WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 165, 6 August 1909, Page 1

WOMAN'S WORLD.

TIIK CZARIXA. PRECAUTIONS FOR HER PROTECTION. A medical man whose professional duties have brought him iuto immediate and prolonged contact with Uie personnel of the St. Petersburg palace of the Czarina says that'the precautious taken for her protection are far more elaborate than are generally supposed. The command of (die Empress's bodyguard—a detachment of picked Uhlans —is at present in the hands of Major Orlov, an officer who distinguished himself in the suppression of Hie insurrection in the Baltic provinces. The Uhlans are camped about various parts of the imperial gardens. Outside the palace domains are eight infantry regiments, which change their camping and guarding centres daily. Inside the castle walls is a squadron of absolutely trustworthy officers; in various outbuildings are two regiments of mounted Cossacte. Every man is fully armed. No officer on duty iu the castle may leave his I room or close his door or receive a stranger during the period he is detailed for duty. When on night duty these officers sleep still fully armed, in special-ly-made armchairs, behind which stands a sentry with a bugle in his hand, and with orders to blow it at the slightest alarm. Indeed, every soldiel forming part of this numerous bodyguard is provided with a bugle for a similar purpose. The instructions are: "On an alarm being sounded every soldier is to remain at his post prepared for action; the offiare to surround the Empress immediately and form a protection to her with their bodies." Yet, in spite of these precautions, a threatening letter was found on the coverlet of the Empress's bed one morning.

WOMEN'S KIOT AT A SALE. RUSH TO BUY SMUGGLED DRESSES. A scene hardly possible outside the United States was enacted on sth June, states the New York correspondent of the London Daily Mail, when the first part of the collection of smuggled gowns I recently sei/.ed by the tlovernment was : fold at auction. Five thousand expen-sively-dressed women, including the ! wives and daughters uf some of the ! nioßt prominent men in New York, struggled and fought to enter the room at the Custom-house, capable of holding not more than 700 people, in which the sale was held. Now and then the auction had to bo stopped and the doors forced open while the women who had fainted from the heat were dragged out. One woman, unable to push into the room, procured a ladder and, raising it to a wail, made her bids through a window. The United States marshal, who was the volunteer auctioneer, and regarded the entire proceeding as a huge joke, dubbed this voice at the window as ''Cuckoo," and continually exasperated the women inside by accepting its bid as final. The auction proceeded amid indescribj able confusion and deafening chatter, not silenced either ■by the strenuous efforts of forty Customs officers, who were-overwhelmed by the crowd, or by the auctioneer's continual appeals to the ladies to be quiet. The sale began at 10 a.m., and was still going oa at 5 | p.m. without visible diminution of the j crowd. I let. if there were bargains they were few. Most of the stock, consisting of embroidered gowns and li.ie and delicate lingerie, was acquired bv busiuessnke men in check suits and'with large grouped near the auctioneers stand. Thev were said to represent importers to whose advantage it was not , 10 permit this stock of finery to fall I mto amateur hands. : The few samples obtained bv the women, were purchased at prices far above the average in the shops \i- . Locb, collector of the port, who smiliii"j !y watched tile sale, was gleeful a t the i Government's prospective profits,

jormys. If it is true tluit the rate is il(.'dining in America, there is perhaps some consolation in knowing iliut Americans art every year providing a large jiuiubc-r of wives for the citizens of Canada. Sixteen brides-to-be travelled to tile Dominion of the Shows ou tlie lust voyage of the Aila,, liner Corsican. The bride,.,.'!,,a ale described as ix'iiig all young and pretty, and they constituted a "cargo'' which is without j-'iceedent ill tile annals of St. Lawrenc" -hipping. It is said that a search through tiiuiiMuuls of hills of Jading for uai.> l),nk would fail to discover u conof such interest. On board the girls know nothing of each other until they met ill the Corsieairs dining saloon, when?, somehow, their secrets were revealed, i'or the remainder of tie voyage liiey entirely forgot the other passengers in the interesting task of arranging to exehauge visits when the ivßOts were tied.

Queen Elena of Italy haa revolted (the Daily Mail says) against the mode ot gigantic hats which the French milliners have endeavored to impose on Italian women of fashion. Her Majesty and most of the ladies of her Court di not wear a liat of any description but have adopted a sort 'of light nuntil'-t to wear iu public. Tile movement of protest against "ridiculous fashions imposed us from abroad" ia said to be sprading throughout the Roman aristocracy.

The Post's London correspondent, under date 25th July, writes:—-Their .Majesties the. King and Queen lield a court at Buckingham Palace last nigh'; at which several New Zcalanders were present, including Sir Robert and Lady .Stout, Dr. and .Mrs. Charles Moricc (of Greymouth). ami Miss llnbi Seddnn. Sir I'obert had attended the King's Leve at St. James' Palace earlier iu tin week, being presented by the Scrtavj' of State. Mrs. Morice, daughter of tlie late Mr. Sedrton, wore a dress of ivory white satin-Imperial cut in Princess shape, the front having an overdress of silk and crystal embroidery studded with large pearls and cdge.l with a deep crystal fringe. The tightfitting chemise sleeve was finished with (rimming to match the overdress. The train of the same satin-Imperial was lined with deep shell pink satin soupli, and trimmed with ehill'ou and silver lioeuds, Louis XV. A spray bouquet of pink carnations and lilies-of-the-vall';y gave an effective finish to tlie tout ensemble. The presentation was made by Lail.v Crewe. }liss Rubi Seililon wore a dniiitv dress of soft wdiite tulle sewn with bugles of silver, and tlie tunic was exquisitely embroidered in floss silk and silver in a design of laurel leaves; the train, arranged from both shoulders, was of soft white satin lined with bugle net and trimmed with tulle ruches."