THE BLAZING OF THE TRAIL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1497, 20 July 1912, Page 11

THE BLAZING OF THE TRAIL.

[By Imogen.!

WHO BEAJRS THE BURDEN ?

When through the Gates of Stress and Strain Ooines forth the vast event; jiie simple, sheer, sufficing, sane Hesult of lalxmr spent— They that have wrought tho end un. thought, Be neither saint nor sage— .Women who merely did tho work For which thoy drew the wage. • —Kudyard Kipling.

Although we are at times told, by som?what imaginative,people, that "New Zealand leads the world"—at least in quite a number of large number 'of curious/ misconceptions contrivo to get abroad concerning this country. These suggest the idea that people are far more concerned in. their , own more- engrossing and weightier destinies than in paying very much attention to this isolated little country- placed at tho other end of tho world., Accuracy usually demands a certain amount of interest and trouble, and that, apparently, has'been missing. In ,a recent number of "Tho Queen, , ' for instance, appears an ■ artiolo dealing' with-women's share in..the making of Empire. Tho writer touches upon tho various organisations by which women endeavour to foster ana maintain , the spirit of patriotism, and loyalty to tho 'llirone and the Old. Country, arid,. in the course of her remarks, states that this side of Imperial matters is very little hoard of because the work of. women in tho Dominion's is rarely considered, to bi of . enough interest to be chronicled .by the public press, though.the , achievements of men are well reported. . ',

How They Build the Empire. . "Empire ■ Day," : the waiter, says, was originated by a Canadian lady, Mrs. F«seehden, of Hamilton, Ontario, .and- it is now observed by.over sixteen million British subjects all over the world. "The Daughters of Empire" is another movement, also started in Canada by Mrs. Clark Murray. It aims at stimulating the spirit of patriotism, at providing an efficient organisation by which concerted action may bq taken by . women in forwarding Imperial welfare, if necessary, and at promoting tho study of the history of our Empire and of current Imperial Suestiojis. The members are pledged to o all in their power to encourage unity between England and lirar Dominions, pi promote loyalty to the Throne, and to "instil.patriotism into tho minds 'of tho young... . • , , ■ .■.••. Women's .patriotic, associations ,in South Africa have done excellent work, accord- , ' ing to this .writer. Among them was the Guild of Loyal Women, formed during'the South African War "to maintain the British supremacy in South Africa,. to • keep Cape Colony as an integral part of the ' Empire, and to uphold the cause of liberty, loyolty, and>justice." ■ Its badgo was the sun, w.hich never seta, and ita , motto "For Kiiig and Country." Australian women, we are told, have a ~ National League whosa objects are to inculcate loyalty to the Throne, to combat State Socialism, to- educate women on political questions, and to maintain, the . purity of Tiome'life. . ' It 13 interesting to learn that patriotic associations have been formed'in New Zealand and have been most, successful in being the means of strengthening the ties between New Zealand and the Home Country. It is at the same time somewhat puzzling for tho only association that is brought to mind by this statement is the Victoria League. Ouo might, rcerhaps, add the Girl Peace* Scout movement. Still more curious is it to learn that in New .Zealand has been organised a League for ! the Promotion of the Trade" of tlio Do-, minion, whose members pledge themselves to buy only home-made goods, and it is owing to their direct iinuuenco that many excellent laws have been passed. Such heroism deserves- to be bruited abroad and yet one has not heard before of our women doing such patriotic deads. It would probably involve flax mats, costumes for .the summer, and Kaiapoi tweeds for the winter, or blankets, to say nothing of other unpleasant deprivations'.

The Bearers of tho Burden. Th« real work that is done by the women of this country and of other countries ' that are yet in the making, is not touched upon. Can anyone overlook tlio women..in Australia,. Africa, New Zealand, who go out into the "back o' beyond' with husband, brother, or father, and -face hardships, deprivations, toil, sickness, and worst of all, lack of congenial companionship with , on uncomplaining cheerful patience and heroism that is beyond all admiration? It is these women who help to make the Empire; not the women who lire- in the cities, whose lives are comfortable and prosperous who play with their little societies that only touch th(S surface of things, and who only too i often use'them to further their own social advancement or to occupy a prominent place in the limelight. Em-pirc-inakmg is done without words, without show, and with ceaseless patience, courage, and abnegation, qualities that °»r back-blocks women have exhibited to the full and for far too many years—in one way. City women can have but little .conception of the lives that aTe led ■ by tho women who livo in. tho back country, with nc railways at hand, no'roads and sometimes but a bridlo track'to cpnnec* them with settlements or townships. Ao one can, unless they, happened to havo been there and to havo seen for themselves or to havo learned from their own liDs a lntle-only a tithe—of their lives. J. hey aro not given to complainin.-' or to regard themselves in the least as heroines, or fur that matter, to any kind of eelf analysis—they havo no time for that, lie deadly heartbreaking sameness of things, th» never-ending toil of each day's bringing that sometimes, only too often, (leadens th» senses, tho intellect, and the imagination, the hopelessness of giving their children tho .opportunities, which they lon» to give them, aro only somo of tho burdens they bear. No wonder that sometimes their mental balance is lo=t and they become nervous and mental wrecks, the finer fibred of them. Some nave never seen another woman from one years end to another, and tho undilutud companionship' of even the most dearly loved husband for indefinite periods of .time must in the end become somewhat ■.wearing. '. . . ■ ■ . Even that greatest fight of all, which women have to face, the bringing of another life into the world, has over and ever again been fought by them without anyone to come, to their aid but their nearest woman neighbour-sometimes not even that. , Jho new Government W do no finer I™ 1 !? than help to ease the burden •irtuch these Empire-builders bear, bringing them--in easier communication with the comforts and safeties and ameliorations which are enjoyed by more favour-Bbry-situated people. Judging by the Prime Ministers public utterances this will be one of their early undertakings.

OLD AGE POSTPONED

There are pertain things a woman ewes to Society, and thoro aro"'certain things a woman owes to herself A weman owes it to herself to postpone, as long as possible, old age in looks, if she cannot in years. If sho can beautify and lmprovo her complexion, so much tho happier .woman she. This she can acroraplish only by Valaze Skin Food and ■Baautifier. By the uso of Vnlaze tho faded cheek gains in succulence and colour, the lines gradually disappear. ■ tho muddy, drab, impure, freckled skin becomes lustrous and beauti/ul, nnd the face looks no longer faded and tired. In jars 4s. and 7s. ' Novena EAtrait tightens' Hi*, r-kin, 7pako3 and keeps it firm, and free from flabbiness. It is an anti-wrinklo lotion, and prevents and overcomes wrinkles' anes, and crowsfeet. Price, 7s. 6d. a bottle. ■ ' Valaze Soap ia perfect-for toilet use. It soothes, oloansos, and refreshes the most sensitive skin. Price, 2's. 3d. a cake. . i ■, • W'm "Beauty in the Making," Mile. Rubinstein's instructive boo"k. It hi ,P° ste(l fr ee to any address. «ii $ e , mist 3or # rect: . Post free, from .Mile. Helena Rubinstein, Maison Vuhwe, Brandon Street, Wellington.-idvt

DANCE OF THE HEROES,

London had never before seen such a ball as tho Danco of a Hundred Years Ago, which. Svas held in tho Albert Hall on June G, in aid of a charity (writes tho correspondent of a London paper). The whole of London society was present, and members of all tho most famous families fii England appeared in the guise of their ancestors oi a century ago. To him whose blood stirs at thr> thought of the great (lends of 1812, the spectacle preMnted by the- brilliant assembly must havo been stirring. All the great peoflo in England in 1812 woro reprced at this dance, which was supposed to be in celebration of Wellingtons victories, raid many Continental celebrities wero thero too. Napoleon himself was there, though the hall was thronged with men in British uniforms of the time. Wellington was. to be teen, and Nelson was resurrected, so that he might grace a gathering seven years alter Trafalgar. Other great eeainen were there/ Hardy and Collingwood, St. Vincont, Hood and Howe.-If Napoleon felt lonely ho' had Soult and Grouchy for compauy. Scattered about in tho throng were uniforms of the European members of the Alliance against Napoleon—a EuE.sian dragoon, white Uhlans, and black Brimswickers. Beau Brummel could be Kenj and Byron himself, ! and Paluierston, of whom one has came to think as , quito mid-Victorian, Mrs. Siddons, Ihe tragedy queen, and Taglicni, the great dancer. Into tho night ens and nil had gone long ago, but out of Hie night .they were summoned for a briel while, to make a London festival. A number of most picturesque quadrilles were danced, in which each dancer represented somebody of tho period. Tho most interesting of these was tho Waterloo quadrille, in which was re-enacted part of the historic sceno in Brussels on "he ere of battle. Besides Wellington and tho Duke of Brunswick and other leaders present at the;famous ball before Waterloo, Napoleon and grim, old Blucher, who at that time was rallying his beaten forces, took part in this quadrille. That Byron should occur to the mind of the onlooker w<is inevitable. "ByTOn may have made it melodramatic," says the "Telegraph," after quoting the fanuios versos, "but nothing can spoil the thrill of that dance on the eve of Waterloo.", And -there were thrills, too, in the representation of tho dance nearly a hundred years later. It vas, all make-believe, but it was a unique experience to recover for a. moment the emotion of those dead hours. ■•

THE ART OF MRS. WATTS,

•Mrs. Roger Watts gave a delightful exhibition of her art of balance at tho Sallo Fcmina, Paris, a few weeks ago. The first part of tho lecture, on the principles. of equilibrium in movement, and their application to Greek statuary, was kinematographic; tho latter part showed Mrs. Watts, in flesh, and blood, as Greek goddess and classic figure of antiquity. Two of her new "living statues" were Altheno Pallas, wearing the helmet, tho aegis, and the shield, and Fortuna, splendid upon her ball; goddess-guide in human affairs. To conclude tho demonstration, Mrs. Watts danced the beautiful and almost religious dances of the Greeks to niusio scored by M. Maurico_ Emmanuel, Professor of Uhe Conservatoire. A little orchestra of harps,, flutes, and hautbois was under his direction. It was a reconstitution of perfect beauty, a page fTom the golden ago o£ art.

CLEVER WOMEN AND GOOD WIVES.

A contemporary says that "Far too many clover women have missed the happiness of motherhood becauseuo man has asked them in marriage." Tho idea that men prefer stupid women to clever ones is elaborated at some length, arid the dailies seized, upon'the occasion to use scare headlines. A many wives enjoyed tho slur upon. 1 their cleverness, and the error—a not uncommon one —into which the writer had fallen. The confusion between cleverness and book-learning is one 'of the most common errors of those.who make generalisations on femininity. If the writer had said that learned women aro not acceptable to the ordinary tnan looking for a wife she would have happened on a very ordinary truth. Sometimes learned women are clever also, and then they find a mate in their spare time; but learned people aro very often not clever, and this is as true of the learned man as of the learned woman. Learning is a capacity for acquiring information, and it in no way implies the initiative which is demanded by cleverness. The clever woman generally gains her own ends, whether they be marriage or a good position. Aptitude succeeds because its restlessness carries it on to its natural fulfilment. But there is something so self-satisfying to the learned in the mere act of acquiring .knowledge that you Tarelv find a learned man or woman with much initiative; To declare that all wives are clever might be a straining of the truth, but it vjould be far more likely to be correct than to far that most men marry'stupid wires. The capacity for managing a house, to say nothing of managing a man, is not to bo acquired by absorption in books; it is a gift, and it is possessed by the inaiority of wives. Clever women are not all wirtty women, nor sparkling women; many of them belong to the class known as sweedlers, the women who get their own way by cajoling and wheedling. To say that a woman is stimid because she is clever enough to hide the fact .that she knows more about'many things than tho man she is sweedlins, is one of th« most ordinary of daily innoenrnries, and al=o one of the most unpardonable. There are probably more clever vroni»n married to clever men than ever tho clever men suspect.

JAPANESE TAXI-CABWOMAN,

The latest motor novelty in Paris is a taxi-cab woman of an unusual kind. She is a pretty little Japanese, who drives us well as any man, and her cab is never empty from morning till night. There was a crowd round her in the. IMaco de l'Op'ora one afternoon recently, fov her "faro," not content with giving her a comfortable tip,' bought large bunch of roses from a passing Kawker, and gave them to the pretty driver. ■ , The crowd cheered, as Paris crowds havo got into the habit of cheering lately, and shouted, as they always shout now,- "Vive l'Jjntente Cordiale!"