WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 287, 28 November 1908, Page 3

WOMAN'S WORLD.

A curious problem was raised by Bishop Mercer, of Tasmania, in the course of a recent address delivered in

,■ .Melbourne on politeness and chivalry ■ After pointing out that true chivaln 1 was Ilia deference, the strong pay lc tile weak, the bishop went on to saj , that it did not follow that man should always bow and bend to women, ft he saw a young woman who was much better able to stand than he, he would not g.re ii]) lus seat to her. On one occasion he met a woman who would have, been a good match fur Tommy Burns, lie trembled before her. He feared that in a fair light he would come off badly, and then he debated the question—- Would he lie justified in striking her, she being a woman 1" The bishop did not say so in so many words, but the- inference of his discourse was that man would be justified in certain circumstances in taking a picket or a dollies prop to such iv woman. It's a niie point of ethics, 41ml Melbourne I'uiicli having considered the matter, has resolved 011 the wisest procedure for a I man confronted by an angry Amazon with a list like the hoof of a'horse and a decidedly pugilistic disposition. If he is a small man and out of training, his best procedure is due north from the' disturbed cent™ at the very smartest gait he can command. If h e i 3 a largo man he should instantly climb 4. telegraph post, or a tram chimney, any elevated object up which -tin. laiiy cannot follow him, and he should remain there in suspense till the trouble has blown over and the female Tommy Burns has returned to the bosom of her family. Bishop Mercer must admit in his wiser, cooler moments that it is

j fortunate he did not hit that powerful female. There were many years of usefulness before him, and it would iftvtf hurt us all to see so useful a career terminated suddenly and in so ignominious a manner. Besides, had he smitten the lady, he would probably have put her in the position of having to defend a charge of manslaughter, and no gentleman would so seriously inconvenience a member of the other sex.

"A Provincial Alan," writing in World Wide on the great London suffragist procession, says:—"The procession knew its little tragedies. In front of me, on the other side, suddenly a young man sprang forward from a crowd and tore a smiling girl from the ranks. The man, so her companion said, was the girl's fiance, who, enraged at her participation, after his vain protestations, had thus successfully lain in wait. Good things were said in the ranks, but not for the ear of the crowd. Thus, a provincial leader kept instructing her little band of working women from the North in this wise: "Look over there, Mrs, (ireig; those are the Piccadilly Clubs, and there is the enemy!" "It's a funny thing, isn't it, that the men in the clubs have all bald heads; it isn't through too much work, 1 reckon." And, looking up at the windows of clubland, sure enough, they were blocked with bald pates, bald heads with white ■whiskers, white heads witli bald crowns, venerable heads of shining ivory, the egg-shaped craniums, and broad shining domes of masculine intelligence, all gathered from the' post-prandial armchair to ponder the spectacle of an earl's daughter leading ten thousand of her sex, and nigh all the distinguished women of the day, inarching under seventy flying banners, one of which was symbolically broidered with the device' of white doves in flight bearing the legend 'Upwards and Onwards.' I have bceh in many large mass meetings, but I have never seen gathered together so great a number of intelligent faces as passed from the ranks into the Albert Hall."

Of the young daughters of the Countess of Dudley an. Australian lady writes:—"And what a lesson to the mothers of growing daughters are her girls, who really are children, and not little precocious, blase women. Compare their white, washing frocks and colored sashes, their simple hats and plainly dressed hair, with their counter-parts :n women's corsets and fashionable frocks, with their padded berib-honed hair and Louis heels, and mark the difference ! The growing girl will 'perhaps cease lo he a figurehead at race meetings and problem plays, and the vounu people's halls will be'replaced bv children's paities now that mothers have an example before them of what gentlepeople's children are supposed to be." It is astonishing, when one comes to think of it, lioiv such fifth rate American manners for the young should lin.'e prevailed as they have in Melbourne. The customs of vulgarians who knew not better were cpicer ones for us to copv. For quite a long time now the custom has prevailed of judging women by their clothes, and many a one has come to the fore through her fine wearing apparel, and even girls have come to think too much about their clothes and too little about anything else. They are worn out with trying always to get two hats for the price of one. Miss Ada Crosaley is said to be doing much towards making Marion Alsop's sing popular. An Australian critic is of opinion that her charming little songs

are the outcome of a gentle musical mind untainted by the schools, but brimmind with something to say—something, when said, exquisitely said. Ada Crossloy has marked off " the dedication " for her special own; has, as a queen of song, "commanded" a sotting lo Henley's touching lyric. "Sun an 1 Stars," and what else the Fair writer may pen. The deep, rich-throated Australian songster has promised her talentart sister song-writer that London shall ere long know much more of Marion Alsop. The birth of a seven til little girl lo the Countess of Xormanlon recalls the fact to one writer that many great families commence with a succession of daughters. The Empress of Russia had four daughters before the Czarevitch made his welcome appearance, in I'.KM; and the Queen of Italy had several girls before the Prince of Piedmont arrived on the scene, also in IfllW. The Duchess of Leeds' four daughters preceded the birth of the Marquess o't Carmarthen m lftfll. The. Countess Carrington had five girls before the advent of Viscount Wondover in 1805: and Viscountess Chelsea has live daughters who are older than the Hon. Edward Cadogan, who is a godson of King Edward ami ultimate -.heir to the Earldom of Cadogan. Countess Fitzwilliam has four daughters, and, as yet, no son. '

The most potable society wedding is that of Lord Villiers, the eldest son of Earl Jersey. An exchange states that all the bride's lingerie has been made by the nuns in an Irish convent. Her gown is to be quite a simple one of white satin, but the bridal veil is rarely lovely. It is over four hundred years old, and an heirloom of the Jersey familv. ft was worn bv Sarah Countess of Jersey at her wedding in 1804. Eight little girls in white muslin frocks and mob caps copied from a picture of the i same Sarah Countess of Jersey, are to follow the bride. The wedding presents are something gorgeous. Such an exquisite collection oi diamonds has not been seen at a London society wedding for some time. The bride's parents

(Lord ami Lady Kilmorey) have given the bride a diamond tiara, diamond ring, diamond cravatte. diamond and turquoise ring; from the bridegroom's parents a diamond necklace, diamond brooch, and. all the plate. Prince and ■Princess Alexis Dolgorovki, Earl and Countess of Dudley, rrincess ITatzfodlt, Duke and Duchess of Sutherland, the Rothschilds, and the Sassoons have a. 11 sent priceless gifts. It has been most unfortunate, says the writer, that Lord Kilmorev's eldest son, who became engaged ti> Miss Assheton Smith in August, should on the eve of his sister's marriage break off his engagement. Most awkward for all concerned. A Sydney lady, writing to n Me'bourne' journal, states that the matri- | monial epidemic has raged now for many months in Sydney, and there. i«

no apparent sisrn of things altering in that respect, bast mouth saw a large nunilier of lirides, and from all accounts there will he just as many during the next few weeks. It is rather striking that in nearly every case the bridegrooms come from other lands. She heard s.mieoue remarking the other day on the fact Hint there are very few inter-Kliite marriages, and was struck with the truth of the remark. Rydney men anil girls seem to marry r.ext-door neighbours, or else go to other lands joAhcir life-partners. Very rarely, fadeed, do they make inter-Slate alliances.