Women Folk.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12258, 5 March 1918, Page 7

Women Folk.

6y “STELLA."

Airs G. Stead arrived in Christchurch north this morning. • Miss Hartz (Palmerston North) is Visiting Christchurch. * * * * * j Mr Justice Stringer and Mrs Stringer are in Wellington. | *•*«*■ Airs Colin M’Laren and Miss Rita Round left last evening for the north. ***** Mr and Airs V. G. Day (Timaru) are Visiting Christchurch. **• * * « Airs Henrys (Napier) arrived from Hie north this morning. ***** Air and Mrs R. Neill (Auckland) are in town. *•*•*' Mr and Airs Marlyn (Alelbourne) are staying at Warner’s. * * * * * Air and Airs Bullock (Timaru) are in town. * « » * * Airs Algar Williams has gone to Taihape to visit Air and Mrs J. Studholme. Ruanui. ,*••«* : . Aliss Sybil Rutherford (Waihaorunga) is staying with Mrs B. S. Rutherford, in Timaru. | * * * * » | Airs 0- E, Alaokay (Wanganui) is ift 1 Christchurch, staying at the United Service. • • « « • Sergeant Attwood and Airs Attwood (Wellington) are staying at the Clarendon. • * * # Air and Mrs C, 0. T. Rutherford (The Peaks) returned to their home today, after a stay in town. « * * Miss Newman, who was staying with Airs J. P. Newman (“ Aloana,” Timaru), has returned to Christchurch. **»**» Air and Airs Lamer and the Aliases Lamer (Auckland), who have been | staying in Christchurch for some time, j will leave for their home this evening. | ***** Dr anti Airs Thacker arrived in Christchurch this morning after several weeks in Wellington. • • * * * Airs Hudson, Miss Hudson and Aliss Drummond (Tapawera* Nelson) left Christchurch last evening for Wellington. ,»•«»« 1 On Saturday-afternoon a very successful bazaar and concert, promoted • by the Misses Kathleen and Barbara Brown, in aid of the Red Cross Fund, i was held at, their mother’s residence, Giv-sford Street, St Albans. There was a largo attendance, business at the stalls was brisk, and about £8 was realised.

« » * * * ’ An Australian girl who is at Kansas, U.S.A., writes to an Australian exchange as follows:—“ Now that the hoys are going from here, the_ ‘ service flag ’ is seen everywhere. It is oblong ana red, hanging downward, with white., centre and a blue star for every enlisted member of the family, firm, etc. In the small houses a card with ‘ A man from this house is serving his country ’ on it is placed in the window. In the ’ larger houses, and outside offices, public buildings, colleges, etc., the flag is flown. Harvard unfurled hers the other dav with over 700 stars, and Kansas University will fly one with many hundred stars, shortly. Small service flags are seen at the rear windows of big limousines and small oars alike, and tiny flags arc being worn by the women on their coats. Such an idea would surely he welcomed in Australia, where so many have given their loved ones, and it should put to shame those who are still sheltering their eligibles. The brooch ‘ flags,’ hy tho way, have reached Australia, and some American women there are already wearing them.” ° * * * „

ORIGINALITY, By common consent the foremost quality of greatness is originality. Certainly no man can reach the highest order of greatness without it. I do not propose to stumble over the definition of originality, but I would like to say for our present purpose that to my mind it does not consist in thinking away from men, but rather in thinking toward truth, toward fact, toward reality. To differ with others docs not make one original. It makes one simply odd. Oddity is more divergence of opinion, a falling out to the right hand or the left. Originality is that difference of the one from the many which can bo measured on a straight lino toward, the truth. Tho original man is tho man ahead of the rest of us, nob the man moving at a tangent. The original mind is the mind nearest the truth, and yet originality is not remoteness from men; it is simply nearness to reality. It declares itsrif with unmistakalita genuineness in the investigator who forces his way through traditions and theories into the presence of facts wind* have been waiting his coming ; in the poet, who lives at the heart of the-common humanity; in the prophet whose conscience clarifies his

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mental! vision; in any master of men who can divine motives, interpret events, and organise for results according to his insight.—"William Jewett Tucker. UNOSTENTATIOUS USEFULNESS. There is an efficiency of character which, like the latent, forces of nature, is made visible only by its results. , . . Mon thus endowed, unlike the author and the artist/ build up no pcrTnanenfc memorial of their renown, no distinctive and characteristic result of their lives, such as a statue or a poem, neither are their names always associated with a great event or a sacred, occasion. _ Having more self-respect than desire for glory, their great object is immediate usefulness: their thought and action often blond with and often direct the current of events, but with an unostentatious power that conceals their agency. They accomplish groat changes in human affairs and exert a wide and potent sway, without any parade of means, and by a process that challenges no recognition. It is only when we attentively mark the effect and consider the method that wo realise, in such instances, what may he called the genius of character.-^ Henry T. Tuckorman. ***** PENDANT TRIMMINGS. All forms of pendant dress ornaments are to ho seen at the trimming counters this winter. There is a large selection of bead tassels, silver beads, crystal ones, gold and bronze heads, and those in colours as well Similar tassels come in glass drops, and the pearl-drop ornaments are numerous. Cord and ball trimmings in cotton and linen and wool arc pretty, when used in the right place. ***** * SUNLIGHT ANi> THE EYES. Strong sunlight, especially when reflected from a light-coloured surface, is often extremely trying to the eyes, and it the latter are already great discomfort may be caused by it. Of course, if wo all lived an outdoor hfo all the. year round our eyes and other organs would probably become used to more extreme conditions, hut hie within the semi-darkness of the. house is quite certain to upset the natural adaptation. In consequenro wo olt.cn have to follow up an unnatural precaution. and against tho glare of a strong sun some such protection as slightly tinted glasses, a dark veil, oral least a wide and shady hat is usually necessary. M hero the conditions are severe in the extreme, as in the Alps and in the. Arctic regions, where the iierce sun shines down on unbroken snow, actual blindness occurs, and is known by the name of snow blindness. It is usually only temporary, and may he avoided by the use of dark glasses, but it is one of the dangers against which mountain climbers have to provide. In our milder climate and moistor atmosphere. wo never moot with so sharp a test as this, but even the glare of out- sun run up painful iiiflanmtion. Amono who suffers jn Hu's way should adopt some one of the precautions mentioned above, at any rale, till the eyes nave becomo a 'little accustomed to the strong light, **«»'# CUSTOMS OF LENT, (New York “Sun.”) What would happen in America toclay if all the acinit population lioro followed llio old cuslnm and went to visit their mothers on ike fourth Sunday of Lent?

Not all the railway trains nor all the vessels in existence would be sufficient to carry that vast body of excursionists <m their way, for, as all statisticians nearly everybody who lives in our big cities conus from somewhere else. Back home on the other side cr in gome distant city on this side lives the mother whom they would go to see. In London when all the world wont n-mothrring on mid-Lent Sunday tho adult offspring who had left, ihc home shelter to go out into the world had nor. no very far to travel back again. The young Darby and .loan, the little maid out at, service and the valiant apprentice just started out in great, London town on a career that was to lend to fame and fortune some day might, readily fulfil all the duties of '‘mothering Sunday.”

Shouldering the surprise gift for his mother, which was a- feature of the day’s_ observance, a sturdy lad, or a, lass either, could usually go afoot to the

home of his childhood to pay the reppccts of the day to his parents, “ especially the female one,” say the old records, end to lay the heart warming gift before her. Impossible as would be the revival of this custom in detail, there are many who believe that its spirit at least might animate the, fourth Sunday in Lent to great advantage, and that, although the, laws of traffic may forbid every one going “ a,-mothering ” in the good old fashion, detached sons and daughters might remember lhat they have parents on this day, and “especially the female one.” and might send a. letter and a- token by way of getting the resemblance over the footlightsThis in only one of the many inteVesting customs connected with the great fast of the Church. From very early times in the Christian Church Cent has been observed in commemoration of Christ’s forty days of fasting as a. special season of penitence in preparation for the Easter feast The word is of Saxon origin and means the spring. Originally (be Lenten or Spring fast, through the centuries the phrase has dwindled, to the single word “ Lent.” In the orthodox Greek and other Oriental Christian bodies, in the "Roman Catholic, the Anglican, the Protestant Episcopal and Lutheran churches the fast is obligatory, and by many other churches, although not obligatory, it is regarded as a profitable exercise. Shrove Tuesday, when the people were shrived or " shrove,” receiving absolution before the fast, is the last day of feasting before the setting in of the forty days. Properly, the good times of Shrove Tuesday are supposed to begin on Monday, once called “ Collop Monday.” The housewife who wants to be perfectly correct from ar culinary point of view should certainly improve the opportunity to have collops on the Monday before Lent begins. As cbilops are either eggs and bacon or minced beef, and Scotch collops include also sliced minced veal, forcemeat and other minced meats moulded and sliced, as well as beef and onions, the choice of viands for the Monday before Lent is sufficiently varied. Pancakes should be a part of every Shrove Juesday menu if people have nny regard for tradition at all for nu Shrove Tuesday the hells were set a-nngiug and everybody abandoned liimsolf to good humour and merrymaking. All through the day there was a-preparing and devouring of paucakes as if gome profoundly impnrtant religions principles were involved in it- i here used formerly in ho a great deal of contention ns to who could most adroitly toss the pancakes in the pan.

Ash Wednesday derived its name trnm the ceremonies with which the penitontial season is introduced. At, the Ash Wednesday masses the ashes 0 the palms used on the Palm Sundav °f the previous year, which have been caiefnlly preserved hy the priests are akon up by the celebrant, who makes I ' ft''" '’ °( % ,TOf * mlli (hem upon the fArehead nl each worshipper in former times the penitent an Pmaehed the altar in sackcloth for llm cpiemony nf the ashes. After the 11 e--01 mation the use of ashes was discontinued , n the Church of England. An. extremely awkward situation <un„o at the English Court during the reign of George ]. as a result of a7i nbmii'd Kenton custom. For this season an olheer nho was called the King’s t ock Crower was assigned to the strange duty of crowing the hour within the precincts of the palace, instead or fulling it a;ter the fashion which prevailed at other times of the year. the Mouse of Hanover had conic to tlio bullish throne with no knowledge uluilover of English customs, and so on the night of Ash Wednesday the frince of Wales, seated at supper, was bitterly affronted when an officer abruptly entered the apartment and, simulating the utterance of a cock as widl as possible, shrilly crowed the hour. The Prince chose to consider lint he had been grossly insulted, ami it was with great di Dignity that (ho interpreter was able to convince the transplanted Hanoverian that nothing more had happened than the performance of a usual Ash Wednesday ceremony. The ceremony was meant to typify the calling of Peter to repentance, hut to a stranger at the Court, and one uho possibly felt himself none 100 welcome in any quarters, it is not remarkable that it should have appeared as the boldest mockery. CATARRH is most inconvenient sn& troublesome, and, if neglected, soon becomes chronic. A simple and reliable remedy is now available. To sterilise the Catarrhal microbes in the mucous membranes, gargle Fluenzol while lying on the back; also sniff up the nostrils at intervals (as per directions) a teaspoon£ul of liouid Fluenzol. 1/6 & 2/6. *

KATHLEEN BURKEA WONDEE-FUL BRITISH GIRL. (By G. IVY SANDERS, _ NEW YORK. -They aro loth to lot hor, oao;cr to _ welcome her hack again; for this dainty little figure in her serviceable, grey uniform of the Scottish Women’s Hospital, with a. mop of hurling golden hair, wide grey hnrtiorous eyes and her wonderful, whimsical, tender smile, has crept into their warm heart. To have founded and entirely equipped and maintained for more, than a year a Scottish Women’s Hospital of 300 bods in I ranee is in itself an achievement to be proud of; yet this is hut a por- ! lion—though a. very substantial one—of the wonderful results of the work in the United States and Canada of Mies Kathleen Burke, who has just returned to England. In Hay. ’ 19L3, Hiss Burke, _ under the auspices of The Scotfish Women’s Hospital, arrived in New 3 ork with her story. A Scottish Women's Hospital girl who had seen service, in Serbia, Belgium and France, born in England of 'lrish parentage' educated in Franco, and working in America for the relief of onr European Allies, she. made an instant appeal to Tie quick sympathy of onr new Ally. Yith characteristic generosity the American people opened to her first their hearts and then their cheque, hooks. During the last twelve months her daily average has been £3OO, and she lias travelled over 120,000 miles- She has crossed the Atlantic four times and made six fours across the eontinnent, visiting with Untiring energy evenprincipal town and city in the United States and Canada, How many times she has spoken for her own hospital, for the American Red Cross, and for the various war organisations in this country I cannot sav, but certainly she has made more than 00 different public speeches in the year. Through this medium the work of all British women in general, and of the Scottish Women’s Hospital in particular, has become as well, if not bet. ter, known here than at Home. Mention of the work of British hospitals invariably elicits the remark., “Rh. yes, the Scottish 'Women's!” The terms are synonymous. The noble work of that gallant little hand of Scottish women who since the outbreak of iVnr have fought _ with typhus, famine and death in stricken Serbia, and brought' comfort and tender care to the sick, (he wounded, and the destitute of Belgium, of France, and of Russia, has reflected on the whole of British womanhood the honour that. America has so generously expressed through Miss BurkeNot only does Miss Burke take with ’her more than £60,(100 for the Scottish Women’s Hospital and more than 2206,000 for France, but she also carries the confidence and unstinted admiration of tho whole, of this vast continent. “The knight of tenderness and pity across the world,” General Retain called her when she—the nniv woman to whom the honour has been accorded- visited Verdun, and by that name she is known throughout France. “'The Thonsand-dnllnr.s-a-day Girl,” she used to ho called on this side, but her dauntless courage, hor earnestness, her unfailing energy, have inspired the more intimate, name of “Onr Beloved Girl” throughout Canada and the United (StatesAlack and alas! this womulcrfnl money-raiser is only allowed to acquaint the American people with the deeds of the French army. Red tape has hitherto forbidden hor to visit the British front, despite the fact that she could thrill millions of Americans wTaX unfortunately, have not been allowed to learn much of British war d^ds. —“ The Daily Mail.”