AS SEEN THROUGH WOMAN’S EYES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue VIII, 25 August 1900, Page 369

AS SEEN THROUGH WOMAN’S EYES.

A Girl’s First Proposal. There are two deplorable extremes, into one of which a young girl often falls on receiving “her first offer.” The worse and more frequent of these is that of fancying herself in Jove, when, in reality, she doesn't care a fig for her lover. The other consists of a coquettish pride, which leads her against the dictates of her judgment and the inclinations of her heart, to reject a suitor, however worthy.

When an honest man offers a woman his hand, with all accompaniments of heart and fortune—whether these be exalted or lowly—he pays her the highest compliment in his power. Undeniably she has a right to feel complimented, and she must be untrue to her womanhood does she not in some measure feel so, even though her suitor be beneath her regard, but the compliment will be valued very iniich in proportion to her estimation of the man.

Many a woman has blighted her own life and that of the man she loved by indulging in a passion for coquetry. Having charms of which she is fully conscious, she proudly measures her power, and says to herself: “I am equal to great conquests, and shall I thus early submit to be conquered? No! when I have had a surfeit of proposals, then " But the time referred to in the long futurity of the little word “then” seldom comes to the coquette. It will always be “then.” The accepted time is never near when once we have let the opportunity pass. At eighteen the coquette asks, “Who is he? At twentyeight. “Where is he?” My dear young lady, when you receive your “first offer,” be not so flattered or self-deceived as either to accept or reject without careful deliberation. Don't imagine that this is the last "ehanee” you will ever have; neither, for the sake of flirting, throw i t a way. Men Must Ask Their Papas. The course of love has far less chance of running smoothly in France than anywhere else, for there lovers cannot marry hurriedly, and so defy stubborn old parents or guardians. A hasty marriage is a legal imposibility. The formalities that must be complied with before the mayor may tie the knot sometimes extend over several months. Under the French law a girl may not marry until she is over 15 yeai's old, and a man until he is more than 18. Men under 25 and women under 21 must have the consent of their fathers and mothers. After that a<>e the consent of the father alone is necessary. The father may withhold his consent for three months. The son or the daughter must ask him three times. If he refuses the third time, and both are of legal age, they may then be married without the paternal blessing. When the woman is 25 and the man is 30 they are required to ask their father only twice.

The asking must be through a notary, who makes an official record of the fact. After the mam has passed 30 and the woman 25 years, the law supposes that they have acquired enough wisdom not to need the sanction of their parents.

After having waited for the approval of the head of the home, and received it, the patient French lovers must post up at a public office an announcement of their engagement; and then, having waited still a little longer, and no one having come forward with an objection, they may be married. Created a Fashion. Years ago. when long trains were worn, fine (allies slung round their waists a decorative girdle, through which, when they were about to walk over dirty ground or soiled floors, they pulled up their gowns, in order that tlie edges of them might not come in contact with what would soil them. Whether they thought of microbes then or not who shall say; hut they must have known that dirt was opposed to good health. In the same way, the monks and priests, when they went to perform their duties among the sick, used to sling their robes

through their girdles. An authority on dress has traced to this practice the fashion for paniers, those pretty puffings upon the hips that ever and anon ornament our toilettes. From curious sources such as this emanate many fashions. It would be a good thing if some such health preservative were to be introduced again or women lie taught to lift their skirts effectively and gracefully. On the whole, trained skl.’s do not appear to agree well with the pleats now in vogue, that is to say, when seen in the street. The act of lifting the train displaces the set of the pleats and makes the lines run in very ugly curves about the hips and back. Tn the girlish white muslin frocks, wh eh women of all ages are wearing, insertions of lace take the place of the fashionable pleat, and here the effect is lovely. It does not seem to matter how much the lace is waved by the lifting of the skirt, for the position it invariably takes is one of grace. What He Liked for His Birthbay. The late Lewis Carroll, in a letter to a child friend, once mentioned a few things that he would like for his birthday. “Well, 1 like very much indeed a little mustard with a bit of beef spread thinly under it; and 1 like brown sugar —only it should have some apple pudding mixed with it to keep it from being too sweet; but perhaps what I like best of all is salt with some soup poured over it. The use of soup is to hinder the salt from being- too dry; and it helps to melt it. Then there are other things 1 like; for instance, pins, only they should always have a cushion put round them to keep them warm. And 1 like two or three handfuls of hair, only they should always have a little girl’s head beneath them to grow on, or else whenever you open the door they get blown all over the room, and then they get lost, you know.” Frames for the Nursery Pictures. To make attractive nursery picture frames take two lengths of picture moulding, each about three feet long, tack them to the wall one foot apart, the lowest being about three feet from the ground. Before nailing place three small blocks behind the upper one, to obtain sufficient space between it and the wall to slip in glass behind it. If desired, a piece of the mouldingmay be fitted at each end. This makes a permanent frame in which the pictures may be changed as often as desired. Being low they are within easy view of the children. Mouldings Ifiay be obtained at from fivepence per foot upwards. o o o o o Women’s Inventiveness. Women do many things at this time of day which once were held to be limited by men. It is, therefore, quite either beyond their powers or out of their sphere, that sphere having been limited by men. It is, therefore, quite the sequence of this progress that a woman. Miss Stormont Murphy, should have invented a bullet-proof shield, devised a double debt to pay. as when off duty it can serve for protection against cold, being lined with sheepskin. It wholly covers the chest and lungs, and it has healing powers as well. Its combative power is at the strongest twelve gauge. Experiments with a Lee-Metford rifle at a distance of thirty-five yards did not penetrate the shield. Miss Roberts accepted one from the inventor for her father, to whom she has carried it.

Dr. A. de Neuville has made this subject—the inventive genius in woman- his special study, and deduces from his researches, so far. that the French woman, as against her American sister, tends to the ideal rather than the practical. For instance. ■Millie. Koller has patented a cigarette paper of rose leaves; the lady is an ardent votary of the weed. Then .Madame tlronwald has produced an aromatic toothpick for use after meals. It is antiseptic. Another lady is responsible for a small galvanised chain to net as a preventive for infectious

diseases, and yet another has given sufferers a special medicated ball for massage and friction.

In matteis of a trifling nature women were always ingeniously full of fancy, showing the ideal quality Dr. Neuville attributes to French women. A saunter round a bazaar will show them at their best in this element. The innumerable little articles of ornamental use that crowd the stalls are almost all the outcome of the prolific imagination of the sex. A happy idea is speedily embodied, and literally coins money for the particular charity that inspires it. A Warning. Babies are like delicate plants, and should be brought up in as pure an atmosphere and with as much sunshine to bask in as possible. They should not be coddled or handled much. The mother who is for ever handling, tossing or jumping her baby to make it take “notice,” when perhaps it is sleepy, and then rocking- and jumping it again to get it to sleep, when its nerves are “all on edge," is doing the little one a great wrong. Many of the brain diseases of children are often traced to the foolish habit of tossing them up or "making them take notice” at an age when to “notice" would show an abnormal precocity that would bode ill for their future health. For Feeble Persons. For those who are not very robust, whose appetites are not good, and whose digestive powers are somewhat enfeebled, an occasional raw egg swallowed whole is most wholesome. Care should be taken, however, not to take them when the stomach is over-taxed or when food is in a state of fermentation, for if not acted upon quickly by the gastric juice more harm than good will result.

Dainties Sent to the Queen. The choice by Her Majesty of a box of chocolate as a “little personal present” to her troops at the seat of war on New Year’s Day, will make some particulars of the gifts of dainties which she lias herself received from time to time interesting to our readers. During her visit to Brussels many years ago the Queen's fancy was attracted Io some biscuits baked in the royal kitehen. Upon perceiving the pleasure which these confections caused to his royal guest, the King of the Belgians gave orders that a box of these biscuits should be despatched to the Queen mice a fortnight, and they have reached her ever since. A few of these biscuits are usually placed within reach upon the royal table at some time or other during the day, and on rare occasions the Queen has passed on a supply to favourite members of her entourage. This course was once adopted with a favourite physician who happened to be in delicate health. Not long ago the Queen accepted from a lady farmer on the Eton estate a gift of a fine Cheshire cheese, of a quality which lias frequently earned for this expert dairywoman the ehampionship of the Cheshire Dairy Show. Her Majesty has always been willing to adopt every means of improving the quality of her own farm and dairy produce, and the first gift of the kind which she ever accepted was received fifty-six years ago, when a pair eaeii of gold and silver speckled Hamburg fowls were sent to her by Captain Lewis, of Otterington. Eighteen years ago an Englishman happened to be travelling in the State of Virginia, and he was so much impressed with the juicy qualities of a bland of Albemarle pippins grown in the interior of the State that he took tin- unusual course of sending a barrel of them to the Queen. The fruit was so much enjoyed by Iler Majesty that

she has ordered six Ixirrels to be sent to her annually ever since.

In tlie autumn before the Diamond Jubilee the fruit-growers at Hamilton, in the province of Ontario, shipped to their sovereign as an expression of their loyalty a superb collection of apples, pears, grapes and quinces, which were much appreciated by their recipient. On a previous occasion Her Majesty received a gift from Canada in the shape of an immense salmon, which was taken with a rod and line by the Marchioness of Lome from a canoe in the waters of the Kettigouche River. Similar gifts have from time to time been sent Home from other British colonies, and in this way the Queen has had the opportunity of tasting fruit and other produce of Tasmania. Victoria and the Cape Colony. One of the most regular gifts of fruit accepted by Her Majesty is the supply of black grapes, peaches and other sorts, which the Marquis of Bretultilbane is accustomed to send from Taymouth to the railway station nt Perth, on the four occasions In each year on which the Queen passes through that station during her journey to and from the Highlands. To take tin example of a different type, an amusing present of leek was sent with a couple of verses on a recent St. David's Day by a Cardiff enthusiast. As a general rule, however, Her Majesty does not receive gifts of this description. and when enterprising growers and tradespeople despatch specimens of their produce to the Court -doubtless with a view sometimes to easy notoriety—the parcels tire summarily returned to them. This, of course, does not apply to royal givers, and besides the present of biscuits which the Queen habitually receives from her royal cousin in Brussels, there are other table dainties which come to hand from various parts of Europe. The German Emperor, for example, sometimes contributes a boar’s head, as does also the Duke of Coburg. The Emperor- of Austria often sends a Christmas gift of Imperial Tokay, and in tin- same way sturgeon and caviare

occasionally come from the Imperial family of Russia. Tin re are two or three gifts of this nature which are made to .the sovereign annually by long prescriptive usage. Thus from time immemorial it was the privilege of the City of Gloucester to furnish a pie of lampreys to the royal table. For some reason or other the custom, ceased in the year 1534. Six years ago, however, the Mayor of Gloucester revived the custom. and during the Diamond Jubilee year the pie sent was placed upon the toyal table at luncheon, on Iler Majesty’s birthday. It was placed in a golden dish, and weighed no less than twenty pounds. The pie was buried beneath a layer of truffles, aspic jelly and prawns, which were held in place by golden screws adorned with the royal crown.

A Duchess’ Pearls. The Duchess of Marlborough is the owner of a most costly collection of valuable pearls, which represents a portion of the Vanderbilt wealth. Possessing a long and slender throat, she is able to wear a very broad collar of strings of pearls, secured by diamond bars. Another necklace of great value consists of a long row of the costliest pearls alternated by wheels of diamonds. The value of this is something fabulous. Her jewel-box contains other ornaments of pearls that are the envy of all who have seen them. How He Made His Cake. “Madam, you don’t know how to make cake,” exclaimed Mr Smith, throwing a lump of half cooked dough across the room at the eat. “You never knew how to cook cake. I’d rather £at wet sawdust. You ought to have seen the cake my mother made. That was cake!”

“Your mother again. Always your mother,” retorted Mrs Smith. “Pity she didn’t teach you something.” “What do you mean, madam? I’ll warrant I’ll make better cake myself than you any day.”

“Why don’t you try? You’ll find everything in the kitchen.” “Well, 1 can.” "Well, why don’t vou? You are all talk.”

Smith found himself cornered and felt very uncomfortable, as he had either to surrender unconditionally or to make good his boast. He had never made a cake in his life; had no idea how cakes were compounded, but thought he knew what was in them. “I’ll make the cake,” he said. “Well, come into the kitchen and make it,” proposed his wife.

“What, now?” “Yes, now. I’ll gel the things for vou.”

Smith took off his eoat, his collar and necktie, and rolled up his shirt sleeves. They walked to the kitchen together and Smith said:

“What shall I mix it inY" “Oh, you’re doing it,” Mrs Smith replied. “Ah, this will do!” he said, taking up a bowl. “Now, bring me some water; now some raisins and currants, sugar and ginger and allspice. There! That will do.” He put them all into the bowl and mixed them with a spoon. "They don’t seem to stick together,” he said. “Looks more like a thick soup than anything else. Fancy I’ve got too much water.” Smith drained off some of the water, and was about to put the cake into a pan when his wife said: "Didn’t you mother use flour?”

“Oh, yes—yes —ah, yes —flour, of course.” Then he mixed in flour until it was so stiff that he could hardly knead it. “Now,” said he, “I'll take this cake round to the baker’s and have it baked properly.” He started off and when he reached the baker’s he said:

“Will you just throw this stuff' away and put in its place one of your best plum-cakes?” That night at supper Mrs Smith had her mother and sister with her. She had told them of the cake, and they were expecting great fun at Smith's expense. The cake did not come until supper time. Smith took it from the boy and saidf

"This is my cake; something like a cake.” He carried in the cake and placed it on the table.

"Here’s a note in the paper,’’said Mrs Smith. “I’ll read it.” “Dear Sir, —I am sorry we are all out of plum-cake, so I send you a pound-cake instead.—Yours obediently, S. Brown.” The Little Things of Dress. The newest dress buttons are made in enamel, and very charming they are. Enamelled clasps are also being worn. Coin buttons are another novelty. as also are metal ones bordered with brilliants. Just now buttons are being worn fastened into the centre of knots of ribbons or velvet.

Scarves are made in panne, with an edging of fringe: in fact, the motto of the spring might be “When in doubt, wear panne.” Jet fringes lighten up a black gown wonderfully, and. made of cut beads as they are. wear excellently.

Hints for Cooks. Gelatine which is required for a cream, blanc-mange, custard shape, etc., should be soaked in cold milk and not water; the time required varies according to the kind of gelatine used, but fully an hour should be allowed. The sheet gelatine has an advantage over other kinds, because it can be used without being soaked. The hot liquid in which gelatine is dissolved should not be boiled after it has been added.

To prevent cherries, raisins, or sultanas from settling at the bottom of a cake, the fruit should be floured and dropped slowly into the cake mixture with the left hand while stirring it with the right. To whisk the whites of eggs to a firm froth, separate the whites from the yolks very carefully, so that the latter are not broken; add a pinch of salt to the whites, and beat the eggs with a patent beater, or a wire whisk, or a flat dish and a knife with a broad blade may be used. The eggs should not be allowed to stand after they are whisked, but should be lightly folded —not stirred—at once into the mixture for which they are required. If eggs are divided and the yolks and whites well beaten separately. They will go much farther than if used whole, and will make the dish for which they are used lighter than it would otherwise be.

A pie or tart should not be taken straight from the oven to a. cold larder; the change of temperature is too great, and the pastry will suffer in consequence. Pastry is better if kept in a dry and only moderately cold cupboard. Cakes should also be allowed to cool in the kitchen, and they should be stored in a tin lined with grease-proof paper when quite cold. The cook who prefers to make her own baking-powder can do so easily by carrying out the following simple directions: Get four ounces of

fresh biearlvouate of soda from a chemist, and mix it thoroughly with half a pound of cornflour; pound two ounces of tartaric acid in a mortar, then stir in the soda and cornflour, and pound the ingredients together for a few minutes. Sift the powder through a fine sieve, and put it into a tin which has a tight-fitting cover. How to Dress Well.

If a woman is afraid to decide about her own style, let her get an artist to tell her what it is, and what she can wear to the best advantage.

Having ascertained her style and the colours she should wear, then she should never deviate from them. She must strengthen herself to ignore wonderful bargains in the wrong styles and colours, and prepare herself even to endure a certain amount of monotony in her wardrobe. But her reward lies in being invariably well dressed and in having an air never to be acquired by sinking one's identity in the nondescript taste of the average dressmaker.

A business woman is wise to select some one standard colour that best suits her—say brown, or navy blue, or grey—and then, having bought the principal garments in this tone, to buy all others in harmony with it. It affords a. woman a wonderful opportunity to appear smartly dressed on the least possible outlay. And it is remarkable how many pretty variations can be found to prevent any one colour scheme growing tiresome. It is an excellent plan to begin this simple method of good dressing when girls are quite young. It cultivates their taste to a very great degree, and enables them, as they grow up, to dress well with but little thought or monev.

What a wise precaution it would be to give every girl her own pin money, ho.wev.er little, and teach her to be selfreliant, for it is a sad fact that it

is usually the woman who has the least ability to dress well who thinks most about her clothes, always struggling for effects, ami doomed to failure; while the woman or girl who understands herself, her style, colour and the courageous art of selective shopping can get the largest returns for her time and trouble.

The consciousness of looking well Is pretty sure to bring repose of mind and manner —an attitude in which a woman is best calculated to meet the social and business world at her best. Can a Spinster Achieve Greatness ? Good Queen Bess was one of the most illustrious of modern sovereigns. Her rule over England certainly comprised the most brilliant literary age of our nation, and under her the political importance of this country greatly advanced.

Maria Edgeworth was a spinster, ami it was her writings which suggested to Sir Walter Scott that he might write in similar fashion. To her, therefore, belongs the credit of having originated the Waverley Novels.

Miss Porter, the authoress of “Thaddeus of Warsaw” and the “Scottish Chiefs,” which have been read and wept over by thousands, spent her days in single blessedness, as did also Joanna Baillie, the poet and playwright. Among spinsters who have “gone about doing good” among the sick and sorrowful, Sister Dora will ever be remembered, as will also Miss Florence Nightingale, who nursed our soldiers at Balaclava and Inkerman, and who even now. in extreme old age, takes a tender interest in the welfare of our sick and wounded “Tommies,” and is by them, as well as by the nation at large, regarded as one of the best and noblest of women.

Besides all these there are hundreds and hundreds of unmarried wo

men, whom the world may scornfully dub “old maids,” but who are known in the little circles in which they move as angels .n disguise homely angels it may be, as they help over-burdened mothers with their babies, smooth the pillows of the restless sufferer on the bed of pain, or visit the poor in their homes, but as truly ministering spirits as this world has even seen. How to Test the Oven. 'there are many methods of ascertaining the temperature of the oven without a thermometer, and the fol-, lowing, which was always resorted to by a celebrated French cook, is eer* tainly a reliable one. Put half a sheet of white kitchen paper on the shelf of the oven on which the cake is to be placed and shut the door. If at the end of five minutes the paper is charted the heat is too great. Cool the oven by leaving the door a little way open for a minute or two and then test again with another sheet of paper. If it is dark brown after being in for five minutes the oven is right for baking small pasties and thin cakes. The temperature of a few degrees below this —tested by a piece of paper turning a light brown —will be suitable for baking ordinary' pound cakes, pie crusts, etc. When the paper turns only a dark yellow the heat, is suitable for puff pastes, sponge cake mixtures and meringues.