THE FADING LILY

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 16 December 1912, Page 8

THE FADING LILY

Lady de Bathe, better Innown to the world as Lily Langtry, is still .a yiouhgish woman in agpipeanance, and she thais been telling simple Americans,, the * secret of her yoiAhfulness. It is due, she says, to the bright-coloured clothes that s'hewears " within and without." Truth to tell, I have long had an, opxnvion that most of us grow old far sooner than we need- When a man reaches fiorty, ihe begins 'to get indifferent about his' clothes and take to wearing cerements. Just when he should begin to take particular thought for his raimeait, lie commences to foe indifferent about it. A little ir©flejctio,n will show you that is very foolish. It is true that la man. is onily as old as he feels; but how-is ,a carping world to know how young he feels if he persists in dressing so las.to look old and se^dy? Lady de Bathe will have .it that men , begin to look *ld so soon because they dress so badly, and we may take it thiat she knows something about men. She tells us that,men should 'beware of the dismal in their garments. She .thinks "that things are already mending, that men " will not much longer cheat themselves of the pleasure of wearing colours."

I dare say. But I foresee the difficulty. A year or two ago, when .we all *X. began to -wear -beautiful socks, the butcher and baker gat the habit, .and speedily vulgarized it to death. Of old, when men dressed 'beautifully, the-re ■were■■certain' sumptuary laws, lanld the ibaron never ran. any risks of being mistaken far the bailiff. While all men dress alike, men of taste will continue to avoid the conspicuous in dress. \ -Still, there is a great deal in what the Lily says. These sad tints we tvear cannot foil to be depressing, and' the man who is depressed inevitably mges. Odlour is beautiful, and there is no need why we should not enjoy it. Ast things are, we neglect colour ovea*miieh—we men, I mean. And so something is taken out of our intimate lives, something ennobling and most sweet. Miss Dorothea Mackellar has expressed ' it very weal. If you have not read' Miss Maokellar's verses, I cordially commend them to you. She. is an Australian who is not Australian in the cheap or tawdry sense, not in the least spread-eagle. And she loves colour as I do, and is not ashamed to proclaim her love of it, - There is no_night so black but you shine through, it, i There is no morn so dreap, 0 Colour of the World, but I can find you, ' ,- Most tender, pure, and clear. Thanks be to God, Who gave this gift of colour, Which who shall seek shall find.; Thanks be to iGod, Who gives me strength t.r hold it, Though Tivere stricken blind..