WOMEN'S INTEREST'S

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1933, Page 3

WOMEN'S INTEREST'S

BFTIDES PAST AND P RESENT

OTHER TIMES, OTHER WAYS

In this young country, ceded by the Maoris not yet a hundred years ago,

with its traditions; of state and family still so very much . in , .embryo, its luxurious mechanical up-to-dateness, and scarcity of caste-ridden prejudices, many of the young people, thus already lavishly endowed, expect to start'in life -.where their parents’ most ambitious dreams culminated. “Things are different,” murmurs.the older generation, handling with reverent fingers the delectable new trousseaus, accordion-pleated chiffon, gored and faggotted .flimsiness of the younger set. Whimsically smiling, each matron vijsuaHes her own “bottom drawer, full of dozens of good stout garments, white, enveloping and rigorously pintucked, numbers of them good as new i.o this day. A self-depreciatory shrug graciously admits superiority of the new order, although a few dic-lmids own up bravely that “they do like a ili'itle more sleeve; but everything, customs, manners, morals even, have changed so.” “Yes,” chimes in another. “Remember the old .servants, generals, hard-working and devoted. ,r Now, the children .get' the measles and off the maid goes--hag and baggage! Afraid of missing a few nights’ dancing, or their evenings at the “flicks,” as they call them. Wise heads shake regretfully.

The knick-knacks, many, and costly, collected by the bride-elect in passing i include npw-a-day.s sp.ode china, alabas- ' ter lamps, boudoir-cushions, .etchings ard.colourful prints to gladden sthe eye. Other,, days are recalled when the young wife gloried in the first decorative touches which brightened her fourroQine.d cottage. Wliat pride she took in . tiie hold-all of sugar-sack hound with turkey-red, tacked on the wall for papers - anff letters; the umbrellastand and flofver-,bowls moulded from, ‘clay and. gay broken china; the pack-ing-case dressing table fresh and daintily hung with sateen and hail-spot nuyslinj and the cost of all was practff cally.-nil-1 To-spend money on anything in these days, but food, busli-felling, ■ sowing, fencing, sinking a well, top dressing, stock or implements, would have been; rank heresy. In cheerfully making a virtue, of necessity, the y.oung women derived tremendous joy from their' crude contrivances, more cherished than ever in retrospect.

To-day, a nonagenarian, alertly birdLiJse in manner, caressingly pecking at .silvery pyhex and cnyAttd,'‘perhapj declares “that the young' brides don’t know they’re alive, and that- she herself did all her cooking; at ffr'st, in a three-legged pot.” Relenting, she purrs benignly because the young people don’t have such hard lives, are so artistic and choose their hufebands so wisely. The old lady is then told that her home couldn’t have been “exactly a palace of joy,” and ..“what a priceless, idiotically; unselfish., darling old cheer-germ she has always been!” Each generation condones and admires in, turn the behaviour of the others, but many a modern bride, -shuddering at' anything suggestive of the ntidY T ictorian period, maps "opt the' future as her own. Unless the-Tiilsband, by refusing to keep his nose"~to 7 "the grindstone, cramps her style of. selfishness, .extravagant display '-'- .anil ‘platonic friendships, dreading the spectre he possibly (develops into the “proverbial doormat.” New Zealandwomen, first enfranchised of the world, with pioneer traditions of' courage; self-sacrifice and practical common sense to emulate, have seppo for the fulfilment, of high ideals in this time of world-wide stress and unhappiness, when, the sane long for the termination of wars’ horrors and its aftermath.

Modern supine indulgence, , selfYientre.d purpose,; and .hideous social entanglements savour too. much of. the decadent,, and, the young people would find happier ,and b.ett,er to-morrows if they c.cu.ld revert to something at least .approaching the invigorating peasant life of their forefathers, with it's wholesome ..struggle for, ex,istcne.e.

WOMEN tN SPORT THE GAMES OF THE 75’S In those days of vigorous feminine sports and athletics we sometimes forget to what, extent our .mother's •, and grandmothers -anticipated,.the women cf the present time in this particular held, even though it was only on.very mild and leisurely lilies! “It must have demanded enormous courage and energy on our grandmothers’ part to attempt strenuous physical exercise when tightly corseted and submerged in a welter of voluminous clothes,” says a writer in a contemporary magp.xjne. ; ‘‘Yet women excelled in the sports of their day. .\rehery was considered and ‘elegant’ exercise, and women took it •so, seriously - that they frequently triumphed, oyer'men in the, art. Swimming was more of a parade of elaborate swimming costumes than a strenuous exercise. “Considering that these costumes usually .consisted of a ful,!,' heavy sferge undergarment with an added voluminous. serge skirt which speedily became waterlogged, it is hardly Wpirjsing that most fair bathers ediitentedi themselves with bobbing up and down in

Hints from Home and Hbroad.

ithe. 'ivater vyliile safely attached .to, a long rope, and taking care not to wet ,thw.face of hair, Eypn the costume ahoptod. by strong swimmers, involved ‘a Turkey twill bathing dress made .with knickerbockers and, a skirt, to jbei worn . with thread stockings “for -decency’s sake,”, and .a waterproof cap.’ “The. games era began in the 70’s and was heralded in by mild croquet. .Even .this • seemly game must have been difficult to play in tightened bodices, ■ > bustles and ..yards ,of flowing skirt! Then came golf and badminton and in 1875 the immediately popular fawn tennis. This game widened women’s lives greatly; they began to mix more frequently and naturally with other people for perpetual ‘tennis parties’ they joined clubs, and this tilst taste cf real exercise .spurred them on to fresh ..endeavour at sport. Thereafter -they took up cricket, ico hockey, saucing and boating. “The greatest modification of dress \o necessary freedom of movement was made for tennis. In the SO’s they were advised to wear \a dark-blue serge skint, made quite plainly, and fairly short, and of ample width, with a .flannel skirt and a sailor hat,’ and Wepe wanned! that ‘care should be taken always to have the cleanest and prettiest of white underskirts, a s these show when.running for a stroke far more than one would imagine.’ White shoes were unsuitable, as ‘they make the feet look large.’

Heelless Russian leather shoos, with red rubber soles, were recommended instead.” Their idea of a “short skirt” was one of anklelengtli!

R.EVIVING PEARLS. A good way to clean and revive pearls is to put them into a bag with wheat bran, and then slowly heat the bag over a coal fire keeping it constantly on the move. .Another method is to put the pearls in a piece' of fine linen, thtow some salt over .and tie up the corners of the material, Plunge into luke-warm water and move the hag about until all the salt has been extracted. Then dry the pearls in a soft towel.

RHUBARB CHUTNEY., . (I)—Two. lb rhubarb, two onions, lib dates,' Jib brown sugar, loz root ginger (crushed), Joz each mustard seeds and-capsicums (tie last three in a cloth). .Place all ingedrients in a pan-'with 1J pints of vinegar. Bo ) together for 1J hours. Stir to prevent burning. (2)—Two lb rhubarb, two onions,. Jib white sugar, loz ground ginger, Joz ground mustard. Place all ingredients in a pan with two pints vinegar. Boil together till ip' thickens, about threequarters of an hour, stirring all the time to prevent burning. Tin's will keep a long time if bottled and sealed.

/DROP SCONES Beat thoroughly, two eggs, add one cup milk, half teaspoonful salt, and mix in enough flour to make a consistency as thick as honey or thick cream. Beat well- for. five minutes, then add t,wo teaspoonfuls baking powder and two teaspoon fills me'Jted butter and mix well. Heat girdle thoroughly, brush over with melted butter, then drop on spoonfuls of the mixture and cook -to a golden brown on both sides. WAFFLES. : Make the same way, a s .drop scones,; hut -beat the stiff a nd fold' ‘in "'htii the If ‘An electric waffle iron-.is .uged-gwitch it ..on for five minutes to heat thoroughly, hup do- not grease,-, then pour about two tegspoon-. fuls of the batter into eqch. compartment and spread it oyer .quickly. Fold top half of waffle iron over'this, leave -for a minute, then open again, and .at .of , a golden brown it is ready to be served. Serve with butter and honey or golden! syrup.

DRESS IDEAS FOR HOME SEWING '■> (Tile fashion for hats of gingham.; pique, and linen must ’ he; ‘ a joy to' home milliners; they are so easy to make. And when you wear these hats; with a suit, make yourself a blouse ofi matching material. It gives the right, touch of smartness. ; : n . ■ • Beware -of the new gloves without markings down the back. They have a most broadening effect on the hand. One ingenious girl has worked her own markings in very fine chain-stich in a contrasting-coloured silk. The gloves look smarter. Her hands look slimmer. * . And the markings match the.colour of her frock. '• • •c , Talking of cotton gloves, have yon noticed that the'newest are cut on the cross? Like frocks, they fit all the .better, for being cut this way. The newest cigarette-cases are made of striped with .qjinyas. •They look so fresh and feminine. As a change from the perky organdie how, try th,e effect of a Y-shaped frock, trimmed with two chubby flowers made of natept, leather, to match the belt. The idea might be copied in cire rib. bon. It would he easier to handle.