AS SEEN THROUGH WOMAN’S EYES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue XII, 22 March 1902, Page 569

AS SEEN THROUGH WOMAN’S EYES.

The Foolishness of Some Young Men. Reflecting on the ever-new subject of matrimony and the domestic qualifications which, for this or that reason, are regarded as necessary in a woman who desires to become a capable wife, we are brought face to face with a rather startling and paradoxical fact, namely, that the girls who possess these qualifications in a high degree are just those who are most often left to spend a ufe of single blessedness. The qualifications mostly extolled and: the acquisition of which are more often recommended than any others, are a thorough knowledge of cooking, experience in housekeeping, skill with the needle and scissors and —to sum up in a word—general homeliness. Of the qualifications enumerated, probably none is more emphasised than a knowledge of cookery; so particular, not to say ex-

acting, are men on this point that one would expect them to have the thought of it uppermost in mind when selecting a partner, and never fail to ascertain the extent of the fair one’s knowledge of the culinary art before going too rar In the path that leads to the altar. But what are the facts? The homely girl, speaking generaly, finds much less favour, even in the eyes of the men who, when not engaged in love-making, express the strongest opinions on the subject! The girls who attract are those who excel in other ano more showy accomplishments. The young man usually meets his future partner at some party, or on an excursion; that is, under conditions in which the essentially homely accomplishments are not drawn to the front by the circumstances of the hour. He forgets his strongly-worded opinions, expressed (it may be) only a few hours previously; he is charmed by the mu-

sical ability of Miss Blank, or the grace with which Miss Dash manages her bicycle; perhaps the painting executed by Miss Arch, or We singing of Amy Sharp, touches his heart, and he thinks that it must be something approaching celestial bliss to spend his days as the husband of such a divinity. I have not the least intention of disparaging the accomplishments of these suppositious young ladies, nor of insinuating that they are necessarily unable to cook or take up the outies of housekeeping. 1 know that many exceedingly accomplished women make the best of wives; but there are also many of whom the same cannot be said.

There are only twenty-four hours in the day for each and every one of us. and it stands to reason that if we devote most of our waking hours to fashionable accomplishments, we cannot spend much time on the homely ones. Hence, as a mere question

of figures, the chances are that the girl who goes in for painting and those other subjects that have attracted the young fellow, will know less of cooking, etc., than her more stay-at-home sister. Is it not, therefore, contradictory on the part of our brothers to pass over the girls who have learnt those things <>n which they apparently set such store? That is the point I wish to bring into relief. Women are frequently accused of being Inconsistent. but here is a glaring example of it in the stronger sex. What is it that our young men really want? Much depends on the Income, naturally. Some wives need do very little in the house—a paid housekeeper w 1 do all that is required--and her capabilities in other directions are just what her position Beniands; but even then the homelv qualifications are of considerable utility. and the house will be managed better if the mistress possesses that

knowledge which enables Her to say with authority that such a thing is or is not done as it should be. It is chiefly with men of moderate incomes that I have to deal here—those who expect the homely qualifications. To those I put this question. justified by observation: If you really want a girl who can cook, manage a house, use her needle, and be generally helpful, why do you pass her by?

Kisses That Led to Death. A fatal kiss was that given by a young Spanish sailor to his fiancee nine years ago. for it brought about the decimation of a town. A Spanish vessel put into the little seaport of Candalo, on the coast of Florida, flying the yellow flag, and was accordingly ordered to remain in quarantine, for more than one member of the crew exhibited symptoms of bubonic plague. But a sailor disobeyed orders and put off in a boat for the shore one evening, where he sought out his fiancee, and embraced her. The girl succumbed to the plague, which spread through the town so rapidly that over 200 persons died out of a total population of 1500. A negro kissed a white waitress at a restaurant at Granger, near Salt Lake City, some two years ago. Witnesses of the episode were so enraged by the assault that they commenced a five days' campaign against all the negroes in the city, who, of course, took the part of their coloured comrade. Thirty-six, white men were either killed or wounded, to say nothing of eighty negroes, and at the end of that time the waitress astonished everybody by marrying her coloured lover. This by no means settled matters, for the negroes thereupon joined forces with the white men, and the eouple barely escaped from the city with their lives.

Kisses cost the lives of many brave soldiers once in the history of the British army, if a popular story be true. The beautiful Duchess of Gordon in 1794 r aised the famous Gordon Highlanders by, it is said, giving a thousand recruits a kiss and a golden guinea apiece. The regiment was raised to its full strength in a few days. The men were then sent out against the French, and in the first battle in which they took part more than 250 fell either killed or wounded. It can be truthfully said that they paid for the Duchess’ kiss with their lives, for many who had plenty of guineas enlisted, showed by her kiss of patriotism. Previous to this, in 1718, a war was brought about by a thoughtless kiss on the part, of a young Bavarian Prince of somewhat reckless character, named Ferdinand. During a visit to a neighbouring state he inadvertently kissed a beautiful member of the royal household, Princess Thyra. reckless of the fact that she nlreadv was affianced. High words ensued, followed <by blows, and a duel was arranged, which led to diplomatic relations between the two nations being discontinued. A war broke out ultimately and resulted in the death of many men before there was a declaration of peace. » o o o o

Guarding the American Jewellers’ Safes.

The way of the transgressor who is in any way connected with a jewellery theft is extremely hard. No other class of thieves are followed so persistently, or run so great a risk of being caught sooner or later. Most jewellery thefts, even small ones, are followed up, often for years, until every man involved is successfully run down. It is common for ten or even twenty times the value of the articles stolen to be expended in their recovery. As might be expected, most thieves have come to regard the jewellery business as one of the most dangerous temptations of their profession. Fewer attempts are made to rob jewellery dealers than ever before. This very gratifying state of affairs is due to the surveillance of the various protective associations of jewellers. The names of these associations, the Jewellers’ Protective. Union and the Jewellers’ Security Alliance, are, perhaps, familiar, but little is known of the remarkable work they are carrying on. The annual reports of these associations contain enough material to fill unlimited novels. A thief knows that a safe bearing the emblem is in all likelihood not even watched, thus permitting him to work undisturbed; but the certainty that a swarm of detectives will be set upon him if he tampers with it is a very effective though silent threat. There is not an experienced burglar in the country who does not know and, in his own way, respect these signs. The only trouble members of the associations have is from novices

at burglary, who have not been warned by their elders. One of the associations, the Jewellers’ Security Alliance, guards the safes of 2,030 jewellers throughout America. The Jewellers’ Protective I'liion insures the safety of jewels in transit. The detective work is done by a famous agency. If necessary hundreds of men can be set to work hundreds of miles distant within a few minutes after the alarm is sounded. The records of the associations show scores of remarkable captures. A few years ago, W. G. Pollack, salesman for a Maiden lane firm, chanced to be travelling with fifty thousand dollars’ worth of unset diamonds in his pocket. While near Sioux City, Towa, a man sitting beside him quietly rose, and, thrusting a revolver before Pollack’s face, demanded the gems. Pollack produced the diamonds. The robber next pulled the bell rope and, still covering the passengers with his revolver, waited till the car stopped and jumped off. Pollack’s firm were members of the union. He wired his office in NewYork, the detective machinery was put in operation, and within a few hours several trained sleuths were on the scent. It was two years before the thief was arrested. He is now serving a seventeen years’ sentence. Charley Dhei, known as “Bittle Fritzy,” once escaped with fifteen thousand dollars’ worth of jewellery belonging to a firm holding membership in the union. He went to South America, but was brought back after a year's absence. He served a term of two years and is now a free man. but he will be kept under surveillance by the union’s detectives for the remainder of his life. The detectives employed by the union also watch the important

‘•fences ” where stolen goods are likely to find their way, and keep in touch in every possible way with the •‘under world.’’ It has happened several times that the detectives have notified jewellers of thefts from their stock which they had not discovered themselves. Several important plots have also been discovered in advance in the same way and the proposed victims placed upon their guard. 0 9 0 0 0

Making Thin People Plump. The latest fattening fad is the banana diet. A lady who was recently so ill of nervous dyspepsia as to be in bed, and so thin that she gave up all hopes of ever getting fat, tried a new doctor, who induced her to undergo an experiment in diet. He placed her upon a strict regime of bananas, and nothing else. The result was marvellous. She grew to really like them, when prepared by baking and served with sugar and cream, or cold, in the form of delicate jelly. She also had banana fritters and biscuits made of banana flour. Daily ishe grew more plump and rosy, and now she is well, and expects to remain so. Bananas contain starch in its most easily assimilated form. Homoeopathic doctors have for some years called this tropical food unwholesome, but it is only indigestible when unripe. When bananas arrive here in a green state, cooking is necessary to develop their valuable nutritive qualities. The cheapness of the banana cure is one of its great points, for almost all treatment for weak nerves and poor nutrition i's very expensive. The happy woman on whom the experiment was tried is telling all her thin friends about it, and assuring them that it is really wonderful.

How to Choose a Husband.

Science now comes to the aid of a girl in choosing her husband. Of course, every girl has heard that persons unlike in temper and disposition make the best matches. There is a ueep scientific truth in this, and she may profit by it largely by observing the shape of her lover’s head and her own. If her head be high and narrow, it indicates that she lacks physical force and staying power, though she may be altogether lovely and winsome. But it her husband should be of like disposition they would be like two broken reeds trying to support each other. She should look for a man with a broad head. This shows animal force and the aggressiveness that leads to success. The girl should be sure that this broad head is surmounted by a forehead of good height and a well-rounded top. This gives the necessary thought, reason, and power to curb the animal instincts. But if the broad-headed man has a low forehead and low upper portion, he may be a brute, and unbearable, however successful he may be.

All narrow-headed men, however, should not be refused by their sweethearts and condemned to eternal bachelorhood. Such a man may have a fine intellectual and artistic nature and be an ideal match for a broadheaded woman. But in that case she will be the directing force and will make success possible for both. Almost as important as the shape of a man’s head, is his hand. If the thumb be long and well-shaped, and the lower or the nail joint is of nearly the same length as the upper joint, there is a good balance of will power and intellectt. If the first joint is considerably shorter than

the second, it suggests that the owner is apt to be undecided and easily influenced. The thumb is such a very important index of character that it should be observed in another respect. If the first joint is of good length, and is also wide and square at the end, with a nail broader than it is long, it indicates a brusque, quarrelsome nature. A man with a thumb of this cut is obstinate, lacks tact, and makes enemies needlessly. What Every Wife Should Know.

(By Max O’Rell.)

I believe that marriage would less often be a failure if both men and women were to spend ten years of their youth studying the science and the politics of matrimony, and trying also to understand the poetry of it. There are moments when the most loving husband or lover must be respectfully left alone, especially if he be a literary man, an artist, or a man whose successful work depends on the perfect stillness of his surroundings and the complete enjoyment of his thinking powers. A woman should never run the risk of seeing her little attentions received with a gentle frown. Nothing should be offered in a wrong moment, but always at a time when she feels sure that it will be duly appreciated. A wife should possess enough tact to seize the opportunity for playing all the different parts assigned to her just in the right moment. The study of all these different parts is hard work, but it is paying work, for on the manner in which she plays them depend the whole happiness of her life and that of her husband.

Just as a man’s appetite is kept alive by an intelligent cook, just so is a husband’s love and interest kept alive by an intelligent wife. Constantly change the menu, my dear lady, or your husband will sometimes go and dine at the club. A wife should remember that a woman with sorrows may be very interesting, but that a woman with grievances is an intolerable bore. The sad, long-faced woman is the killer of all the energies of the man who lives with her. The cheerful woman is the only one who makes her male companion successfully fight the battle of life. If I were the Minister of Education of my country, with full power to impose on schools the curriculum I liked. 1 would have every girl in the land know the following things, absolutely regardless of her occupation or position in life. She should know how to cook, howto arrange every room of a house, how to make a dress, how to be indispensable in the sick-room. She should be well-read, without being a book-worm. If she had no talent for music I would make her drop it after a couple of years of drudgery' at it. An indifferent pianist and a bad singer are inventions of the devil, the worst disturbers of comfort and peace in this world. She should know how to dress within her income, and wear a wellmade dress of cheap material like a queen. It is the way in which a woman puts on her dress that makes her look well or badly dressed. She should know how to make the best of herself—not to please men, but to please herself. A little woman, always neat and tidy, with a lively air. a cheerful face and a natural countenance, is the one who makes a man happy, and whom a man makes happy.

Will Ringlets Come Back? The early Victorian fashions are slowly returning. The low-cut dresses, the bell aleeves, the fichu, the pelerines, the hair drawn over the ears and gathered low in the neck. Will ringlets come back, too? The question is asked by Lady Violet Ureville, who adds: “Our mothers loved those curious appendages, which framed the face, half hiding, naif revealing it in the most coquettish manner possible.” The poke bonnet, the ringlets, which required constant attention, and which Becky Sharp shook back so archly, are surely ,-nsuited to quick movements—to the bicycle, the hocky field, or the lightning drive on a motor car. Still, they may return.

Royalty and Theatricals. It is pretty safe to predict that, when the period of mourning is over, amateur theatricals at Windsor will be more frequent, and on a scale never before seen there. The King has a great love of the picturesque, and takes a great interest in amateur theatricals- Among his friends are many excellent amateur actors, one of them being Captain Ponsonby, but even in his own family there are three persons of considerable histrionic ability. They are his sister, Princess Henry of Battenburg, and her children. Princess Ena and Prince Leopold. Princess Henry of Battenburg’s style has been likened to that of Mrs Kendal, while Princess Ena and Prince Leopold are both such “born actors” that they are quite a loss to the stage.