WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 351, 31 March 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

THE GIFT OF TFfc YEARS. ! If I could glean tlie sweetness of the yeart. Their clustering richness and their freshened 'bloom, Before they cloyed and withered to their tomb; Then crouching at thy leet, in "joyous tears, Or in sad hesitance of hopes and fears, The glory of their gift* should now illum» The air around thee, toi < h with their perfume, As fragrant rain the drouth of noonday clears! But as I touch the hen» of thy dear worth, Robed in its beauty, lovelier than a flower, My cumbrous world is toned with ecstasy! The. love and truth that light my heaven and earth, The consecration of each care-bound hour That has its vital life alone in thee! —lsidore G. Ascher, in the Westmhv ater Gazette, LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. Love is indeed one of the few sensations or emotions of our nature that will not, cannot, be controlled. There are those who doubt tbc existence of love at first sight, yet why? Has it not been proved times withoutnumber that love does' not come at will? Cupid is indeed a stubborn god, who cannot be suianioned at will. Just as well might we try to govern the restless sea; bid the waves stand still, as the emotions of the human heart. That love often come, 't first sight there is no gainsaying. Crpid is indeed a fickle god, a veritable tyrant, who shoots his dart when »nd where he chooses. We have instants of it every day; how often we reaj ot peop'e falling in love with a particular face, th« beauty of which haunts item long afterwards ! Some declare with a sneer there is ho such thing as love at first sight; they openly ridicule th» idea, do not ibelieve in it. Others contend that love only grows upon one when constantly in the company of a certain person. And yet is this really to? Cupid is no respector of person or place, yet kow very soon the little god makes himself known and felt. It may be a look, a word; the touch of a haud or some low-ly-spoken sentence, the sweetness of a voice or chord that has struck a responsive note through our whole bein& Again, it may be a kiss which first is the spark which kindles f he grand passion.

There is a pretty sto.y told of our own King. Edward VII., when a yiing man, happened to see the portrait of a girl in the possession of a friend which he admired verj' much; in fact, tecame enamored of it. On enquiry he was informed that the lady in question was of Danish extraction, and then *nd there our young Prince determined to seek out the fair owner of such rare and sweet beauty. Some time later the Prince again saw the face that had so strargely fascinated him; it was in a sta+ily, grand cathedral on the Continent, *nd certainly none of the pictured saiuU upon those venerable walls looked ha!f so beautiful in his eyes as that of the sweet Danish, maiden not vet out of her teens.

Xhis proved to be a genuine case of love at first sight, for our Prince now became an ardent suitor ior this Royal lady's hand, and the litt'e romance soon merged into a reality, for the beautiful Danish Princess, reciprocs ting his affection, eventually became cur own beloved Queen Alexandra. x With such an irrefutable example of the reality of love at fiist sight, one cannot surely doubt th- existence of such a thing oven in this matter-of-fact world of ours, or that love is a divine gift? Does not such a story recall the words—

,A beam from out the Godhead caught To lift from self each srrdid thought, A ray of Him Who formal the whole. A glory circling round the soul? One never knows wh<*n or how they will meet their fate. T* may 'he in a crowd, or It may com* tc ua when wandering alone in the sllvrry glades of Elysium. Love has n-< limits; Cupid respects neither age, ptvsonslity, nor tex.

How frequently we re id in the lore affairs of great men that thev have loved at sight; and from tint moment their heart is no longer under control. The sweet glance of a beautiful eye, the sight of a lovely face at a window, a passing glimpse of a fair unknown form in a crowded street. lia« been known to raise in men's breasts 'an undying passion, a love that coud not be stifled, but remained with them so long as life lasted, for good or ill.

WOMEN HUMOiTSTS. A eurrent American magazine give* an interesting account of some of the women humorists of the day, and the story of how "Mrs. Wi»gi" became famous is rather unusual in this age of fcoom. Some years %v" eight or ten Louisville women of liter.uy taste formed a little club among**'* themselves, which came to be known as the Authors' Club. At one of the mo-tings a member brought the manuscript of a book she had written, and rexi it aloud. Tt was enthusiastically endorsed, and the writer was unred to send it to a publisher. The author was Mrs Alice Hegan Rice, and the book "Mrs Wi?g« of the Cabbase Patch." Whop Mrs. Wi'2«s first found her way out to the reading

public it was with no great blare of trumpets. The publishers—apparently with little sense of humor - had no great expectation for it, and hesitated before printing an edition of two thousand copies. The edition w<\« sold within a month, and another two thousand printed. Then came another, and at the end of six months the presses were turning out ten thousand a month, which later rose to forty thousand a month, ana »o the tale went on until forty-three editions had been printed Mid now after eight years, five hundred copies a month are printed and sold. Few women, or men either, had had •uch a success with a first book, but Mrs. Hegan Rice is on'y one on the long list of women whose names are as well-known here as in America. In fact, it is claimed by Mr. Maurice, fcditor of the Bookman, that threefifths of the new scho.M of American humor' is feminine. In her countryman's esimation, Miss Carolyn Wells (stands first, and her parodies are undoubtedly clever and amusing. Miss Wells is said to have an original rule for measuring the length of her books. Her publisher once ask n d her why she alwaj-s sent her manuscript in a olb candy box. Miss Wells replied: "When I feel that I am goinw to wiite a book I always buy a 51b box of candy and a pint of ink." Then I be?i,i to write. And when the candy is all gone and the ink is all used up I know that the book is. long enough."

Then there are Ann Warner creator of "Aunt.Mary"; KaAe Touglas Wiggin, whose "Rebecca" and "Penelope" are friends of us all. George Madden Martin', author of "Emmy Lou," Jean Webster, Rose O'Neill, Mary Stewart Cutting, and many others -who help to make the world bright, and toy their flashes of wholesome bumor contribute to the health of the community, and do much to relieve the tension of the strenuous modern life. ART TRIUMPHANT OVER LOVE. CARUSO'S MARRTACF ABANDONED. New York. February 2. Believers in true romance will regret to hear, and lovers of m.sic will be relieved to learn, that C.iuso's intended wedding with his pretty Neapolitan sweetheart will not taV'? p!ace^

When it was announced a short time r.go. that Caruso had H'cnne deeply attached to the daughter -;f a business man in Nanles, and intended to marry and settle down, the wreiitest consternanation prevailed in conceit and operatic circles.

Every great genius 19 entitled to aomej ideal, and it has been known for a long time that Caruso's anVMHon was to retire from public life and i>ecome a gentleman farmer. The directors of operatic companies were in despair, while the impressarios of conce r ', tours wrung their hands. Music lover", all over the world regarded Caruso'-, marriage and retirement as nothing sh/rt of an international catastrophe. When he was faced wtiisllv with the prospect of having to «a* sood-bve to the public, however. Caruso's heart failed him, and he decided <•. abandon the project of leading the si*nj>le life. Unfortunately, his of plans was not entirety in accordance with the views of the girl, and the marriage has been abandoned.

Indeed, Caruso has bn-r. bu»y making plans for the year's wnk. He will leave New York shortly to appear in grand opera in Paris. T.'is engagement will last during the moi t : - of April. In May Caruso will go to Lo 1 don, where he has many friends, for a r- ft. After that he will return to his h'oved Italy, to appear both on the con.-trt stage and in grand opera.

A ROMANTIC TEXOR. Ber'in. February 6. A remarkable romance surrounds the arrival here of Mrs. Kari Jorn, the wife of the operatic tenor She has come from America to marry k dentist practising in this city. Mrs. Jorn, who has th'ee children, cently declared to her hv;Land that she loved the dentist, whereupon he agreed to a divorce, and settled on her as a dowry all his world goo*ls. He agreed to pay her £SOOO in cash and to allow her £2OO a year until she re-marries and £2OO a year for the education of each of'the three children.

In a story which Mrs. Jorn has given to the local newspaper? rre states:

"I have acted for the best. I consider that a woman's great object in life is to love and be loved Those who condemn me must remember that my marlied life was cold and joyless In my home there was a frigid atmosphere. Great artists who arc wrapped up in their art, which beeome." their real love, have no right to .gain the affections of warm-hearted women. 'J hey have, in fact, no right to'.maryy. When their whole life is bound uo' in the stage, or in some other branch 'o' the artistic career they cannot expect to retain a wife's love. In the compuit'on between art and wife the winner u always art. The wife pines, neglected, forgotten, and ignored, in her. de»' 'ate borne till her heart breaks. It i« fai better for a woman to marry an ord'aary or ugly husband than a great gcnu= who is in the public eye night bv night, and who gains magnificent public triumphs which lead him to despise the siraller triumphs of a wife's worship I am sure that wives of many actor? musicians, and painters who have gain'J celebrity will in their hearts feel some sympathy for we."

PEEK'S SISTER ELOPES. London, February 9. About ten days ago the wife of a wealthy' youncr man wilh political aspirations left Tier home The vounor lady is thp sister of a British peer, who is an office! in one of the Household regiments

At the same time a young subaltern in the same regiment loi'riedly resigned his commission and went abroad. The resignation was written on a blank sheet, of notepaper, and it was prompUy returned to the subalte'ii by the authorities, with the request that it should be put in proper official fcrni. It is understood that ihb young officer, who is exceedingly wealthy, was a party to the lady's hurried departure. Par's February 9. The Petit Parisien stiles that three British, detectives' arrived yesterday at Marseilles in pursuit of a man described as a British officer ar.c' a woman by whom he is accompanied. The fugitives :eft hurriedly, and the U- tectives misstd them by a few minutes Genevi, February 9. The Swiss police have reen instructed to look out for the eloping pair, and all trains arriving in the pouniry are being watched. JACK THE CLIPPER. HUNDREDS OF BERLIN WOMEN LOSE THEIR TRESSES. Berl'i), February 9. Berlin's women and girls have been terrorised recently by a young man with a mania for cutting o<T t>eir hair. He is Joseph Fodor, agei .'?, and comes from Hungary. He ha a been arrested. He plied his strange calling with great I skill. He cut off hair with the same I sleight-of-hand with whl.h. pick-pockets ! obtain their booty. Thus be escaped dei tection, and was able to continue plundering women of their hair month after ; month. ; | Fodor's victims mimlcrtd hundreds. On some days he victiruised as many as ten persons successively. His lodging was stored with hair oblamed in this way. The locks were bound up with ribbons of all hues, aiui labelled and classified according to their color and fineness of texture. ! POISONER OF TWO WIVES: SEQUEL TO REMAYIKifILE SWISS TRIAT S. Geneva, February, 9. < j Great exictement has been caused in Switzerland by the coi demnation to death to-day of Jules Steward, a Swiss, who was found guilty of poisoning his i first wife in 1903, and lr.> second wife at Remoht, in the Cantun of Bribourg, in 1909. For ten years capita! punishment, ■wtiich is allowed in ten <■' the twentytwo cantons of Switz?\'and has not taken place in the couH'y Large quantities of ars.rdic were found in the bodies of the mi'rdcred women. When Maillard was triec for the murder of his first wife liis defence was that the arsenic had been taken in a patent medicine; Maillard was tried sepa-ately for each case and the jury fou aC him guilty without extenuating ciTritinttances.

GIRLS FIGHT A DUEL. PISTOL SHOTS A'r FIFTEEN PACES. Berli'i. February 1. A duel between two gir. students took place* yesterday at Pre:terlitz, a small village close to the Austrian frontier. The combatants, who were studying medicine at Cracow. h<v; fallen in love with a dashing young medical student j named Breitner, who made love to both ' of them in turn, and a^idec l becoming j engaged to either. The rivalry for his Inflections excited violent- hatred, which ' led to a quarrel and tiie exchange of 1 blows.

The two girls consider, d themselves bound by the same rules of chivalry that held good among; their male companions. In these circle" blows demand the shedding of blood and a duel is the inevitable consequence o ; a hrnd-to-hand light. Consequently Ilonca T'nrtzky, who received the first blow challenged Olga Metzeroff, who struck hex, by sending two other girl student" r« her seconds. Olga Metzeroff obtained 'wo more girl students as her seeond'\ and the four arranged that the duel <>bc.uld be held in German territory to evaJe the Austrian authorities. After *h-! rt:iei the combatants were to return to Austria in great haste to avoid trivble with the German authorities.

The conditions arranged were pistol shots, at fifteen pace«. to be exchanged until one of the two constants became disabled. The four seconds arranged an interval of three to enable the duellists to practise nistoi shooting. The duelling party crc : ?ed the frontier at sunrise and woriri-ded to a secluded snot in the forest The principals took up their posH'cns and one of the seconds gave the wci.'. of command. The two combatants exchanged four shots before either o* them was hit. At the fifth shot Ohn Metzeroff received a wound in the left nhi ulder. and fell in the snow fainting and bleeding profusely. Two ?irl medical stivl«nts had come to render first-aid*in cas<> o f necessity, and after bandacrin? tV<« wounded girl she was conveyed bacV t { - Austria and taken to her home. The victor, Tlonca Ilnetzkv, was the recipient of enthusiastic ovations from her fellow-women student*.