THE WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 42, 15 March 1909, Page 4

THE WOMAN'S WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES, (Conducted by " Lygia ") Does any woman ever admire, to the verge of idolatry, any other woman oi similar attainments and intercuts? asks a London correspondent, Probably there are cynics of both sexes who would answer this question with an unhesitating negative, and support their conviction with many facetious illustrations. Well, they should hear the unrestrained enthusiasm (privately expressed—not in the calculated language of public compliment) with which some of the suffragists speak of Miss Christabel Pankhurst, Miss Uawthorn, Alias Ogston, and others among their leaders and strategists. One is solemnly assured t-lia;t these young ladies are "consecrated" to the cause, and that nothing short of serious illness, which seems sufficiently remote from all of them—physically they thrive on agitationwill be permitted to deflect them a hair's breadth from the heroic cause they have assigned themselves. They are prepared to continue their work for years at high pressure, if necessary. Marriage? "Never! They will never think of it—at least until their work is done," we are assured. Men may admire; but they must keep oil a good arm's length if they wish to avoid being snubbed and frozen to the marrow. "Oh, rubbish!" said an experienced society matron (who is acquainted with the entire sisterhood), when these assertions were passed on to her -io r private criticism the other day. "No, not even (Juristsbcl will hesitate an instant when the right kind or man presents himself." Miss Christabel is still under thirty, and very pretty. She is one of the few women whose photographs do not do them justice. So there is always the agreeable possibility that on opening the morning paper one may find at least one matrimonial announcement embedded in the suffragist news. Miss Beatrice Ogden Mills' wedding dress has been made by Worth, and in the opinion of critical Parisicnncs who saw it before it was despatched to New York is one of the most beautiful creations ever produced by the Rue dc 'a Paix. Miss Mills' marriage to Lord tlranard took place in New York. The material of the dress is embossed velvet on 11 white satin ground, with a special "morning glories" design in long lines running the entire length of the dress. It i 6 trimmed with lace of Louis Seise design, and has long lace sleeves and a lace yoke. The train is over three and a-half yards long, and although the costume is simple in form, a rich effect Is given to it by the design. Miss Mills wore a superb lace veil matching her dress. The part of the veil that covers the face has a small floral pattern which broadens out towards the bottom of the veil, which is two and a-half yards long and was copied from a model of the Louis Seize period. Worth has supplied dresses ior Miss Mills since she was a little girl, and the wedding costume was made from measurements in the possession of the firm. Miss Mills lias also ordered several beautiful evening gowns and tea gowns, the designs for which are now engaging attention and will be submitted to the bride when she comes to Europe. The diamond, gold, and silver presents wdiieh the bride has received from her American friends are said to represent a value of some £BOOO. It is also slated that Mr. Darius 0. Mills, grandfather of the bride, has presented her with a cheque for £25,000 and has promised her a London residence, which she is to select at her leisure in the course of the next twelve months.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Edinburgh Savings Bank, Earl Hosebery said: ''There is, at any rate, one .sort of thrift which is in the'power of the very poorest. It is to refrain from waste. [ do not mean waste oi money. That cures itself, because very soon (here is no money to waste. But waste of material, waste of something that is useful though you cannot represent it in money value to the waster. There Is waste of water, waste of gas, and things of that kind. If you would wish your children to lie thrifty I would beg you to impress upon them the criminality of waste. But let me take you to u larger sphere of thrift which, after all, is the, main point I wish to insist upon to-day. All great Empires have been thrifty. All great Empires that were meant to continue to abide were thrifty. Take the Roman Empire, which lay like an iron stamp upon the face of the world. It was 'founded on thrift. When it ceased to be thrifty it degenerated and came to an end. Prussia began with a little narrow spit of sand in the North of Europe. It was nurtured by the thrift of Frederick the Great's father. Take the case of France. lam not sure that the French always put their money into the savings, bank, and therefore they do not figure so well in the proportion of the depositors of the nation as some others may do. But when in 1870 France was crushed for a time by a foreign enemy and by a money imposition which it seemed almost impossible that any nation could pay, what happened? The stockings of the French peasantry in which they kept the savings of years were emptied into the chest of 'the State, and that huge indemnity ami war expense •were paid oIT in a time incredibly short. France was saved by her thrift."

The small daughter of the Chinese Consul is a source of great interest among the guests at the" Grand Hotel, Wellington. She is a quaint little figure in, her straight dark Wue satin garment, somewhat Direetoire in its eut and its slits up the, sides. But her head is quite a la Aniorieaine. the hair cut in what is known in the States as the "English hoi)." andi tied at one side of the forehead with a scarlet how (hat is most becoming to the olive skin ami dark locks. She speaks English prettily. A movement is on foot in Wellington to establish a hostel for women clerks and typists, to which end a meeting of representative AVcllington ladies was held the other day. The venture is as vet only in the chrysalis stage, hut there arc indications that it will not long remain so. The proposed institution will he run on similar lines to the Women Students' Hostel, which lias liecn such a signal success. It is intended that it shall he entirely self-sup-porling, and there will he no appeal made, to the public for subscriptions for its inception. The building will he started as soon as the preliminary arrangements are concluded. The need of such a hostel is imperative. What is called "house-dressmaking" is engaging much attention just now, and curtains are a most important feature of a room- Plain and dotted muslins arc extremely pretty for sash curtains, and scrim.' hemstitched, is most effective. It is really a. very good cotton material, and is capable of charming decoration, in "the shape of cross-stitch or drawn-thread work. By the way, the most satisfactory threads to work scrim and liglitlv-wov'cn linen are ravelling the material. Of course, if you can introduce color into your curtains it must correspond with your carpet and paper: the floor should be the deepest tone, the walls and hangings lighter, and the ceiling palest or all. It is an excellent idea, if your window hangings are embroidered,'to drop the actual embroidering below the edge of the glass. Even if the reverse side of the work is well finished, the light shilling tlirougn it makes it look rough. An odd thing noted by "Belinda,' of the Natal Mercury, is that the few actresses who have attained the heights have not been greatly assisted in their climb by physical attractions. Bernhardt and Dtise are graceful women, with mobile, sensitive, faces, that can express the entire gamut of emotion, but neither had pretensions to beauty. Amongst the. most gifted English actresses of the day, Lena Ashwell and Ethel Irving take foremost place, but they are not famed for their good looks. That perennial 'favorite, Ellen Terry, could never have been very prcl.lv. though she was, and still is, one of I Inmost delightful womo.il of her time. Those queens of comedy, Mine. Rejanc and Marie Tempest, would be dubbed decidedly plain by the. majority, yet their inimitable gilts are, in no wise suffered thereby,and in the roles they create they prove again and again that a clever, charming woman, who understands how to dress, can hold her own against younger and much' prettier rivals. "Belinda" continues: Ts the importance of beauty cxaL'trcratcd? you will ask. No, T do' not think it is. for most of us are attracted by a handsome exterior. But beauty lilone cannot hold our affections. The woman who has charm as well as beauty is irresistible but she who has much charm and a little lu.iutv is more magnetic than she who has much beauty but little charm. The woman who is hopelessly plain is at so serious a disadvantage that hardly any other attractions will avail her: but then few women are "hopelessly plain--Ihe majority but, sulfcr from an utter inability to make the best of thein-

selves. If a woman lias fine hair, always becomingly arranged, a tolerable skin, and no positively ugly feature, skill and taste can always render her appearance pleasing. How often do you hear it said, "She isn't really pretty, but she has a good carriage, and she knows how to put on her clothes." This is usually offered as the explanation of a charming appearance, that when analysed can only disclose the negative qualities. You will remember the answer of that artist— Wilkic, 1 think it was—who was asked with what he mixed his colors. "With brains, .sir!" That reply might be given by many a belle who is asked for the secret of her success. The woman who devotes some of her brain power to the enhancing of her looks will assuredly affect, a, great improvement in her appearance, hut the plain, truth is tluit, despite all that is said about the vanity of ouk sex, the majority of us are 100 lazy or indifferent to trouble greatly about our looks. The most charming lamp-shades can be made at home. For instance, figures of dancing fairies or Dutch children may be cut from paper and pasted on to the silk, so that the little creatures are silhouetted against the light. _ A wire fraftic is bought and wound with crossbands of tarlatan and then covered with tarlatan. Over this is laid the silk after the transfer paper has been applied. Photographic paste is excellent for this purpose. Wait till thoroughly dry till you tit the silk to the shade. Sew only the top eilge of the tarlatan, and finish at the top with a silk ruche and with a crystal or silk fringe at the foot. Japanese crepe cloth in bold designs with gold makes exquisite shades. Hexagonal frames can be got, and these look well in plain silk with a conventional design in eacli panel. This may be worked or stencilled, or carried out in a combination of both. Stencilling outlined with gold or with. Indian ink looks very well. A most wonderful imitation of a stained glass shade is made of white silk painted in transparent colors in a conventional design, each bit of color defined by a lead-colored soutache braid or fine cords, or even with a thick line of oil-color. Dresden ribbon pleated and fringed makes the loveliest of candle-shades.