LADIES' COLUMN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 246, 16 November 1903, Page 4

LADIES' COLUMN.

WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT, A considerable number of people find their way into the Houses of Parliament on the one Jay in each week set apart for tham, and one of the most common questions is as to the latticework in front of the Ladies' Gallery in the House o£ Commons. It is not very easy to say why the presence of ladies should be more •disconcerting in the Commons than in the Gilded Chamber, where it seems to incommode nobody. But it is undeniable that there is something in the atmosphere of the Palace of Westminster which l»as tended to feminine lawlessness—in the past, at least ! And what lias happened there once might occur again. So think the advocates of the ' grille." They remember a case in the days of Pitt, wlien a great debate had tionally large number of Indies, who drawn to St. Stephen's an excepthen were allowed to overflow galleries, and even the benches, much at their own sweet will. A member —he was a naval captain, and ought to have been more gallant—angry at not linding room for some onlooking friends, drew the Speaker's attention to the presence of •"Strangers." Tilis, as is well known, leads oUicially to the clearing of the galleries. But however easy it might be that day to issue the order, it was difficult enough to carry it out. The ladies had come for an evening's amusement, and comfortably established themselves ; they absolutely declined either to hear the order or to move. In vain the Ser-geant-at-Arms and his underling* (implored and threatened. At lirst the ladies sat in silent and smiling disregard ; but presently they broke into jeers and laughter, and such a scene ensued as would " have disgraced the gallery of an East-End theatre." The despairing Sergeant betook himself to the Speaker, who could suggest nothing. Wit suspension of the House until the ladies should be gone. The women looked rather foolish when they were left in possession, but they stayed on for hours, hoping to win the victory after all. They did not win : and i>o rigorous was the rule that no petticoat should afterwards ba allowed. within the House that Mrs Sheridan was driven to don male attire in order to bear her husband speak. The famous —or ought we to say notorious ?—Duchess of Gordon, too, more than sat in tho Strangers' Gallery dressed in the uniform and military cloak of her son-in-law, the Duke of Richmond. FICKLE FASHION.

At a dinner party in Washington, the new Cbmeee Ambassador discussed American fashions satirieally. "In China," he said, " our fasbions never change. I weai the same sort of hat, the same sort of osat, the same sort of shoes that a man h* my position wore a thousand years ago. And it is the same with our women. Their fashions also faave not changed in I know not how many dynasties. Long ago, ill China, we found the costumes that seemed to us the most graceful and the most comfortable, and we cling to those costumes. We love them. "But you—how often is it every week, every fortnight ?—that you change your fasbions ? Only the other day I met a friend with a parcel under his arm. I stopped my carriage, " ' Come,' I said, 'let us have a little chat—a comfortable little chat.' "But he shook big head. He said hurriedly : " 'No, I cannot. In this parcel there is a bonnet for my wife. Were I to stop and talk the fashion in bcimets might change before I reaahed home.' THE POPE'S SISTEBS. The Black Aristocracy of Some, says a Home paper, have been cuttiny a very 'ugly figure,' as Italians say. The ladies especially have been busy discussing wnether it was possible for them to receive the Pope's sisters unless they were raised to the rank of Countfesses. But the Pope, wnea he heard of the matter, answered, - with his usual bonhomie, "My sis-ters are quite content with being tne Pope's sisters." According to Benedict XIV., every member of a Pope s family becomes a patrician without any creating. But when a Pope so wills, he can rnUke a Martins and even a Prince of a relative, and more than one proud Princess who now demurs at receiving the Pope's untitled sisters, owes her title to some former Pontiff. But His Holiness does not desire any title of nobility for any member of his family. As' for his sisters, so fond is he of them, that if one of them were ill 110 power on earth woußi keep feii* in the Vatican. A priest—a very liberal priest who frequently sees the Pope, sans ceremome, tells me that the Pontiff is kicking hard against the etiquette whioh would trammel His every action. Take care P' he once said, in a bantering tone. "If you don't mind, 111 take my carriage and drive round the Villa Borghese And he is (jaite capable of keeping bis word. ' " A PRETTY INNOVATION. A pretty custom was introduced at the recent wedding of Lady Wilson's daughter. Instead of rice or confetti, timy shoes mode of silver paper ornamented with silver horseshoes, and with the words "Good Luck" printed inside, were provided for the guests, and these were thrown by the brides well-wishers at parting.