FEMININE MA TTERS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 531, 8 January 1913, Page 2

FEMININE MA TTERS .

.WOMAN'S LOT. TN TIIB

PHILIPPINES

Life accustoms the Filipino woman to labor at a very early a'go. As a ,tiny girl she is rarely seen without an appendage in the shape of a baby brother or sister perched on her hip. When she grows a few inches taller and a few degrees stronger she is pressed into service as a water carrier, bearing heavy, jars of water poised gracefully on her head from the rive/to- her home. Now, too, she worka in the fields, and a vivid bit of color sli3 makes in her short, kilted scarlet skirt'. When she comes a woman—and she is a' woman at 15 cr before—she may have a small shop to tend, and there is the rice to boat and much other work to do. Marriago brings no vacation. She tends the fields, cooks, and frequently has a stall in the market for several hours a day. But when the women are really old then their resttime comes. They- sit quietly by, looking on as life goes, past them; but taking'part no more.

RICE-THROWING AT WED- — DINGS.

The origin of rice-throwing at weddings is accounted for a qu:int Chinese legend. A great sorcerer, Chao, became jealous of the power of another sorcerer, a woman, and therefore conceived, a plan to destroy her. He persuaded her parents to give her in marriage to her, supposed son, and craftily chose the rpost unlucky day for the wedding, tfle"'day when the "Golden Pheasant" was in the ascendant, so that when the bride entered the red chair the spirit bin! would kill her with his beak. -Peachblossom, however, prudently gave directions for rice to be scattered at lhe door, and thus she passed out unscathed; while the spirit bird was busy eating the meal she had provided for it. t

OPALS AND ILL-LUCK

Many people regard the opal as the omen of ill-luck, and the following will show how this superstition resolved -itself. Two or. three centuries ago the stone was very popular in Europe, and the jewellers of Italy were especially cunning in its selling. At the height of its popularity came the plague, which wrought great havoc in Venice. It was noticed by some observant persons in that city that when a victim was on the point of death his opal, if he wore 7 one, brightened, while after death it became dull. The reason of this-was ttiCt hcightr encd fever made the stone become hot, and consequently very briilia/nt, while after death the chill" and damp cf the body dulled it. It was, however, declared by many that it brought death and misfortune to their doors, and as this superstition spread the sale of opals decreased, and to this day people believe that the beautiful stone brings ill-luck.

CHILDREN'S MEALS

Many mothers make a serious error in insisting oh their children eating the same sort of food day aftvr day. A child forced to cat porridge every morning, or rice pu.lciing at every dinner, to detect these things. Even bread and bu:tcr day after day without alteration is a mistake. The nursery meals should be as varied as those in the dining-room. Instead of

Force, or some other cereal might be given as a change; and the eternal bread and butter coir! J be substituted by toast now and then. Bacon fat on bread is a good food, and is generally liked by children; so is beef dripping; and at any rate both these should be chosen in preference to cheap, and unwholesome butter. ADVICE TO YOUNG WIVES. That necessities should be selected bci'oic decorative articles of furnitUiC.

.That it is not wise to provide toom'any pots, kettles, and pans when funii.:liing a kitchen.' flint it is always decidedly cheaper in the end to buy only good carpot-, and good furniture. That, no matter how tiny the income, a small sum- should bo put H&Mc regularly for the proverbial ravny day.

That a simple dinner, well served, is decidedly more enjoyable than am elaborate dinner poorly served. > That a practical knowledge of •0.-onoiiy of good cookery" will be :ib-:'.-lulely necessary for the young h'jrsow'fe, 110 matter how much "IHp" she can afford to keep. ■ That all bills for marketing should be paid or, belter ?till, when the articles' arc bought. Thi'-i, with care and economy, a. snv\!l amount of money will do wond'civ. That it is important to be systematic in i joking after the lcftovers..'1 h?t all cold vegetables and scraps of meat may be used in soups and saUds and croquettes, and many appetising ways too numerous to iLic:itioii. "■ ' . That "where there's a will there's; a way," even if the means are lim-, ited. v i,. . •'•;•' '