FEMININE MA TTERS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 550, 15 March 1913, Page 7

FEMININE MA TTERS.

WOMAN'S LOT IN THE PHILIPPINES. Life accustoms the Filipino woman to labor at a very early age. 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 river to her home. Now, too, she works in the fields, and a vivid bit of color she makes in her short, kilted scarlet skirt. When she becomes a woman —and she is a woman at 15 or before —she may have a small shop to tend, and there is the rice to beat and nnich other work to do. Marriage 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 WEDDINGS. The origin of rice-throwing at weddings is accounted for by a quaint 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 most unlucky day for the wedding, the day when the "Golden Pheasant" was in the ascendant, so that when the bride entered the red chair the spirit bird would kill her with his beak. Peachblossom, however, prudently gave: directions for rice to be scattered at the door, and thus she passed out unscathed while the spirit bird was busy eating the meal she had provided for it.

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 setting. 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 one, brightened, while after death it became dull. The reason of this was the heightened fever made the stone become hot, and consequently very brilliant, while after death the chill and damp of 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 on their children eating the same sort of food day after day. A child forced to eat porridge every morning, or rice pudding at every dinner, grows to detest these things. Even bread and butter day after day without alteration is a mistake. The nursery meals should be as varied as those in the dining-room. Instead of porridge, Force, or some other cereal might be given as a change; and the eternal bread and butter could 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 fee chosen in preference to cheap and unwholesome butter. ADVICE TO YOUNG k WIVES. That necessities should be selected before decorative articles of furniture.

That it is not wise to provide too many pots, kettles, and pans when furnishing a kitchen. That it is always decidedly cheaper in the end to buy only good carpets and good furniture. That, no matter how tiny the income, a small sum should be put aside regularly for the proverbial rainy day. That a simple dinner, well served, is decidedly more enjoyable than am elaborate dinner poorly served. That a practical knowledge of "economy of good cookery" will be absolutely necessary for the young housewife, no matter how much "help" she can afford to keep. That all bills for marketing should be paid weekly, or, better still, when the articles are bought. That, with care and economy, a small amount of money will do wonders.

That it is important to be systematic in looking after the leftovers. That all cold vegetables and scraps of meat may be used in soups and salads and croquettes, and many appetising ways too numerous to mention. That "where there's a will there's a way," even if the means are limited.