MAKING LOVE TO BLUEBEARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18248, 5 August 1921, Page 2

MAKING LOVE TO BLUEBEARD

WOMEN WON BY WICKEDNESS. Landru, the alleged Bluebeard of Paris, who is charged with murdering eleven of his sweethearts, has received proposal:- of marriage from a number of women who have never , • even seen him! This man, whose features are the j reverse of attractive, has succeeded |in influencing women, to whom he i is unknown except by disrepute, to ! such an extent that they have actually offered to marry him! What is the mysterious fascination of such a man? (writes the T.-B. man). W’hat, again is the secret of the power that so many convicted criminals have wielded over good women? Can this be accounted for by the fact that the average blackguard makes it his business to be charming to women? | THE ATTRACTION OF THE BRUTE i The man who preys on women re- ' gards them as instruments of pleasi ure. So, in order to ingratiate him1 self with them, he plays on their i j weaknesses and gives them the feel- j I ing that they are being understood. • I No matter how bad a man may be ' he can always find some woman to ‘ ; believe in him. ■ Take the case of Palmer, the ! Rugeley poisoner. At the outset of I his career this man showed himself ' utterly devoid of principle and Lad to : be discharged by his employers. At- j j terwards he was apprenticed to a • surgeon, but his conduct was such , that he was forced to run away. j Although a repulsive man, moral- ; ly and physically. Palmer had no dii- j ficulty in getting a charming woman. 1 of good birth and education to be- i lieve in him and to love him whole- , heartedly. Soon after their marriage ; he insured her life for many tbeu- [ sands of pounds and then poisoned her.

Then there was George Chapman, who induced three girls to marry him at different times, and murdered each of them in turn. A few years ago a man named Whitzoff was convicted of bigamy; yet this creature, in a comparatively short space of time, found six women willing to marry him. He deserted each of them after getting hold of her money. ’ Day after day in the police-courts one finds, in cases of cruelty to wives that the injured woman will appeal for the man who has treated her worse’ t han he would his dog. SENTIMENTAL GIRLS—BEWARE! There must be much of the primitive “cave woman” in the natures of such women, or why is it that they glory in the knowledge that the man they love is capable of dragging them round the room by the hair! On the other hand, many women marry such men in a sort of missionary spirit, being convinced that the power of their love will turn the sinner into a saint. Certain sentimental girls believe i that the bad man can be cured if j only he has someone to love him. Unhappily this is seldom the case. The ■thoroughly bad man is usually "too • far goi-e“ in wickedness to be mov- ’ cd by the love of the girl tor whom lie is possibly only pretcfling tv ca.e, and whom he may ’n.o.v o’ er even murder r-.s ;co» a:, it sui: ■ : his purpose to gel rid of her. : An Irish magisirate i nee asked a 'prisoner: "Are :ou L.ariied or ' single?” | "Single, please ■ ;ur honou ,” was : the repij i “Oil,” ’•.■•plied i’-’a r ag’strate; ' "t’.trn is a gc-d thin; fur your E'. ' git, v,l o i; i: ci: ie<l to be ped ,iv ay by »;>,•,t1.-ealttl feelings to [trust : ii.ia o >.id r'- ite snould remember that r agisneJe’s remark, and Him.; agai: 1

THE VELVET DRESS. This winter, women are to dance in velvet, for beautiful velvet gowus for evening wear are shown side by side with those.for afternoon occasions, designed for indoor wear. To be seen at its best, the velvet frock must be accompanied by fur—it may be but a fingerdepth, used at the neck of a housedress, or it may be an important wrap, such as a cape or stole, worn in alliance with an outdoor costume.

Lace, again, is a beautiful complement to a velvet dress —lace of that mellow tone that bespeaks or imitates agg. Naturally, the term velvet includes velveteen; in fact, today it applies more generally to the latter than to silk-velvet, which, among the majority of women, is very little used except for millinery. The loveliest things imaginable have been cheated in velvet with touches of brown fur or “old” lace, and colours that are now admitted into the evening scheme are grey, brown, dark blue, and green. Nothing could be more serviceable in the way of an evening dress than one of good velveteen, equally suitable for a young or middle-aged woman. The design illustrated, for instance, may be taken as a good model

blue velveteen, with soft, brown fur at the nicely-rounded neck, sleeves and hem, and a girdle of embroidery in bright colours at the waist. The girdle is a double one. and Is stitched to the frock at the waist-line. It is crossed at the back and brought low in front, where it is carelessly knotted, the tasselled ends falling low on {he skirt.

This frock might be copied, of course, in mole or silver-grey velveteen. It is very simple and gives an idea of how an afternoon dress of velveteen, cut with long sleeves and high neck, migh be altered to fit evening occasions. Sleeves, by the way, are kept very short; this, dressmakers insist on—a cold fashion, but one that is faithfully followed, nevertheless. Oh the Continent, the short sleeve for day wear is carried to an extreme. A beautiful little grown in taupe velveteen has the apron tunic which, while not new this season, is receiving considerable attention. It is bejng handled in a much more interesting way than it was formerly treated. Snmelimes it is of J ace, dyed to match tlie colour of tue velveteen it adorns, but frequently it is of the material from which the dress itself is made, in which case it carries Interesting embroidery, which is possibly of wool, with a deep wool fringe edging the tunic.