For Women Folk

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11093, 2 June 1914, Page 7

For Women Folk

By "G'HRYSSA.-

I "Ohi-yssa" will bo glad to hear from aBl I # Interested In Women's Work and Life, and to receive Items of interest and va'uo to Woman for publico* I tlon, or roforenco in thio ooJumn.

Lady Campbell, of Cheviot, with Major and Mrs Campbell, of England, are at present in Christchurcb, staying at "Warner's. Mr and Mrs G. A. Wilson, of Christchurch, arrived from Wellington this morning, and in the meantime aro at the Clarendon. • » » * » Mrs G. L. Rutherford, of Mendip Hills, is a visitor to Christchuroh. « * » » * Mr and Mrs Denis Chapman, of Eyreton, arrived in town last evening and aro at the Clarendon. • » # * * Mrs J. G. Parker, of Hastings, H. 8., with Master M'Loan, of Havelook North, arrived from the south last evening. They will remain a few days in Christchuroh, at the Clarendon, before going north. • * # * « Tho Ladies' Political and Reform League aro holding their annual meeting on Thursday night for the re-elec-tion of officers* The organisation is fortunate in" having a particularly capable woman at its head in Mrs Haslam, and according to popular rumour thoy are Unanimous in their determination to induce Mrs Haslani to remain at its head. It is expected that there Viill bo a big gathering at the coining meeting to support her as president and Miss Williams as secretary. I * * * -i » J Mr and Mrs J. Deans, of. Howebush, Miss Knights and Miss NeToli Knicht, of Racecourso Hill., left for Dunedin for race week yesterday morning. While thore thoy will be the guests of Mrs Holdsworth. • » » « * •Miss Thurston, lady superintendent of the Christclntrch Hospital, who has now quite recovered frcim her recent illness, resumed her duties yesterday. • • # * • Mrs H. W. Jennings and Miss Freda Jennings arrivo<l in Christchuroh this morning from England. • • • • • Miss Janet Ogle lenves Christchnrch on.Wednesday evening for "Wellington, where sho joins the Ruahina for England. • « » • • Miss Morris, of Christchuroh, is at present in Napier, staying with hei Mrs Stephen Menzies, Colonsu Hill. » ■ .» • » » Mrs Napier M'Lean, of Wellington, is spending the winter in Napier. o * . *» 4 • Miss Edith Donald, of Dunedin, passed through Christchuroh, en route to Napier, and intends spending the wintor there with her sister, Mrs C. H. Hobbs, "Te Aroba," Cameron Road. • • » • » Miss Lucy Brown, of Inrercargill, lias chosen Napier to,spend the winter in, and is the guest uf Mrs J. Neill. • » • c • The engagement is announced of Mr W. Chappel and Miss M. A. Howie, both of Napier ~#' ..»',•■„.-.,•... >.>«.. - »-' ■■ • '• ■■ The habit of, smoking cigarettes continues to spread in England. Tho manager of a well-known firm of cigarrette makers in London declares that he has a large,and increasing number of wotnen customers. "Women snioko as a matter of course now," he says, " and it is the fashion for them to have their cigarettes specially made for them." London hotel manageis alsq fetate that for a woman not to smoke in the restaurant after lunch and dinner is' now the exception; smoking with afternoon tea is not unusual. German women have begun to smoke light cigars, bub this habit has not spread to England, Doctors have something to do with the - growth of smoking among women. They often prescribe '' one or two cigarettes a day as part ol their treatment for nervous women.

The "Times" of April 24 announced the marriage of Mr Frank Holmes, eldest surviving son of* Mr James Holmes, of Timaru, Canterbury and Miss Dorothy Pendleburv, elder daughter of Mr and Mrs Pcftdlebury, Broadlands, Shrewsbury. # * • $ «

Mr Will S. Percy, the known Australasian comedian, with his wife, who had booked their to England by the Imperator, were prevailed on by an American manager, almost at the last minute, to remain in Now York, where Mr Percy is to Create a leading part in a new opera to run in that city. #»' * « *

Miss Russell, daughter of the late Sir William Russell, of New Zealand, has gone into a nursing home to have an operation performed on her arm by the er|'.nent surgeon, Sir Arbuthnot Lane. It is understood that Miss Russell has been commissioned by the New Zealand Government to look into matters appertaining to the emigration of women domestic servants.

THE RAGE FOR NOVELTY. "A frenzy of madners" is the phrase of a well-known Parisian writer apropos the fashions of the hour, says the " Globe." The worst of it is, he says, that even the wildest extravagances are received with indifference instead of protest, and arc even adopted by Parisiennes until now celebrated for the good taste and beauty.of their toilettes. Many Paris dressmakers remain untouched by this craze for ungraceful novelties, and lament the loss of precise that Paris is suffering all over the world. But others encourage it. nntabh' M. - A s-. quith invited to display fashions at thn TW'nfng Street resi'de"c<* of the Prime Minister on a'memorable occasion. It was he who launched the s"fe'rt, and it is he who now intends to dress his customers in Egyptian styles. » * % • •

LONDON FOR HEALTH. Loudon has been described as " tho pick-me-up of the world," says the jfiniie freshness nnon a. splendid tradition, its colour and bound, even the smell of its streets, strangely characteristic thong!) infinitely 'various, make up a prescription for despondency and nerve weariness unsurpassed in any of tho pharmacopoeias of the world". « » a * *

UP IN THE AIR. At several smart-houses where aviation is to be the pastime at week-end parties this summer.in : England writes a correspondent, aerodromes are bring put up. Katherine,'-Duchess of Westminster, is having one erected at Comber mere, her younget son, Lord Edward Grosvenor, being one of the keenest of young airmen and the first amateur to'-loon tess of Dudley is also having one built, though it appears her daughter. Lady Honor Ward." does not approve of the idea. Lady Honor being much."older"

than her mother in ideas, as aro so many of the debutantes of tho day. It is very plucky of Lady Cheylcsmor© to do romethmg original, for this is tho thing of all others American women of the best set here try to avoid doing just now. I hear she, too, is having ft private aerodrome attached to her new mansion near "Windsor.

Talking of aeroplanes reminds mo there was very near being a tragedy at a country 'house where Lady Victoria Prry, L"dy Limer-'ck's daughter, was staying. It was a "flying" party, and among the gnosts wore several aeronauts, "notably Sir Hawker. Fortunately th" more careful of the "fliers" make a noint of examining every screw and boH in a machine—thoy have proved the necessity of Wbmi Mr HnwW. 'with whom Lrrly

"Vt'o" was'to flv. overhauled his. he fou"d important rn'-t mi^'ng. TTncl he +P 1 -'"'ii nn the lurcliirc without it. it would liiro w«<>nt d's.istoT. 'Hie storv po*« flint tlvs was afterward found ii n } n th« room of a ma+nre of t*+l« w1"-> hns for fnm(! tnrte paid undesi v,, d nHontior><! M tlv voting airman. Of course. Lady Tior rvopnlnr'tv T-ifh +^ a airmen, who aro lions everywhere they go.

tTint n fford f]«n] of tampering lias cone l">V<»lv fwf«! +"Urrrl of ptic! tlie rf ,p, '^ + '"« th«+ +^n nm upv as cnrefnHv wi+rW « I m ne t. •"$ if they were prospective T>rby winners. •.• 4 e » COVERS FOR BRIDGE TABLES. The woman .who plays cards or who has friends who play, is interested in making linen covers for card tables. These may bo hemstitched or scalloped and either initialled or numbered on one side of the corner so that the mark shows on top of the table, but yet is not in the way of the players. These initials or numbers are worked in hand embroidery and often represent considerable labour. They should measure about three inches. On white linen the markings look better worked in white mercerised cotton, but on tan linen, which many people prefer because it does riot spoil so readily, coloured embroidery give? a most artistic finish. Shades of delft blue, greens and golden browns all show off well on the tan linen.

A pretty set prepared as a gift for a linen wedding anniversary consisted of four cloths marked, one, two, three and four. The numbers Were quite large and fat and were filled in entirely with French knots of * a rather light delft blue, outlined round the edge with a darker thread. The cloths, which were tan, hemstitched, were folded into triangles, with tho embroidered numbers in the apes. Put together in a box they formed a square (fitted into each other with the numbers toward the centre), then they were held in place by delft ribbon, meeting in the centre with a bow of many loops. * • * « « UFE IN INDIA, I am snre, writes Miss Christie, national lecturer of tho Theosophica! Social,), you will be interested to hear of something of life"in India.as seen"by" one who did not follow the regular tourist routes, nor work on the lines of. the Christian missionary, and lived not as lives the Anglo-Indian; therefore I send you an account of my first visit to an Indian city at a distance from our beautiful theosophical headquarters at Adyar. I travelled all night in a trdin which rushed through strangely ufnfamiliaiv scenes bathed in brilliant moonlight, with a deep blue sky studded with stars above and myriads of fireflies flitting past the carriage windows, while heavy perfumes as of orange blossom, jessamine, temple flowers and aloes 'filled the heated air.

At 3 a.m. I reached my destination, a " Brahmin city/' without a "single white resident, and. was mot by a group of theosophical Brahmins. •' who escorted mo to " the carriage," a covered bullock bandy or' littlo cart without springs drawn by two little brown bullocks with humped shoulders and coloured beads with bells attached round their necks. Half an hour's drive took us to the sohoolhouse, where a room had been provided for me/ and I made my first acquaintance with a real Indian bedtwo boards of polished wood fitted together and. placed upon a" tressle. I spread my rug and sheet on this, drew another sheet over me and slept soundly until seven o'clock. After an Indian bath, taken by pouring water from a brass lota or vate over myself I was served with a meal of rice and other dainties placed upon leaves in lieu of plates, but brought to me by three Brahmin gentlemen, gorgeous in white muslin with coloured borders, and wearing very artistically-folded turbans. The food they carried in a handsome silver bowl, and part of it they ladled out with their hands. No one cooks rice and vegetables as the Indian ladies do: the meal was a treat. No water is used in cooking vegetables, only gee (melted butter). Then again I heard "The carriage is here," and this time-it was ia _ real up-to-date European carriage, '' with coed springs, and two fine horses. We drove to the home of the Government Engineer and Theosophist, and 1 was shown upstairs, where, upon a kind of bnlcony, closed to the street but open to the courtyard below, eat a number of Indian gentlemen on my right and several charming Indian ladies on my left. When introduced we each saluted the other with palms tothumbs touching the breast, and said " Nameskaram " (pronounced Nam-es-kar-am), greeting to thy nrmo. and bowed as we said it. I sat crosslegged on a mat with the other ladi s, and next me, touching me as she sat, was the niece of my host and hostess, a very n-retty little virgin-widow, whose husband died before she was old enough to live with him. She was dressed in a sari of crimson and aoid. hot- rlossy black hair was smoothly braided, and her face was peaceful and happy. The absence of jewellery and of flowers in her hair marked the only difference between her and the other ladies. My hostess was a beautiful woman, of whom her husband was very proud. Other women of the family kept shyly in the background, two of them in the ordinary <T;irh (•(■ wii-fov-'hnod ?'nn_ ncd now of their own accord from a wish to do what they was right according to old religious ideas. I spent a "happy hour with them all at this ledge-meeting. I was introduced after tho gentlemen guests left to the shy women in the background, and arranged to go again and talk to the ladies through an.interpreter, who sat behind a curtain and could be heard but not seen. This, remember, was a theosophical household composed -of people of tho highest caste—strict Hindus ia religion, who would not admit into their homes (iesh-eating people or drinkers of alcohol, but who outside the sacred precincts cf nptac would be friendly to members of any religion, provided these did not sneak slightm.ck of theirs. Many such stories I can tell if you care to hear them. India is not a heathen country, and there are many beautiful tilings in the lives of its highclass, women. You do not hear of them,

RAGLAN SLEEVES.

because those xvho describe India to you never see them. . I did, and I love India and the Indian people.

This blouse with the r.aglan sleeve is new and interesting. _ It is pretty for a variety of materials, too, for it makes up charmingly in crepe de chine, tub silk and the like, and it is

; As it is shown here, it is plain, with ;only stitched cdgcis, but a very dainty effect c&n ho obtained by embroidering !th© collar and _ cuffs and the plain jspaces lit each side of the, front. This ■treatment is a good one, whether the (blouse is used with the odd skirt rr ■tailored suit or made with skirt to ;match. The stitched tucks serve the : doubio purpose of giving weight to the material and giving a trimming effect. For tho medum size,- the blouse will require 3§ yards of material 27, 2§ yards 36, If yard 44 inches wide.