day. we can only be onlookers, and we may feel that though tho great world is interesting, no doubt, our own lives are rather dull and monotonous. One of the greatest boons- to anyone who feols this is to take up somo hobby—something outside tlieir daily work for which they really care, and in pursuing which they forget all the tiresome little daily frictions and really enjoy themselves. It is wonderful how a hobby docs this, and though some hobbies are expensive they need not all be bo. Tho King •himself cannot, do without a hobby, and ono would think his lifo would be interesting enough. But he is a keen collector of stamps, and has, I suppose, tho best collection in the world, as he naturally has every opportunity of getting the most out-of-the-way issues sent him. Queen Alexandra's hobby was her beautiful dairy at Sandringhani. This was quite a show-place, tiled with blue and white Dutch tiles and built like a - Swiss chalet, and adorned with old china cows, etc., which, the Queen collected for the purpose. One of tho favourite things amongst the visitors at Sandringham was to take tea. in this beautiful model dairy. But such hobbies are only for the rich, as is the collection of pictures, old china, or old furniture, in which so many people revel at Home. One more fashionable hobby has become almost a craze of late years, that is the breeding of toy dogs. These beautiful little creatures came from China originally, and are called " Pekinese." They are so small they can be carried in - a muff, while they are worth sometimes £100! Now let us come to something more within our own reach. First in New Zealand would come gardens, for we nearly all have a little ground that we might make beautiful at least, if only the nor'-westers would not spoil it all. In England many women give themselves heart and soul to their gardens, largo or small. They seem to live for them, and, though we do not need to do this, it is wonderful how much pleasure ono's own flowers can give one. Some people have a " friendship garden," in which every plant was given them by some friend, and has its own memories; and some have a ''Shakespeare garden," where they try to grow every flower mentioned by Shakespeare, or a " poet's garden," with flowers which bear the label of some verse. In reading the life of the artist, Edward Clifford, I was much struck with the description of his "scrap books." Thej were his hobby. Of course, ho was ar artist, with celebrated artist friends and could have such a collection as oiif could hope to attain to. l/ut it is wonderful how interesting it is to keep cuttings from newspapers, illustrations thai strike one, a written quotation, ai autograph, a post-card, a photograph | o;* the programme of a good: play—anything of real interest (guarding, o: course, against rubbish). In after yean these collections become valuable, no' i -only to the owner, but often, if wel j; arranged, to their Ther< [ are many autograph collections, o . course, though one cannot like tho wa; i these are collected. If people are noi 1 worried for them, however, they do be come interesting.' I remember seeing poor Mark Twain surrounded by auto f graph hunters,' and badgered to sign hi; \ name. He said, "If 1 for will give 2s Gd to the hospital j . I will do so." In this way many obtainec - their treasure. Rudyard Kipling wa * also present, but he declined wit! L ' thanks; One hobby which was a ver; delightful one when it was first startei was a. picture post-card collection. Tlies ! have got- so common nowadays that the; j are not so interesting as they were r But even nov. T , beautiful collections ca; ; be made, of scenery, pictures, etc. - with post-cards. I well remember whe: " post-cards first caine out. I was ii I Switzerland, and one of my childre] met with a very bad accident. As sh lay ill at the hotel, a kind friend bough 7 her the most beautiful and larges

post-card album I have seen, and many a weary hour was passed in arranging the collection cf post-cards which all the visitors constantly brought her. Photography is so good in New Zealand and so popular that I need only mention that hobby, though it is capable of great developments. The great tiling is to have a hobby which possesses some individual character. Even a- post-card or a photograph .may give individuality to a room. This is what we all want—something in the home which expresses our own character and preferences. Once begun, the taste grows and increases, and home means so much more to us than four walls and furniture. I have not mentioned books. But- one.of the joys of a hobby is the reading connected with it, as one thine always leads on to another. And if wg 'had time, what needlework or art work of many sorts we could take up to beautify our lives and our homes! But in this busy land most of us will have to content ourselves with something easier than this. Tho great thing, however, to possess is a hobby of some sort, and to take a real interest in it, and we shall soon find how it will widen out and lead to a vast number of interests wo never thought of before, and make our lives mor-e°interesting, as well as increasing the interest wo take in the world in which we live.