AMATEUR MILLINERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 532, 12 June 1909, Page 11

AMATEUR MILLINERS.

The well-known French painter and president of the New. Parisian Society, Mr. Poilpot, has arranged an original competition to ( take placo shortly: 'an'exhibition of dresses and hats mado for ladies for their own uso from thoir own designs,: and entitled "Mimi Pinson's Costume Exhibition." The leading paintors of Paris havo long felt it would be natural and satisfactory, if ladies who have the creativo genius in dress were to teH their milliners and dressmakers what they think is suitable for them, to wear. In my opinion the systc-jB would usually be a failure. Hie principal purpose of the competition is intended to stimulate originality in design, and to give individual taste a chance to assert itself. Every design of dress, luxurious or useful, will bo admitted, and ladies from the Faubourg St. Germain may compete side by side with the petite ouvriere from an outlying quarter; and to attract strangers a special bid is made for foreign competitors bo as to give the exhibition an international character. ■ ' ■ :

Among the passengers on a homewardbound liner, there was an. old lady who had a favourite parrot, which she placed under tho especial care of one of tho sailors. On going to attend to Polly one morning, he was surprised to find the poor bird dead, and knowing how much upsot tho old lady would be to hear of tho death of her favourite, and not feeling equal to imparting the sad intelligence himself, he employed a brother tar who was famous for his gentleness and diplomacy in matters of that nature. Going up to the old lady with a very sad face,, and touching his cap, the deputy said: "I don't think that .'ere parrot of yourn will live long, marm:" '. "Oh, dear," said the poor old lady, "Why?" . ■.-■:.' ■■■■. -,' . . , "Cos he's dead," was the comforting reply- ' .";■ •'. . ■::■•.. -.