AS SEEN THROUGH WOMAN’S EYES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XXII, 29 November 1902, Page 1402

AS SEEN THROUGH WOMAN’S EYES.

Needle-Point and Pillow Lace of the Elizabethan Period. Queen Elizabeth's reniarkai.lv individuality, coupled with the rich revenues of England, made her the cynosure of every Court in Christendom possessing (as the con.-ort of her Royal Majesty} matrimonial possibilities. These continued negot.aliens were diplomatically encouraged by Elizabeth, both for commercial and political interests of her kingdom, besides flattering her vanity. anti whi e her lips formed a ( discretionary •’Nay.” her eyes sn.iltd hope of a future possible “Yea.” These same negotiations kept the English Sovereign s Court in a ferment of gaiety and merry-making, through the coming of Royal personages. or their repi esentatives, and ambassadors, to wait upon the Maiden Queen. The ambassadors came laden with costly and magnificent gilts, to win favour in the eyes of the Queen and her Royal favourites. Presun ably, many of these said gifts consisted or the most opulent productions of point a laiguille (needlepoint) and pillow - made lace of the c.ntury. Catherine de Medicis, who introduced the extravagant fashion for lacewearing from the Italian to the French Court, in particular lavished gifts upon Robert Earl of Leicester, for pushing forward the suit of her young son.. Charles IX. Catherine de Medicis was famous for the introduction of that monstrosity of the age. the Medicean ruff. A contemporary writer gives the following admirable description of 1 he said ruff: -“Gadrooned like organ pipes, contorted or crinkled like cabbages, and as big as the sails of a windmill.” While poets of the age satirised their huge proportions, and the inelegance and lack of ease of the wearer: — “Le col ne se tourne a leur aise Dans le long reply de. leur fraise." (“Vertus et Propriet.es des Mignons,” in 1576.) In England this exaggerated collar was termed the “French ruff*’ and in France the “English Monster.’’ but the mode originated from the Italian Court, and first appeared about 1547). Elizabeth was habitually recei ng New Year's gifts from courtiers and foreign plenipotentiaries of “ruffes, with ra ba tines of lavvne cut work,” passementerie with jewels and seed pearls, shimmering embroideries, etc. Henry ill. was s> punctilious over his ruffs that he would set himself to iron and goffer them and their accompanying cuffs rather than see their pleats and gadroons limp and shapeless, for his mother had encouraged him from childhood in Italian affectations. and on his visit to Venice, in 1574. his exaggerated taste for lace became still more pronounced. The accompanying plate gives Queen Elizabeth attired in a most original gown, -v.iriou-1 v d/ecorated vith “ears and eyes”; evidently the eyes were studded with jewels. Ropes of pearls encircle her queenly throat, ending in a falling lo<> 4 e.l knot of the same gems, while the magnificence of her other jewels court comment. The Medicean ruff adorns her neck, decorated with

needlepoint lace, an ins.rii n of ieticella, with an edging of punto in aria vandykes. A.M.S. (a contemporary writer in "Point and Pillow Lace") gives an excellent frontispiece of the young Princess of Mantua adorned with a similar ruff. .h* portrait dates about 1600. Plate 11. is a portrait 01 that b *autiful. but unfortunate. Mary of Scotland (short time Queen of the French Court) adorned in the more modest style of ruff of the period. Henry VIII. had. with his indomitable will, confiscated the prerogatives of the ecclesiastics dared th

I ’ope, and taken religion and com merce alike under his own kingly direction. Queen- Elizabeth maintained her father’s reputation, for she had the keen foresight, conciliation, suavity of the dip’omatist. a strong commercial instinct, coupled with a unique intelligence exceptional to Irv st x. that she inveigled (whollv fol- - uses) the foolishly ambitious young Duke de Valois from following ’.he persuasions of his brother, the : I'igning King of France, and C'ather■ne de Medic's. That he. the fe-i---i her brain Prince of eighteen, fell a ■'adv vi tim to the machination of

Elizabeth, the experienced intrigu, of forty, is not to be marvelled ai'he duping of this young prince eai! for piteous comment. She entire! seduced him by flattery, or promiof marriage, to enter upon variou enterprises in her interest in Flai de’s, her avaricious instinct sugges; ing the desirability of getting a foot ing in the Netherlands (ancient), known by the name of Belgic Gau! now Belgium), a rich industrial com try that under two epochs of th Duke of Burgundy was the gTea mart of commerce in the West of Ei rope; also distingushed by opulent and the Arts. February 10. 15X2, tliQueen’s protege, the young Duke ;| Alencon, received the oath of alle. tanee as Duke de Brabant. Braban was famous for the production of th finest flax then extant. It, is not ini possible to surmise, by Elizabeth' protection of the Netherlands, tha she foresaw what the statesman Col bert some two score years later car ried, under Louis XIV., into effect to the enrichment of the State Trea sury. the encouragement of lace making as a home industry unde Royal supervision, to be maintained by State grants and enforced patron age of her nobility. A few years after Elizabeth’s de nuse and the persecutions of Alva the Netherlander fled to the protection of the English, and settled in Devonshire. Buckingham, and Nottingham, perpetuating the lace-mak ing industry under English patron age. Previous to Elizabeth’s accession to the throne Greek. Italian. Spanish. German and Flemish laces were mostly used by both th? French and English royalty and aristocracy: only a coarse bone lace was manufactured in Buckinghamshire till 1543. when pins were first introduced into England. The lacio (darned or run netting), punto tirato, punt> tagliato. and other cut work, and of linen grounded had been used to de cerate church and household linen, but were now found irksomely heavy in effect for personal adornment. An evolution in lace making! occurred and punto in aria, literally “stitches in the air. came into vogue. Punto in aria. too. took the world of fashion by storm. Specimen I.—We give an insertion o' retieella, showing the double hemstitch, which always characterise - mce worked out of the linen ground. Specimen ll.—This is a good example of the punto in aria vandyk■d border, manipulated in the trimming of ruffs, and cuffs, before commented upon. Both these specimens may be attributed to the Elizabethan period. The same style of lace wa< produced in gold, silver, and coloured silk, and proved effective if somewhat gaudy. Specimen lll.—Point a I’aiguille needlepoint lace) said to be part trimming of a cardinal’s vestment, but probably intended for an alter decoration (Spanish, about 1640; B< - chow Bequest. South Kensington Museum) is interesting as a development of punto in aria in an interim < i two score years. Henry VIII.. i taking as spouse his brother’s wit . brought to his throne a daua-hter -f a people who. together with Ita ■ first adopted lace making as a cor - mereial enterprise from the Greet .

and maintained throughout their productions an Oriental influence. Spanish lace is always bolder and more

conventional in form than the more eialxvrafe and intricate productions ol the Venetians.

Specimen IV. is an appropriate example of punto tagliato a foliani. This has been written down Italian

l»n<t it certainly has the more Im»1<I characteristic of the Spanish rose j oint of the Venetian school.

For Brides Who Want to be Lucky. At a recent wedding the bride wore a pair of blue stockings which were loaned to her by Mrs Charles Freeman. lietter known as Miss Mary £. Wilkins, thus complying with the conditions of the old superstition compelling a bride, if she wished for luck, to wear Something old and something new, Something borrowed and something blue. These particular stockings possessed a history dealing entirely with the old adage, to which brides invariably give heed, notwithstanding the severity of their frowns at childish superstitions upon other and less momentous occasions. The hose were originally presented by Miss Abby Turner to Miss Mary E. Wales, with the understanding that she should wear them when married. But as the wedding of Miss Wilkins, who is a friend of Miss Wales, occurred before the owner of the stockings had t chance to wear them herself, she turned them over to the bride to use upon the happy occasion. Then Miss Wilkins passed them on to this bride, who will in course of time present them to some other bride, doubly lucky in donning stockings twice blessed. Few brides care to go to the altar without complying with the old adage. "Something old" is frequently the wedding veil itself, which, if of good lace, is handed down as an heirloom to be worn by all the brides of a family. “Something new” is haro to get away from, as the garments of

a bride are usually of self-evident freshness. “Something borrowed” is easily complied with —a pin, ring or hairpin answering every purpose. "Something blue” is olten a pair of silk garters, or a knot of ribbon tucked away amid the laces of the lingerie. A sure talisman against spinsterhood is said to be tne wearing of yellow garters, which have an especial value, the wise ones say, if presented to maidens on Easter Sunday. But should a bride present one of her yellow garters —which have served their purpose in her own ease —to a friend, then it is ordained that that lucky individual might as well begin prepaiations for her own wedding, for it is sure to follow in short order. A superstitious bride will never entirely don her wedding costume until the time for the ceremony, as to do so is supposed to bring bad luck. Neither will she allow her prospective husband to see her in oridal array until he meets her at the altar, or as near to that time as can be conveniently managed. In dressing herself for her wedding Ihe bride must remember to put on her right shoe first if she wishes to have a happy married life. The wedding ring must be a circlet of gold, signifying endless devotion, and it must not be tried on before the ceremony nor taken from the finger afterward. No girl will be a happy bride who has not at least in some little particular assisted in the making of her wedding gown or the mixing of her bridal cake. There is an ancient rhyme running in this wise: — Married in white, You have chosen all right. Married in gray, You will go far away.

Married in black. You will wish yourself back. Married in red. You’d better be dead. Married in green, Ashamed to be seen. Married in blue. You’ll always be true. Married in pearl. You’ll live in a whirl. Married in yellow. Ashamed of the fellow. Married In brown. You'll live out of town. Married in pink. Your spirits will sink. If a bride be very thoughtful aud also superstitious she carries a rabbit’s foot somewhere about her when married. May used to be regarded as a desperately unlucky month for weddings, but as it comes at the loveliest season of the year custom and convenience have banished superstition, and now the evil ban is said to be removed. I n the selection of a day, it is interesting to remember the old rhyme which says:— Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday the best day of all! Thursday for crosses, Friday for losses, Saturday no luck at all. It is considered unlucky to change the date of a wedding after it once has been determined upon, and for that reason many ceremonies are performed under adverse circumstances sooner than suffer an alteration of the plans. AH brides rejoice when the wedding day is a bright one. for thev remember the oft-quoted line, “Happy is the bride that the sun shines on.” If the maiden to be wed can squeeze out a few tears on her wedding day—and this is not usually difficult—it is said to insure her future happiness.] It is an old custom for the bride to

cut the first slice from her wedding cuke. This cake must invariably contain a ring" which will signify a speedy marriage to the lucky person finding it. The bridesmaid who eatehes the bride’s bouquet will be the first one of the guests to be married. It must be remembered, though, that "thrice a bridesmaid, never a bride.” It is also said that no maiden who desires to be wed wer should upon a table, as this unconventional resting place will prove a bar to matrimony. o o o o o Her Kid Glove Pillow. A utilitarian girl has devised a pretty pillow, and a sensible one as well. She uses the wrists and part of the backs of discarded kid gloves for her purpose, as every woman well knows that when a glove is worn out its wrists are still “as good as ever.” Every woman, too, acquires sooner or later a lot of wrinkled wrists of everything from party to walking gloves, and she wonders, if she thinks about it at all, what they are good for. But the girl who makes everything do duty in some way has made the coolest, smoothest, nerve soothing pillow in the world. She cut her glove wrists into triangles and squares and whatever shape she could to employ all of the clean parts to the best advantage. These she basted down upon a canvas lining and then yoked them with “cat stitch" in yellow floss. The effect was charming, with the warm autumnal shades and tbe soft greys and ivories. To judge by the looks of it after a good deal of hard and thoughtless wear it will outlast any silk or damask one that was ever made.

Why are Love Marriages so Often Unhappy? Borneo and Juliet are the most miserable of mortals because some callous, hard-hearted guardian or parent intervenes, and will not hear of them marrying upon the totally inadequate 30/ a week when they have tastes which £3OO per annum would barely satisfy. Vainly they protest how blissfully happy they would be in a thatched cottage. How eternal is their love—proof against leakages in the red stone floors, and the rheumatism which comes, as the old lady said, of “damp attics.” Other people might be deluded into fancying themselves the victim of a grand passion, but they are the one and only pair of lovers whose feelings will never change, whose faith will never falter, whose desire will never die. A year or two of continual harping on this string gets so unendurable to the long-suffering relatives that, as often as not, some more lucrative post is obtained for Romeo, Juliet is presented with a cheque and told to hurry off and purchase her trousseau, and a small villa residence—considerably larger and more commodious than the cottage of their dreams—is rented for them by one or both of the long-suffering paterfamilias. For a few months all goes well; the married children —for such couples are usually of the same mental calibre as children —are delighted with the novelty of everything. Then comes the inevitable drop. Romeo forgets to tell Juliet that he adores her, always has adored her, and always will. Worse, he hints gently that to dine off sandwiches or sardines three times in one week, because dinner is not ready and his “lunch hour" inelastic, is injurious to the digestion. Juliet’s eyes till with tears at this monstrous unkindness, and. collapsing into the largest armchair. she weeps piteously, and wishes she was back again at home, whereupon Romeo, in the ex?sp?ration of the moment, loses his temper, and wishes to goodness she was. “Oh, those love marriages!" sighs

the cynic, shaking his head over the sorry spectacle of a couple hardly on speaking terms, often glad of any excuse to be rid of the other’s company for an hour tro two. a couple who. though not so young as Romeo 'and Juliet, or so foolish, apparently started matrimony with the brightest prospects—head over ears in love with each other. Does the marriage of convenience work out the best in the long run? asks the inquiring person who has contemplated the sad end of many a love match. 'Probably such marriages are happier on the whole, but it must be remembered that the passionate temperaments seldom indulge in them, and therefore the risks of misery are greatly minimised. One reason why love marriages are mercilessly strips off all the “ideal” ises the object of one’s affections until he or she fails to bear any resemblance to an ordinary’ human being. Then, by and by. when the intimate intercourse of married life mi rcilessly strips of all the “ideal” virtues, which never existed except ir. the imagination of the lover, ■’here is not enough of solid friendship and calm affection to fill the gap, and the two, who were certain that they were one. drift apart until the gulf between them is pitiful to contemplate. Or it may be that “love” is not love at all, but merely passion masquerading under the name. The perfect sympathy which they boasted of to all friends before marriage comes to an hbrupt full stop afterwards because its basis was a purely material one.

Then. too. love is blind, and will not see the little straws which point to serious divergencies of temperament. or if the lover sees them, he fondly deludes himself with imagining that matrimony will change everything. This is a fatal mistake, but one which people in love commonly’ commit. The heroine of the story book marries a scamp to reform him. and finds afterwards, when it is too lafe, that there is one chance in ten thousand that a man may reform before marriage if he really loves a woman, but none that he will attempt to do so afterwards. If only’ people, even people in love, would realise that matrimony is not a transformation, that it does not change human nature into something new and strange; that once the glamour of the honeymoon has departed. and even before, the individual of the hero of a young lady’s first cities crop out as strong as ever.

there would be less unhappy marriages. If men would remember that the girl they love isn’t an angel, isn’t even more angelic than other girls, and girls would cease to fancy any man, even a man under the excitement of a new and passionate attachment, possessed of the virtues of a demi-god or the priggish muffishness of the hero of a* young lad’ys first novel, there would not be so many disastrous love marriages, and the name of the little god would not be so often taken in vain. o o o o c The Girl Who Would Be Missed. Who is the girl that will lie missed in the home if taken away? Is it the girl who sits up late at night reading a novel, and then comes down to breakfast the next morning, cross and irritable, finding fault with the meals so carefully prepared by her careworn mother? Is it the girl who, when asked to amuse baby while mother calls on a sick friend, frowns and, in words anything but kind, says, “I can if I must”? Is it the girl who, when asked by a tired father to step into the next room and bring to him a book or ■paper, replies: “I made arrangements to meet a friend at seven o’clock, and I haven’t any time to look for books”? Is it the girl who, when asked by a younger sister to assist in solving a problem in mathematics, push’s the paper and pencil aside with the remark that she had no one to help her do those things when she attended school? Is it the girl who is out nearly every evening during the week, and then, when asked on Sunday morning to attend church, replies: ‘‘l don’t feel able to go, and haven’t any decent clothes to wear”? Xo! The girl who is appreciated in the home and would be missed there is the girl who. when she sees that her mother is wearv, lavs her

baud on her shoulder ami urges her to lie down anil rest, wlile she completes the work in progre.-s. When mother has been indoors all day. working hard, she asks her to take a book and lie in the hammock, while she rocks baly to sleep. When father comes home a. night, tired and hungry, she greets him with a smile, and, if the meal is not ready to be served, she steps into the kitehen and makes herself useful. On Sunday morning she says to her mother, who has toiled all the week: "Mother. I’ll get dinner today if you like to attend chureh this morning; 1 can go in the evening just as well.” The daughter that would be missed is she who, when the cares of the day are over, and the family are gathered around the fireside, reads a story to the younger children, and then, taking her Bible in hand, reads aloud a chapter or two. While she is upstairs putting the little ones to bed and hearing them lisp their evening prayers, a silent prayer goes up from the hearts of the father and mother, thanking God that He has blessed them with so precious a gift. After she kisses the little ones good-night, she returns to the fireside, seats herself at her father’s feet, and tells him her joys and sorrows of the day. the book she is reading, the new words baby has learned to speak, the trip she is planning for mother, and so on. Then, after receiving a good-night kiss from both parents, she trips upstairs to her room with a light heart, and lies down to happy dreams.