Varieties.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 402, 21 January 1904, Page 7

Varieties.

CHINA VEBSUS GLiSS, Mast of U3 have a great predilection for dainty chiaa, bat the up-to-date Parisian hostess, has lately made glass the vogua for what our French neighbours term -'Fiveo'lock.' ..Everything must be glass, cups and saucers, sugar bowl and cream jug, cake plates, and eves eake knives and trays, The only ornamentation permissible is a band of dull gold. The kettle and spirit lamp, when apparent, are made of dull-toned metal instead of the cheer? i glistening silver which makes our teatables things of beauty. MOTH&BS* SttPEBSriTIONS. There are many superstitions with regard to babies which mothers are careful to observe. \ | In Germaay, for instance, as in some -parts of England, the infant must be parried upstairs before it goes down. If Hi happen to be born in. an attic, the aurse overcomes the difficulty by mounting a chair with the babe in her arms. Scottish mothers believe their babies will be lucky if they handle their spoons with their left hands, and prosperity in later life is supposed to follow many itft&bles in the first year. : - A newborn Yorkshire infant U placed, •|i|,t|p§Mms of a maiden befoie being anyone else, in order to secure : 'gdo 7 dluck. .J ', ! ; -,;■■"'. la the Isle of M« itia said that i anyone walk round, or step over, a baby it will be dwarfed or wizened. - Binding the baby's right hand is supposed in some parts of England to secure it fatuce wealth. |' ..4

KEEPING ONE'S TEMPER. ~ <3toejof-fhe most difflnilt things in the 'worldsometimes seems to be to heap one's temper.. j I i V ■ Both people and things seem to eon:?Bpirej s.om|times to anno; us, and we |wajly;|eCtHat it would be a Batisfaotiott' to'let fly,'as do some of oar neighbours, As a matter of fact, it would be nothing v6r* r the"*KinWj].we'.' should only cause irritation to others, and their irritation would probably re-act again upon us, making life ten ti&el more difficult than before. A calm sefenity of temper, and a selfcontrol which keeps a person nar urn id in the petty annoyances and ills'of everyday ' ?ljfe7 the; possession of perfect, raoutal health. Nowadays people are ve»y fond of i saying that so-and-so,' was | mad,' leaning very angry, but, it j would be well if tempar were more often seriously, regarded as madness. It may be preventable madnees, bat mftdseas it is while it lasts, and there is seldom anyone who is more unhappy by it than the 'parson who gives way to it. In our treatment of the* ill-tempered the cu|tivatibn of« the art of not hearing wilfbe vary helpful. Itisja useful art allij through life/i and the practice of! it will often save neighbours ranch friction, and consequent wea? and teat of nerveja and < A sr'BANIIi|STOBY."..'; •■*' sSese!4®ifai strange story with which & tfeiend of inina was ) i time the matter threatened to lead to Now no one will believe theßW£||%rid tarn permitted to make the; public My friend had aft went to live in Egypt for her Ihealth, It" wat-hoped th«, ;onwge ; ;would'^nee^^^;|»^^|^^

.that she died almost immediately aftor/r'her arrival. M 7 friend, unable teleava England, cabled out-orders forWaunV : '-3 ■ embalmed aid '«ent-to'Eaglaualpi| M e courße^ne*~ooffla ? a*rivedf» The''« < jwt h*d expressed a de«irs" to -have' cefr a tain kifles bmied with her, and, the coffin was.. dpened:^for;;.'thar } ;porpb'^.'^.--Tb''''iii3r. jtmn&'a horror, the eofltn proved to con-: • lain, not his annfc, but a Busuan general, . r »n full uniform, coveted with decorations . and orders! A telegram was instantly «espatohed to the English anibaisy'at Sfe. Petersburg. The following reply came" back« ' Toot aunt bnrfod in atato tail morning, (nil military honours. Tor heaven's sake,- keep thel general!' The general waß buried very quietly the same day—no flowers—in my friend'* family rvault!; ■■•■ V*'. '•'■, . ~.',,.. ■■... SUPEBSTITIQNS. Many familiar superstitiona existing•. '•. famoagst housewivesara found almost oyer the world, a fact' which seems to point to their oommon origin,- perhaps in : >.W ft remote antiquity. r .-v'.;. ■' ~,- .<", X/It is, for instance, a common belief that . *to* sweep duat out of the house by the.'i front door is tantamount to sweeping away the happineßß and prosperity of the family. The dust, so it ia said, ought to ■be swept in wards and"*oarned away on a ; /;jS BhoveL'-'j;; - ; v'; ; '■■ ■\ .- [hi It ig also believed that if after sweeping " a room the breom is accidentally left int ■' a corner, strangers, may be expected that Ml- ' ' '*' >v" The putting up of an umbrella in the ■ . house signifies a death ia the family. Placing shoes on the table is still supposed by many good folks to bring Ul lack... '' The unlucky person who breaks a ; mirror will, it is said, be followed by misfortune for seven years. The ill luck which follows the spilling of salt may, it is believed, be averted if a small quantity is immediately thrown over the left shoulder. If one puts on an under-garment or stocking outside in a present may be expected before evening. A loaf breaking in the middle indicates the parting of faithful hearts.