Woman's World.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 258, 30 November 1903, Page 4

Woman's World.

Thanks to athletic training, the proverbial big feet of the Chicago ■girls are disappearing, according to Mr Daniel P. McMillan, who took the measurements of 160 Normal School graduates this year, after thev had put in regular hours at golf, basket-b&l), walking, running, and dumb-bell exorcises. Ab compared, with the former girl, the modern girl has a larger chest by 3in, her bust has expanded by 4in, her waist by sin, her hips by 2in, her biceps by Uin, and her shoulders fciy lin ; the average height has increased from sft 3in to Sft 6fn, and her weight frorii 1181b to 1401b, and her shoe has shrunk from No. 5 to No. 4s. —o— It is a curioue fact that among women fame and fatness appear to be almost synonymous terms. For instance, the greater number of the most celebrated Sovereigns, both of past times and the present day, have >l>een, to put it mildly, anything but living skeletons. To begin with, the fair Cleopatra, according to the testimony of cameos and statues, was decidedly stout, while b»th Marie Theresa and the Empress Catherine of Russia were squally remarkable for their bodily and mental development, which in the case of the Russian Empress, ultimately degenerated into downright monstrosity. Equally stout was our own "Good Queen Anne," while among later memwehs may be mentioned the late Queen Christiana and the ex-Queen Isabella of Spain, and, with all respect be it added, our own late Queen Victoria. The same rule applies to literature, to science to art and to society. Thus "George Eliot" the novelist was stout, as were -'-'Georges Sand," Hannah More, Mine, de Stael and Mine. Blavatsky. So, too, was Rosa Bonheur, the celebrated painter.

A French journal gives some interesting particulars of the occupations of women in France Out of the working population of 18 000 - 000, 12,0(10,000 are men and (1 OOo'000 womm. Agricultural and farming claims the largest number of women workers, more than 2,700 000 and industries and manufactures come next with 1.888,000. Domestic service, the only occupation in which the miml>er of women employed exceeds that of the men accounts for 737.000, and commerce ■and trade for 571,000. In none of Hie other occupations do the wo,. ~ , exceed 170,000. Turning to the women who have entered liberal professions, it appears there arc HS \ vo men doctors, 18 women dentists and ' T■ "Z ht ;, ' M,out i,0 < 000 women i aie in the Government service. Of! these about 14,000 are empfoved in! the postal, telegraph and telephone j servire ; 50,000 are teachers The occupation of hospital mirs-ing.wmVh has been so successfullv organised in England, is still i„ » very unsatisfactory condition in France, though an effort is being, made to improve the training and condieion of work.