Men and Women,

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue I, 4 July 1896, Page 12

Men and Women,

IT is often imagined that German is the language chiefly spoken by the Royal Family at Marlborough House and Sandringham ; and a story is current that a lady, often honoured by invitations to the latter place, set to work to learn German, so that she might be able to speak in the preferred tongue. But all this is mere idle rumour, for, in reality, our • Royalties ’ talk English as a rule, although they are most excellent linguists, and have the enviable gift of acquiring foreign tongues with great ease.

The Empress of Austria has to give a written receipt for the State jewels every time she wears them, and as a result she therefore usually contents herself with her private collection, which is of great value.

Quite the newest occupation for women is that of bullfighter. Two enterprising Spanish sisters have been touring through Spain lately as picador and matador. The wind, as it ever is for the favoured sex, was tempered for these bold yet cautious maidens, and they were confronted not with mature bulls but with mere calves and steers. At Xeres bulls three parts matured were permitted to contest them, and the consequence was that one of the daring damsels was ignominiously tossed, and in consequence lost the sight of her right eye. This, however, will be but a trifle compared to the glory of wrestling one more occupation from the grasp of that terrible monopolist man. There is one disadvantage about bull-fighting as an occupation. There is only one country in which it can be pursued.

Many people in these days are asking why men seem so much less inclined to marry now than they formerly were ; but the solution of the question lies in the fact that in nine cases out of ten the girls of their acquaintance are not capable of making life attractive, and of being happy and satisfied on small means The dear girls are not to be trusted when they swear to lead single lives, for, sooner or later, they break the vow and go to housekeeping with one of the abhorred sex. Only a short time ago a girls’ bachelor club, out in Michigan, had for president a fair maiden who never spoke of a man except Jto belabour him with offensive adjectives. She marry ? Not until the stars should all come tumbling down into her father’s potato patch. A little later on she was missed. The president’s chair was vacant. The little man-hater had eloped with a youngster who had red hair and a pug nose. The costliest piece of lace in the world was recently to be seen at A. T. Stewart’s, New York. It consists of a flounce, five yards long and a yard and a quarter in width, of the finest Brussels point ever made. It cost, according to an American paper, Z's.ooo a yard, or £ 20,000 for the entire flounce or dress.

The bicycle on Sunday is so natural that one seems made for the other. To hundreds of thousands of toilers Sunday is the one day and the bicycle is the one means for country air and exercise. No one else is more grateful for Sunday than the cyclist. He may not think of the familiar text, but it expresses his feeling—- ‘ This is the day the Lord has made ; let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ Ministers have had, as a rule, tro wholesome a feeling about the wheel to make much outcry against Sunday riding ; doubtless many of them love the wheel on week-days too much to want to deprive their fellows of the happiness on Sunday. Nevertheless, the wheel does thin out the summer congregation. Sensible clergymen in a number of cities have adapted themselves to the new habit. In Boston, the Immanuel (Episcopal) Church has on Sunday mornings an 8 o’clock service, especially for bicyclers, where they may begin their enjoymentof a day of God’s air by an hour in God’s house. The People’s (Methodist) Church of the same city has a ‘ bicycle entrance ’ where wheels can be left at any service. Recently, in Chicago, Rev. Jenkyn Lloyd Jones, a Unitarian minister, caused a sign to be ex hibited, ‘ Checks GiveSi for Bicycles. ’ Why not ? Why not the bicycle costume freely in church as well as the soldier uniform, or as any other kind of fashion ? People will wheel on Sunday ; many of them would also like to enjoy an hour of worship in a church. Why, then, do not all clergymen make an immediate effort to render it possible for them to do both ? What a chance the country church has for showing hospitality to cyclists ! A sign displayed, giving invitations to wheelmen and wheelwomen to come in and rest for an hour would give direction to many Sunday routes.

Women of all colours, from white to chocolate, and thence on to charcoal, are coming to the front. Now, here is a Sioux girl, the true daughter of a true Indian, with not a drop of white blood in aer veins, who took the prize in the Indiana State oratorical contest. According to a London paper, young girls in want of pocket-money manage to secure some by taking pet dogs for daily walks, teaching them tricks, and doing everything to make them companionable, save and except diverting their affection from their lawful owners. Others take charge of birds, seeing to their housekeeping for them, the daily supply of seed, water, and sand.