WOMANS WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 371, 23 April 1910, Page 9

WOMANS WORLD.

MY RECIPE FOR BEAUTY

(By Kate Cutler, in M.A.P.)

A realiy good recipe for beauty 'would be most eagerly welcomed just now, I know, for never has the cult of beaut} been more carefully studied than of late years; but I am sorry to tell you that I have no very wonderful secrets to disclose, no marvellously brewed herbs, no recipes for crushed strawberry lotions, or milk baths.

Real physical beauty is a Heaven-sent gift and cannot be cultivated, in spite of all that beauty doctors may say to the contrary. There is, of course, no doubt that the complexion can be kept in good condition, or even improved byjudicious treatment, that the figure need not lose its slimness and youthful curves if given proper exercise, but that there is an F.livir of Beauty I do not believe. But, although I do not believe that beauty cam be manufactured, I do believe -that no woman is so hopelessly plain that she cannot be made to appear attractive, so that no one need despair. VALUE OF WORK. Personally, I don't believe much in "aids" to the toilet, and the less one "treats" one's complexion the better it remains, I feel sure. Plenty of fresh air, simple food, exercise, and (what iwill some of you say to 'this?) plenty of congenial work are the ingredients jijor jthe 'best recipe for health and beauty. . The use of a little cream occasionally, or, should the skin be dry, every night, is excellent, as it keeps the complexion soft, smooth and white. I always use a little myself every night, to clean my •face with, as I never use soap of any sort to do it, and one must have something to remove the dust which one cannot avoid getting into tiie tiny pores during the day. With the use of cream it is quite possible to keep one's face perfectly clean with only clear, soft, warm water. After washing I give n\y face a light dusting with powder, but, except before the footlights, I use no cosmetiques of any sort. Plenty of sound sleep is a simplfi .and old-fashioned recipe. But it is the best cosmetique for titie preservation of youth and beauty of wlhich I !have ever heard. THE TREATMENT OF THE HAIR. For the hair I think a shampoo about once a fortnight, or even, .every ten days, is about the best treatment for it. Have it thoroughly dried with warm towels, given i a good brushing, and be careful not. 'to put it up until every 1 jpart is perfectly dry. The use of oil ' or brilliantine is not to be recommended, as it tends to make it too greasy, and that spoils the general effect of the , coiffure. In the matter of exercise, 1 believe walking, especially in the early part of the day, is the most beneficial, and when I 'am not playing or rehearsing, I flWa.ya try to get a 'brisk walk during the morning. Get what exercise and all the fresh air yon possibly can. Business and other ■ occupations prevent many from gating a, good daily walk, but everyone can get Iresh air by keeping the windows open at all times.. Always sleep with the window open, is the best and surest way to obtain a clear, bright complexion, healthy lungs, and a robust physique.

DO WIDOWERS MAKE THE BETTER HUSBANDS? Before I answer your question, "Who makes the better husband?" (writes Mdlle. Dolli in a 'Home paper) let me frankly confess that I have no personal experience of matrimony. lam still in a state of single blessedness, and therefore some may say that I am not in a position to give an opinion on so important a subject. But you know the old saw, "The look-er-on sees most of the game," and as a looker-on at the game of matrimony, which so often seems a comedy andj sometimes, unfortunately, is a trageay, I would unhesitating say—the widower. Most of the disagreements, the arguments, and petty bickerings iwhich mar the harmony of life between married couples are due to inexperience. Neither understands and so neither will make allowances for the difference which must

exist in the tastes, character, and temperament of the other. The "give-and-take" principle does not exist for either, and the result is too often a continual state of squabbling which must eventually lead to a matrimonial shipwreck. , When a man has been married before, he has had a good training in the practical school of matrimony, and his second wife will reap the benefit. He knows there may be troubles with the cook, the meals will be late' even in the .best regulated households, that woman must have dressmakers' and milliners' bins, and that he cannot always have his own way in everything. Having discovered, all this with Wife HSo. 1, he meets his fate with equanimity with wife No. 2, and she will therefore have a far easier and pleasanter life than if she were training a novice. Now a man who has lived for any number of years as a bachelor, dividing his time between his "digs" and his club, knows none of 'these things. He has probably 'been spoilt by a few women friends and relations, has grown to t-TiiTi'lf that he is a most important person, and has probably become cranky, into the bargain. Often he will have views on domestic matters and may even wish to interfere in the housekeeping and other details which should be, lett exclusively to the wife. All this will result in trouble and, unless a great deal of tact and common sense is shown by his wife, a permanent rupture may end what promised to be a happy and successful marriage. Another point on which the widower is to be preferred to the bachelor is what I will call the club habit. A man who has been used to spending his evenings at the club may give up doing so during the first few weeks of his married life, but when once the glamor of the honeymoon is over he will certainly feel a craving for his old "pals" and cards and billiards and all the amuse-1 nxents to which he has been accustomed, and will consider himself a deeply injured man if his wire should dare to object to being left alone for the entire evening. A iwidower, on the other hand, has been used to spending his evenings quietly at home; he has dropped out of bachelor habits for so long that it would be an effort for him to return to them, and it is perhaps for this very reason that Ee seeks a second wife. Habits take root quicker and certainly more deeply in a man than in a woman, and once properly trained, man is decidedly a home-keeping animal. The truth of this can easily be proved by noting the number of men who go straight home from the office, or wherever their work may be, every evening, and never go out after their dinner except with their (wives.

And now comes the question of romance, or love, whichever one calls it. A very young and sentimental girl might say she would prefer to be the first wife, in spite of tile disadvantages I have pointed out, as there is an idea amongst inexperienced women that the first wife gets the larger share of love. This is not always the case. A mail's first wife is not necessarily his first love, jtie has probably had a dozen ''romances" before he married, and the love he gives his second wife is often more lasting, being founded generally upon a sounder basis that the calf love of early youth. The love of a more matured man will be influenced by a friendship, compatibility of temper, tastes, and so one, ana a general feeling of good comradeship, and consequently will be far more fitted to stand the strain and wear and tear of everyday life than the more exotic and ethereal bloom which flourishes under the guise of romantic love. HINTS ON ETIQUETTE FOR GIRLS. Loud talking or laughing is a sign of ill-breeding. A quiet voice is essentially the mark of a gentlewoman. Slangy conversation, such as is tolerated in schoolgirls, is most unbecoming in girls, and is considered to be excessively bad style. When introduced to a stranger whom you may meet in society, do not shake hands. A host or hostess must invariably shake hands with their guests. At a small dance a girl can be taken by her (brother, or can be chaperoned bj tier hostess, but to a large or a public ball she cannot go in this informal way. When talking to anyone, never commit the error of using the name on every occasion: "Yes, Mrs. 8.," "No, Mrs. 8.," is very bad taste. Yes or no is all-sufficient. Invitations should always be answered promptly. Some people labor 'under a mistaken idea that it is "swagger" to delay. On the contrary, it is rude, for it causes a hostess enormous inconvenience. Girls who still go to school should not wear low dress in the evening. That comes with the putting up of the hair and the emancipation from the schoolroom. WHAT EVERY WOMAN WANTS TO KNOW. An easy way to clean a plain straw hat is to hold it over the steam of a teakettle. , Embroidery needles and others kept in a bottle will escape rusting. If the table salt is found to be damp, mix a teaspoonful of cornflour with it. When poaching eggs put a teaspoonful of vinegar in the water, and the egg will be firmer and nicely flavored. When boiling a suet pudding an old plate put at the bottom of the saucepan prevents the pudding from sticking. To keep sponges soft and sweet, wash them in warm water with a little tartaic acid in it, and then rinse in plenty of cold 'water. Lemon-juice will also clean a sponge. To mend kid gloves, buttonhole-stitch the rent, then sew together the edges in the usual way. By doing so the gloves will last twice as long. Coffee or chocolate spots mu»t be sprinkled with borax and soaked in cold water. Fruit stains may be treated in the same way. To get dust out of crevices in window sashes ana wainscotings, try using a flat paint brush of good size, for a cloth cannot reach all corners. ■Wall paper that has been soiled by a smoky fire or lamp may be cleaned by using a hard, <iry sponge; the stiffer and ■harder the better. Rub the wall briskly with it. Whenever a food chopper wants cleaning, remember that a piece of suet run .througih before and after it has been used for mincing meat or other foods keeps it clean and in good condition. Sewing pairs of stoeEngs together will help the busy mother. It does not interfere with the washing, and when they have been dried it is a great help to find them all sorted and mated. A snip of the scissors releases them. Old magazines can be used in the kitchen in various ways. One can be placed on the table to receive pots or pans taken off the stove. When one sheet is soiled it can be torn off. On ironing days an ok magazine near the table may be used for testing the heat

of 'the iron. On a cold, frosty night, everyone likes to see a blazing fire; but this generally means heavy coal hills. A good plan is to place a quantity of chalk at the back of each grate, in equal proportion to the coals. This, throws out a terrific heat, and lasts quite a long time. It makes a clear fire and very little dirt. A blanket bag for cold feet at night will be found an improvement on the constant use of the hot-water 'bottle, which often produces chilblains. Buy a gaby's crib blanket and sew it together like a bag. Put this between the sheets and it will be found a great comfort. It should be long enough to come up to the knees. When malting linen .blouses, stitch a linen tape down the middle of the band in front, where the buttons go, and sew the latter to this. It will prevent them •tearing out of the blouse. 1 A quick an-o. .good way to clean bottles is to cut up bits of potato peeling and 1 put in the bottle with water and shake hard. Warm water is better, but if in a ihurry cold may be used. This process makes the bottle shine like crystal. To wash motor veils, fold them up neatly into a square about the size of a j duster, and tack together with sewing silk. Make a warm lather, and squeeze the veil in this till clean. Then rinse twice in warm water, and the last time in one quart of cooler water, to which •has been added one teaspoonful of methylated spirit. Roll in a towel till nearly dry, and then open and iron with tissue paper laid over. To dispose of vegetable parings when one objects to putting them in the dustbin, put them into an old pan (which should be ikept for the purpose) and let them stand in the oven till thoroughly dry. They may then 'be burned like shavings or paper. If white canvas shoes are beyond cleaning, tliev can be painted with good results. Use an oil color and mix it with enough turpentine to make it the consistency of milk. Do not wear the shoes until they are thoroughly dry. One coat will be enough. Often a housekeeper is troubled in trying to take cakes out of tins in , which they have been baked. A sure : way out of the trouble is to turn the pan upside down and lay on the bottom of it a cloth wrung out in water. After ( about five minutes the cake can be removed without crumbling to pieces. When polishing the door bell or door knobs, the woodwork around the metal ! fixtures can be protected in the follow--5 nig manner: Cut in a strong piece of t cardboard an opening just large enough ) to fit round the metal, and then, by . holding this shield in place, you can ; ] use the polish on the metal without . making those unsightly marks on the (woodwork.