Women In Print.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 35, 11 February 1913, Page 9

Women In Print.

Doubt of whatever kind can be ended by action alone.-~Carlyle.

Miss Joan Duff, of Hawkes Bay, is a guest of Mrs. Hadfield. , Mr. and Mrs. S. Spragg leave for a trip to Australia on Friday, Mr. and Mrs. Triggs arrived here this morning from Lyttelton. Mrs. HolJis, who at present is with Captain Hollis at Napier, on board his ship, leaves here about the 20th by the Corinthie for England. Mrs. and the Misses Fitzherbert go in the Corinthie as far as Monte Video, and Mr. and Mrs. Alex Roberts, of Dunedin, go to London by the same steamer. Mrs. W. H. Coy, Island Bay, and net two little daughters, left by the Maori last night, on a holiday visit in the South. Mr. and Mrs. Frank R. Johnstone return from their holiday to Australia by the Matinganui on Wednesday. Miss Jean S. Wilson has consented to act as general secretary, temporarily, to the Young Women's Christian Association in Invercargill,' and expects to take up her duties at the end of this month. The Rev. and Mrs. W. G. Maslin returned to their home at Waipawa on Saturday, after spending a holiday in Wellington and Canterbury. Mr. and Mrs. Lakeman (Auckland), Mr. and Mrs. Bullen (Kaikoura)j Mr. and Mrs. Scott (Blenheim), Mr. and Mrs. Ashwell (Wanganui), and Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Thompson (Timaru), are staying at the Empire Hotel. ■ At the Grand Hotel are Mrs. Logan (Dunedin), and Mr. and Mrs. W. Kerr Hislop (Christchurch). Mr. and Mrs. liveleigh ( New South Wales), who have .been staying there, left yesterday for Nelson, and Mr. and Mrs. Mackay leave for Rotorua to-day. In the list of prizes given at the Baby Show in. connection with the Plunket Fete, the name was omitted of Baby Thomson, who was awarded a special prize as the champipn baby of the 6how, Baby Stevenson gaining the prize fox the championship under 12 months. Mr. Thomson generously returned the prize given to hie baby, who weighs 2 atone Blb, and is only eight months old, to the society. Mies Harriet C. Wewcomb, honorary secretary of the Australian and New Zealand Women Voters', Association (London), who is now in Sydney, will visit Auckland on 16th February, ahd Wellington on the 28th. Miss Margaret. Hodge is with her, and both will give, lectures on the aims and objects of the society during their tour. The main object of their visit is to secure representation for women at the seventh biennial Congress of the International Women's Suffrage Alliance to be held in June in Buda Pesth. Mrs. Cleghorn'a house in Harbour View has been taken by the Messrs. Barnett. Miss Bean, of Christchurch, is Staying with Miss Seddon. Mrs. and Miss Finch, who have been staying with Mr. and Mrs. Putnan, aTe at Miss Morton's, GoldeT's Hill. The engagement is announced of Mire Josephine Henrys, second daughter of Mr. J. E. Henrys, of Wellington, to Mr. G. H. Abel, youngest son of Mr. C. B. Abel, of the firm AbeF and Company, Ltd.. Sydney. A farewell tea was given by Mrs. Jno. Lonfidale at her residence, Maaramacrescent, for Mrs. J. J. North, on Monday afternoon. Among those present were Mrs. T. Kirk, sen., and Mrs. John Collins, two of the oldest members of the Baptist Church. Mrs. Lonsdale was assisted by Mies Lonsdale in entertaining the guests. After tea had been served, a photograph of the party was taken in the garden. Every now and then some American city or town claims to have discoVerSd "the most perfect woman," physically, and forthwith the newspapers are inundated with measurements and photographs in support of the contention. Today (wrote the New York correspondent of a London paper early last month), Miss Elsie Scheel, of Brooklyn, a student of Cornell University, occupies the limelight, her claim to the world's attention being based on a comparison of her proportions with those of the Venus de Milo and in examination made by Dr. Esther Parker, of Cornell. The latter says Miss Scheel is absolutely without defects, and must receive the prize annually given to America's most perfect woman. "Four hundred and fifty girl students at Cornell, who also considered themselves physically jerfect, are informed that they are not within striking distance of the Brooklyn marvel, whether in proportions, beauty, or endurance. Miss Scheel is 25 years of age, weighs 1711b, and is sft 7in in height. Her natural chest measurement is 34.6 in. her waist 30.3 in, and she is 40.4 about the hips. She is light-haired, and has blue eyes and a wonderfully cleai- complexion. Although MiBS Scheel is taller, "she is nearer the proportions of the Venus de Milo than any woman at Cornell since Dr. Parker has been connected with the staff." Her hobby is motoring, her favourite sport is basketball, and she is very fond of walking. Her favourite study is horticulture, though if she had been a. man she would have studied mechanical engineering. Her favourite food is beefsteak and turnips ; blib doeß not care for delicacies and she rarely eats sweets. She has never drunk tea or coffee, and she believes that good cold water is the best medicine. Mr. J. P. Morgan's Wall-street associates are telling about the recent visit the financier made to his dentist, and what came of it (writes a New York correspondent). The dentist was hurt' ing Mr. Morgan^ who was both blunt and frank in informing him of that fact. "One of ,the worst cases of destitution I know of is that of my wife's washer* woman," remarked the dentist by way of diversion. "How, so?" asked Mr. Morgan. "Her husband died and left her thirteen children, only five of them large enough to work," replied the dentist, who kept on with both his work and 1 his hard-Juck narrative. He did notiomit any harrowing features oj. the widow's fight for a living in the face of great odds. Mr. Morgan asked a question now and then, and finally, after an unusually severe ordeal, left the operating room. Next day the dentist received a letter, which read as follows : —"Dear Doctor,— You hurt hie like the devil yesterday, but your vivid story about the widow and her thirteen children helped me somewhat. Enclosed find my cheque lor £2000, which please turn over to the washerwoman, andytell her for me she was a fool ever to have thirteen children." The dentist speedily complied with Mr. Morgan's request. Poor and struggling mothers have always been the special, object of th© banker's philanthropy. Some years ago he endowed a big maternity hospital in New. York, one of the best gguippejj in

the world, only stipulating to the trustees that no deserving case should ever be' turned away. The leader of the American suffragists, Mrs. Carry Chapman Catt, has begun a vigorous agitation against prevailing feminine fashions. She has appealed to suffragists to throw away their hats, to burn their stays, and to replace skirts with trousers. "It is high time," she says, "that American women freed themselves from the slavery of fashions. The modern clothes are not fit for a. modem woman. China is more advanced iin that respect. Chinese women's dress could, by slight alteration, be made suitable for American and European women. Undoubtedly it is the most healthy, hygienic, comfortable, and at the same time artistic dress." The American woman, in the opinion of Mrs. Chapman Catt, is already disfigured, her spine already a little bent, her hips deformed by stays and dresses which do not correspond to her figure. "We think ourselves beautiful," she continues, " but we .are not if we compare ourselves Avith the natural grace of our sisters from' China. Their dress enables them to move with ease and grace. They are sleek and mobile, and can bring into play every muscle of their body without any strain. The modern American woman or her European sister is, on the other hand, only a mannequin on which tailors and dressmakers hang their inventions." Mrs. Chapman Catt also makes a strong appeal to women to cease wearing hate which only hide the natural charms of women. The money thereby saved ought, she says, to be devoted to the suffrage movement. — Newcastle Herald. In an article in the Daily Mail on fancy dress a writer says:— "lt may be a wish to add to the gaiety of nations that makes men of tall, lean figures and cadaverous faces dress themselves as Napoleon ; or chubby, rotund men attire themselves as Hamlet. I suppose it is a pathetic desire to appear just for one night as one of the world's great men. These, however, may be forgiven, for they make us laugh, but the dashing Cavaliers in ridiculously incorrect clothes merely make one sad, and the monks make one" angry. There exists also a certain type of man - who is seized with the notion of being enormously funny, so he ditties his face, wears filthy rags, and steps light-heartedly- into the ballroom. Do the pretty, dainty fairies make for him? Does the lady in the gorgeous garments of a Duchess of Venice adore to dance with him? Or will he find himself being funny all alone in a, corner of tjie refreshment room? I think so. And there is one last thing to be said, -and it is so often forgotten :' these costumes should be chosen not only historically and picturesquely, but with the end in view of all dances, and that is their suitability for dancing. They should be light and easy to move in, for if they are not the joy has gone out of the evening and the spirit of gaiety mopes in a corner. Let those remenv ber this who would be handsome in armour or proud in wide-hooped skirts." A princely personage who has just returned from the Forbidden City (says the Pokin correspondent of the Daily Telegraph on 18th December) informs me that the immense precincts of the Winter Palaco are absolutely deserted save for the Empress-Dowager, the Child-Emperor, arid a, few hundred eunuchs. All the princesses, all the occupants of tho Imperial harem, all the blood relatives of the Imperial clan, have silently disappeared, leaving the Empress and her child alone. The same hundreds of sheep, pigs, and fowls stipulated by the Imperial household ordinances are still daily slaughtered, but, being uneaten, are sold outside. The eunuchs, left uncontrolled ar<» rapidly stripping the palaces of all their valuables, and if nothing is done they will soon be empty. The EmpressDowager weeps ceaselessly, out dare not proceed to the Summer Palace, since Manchu gossips have cruelly warned her that she will be butchered the instant she is caught outside the city. The Emperor is a dull, listless child, not knowing what has happened. He plays ceaselessly with toy soldier* in the halls and flagged courtyards that were trodden by the feet not only of his illustrious ancestors, but by Kublai Khan himself, and which one© rang to the hurrahs of horsemen returning from the conquest of half Asia. Another Rostand would be required to immortalise this new Aiglon, who is destined to live and perish as miserably as his prototype, but it is a signal disgrace that the palace and its treasures are not carefully guarded and converted into museums such as the Moscow Kremlin, thus leaving to tho nation some record of its departed glory. No food is better, and in the end cheaper, for the family than pure, good butter, and now that it has become so cheap it should be more largely used in every household. It makes the children healthy and strong, improves their appetites, and lets the poor, patient, tired mother have more rest. Just try an extra pound of Defiance butter, which is made under the most stringent supervision, and you will be pleased at the result. Defiance butter is sold everywhere at one shilling a pound.—Advt. YOUR CHILD AND THE PIANO. Teach your children the piano ! Think of the future. The purchase of a piano may seem a big item; but, really, nowadays things have been made so eaay that everyone may possess an instrument, and on such simple terms that the sum required each week is never missed. The Dresden Piano Co., Wel« lingtott, will give you the most superb piano for a small sum down, ahd thereafter monthly paymenU of from 20e. Think ! In a short time the instrument will be your very own— and what an inexhaustible source of pleasure it will prove to be. Do not delay another day —write to Mr. M. J. Brookes, the North Island manager. — Advt. The following programme of music will be played this week by Godbers Orches* tra from 3 to 5 p.m. at Lambton-quay :-*- La Jois dv Matin, Reveuse, Dawn, Sunshine Girl Valse, Quand L' Amour Meurt, Chant dv Repos, Jasmine, Simple Aveu, Kiss of Spring, Pandora, Moon Madrigal, Salut D' Amour. — Advt. Weddings, beautiful Shower Bouquets, Posies, Baskets, Empire Stiffs,. Crooks, etc., artistically designed and forwarded to any part of the Dominion by Miss Murray, Vice-Regal Florist. 36, Willis-st Carlyle said "Clothes have made men of us." Of course he was referring to the smartly dressed class of men, who buy at Geo. Fowlds, Ltd.— Advt. Warner's Rust-proof Corset*. In the latest models the bust is low and full. Flexible corseting above the wa,ist is the result—the latest figure fashion.— Advt. Complaint was made in a letter to the council of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday that commercial travellers who have to sleep at some country hotels are in danger owing to the fact that night porters are not employed and that they may be overtaken by fire before hearing the alarm. It was decided to send the complaint on to the Wellington, Wairarapa, Manawatu, and Rangitikei Licensing. Committees.