Ladies Express.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 430, 22 November 1876, Page 2

Ladies Express.

[The Editor will be glad to give insertion to any local contributions from his lady friends that may be considered interesting in any family circle, or to the sex generally] :O: A SEASIDE INCIDENT. “ Why, Bob, you dear old fellow, Where have you been these years ? In Egypt, India, Khiva, With the Khan’s own volunteers ? Have you scaled the Alps or Andes, Sailed to isles of Amazons ? What climate, Bob, has wrought the change— Your face from brown to bronze ?” She placed a dimpled hand in mine, In the same frank, friendly way ; We stood once more on the dear old beach. And it seemed but yesterday Since, standing on the same white shore, She said, with eyelids wet, “Good-by. You may remember Bob, But I shall not forget.” I held her hand and whispered low ; “ Madge, darling, what of the years— The two long years that have intervened Since, through the mist of tears, We looked good-by on this same white beach, IT?re by the murmuring sea ? You Madge, were then just, twenty, Aud I was twenty three.” A crimson blush came to her cheek.

“ Hush, Bob,” she quickly said ; “ Let’s look at the bathers in the surf— There’s Nellie, and Cousin Ned.” “ And who’s that portly gentleman On the shady side of life ?” “ Oh, he belongs to our party, to — In fact, Bob, I’m his wife 1 “ And 11-11 you, Bob, it’s an awful thing, The way he does behave ; Flirts with that girl in steel-grey silk — Bob, why do you look so grave ? “ The fact is, Madge, I—well—ahem I Oh, nothing at all, my dear, Except that, she of the steel-grey silk Is the one I married last year !*’ FASHION GOSSIP. When one look* at some old pictures of Eunch, and recalls the unbecoming style in which the ladies of England chose to arrange their hair some years ago, one doubts whether the “good old times” were better than these so-called degenerate days. What would a Gainsborough hat look like above a coiffure (if it could deserve so fine a name) consisting of flat bands of hair arranged down each side of the face, touching the neck, and twisted at back into a small knot, in which all the hairpins are visible? This was really the style of fifteen years ago. Some of Thackeray’s novels show illustrations of the same kind of thing. Now the hair is “ done” more becomingly. Pomade is unpopular (it is to be feared it was not so fifteen years ago), and false hair is “ bad style.” The shape of the head is shown, and the hair itself is arranged in such a way as to show its gloss and softness. But we are threatene 1 with the ugly nets that came in use with those enormous and hideous structures, chignons ! Views of the Centennial show all the lady visitors wearing this disagreeable headgear, and there is little doubt that an attempt will bo made to introduce them here. But happily we do not take our fashions from the Yankees. The most charming hats are worn now in the count ry. If the loss of the Duchess of Devonshire’s picture has been the cause of the revival this season of the Gainsborough hat, Messrs Agnew may console themselves with the reflection that art has been, in one souse, a gainer. Most artistic are these hats, encircled with

a wreath of cornflowers, or briony, with its beautiful leaves and crimson berries, buttercups, wild roses, or forget me-note. The great heat has produced the revival of the charming mantilla, which is frequently used instead of a bonnet, and is delightfully becoming. These are made of black or cream-coloured lace, with bows of faille. There is a great art in arranging the mantilla to suit the style of the wearer. In Spain, this kind of artist is born, not made ; in England, such are seldom born, and not often made. But a beautiful face covers a great multitude of sins of this kind, particularly when the mantilla does not cover the face. The Genoese white veil is very becoming too, aud much admired by all ladies when seen fortlie first time. Milan and Palermo are not to be despised for their black ones. Lace, if it be good, is more becoming than any known texture. The French watering placesare thronged and the dresses worn are of the most outrageous description. At Vichy,Deauville Aix-les-Bains, and Trouville, reason and propriety are alike outraged by the uunaturalabsurdities of “ tie back "costumes which are never admirable in town, but are in the country, where there is at least the excuse of exercise and the suspicion of simplicity, inappropriate, aud therefore not beautiful.