WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 39, 11 March 1909, Page 4

WOMAN'S WORLD.

WEDDINGS. There was a very, large gathering oi friends tit the Whiteley .Memorial Church yesterday afternoon, when Mr. William Duncan, of New Plymouth, was married to .Miss Ethel Blanchell, eldest daughter of Mr. Thus. B. Manendi, of Vogeltown. The church had been nicely decorated by the friends of the bride, on account of whose connection with the choir the service was made fully choral, the choir singing, "The Voice that breathed o'er Eden" and "0 Perfect Love." Rev. T. 0. Jlrooke officiated. Mr. T. B. Blanchcit gave away the bride, whose wedding robe was it beautiful cream silk taffeta, richly trimmed with silk bands and silk lace. She wore the customary veil and wreath, and carried a lovelv shower bouquet. The bridesmaids, the Misses Mary, Ida and G'wcn UlaucheU. sisters of'the bride, wore cream lawn dresses made in empire style, with pale blue sashes, and large white hats. Mr. J. K. Graham acted as best man. Mr. G. 11. White olliciated as organist. After the ceremony a reception was held at the residence'of the bride's parents, about sixty guests attending. The wedding gifts bore testimony to the popularity of the young couple. At the Primitiy .Methodist Church vestenlav afternoon, Ihe licv. J. Guy officiating, Mr. A. (). Wells, eighth son oi -Mr. '/,. W. Wells, ol Maugorci, was married to .Mi-,- <:. Kiianf. daughter of Mr. 11. Kuauf. of Westowu. Tlie Misses 1. and C. Wells were the bridesmaids, and Mr. D. Wells best man. Mr. and Mrs. Wells left by the afternoon train on their honeymoon tour.

A quiet wedding was celebrated yesterday by the Rev. J. Laird at the Baptist Church, the contracting parties bein" Mr. C. A. Simons, sou of the late Mr. C. Simons, of Tariki, and Miss Ethel Adeline Garner, daughter of Mr. G. W. Gamer, of Westowu. The bride was attended by her two sisters, Myrtle and Elsie, as bridesmaids, and Mr. George Simons, brother ol' Ihe bridegroom, was best man. The young couple left by the J. 15 train for 'their future home at Tariki.

At St. Mary's Church yesterday afternoon, il wedding of considerable interest was celebrated, when -Ur. Fred Black, of llawcra, and formerly 01 Straijord, was united in llic bonds of matrimony to Miss Bertha Batchelor, third daughter of the late Mr. Hugh Batchelor. The bride was given away by her eldest brother, Mr. Hugh Batchelor. She wore a pretty cream voile empire costume, with the usual veil and orange blossoms, and carried a shower bouquet. Misses Toi and Ivy Johnston were the bridesmaids, and Mr. W. Batchelor best man. liev. Evans officiated. The bridegroom's present to the bride was a gold watch, and to the bridesmaids gold brooches. A huge number of friends gathered at the railway station to sec th«mi oIV on liieir bridal tour. THE QUEEN AS A WAX IST, Queen Alexander, though a Dane by birth, has not been so much inlluenced in her tastes by the music of her own country us by that of Germany. The great Danish composer Niels Cade, sterling musician though he is, is not ranked by ller Majesty so high as the leading Herman, masters. This is because her taste has been formed on the best models from her girlhood upwards, and however much she may admire the musicians of her native, country, she assigns the superiority to Herman music. Her Majesty is a beautiful and brilliant player on the pianoforte, ami it is one of the greatest pleasures to those around her to listen to her performance. She attributes her exceptional skill and tech-I nical ability on the piano to patient and unwearied practice, and to the further fact that she had Hie benefit of having as her master one of the greatest pianists that England ever produced— Sir Charles Halle. Under the superintendence and careful tuition of this great musician, the Queen's style of playing ripened into consummate excellence and that complete ease of execution of which Sir Charles Halle was ever so remarkable an exponent. It was one of Queen Alexandra's greatest pleasures to play duets with her distinguished master, in addition to studying as a soloist under him, and it wits a pleasure in which she frequently indulged. Besides her own skill as an executant, Her Majesty is a competent judge and critic of musical compositions. She lias always been a very earnest, admirer of the music of Brahms, which few hut those thoroughly versed in the art can thoroughly understand and appreciate in its often, mazy intricacy. Gounod is another favorite composer of Her Majesty, and she frcijuenlly plays his music. It is pleasant to realise a fact which we may her mention : that sacred music attracts a large share of our gracious Queen's attention. Sacred music is so often given the go-by in the present age, [ and considered of no account and uninteresting, that many readers will hear with pleasure that such, at any rate, is not the Queen's opinion. While others would relegate sacred music to a position of inferiority, she on the contrary, would exalt its importance, and much of the time which she devotes lo music is spent in playing hymns and other sacred 1 pieces.' lii Queen Alexandra we have a royal lady whom many an English girl may take for her pattern of steady practice, of brilliant result, and—last, not least—of simple delight in that chaste and solemn sacred music which, though I he must unpretentious, is yet hi its spirits and aims the highest and noblest music, of all.—J. F. Uowbothain, M.A., in the Girl*' Own Paper. AX "ETHICAL MA.WIAGE." New York las heen slightly shocked by the "cthieal marriage" of one of the University settlement workers, Miss liroski. with Dr John ITamerton, the head worker in the settlement. Miss Broski, aged twenty-one, is the daughter of Dr Broski, a. self-styled atheist, who believed in the "ethical form of marriage." The marriage came as a surprise to many of the settlement workers, and on Sunday wheu the news spread through the settlement houses, where orthodoxy has so far reigned unchallenged, there was a great buzzing of gossip. The ceremony took place in the apartments of Dr. Elliott, head worker of the Hudson Guild Settlement House, who is a close friend of Dr. Hamcrton, and well known among sociologists. He is an associate of Dr Felix Alder in the Society for Ethical Culture. JJr Elliott himself performed the "ethical marriage." Dr. Hamcrton and Miss Broski, standing before him, formerly accepted each other as husband and wife, promised each to love and honor the other, and to light life's battles side by side. After the •'ethical marriage," the couple entrained for the honeymoon. The father and mother of the bride said they believed in "ethical marriages," and thought they would become increasingly popular as people become more enlightened. Dr Hamoi'toii and .Miss Broski, they said, secured a marriage license from the municipality, and that was considered sufficient by both parties. One result of the "cthieal marriage" is that Mrs Broski Hamcrton may lose her appointment as a public school teacher. PERSONAL AND GEXEHAL. Someone must take a hold step and popularise dances that involve graceful movements, remarks the Lady's Pictorial. Xovadays we drill, we swim, and prate of the exercises that render us supple and graceful, yet when we get into a ball-room all we eon do is to spin round and round and rush up and down. A great dish at Egyptian herain feasts is that of a lamb roasted whole. Aftjr the manner of a nest of Chinese boxes, each smaller than the other, the lamb is stull'ed Willi a whole turkey, the turkey with a chicken, the chicken with a I pigeon, the pigeon with a quail, and the | quail with a beealico, the smallest bird known except the humming-bird. The lamb is roasted over si slow lire until it is almost ready (o fall lo pieces. The idea of American women that jewelled teeth was a new fad, .Mr 15, P. Gaston stated in his lecture lo young people at the Roval Geographical Society, was quite erroneous. The latest fad of American actresses was popular among Central American women countless agOs ago. In the ancient burialgrounds skulls had been found in which jailile and pvril.es had been skilfully led into the enamel of the teeth. 11 f NTS. A Water-softener for the Balh.-Buy a yard of cheesecloth or butter muslin, and cut it into squares about -tin wide ; sew these up to form bags. Next mix together two pound and a half of fine oat-meal, four ounces of powdered Sastilo soap, and eight ounces of powdered orris root.. Fill the bags (not too full) with this mixture, and place in the bath,

using it as a sponge. These bags are splendid, and will soften and perfume the water beautifully. You can remove oil-spots from a boarded lloor by well washing ami strong soda and water in which a little unslaked lime has been dissolved. L'se tho scrubbing brush and follow the grain of the wood. Wash well with clean hot water after the scrubbing, and dry with a rough cloth. After a long and tiring day, especially if the, hat has been worn continuously morning and afternoon, the scalp often feels excessively tender and sensitive at night. Considerable relief can be obtained by simply dipping the comb in cold water in which a few drops of eaude Cologne have been added, and passing it through the hair at the top of the head, or a lew drops of rose water may be sprinkled over the hair and the skin rubbed gently with w« finger-tips. To Clean White Furniture—First oi all dust thoroughly, then wash it well with warm water to which enough soap powder has been added to make it lather well. Rinse with cold water, being verv careful to swill out the corners, for nothing looks worse man little heaps of damp dust left in the cracks and crevices of light furniture or paint. Wipe quite drv, then go over it with a slightly damp flannel dipped in powdered whiting or prepared chalk. Finally polish with a drv, clean chamois leather. Really good enamelled furniture will wash again and again, if carefully done, and will come out as "good as-new" after each cloan-

rag. For the chronic knee-swelling popularly called " water in the knee " try painting with liniment of iodine. FASHION FRILLS. Breast pockets elaborately stitched are a feature of many of the new blouses. Some new dress attachments arc decorated with steel beads and fringes. Big pocket (laps and close-fitting sleeves denote the newness of some smart coats. Brown shadings to amethyst is a favorite idea of hat trimming. Bells with a buckle each side of a skirt front panel are novel and attractive. Some of these are of strong, hut fine, nat, (ifher on firm and heavily-worked velvet or silk. Wonderful girdles of black satins arc arranged for wear with dresses of all pretty colorings. Blouses piped along the seams with another color are among the novelties oi the season. Embroidery flouncings are used quite a good deal on the more expensive ornamental lawn blouses.