FEMININE REFLECTIONS.

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 104, 23 July 1927, Page 20

FEMININE REFLECTIONS.

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ BALL

AT PAPAKURA The Papakura returned soldiers held their annual ball on Thursday evening in the Paragon Theatre. The decorations consisted of flags of all the Allied Nations, which were artistically arranged. The supper-rooms presented a gay appearance, with flags and blue and gold streamers. Thanks are due to the ladies’ committee for its excellent work in connection with the supper arrangements and table decorations. The masters o! ceremonies were Messrs. L. Rains, P. Bullen and R. George, who capably carried out their duties. The music, which was very favourably commented upon, was supplied by Hulme’s Orchestra from Pukekohe. Among those present were: Mrs.. N. Amos, gown of violet satin with silver point lace skirt, and cream shawl. Mrs. R. Annan, saxe blue crepe de chine beaded frock. Mrs. C. H. Crighton, broche crepe de chine gown in cyclamen, with pink rose trimmings, Mrs. Wardeli, black chiffon velvet gown. Mrs. Ramsey, black silk charmeuse frock. Mi's. W. Richardson, frock of apricot crepe de chine, and gold overdress. Mrs. Travis, apricot taffeta frock, trimmed with gold lace. Miss A. Richardson, green silvered silk frock, with rose trimming. Miss C. Hoyle, black satin gown, trimmed with flame and gold. Miss Lily Grant, pale blue satin frock, trimmed with bebe ribbon and floral spray. Miss I. Palmer, frock of black panne velvet and gold lace. Miss F. Cummings, ivory taffeta frock, trimmed with scarlet applique and shawl to match. Miss I. Geraghty, black chiffon velvet gown, with rose trimmings. Miss Hu Barry, frock of chenille georgette, silver lace. Miss Lulu Brewer, apricot satin frock, trimmed with silver lace, and shawl to match. Miss G. McCrory, lemon broche satin frock, trimmed with silver lace and georgette. Miss McCall, cyclamen crepe de chine and gold lace frock, with sequin trimming. Nurse Swindail, Thames, navy panne velvet gown, with Oriental trimmings. Miss E. Wright, shell pink georgette frock, with blue trimmings. Miss Tuckey, jade green taffeta frock, trimmed with silver. Miss Wardeli, pink crepe de chine frock, with guipure lace panels. Miss Val Welsh, frock of mauve taffeta and gold lace, and fringed shawl to tone. Miss T. Bond, pale mauve georgette frock, and shawl to match. Miss Walker, cyclamen crepe de chine and silver frock. Miss E. Cummings, apple green georgette frock, with accord ion-pleating, and Lauguine shawl. Miss M. Bradbury, sea green taffeta frock. Miss Gladys Hunter, saxe blue georgette frock. Miss Nellie Clark, shell pink frock of georgette. Before cutting up any quantity of crystallised ginger or lemon-peel for cakes or jams, try placing it in a warm oven for five minutes. This saves much hard work at the choppingboard besides helping to bring out the true flavour. Before breaking eggs into a bowl, rinse the bowl in cold water and the beaten eggs will not stick to the sides. If after a few weeks' wear light kid shoes begin to stain, rub them with a piece of cut lemon from which nearly all the juice has been squeezed. Hry thoroughly with a clean cloth, leave for an hour, then polish with white shoecream.

Joan called to see me at the unearthly hour of eight thirty a.m. “My dear,” she began, “I had to come round—l have left Ben for ever!” She paused and waited, her eyes fixed on my face. And I disappointed her. As an audience I was a frost in her estimation—for I saw she was expecting me to give a loud cry of hori’or —something like this: “No, no—do not do it. Think before you break your marriage vows! Reflect on the gravity —the sin of such a step!” But all I could think of was to ask: “Are you really? Where are you going to live?” “The South of France,” she said a trifle coldly. “I must say you do not seem very surprised.” “I am not,” I replied, “after all it is nothing to do with me—if you want to leave Ben, leave him—l dare say you have excellent reasons. And I dare say Ben will be mudh better off after you have gone. If you feel you want to go I am sure he will—it cannot be much fun living in the house with an unwilling companion! Besides you are one of dozens who have left or are leaving their husbands. Won’t you have some tea?” “I will not, thank you,” she returned, peevishly. “And I think you are being perfectly horrid. I am not one of dozens. My case is unique. I have stood things as long as I can, but if I had to hear Ben drink his soup once more I should yell! That is all.” And leave him she had and did, and —this is a true story—nothing will make her go back to him! She had nothing else against him—no, he was not unkind nor did she otherwise dislike him. But he did make a noise when he drank his soup—and that had killed her love for him! And really in a way, though 1 know it is all wrong, I cannot help sympathising with her. Trifles can be so terrible once on one’s nerves. Ben, of course, is one of those obstinate creatures who “will not be driven though they cannot be led,” to misquote a popular cliche. He knew he made a noise, and he knew it was wrong to do so—but is not an Englishman master in his own house? It seems he announced his intention of gurgling as loudly as he chose—and if they heard him in Timbuctoo the more pi eased he would be! An annoying person and one who enjoys cutting off his nose to spite his face. Arthur Weigall, in one of his novels, says: ’ Love, Lord of the world, and captain of the destinies of millions, is yet conquered time and again by the trivialities of life. A man is poor, and comes to dread the expenditure which his wife desires. He is busy, and his wile is unpunctual. lie loves silence and his wife wishes to talk. These, these are the dull daggers that strike and strike until at last they kill; and love, the mighty king, falls crashing to the ground, the victim of the petty thrusts of every day. When you love a woman you can overlook her superficial shortcomings so long as you are not married to her.” “Yes, I . have more sympathy with Joan than I have with the ninety and nine wives who leave their husbands for more material ends. Sometimes, of course, they have to go, but when they have not I agree with the mother-in-law w ! ho met her daughter-in-law’s complaint with: “Well, my dear—you took him for better for worse, for richer for poorer —and now he is poorer and he’s worse —and that is all there is to it!” BRIDE-ELECT HONOURED WITH MANY PARTIES Several parties are being given for Miss Eileen Abbott in honour of her approaching marriage. Among the recent hostesses were Mrs. C. E. Abbott, Miss Dalton and Miss Partridge. Yesterday’s hostess was Miss Agnes Seymour, whose “preserve afternoon” was a happy thought, Miss Abbott receiving many delicious home-made jams and pickles. Miss Seymour received her guests wearing a dainty frock of floral crepe de chine. Mrs. Seymour was in a gown of deep blue flowered crepe de chine. Miss Eileen Abbott wore a delphinium blue panne velvet frock. Mrs. E. C. Abbott was wearing a gown of pearl grey cloth and handsome fur coat. Among those present were Mrs. Randolph Abbott, Mrs. Copeland, Mrs. Lacy, Mrs. Guthrie, Mrs. Roy Russell, Mrs. Rowley, Miss Seymour, Miss Dalton, Miss Morna Partridge, Miss Smallfield, Miss Gwen Jones and Miss Noakes.

PLUNKET BALL

AT DRURY The most successful function yet held in Drury was the Plunket ball organised by the ladies of the Drury Plunket Committee. The decorations were on an elaborate scale, consisting of streamers, balloons and a myriad coloured electric lights in the hall. In the supper room the decorations were streamers and gay lanterns. Favoured by a fine night the hall was taxed to its utmost capacity. The hostesses were Mesdam'es J. Appleby, F. Heard, L. Chapman, J. Brooks, Gird wood, T. Brooks, W. Bremner, Knight, G. Heard, Langford and J. Jarvis. Votes of thanks were accorded to Mr. Milne for his generous donation of all the electric light fittings, and to Mr. Les. Ballard’s orchestra for their kindness and giving their services. Great appreciation was expressed to Mrs. J. Javie, the organiser of the function, for her splendid work in connection with this successful effort on behalf of tbi Plunket Society. The ball, which was a great success socially and financially, resulted in a donation of £lO to this well deserving cause. Among those present were:

Mrs. F. G. Johnstone, black and white crepe de chine frock trimmed with silver beads. Mrs. C. S. Beechey, cream georgette frock and floral shawl. Mrs. S. D. Rice, frock of fawn satin with beaded overdress. Mrs. H. E. McEntee, embroidered marocain gown with lace trimmings. Mrs. Mullins, green marocain frock with lace trimmings. Mrs. Knight, lemon taffeta frock. Mrs. E. C. Foote, salmon pink satin frock with georgette overdress. Mrs. E. P. Hirst, Opaheke, flame coloured satin gown. Mrs. T. Brooks, beaded frock of black georgette. Mrs. J. Brooks, black and silver seqiynned frock. Mrs. Langford, frock of pink silk and gold lace. Mrs. J. Jarvie, gown of black silk and gold lace. Mrs. G. McCullough, mauve taffeta frock. Mrs. E. Lacassie, mauve satin gown and floral shawl. Mrs. F. Heard, blue velvet frock with bead trimmings. Mrs. G. Heard, beaded frock of white crepe de chine. Mrs. W. Bremner, biscuit coloured lace frock. Mrs. Sloane, biscuit georgette frock with lace trimmings. Mrs. Li. Dreadon, black gown of silk crepe. Miss D. King, shell pink frock of crej>e de chine. Miss J. Chamberlain, fawn velvet gown with flower trimmings. Mrs. W. A. Pavitt, pale mauve frock of brocaded silk. Mrs. G. Tilston, floral ninon gown. Miss A. McLennan, cameo pink satin frock. Miss P. Mullins, green crepe de chine frock with lace trimmings. Miss O. Stack, cyclamen crepe de chine frock with ribbon motifs. Miss V. Mullins, white crepe de chine frock with silver trimmings. Miss E. Marshall, frock of opal blue taffeta. Miss E. Jarvie, cyclamen crepe de chine frock trimmed with silver. Miss K. Brooks, turquoise blue crepe de chine frock with flower trail. Miss E. Amos, gown of black satin. Miss E. Sutherland, Nile green frock of crepe de chine. xYLiss E. Ballard, green crepe de chine frock with silver beading. Miss G. Waterhouse, apricot crepe de chine frock with lace panels. Miss J. Bremner, pretty frock of blue silk. Miss E. McPherson, apricot georgette frock with gold trimmings. Miss J. Gordon, frock of green satin. Miss A. Lodge, frock of mauve georgette silver and lace. For thinning enamel paints and Silvafros methylated spirit is quite as good as turpentine and less expensive. When boiling cabbage or other greens add one teaspoon of butter or dripping to the water. The cabbage will not boil over, and no stirring will be needed.

THE BUSINESS WOMAN’S MEALS By JANINE JOUET “I wish you would tell me what to eat to keep well and yet not get fat,” wrote a business girl to me recently. “I work all day in the city and find that I cannot keep up without three, good, substantial meals a day, while most of the girls I work with go without lunch or just eat an apple in order to keep their figures slim. They all seem well, but if I go without my lunch I get a fearful headache and have usually to go to bed without my dinner, and I feel work dreadfully the next day; but when I eat my three meals regularly I never think whether I’m sick or well, but I am pretty fat, and a girl can’t look nice these days if she is at all plump.” This business girl told me quite a good deal, but not quite enough. She did not state the nature of her work, but since she seems to suffer loss of food acutely it would seem that her work involves expending a great deal of physical energy—more than the girl who sits at a desk or at a machine. I certainly do not agree with her that a girl cannot look “nice” if she is at all plump. Nice is not an expresison that I care for in regard to a woman’s appearance, yet it does fit some of the pretty, dimpled, plump girls I know. A trouble with many girls is that they do not seem able to discriminate between fat and plump. Also, most girls do not realise how much their looks, as well as their health, depend upon the food they eat. Now that angles instead of curves are modish most girls are so fearful of adding an extra ounce to their weight that they leave off eating the foods that they most need (especially in the winter-time) for their physical wellbeing. My correspondent, who confesses that she must eat three meals a day, is, if a hard worker, only normal in her demands. Still, if she is convinced that she is fat and not merely plump, she can cut out of her diet potatoes pastry, cakes and “made” sweets of any kind, and particularly eshchew chocolates. Then, unless she has forgotten to mention that she nibbles between meals and has morning and afternoon-tea, she cannot possibly be fat on the class of food that remains unless she is abnormal; if so, she is a subject for medical advice. Every girl should realise that she cannot have beauty of face or form without health, and without sufficient proper nutriment she cannot have permanent robust health. The working girl, no matter what her employment, be she saleswoman, typist, waitress, machinist or domestic worker, should study her food. The body requires a variety of food to make good the daily wastage (more or less according to our avocations) and restore the tissues while one sleeps. Food and rest are the main essentials needed to keep us in physical well-being, and it is not so much the quantity of food as the quality and suitability. Particularly during winter-time the body needs a certain percentage of fat and sugar to keep up the supply of warmth and energy. Unless she provides this fuel to keep her system going a girl lowers her efficiency, as well as injures her her’th, and she will develop nerves. r L. ; nerves are fed by fat, and if they are not given a certain amount of food will get the better of you and you will become querulous and lose your youth much before its allotted time. Do not be afraid to eat plenty of butter —thin, stale brown bread liberally buttered may not be so delectable as chocolate-creams, but is not a quarter so fattening and is sustaining and nutritive. The fat from roast beef is most easily digested and excellent winter food. An oatmeal cereal for breakfast should not be overlooked, and if you do not care to risk the fattennig effect of milk with it, use golden syrup (this is not exactly thinning, either, so you may prefer a pinch of salt instead). No girl who takes only three meals a day need fear getting fat, provided she takes a reasonable amount of exercise. The girl who goes out to business should include in her diet cheese, eggs, meat, butter and all green vegetables. In winter, if she feels chilly, she sliopld try the splendid warming agencies of plain chocolate, thick soups, cocoa, plain suet puddings, macaroni in any guise, beef-steak puddings, haricot beans and plum puddings. One need not make a daily menu from this list of things, but the girl who expends lots of energy needs one substantial meal of heat- and fat-producing foods every day during the winter if she wishes to maintain mental and physical well-being into her middle years. Properly nourished, too, she will find that she is less likely to fall a victim to cold and influenza germs. Anyone who is under-nourished is an easy victim to any germ floating about, and has less vitality to fight any such unwelcome visitation. When making gruel, stir the boiling milk into the basin containing the blended groats, return to the saucepan and boil as usual. By this method all risk of lumps is avoided. Add a teaspoon of good dripping to French beans when boiling them; it will improve the flavour of the beans and make them tender. When polishing linoleums, put the polish on with a small boot-brush. Less polish will be used, and the lino, will be much easier to shine.