GOSSIP FOR THE LADIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 191, 12 August 1881, Page 1

GOSSIP FOR THE LADIES

The steel ornaments which adorn the many varieties of the fashionable bonnets of tho season are affording much scope for the ingenuity and taste of the milliners." Bella" writes:-—" I consider"* ed well worthy of admiration a dainty miracle of a caploe shape bonnet : the front all of soft steeilace, the crown filled entirely with a cluster, of crush roses, in that new, tender shade of pink known as coral. The strings were of fine tulle, run through with threads, of steel. Steel and coral shades are a favorite combination, although steel contrasts favorably with, almost every tint, from the palest to the darkest. A tasteful small bonnet still carries out -the penchant for steel — a border of lace and fine steel fringe falls over the; brim/ and tbe back is composed of two bunches of luscious-looking grapes intermixed with puffing of lace. Still another was entirely of steel— a sort of net-work of medals, one little round 'piece -"dropping over tbe other; this Avas completed by a long cherry coloured feather, and cherry ribbon-strings." I am told of a servant in Boston Massachusetts, wbo in reply to an advertisement, stipulated that, belon^inoio a club, she would have to be absent one night a week for rehearsals. By the way, tbe latest thing in extravagance comes, as usual, from Paris, and was started by Mrs Mackay, who', sighing for a new method of squandering her untold wealth, hit upon the notion of fitting up a special railway carriage, with every luxury and appliance for amusement on a journey. This lady,; who is tbe talk and envy of all Paris, is generally known as the Arizona Mine. Apropos of parasols, the painting that used to be worn outside: is now transferred to the lining of them, so tbat the user can enjoy the, prettiest part, and (in tbe case of a- flirtation) the user's next-door neighbor, should he have eyes for anything but the face it shields. In this extremely as3thetic and hrica brae hunting age ic is quite refrefihiri^ to turn from the round of high junketings and eocial swell Jom to the perusal of an act of gallantry performed by the brave daughter , of a lowly laborer on tbe Dart, which is voucheJ ) for by the ' Western News' thus : — '., '• On Sunday a little girl, fifteen ruonths old, ihe daughter of John Heath, a laborer living at St. Peter Quay, fell into the river. The • child had been missed from the kitchen about ten minutes, and oo going into the yard the mother and a sister of tbe deceased, a girl of thirteen years, saw the cbild in the water. The little girl bravely jumped into the river and succeeded in getting the child out, and handed it to the mother, who aeoi for a medical man, but the child was dead. The coroner at the inqu.st complimented the little girl. on. tbe intelligent way in which she had given her evidence and for the brave manner in which she had tried to rescaeher .'lister-.. .He- -staled that he would write 10. the Jjjumarie Society end try lo get some recognition of her bravery. The j urv gave their fees to the mother." Mullum inparvo seems; to be the motto ot the makers- of the fashionable umbrella aad parasol handled, where we find receptacles for numerous small ar. icies, iu which a tioy powder-pnff and a still tiaier one ior rouge, are to be iound. No longer will ifc be safe for ladies i to trust their sunshades to ba carried by the clumsy hands of men if ibis be Hue, for, ia epite of the open way ic which the former wear the two condiments, they would scarcely like to see their umbrella knobs unscrewed and the contents inadvertently turned out Bay, at a flower-show or fete. The Eatl of Shaftesbury spoke doad ag-inst opening museums and picture I galleries at tha twelfth anniversary of | tbe Tower Hamlets Mission, aud prophesied that if they were thrown open on the Sabbath, theatres would follow suit. The Earl fur.h.r dei clared that if be were the Emperor of Russia, with autocratic power, he would force all roughs into the Sunday schools by arms j would have no teachers but women and girls ; and he would uDderUke that the female influence would have more effect upon their compulsory pupils than all the men put together. Talking of coats, ladies are greatl y | affecting brown beaver cloth Newmaikete, which look well on a good figure, but should never be worn over auy bodice less masculine than a closefidiing jersey, eleewiee all sorts ot bumps and excreßceuces appear. The ekiri must be well gored and without trimmug, excepting a narrow frill ai the edge ; in fact, far more failures than successes are made with these Bemi-Qjaaculine gbro-entr". Tae Horticultural Society at Ghent presented the Princess Stephanie on her wedding-day wih a bouquet which no mcney could purchaee. None but orchids and other vary rare plauts were admitted.