WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 181, 10 November 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen.")

A LETTER FROM WAITARA.

Mrs. IT. S. Gilbert gave a most enjoy- j bio afternoon tea on Monday last to lor friend-; on 1 lie occasion of her daugh:er\s approaching marriage. The day icing hot. sweets and tea were served on ;he verandah and lawn, while the refrain )f musk' and songs Uoated through the Irawing-room windows to the listeners nut side" Mrs. Gilbert received her guests in a white and grey striped silk blouse and black merveilleiix skirt; Miss Gilbert wore white muslin; Miss Grace was in a pretty cream costume, finished with silk embroidery. Miss Mildred was attired in white' muslin: Mrs. Jay, black silk; Mrs. Elliot, black eostur-ie: Mrs. Ogle, dainty white embroidered muslin, straw hat' wreathed with lilac; Mrs. Stoddart, amethyst, black toque; Mrs. Frascr, navy costume, blue hat. finished with cornflowers; Mrs. H. .Toll, cream costume, green hat; Mrs. Wills, navy blue; Mrs. Sprosen, white embroidered j muslin, cream straw hat. trimmed with lilac: Mrs. Asliton, heliotrope striped costume, black velvet bat, wreathed with cherries: Mrs. W. Xosworthy, pale green coat and skirt, hat en suite; Mrs. G. Xosworthy, brown costume, cream hat. with wreaths of roses; Mrs. Cameron, black silk; Mrs. Wickham. moss green coat and skirt, hat to correspond; Mrs. S. Wylie, cream, blue hat; Mrs. J. Wylie, black costume, black and white hat; Mrs. Dow-

sett, sea green costume, hat to match; Mrs. ("alder, pretty white embroidered coat and skirt, burnt straw hat, swathed with Paisley scarf in shades of pink; Mrs. Pjissniii cream costume, prettily embroidered in cold braid, black velvet plumed bat. lined with pale blue; Mrs. Harrison, white and black striped costume, ere-"i straw hat. trimmed with small rose.,: J.Ls. Red ward, cream silk; Miss Bavly, white muslin; Miss Stoddart, .white silk blouse, cream skirt, black hat, pink daisies: Miss Cameron, white embroidered muslin, white hat; Miss .lay, white muslin; Miss Cowles, smart greenstriped gown, white chiffon hat, finished with pink roses; Miss J. Cowles, pale blue floral costume, pink straw hat, trimmed with pink and heliotrope hydrangeas.

CHILDHOOD AND HAPPINESS. j When, some few years ago, I became , the mother of a small daughter, a wise , old lady, herself a grandmother, said tome: "My dear, don't you mind what people tell you—make your baby happy; it is a mother's first duty, and a little spoiling is better than hundreds of rules and maxims. Always remember that it is only during a child's earliest years that a mother has absolute control over its happiness; as soon as they grow old enough for school the children pass under other influences, and the mother's is necessarily lessened. You can make them quite happy before that—it is too good an opportunity to lose." So many little children's lives are made a burden to them by over-zealous mothers—rules and regulations—all restrictive—"Don't do this, and you mustn't do that," from morning tiil night, till the unfortunate children have not a moment's peace, and no chance whatever of growing up and developing naturally. Guidance, unceasing watchfulness, gentle but firm control, are all essential in the training of a child, but all this can be effectively secured without the child being made to feel that it has no freedom or space. The nature of a happy child expands as a flower opens before the sun under congenial surroundings, and it takes so very little to make a small child happy—a bucket and a spade, a few empty cotton reels, odds and ends of household rubbish, affords much more pleasure to the average child than elaborate toys, the cost of which runs into pounds; so that it need never be the want of money which causes unhappiness. Shyness and self-consciousness are not natural to children, but are produced by over-anxiety and over-correction on, the part of nufses and parents, just as fear and deceit are produced by punishment and working on a child's imagination by careless servants.

All healthy children are naughty, and it is natural for children to be naughty at times, and as long as it is kept within bounds, ordinary healthy naughtiness need never be a cause for grief or anxiety. Tantrums and battles with nurses and other children are merely the development of the child's will, and, as long as they do not develop into destructiveness, deliberate cruelty, or selfishness, there is no reason to worry over such outbreaks. The earlier a child can be made to understand the reason why he should not break his tops, slap his sister, or disobey .his nurse, the better it is; for, while fear of punishment may restrain him from a certain action, it is not nearly so "beneficial to his own character as awakening his sense of responsibility. The first method leads to deceit and lying; the second lays the foundation of a sense] of honor, uprightness, and unselfishness — in fact, it teaches the real meaning of "his duty towards his neighbor." Another cause of frequent discomfort and irritation amongst children is the J senseless craving of some mothers to have them always smartly dressed. Consequently, they cannot play or run about at all without being constantly reminded that they will spoil their frock or their coat or their hats. The less they think about their clothes the better, short of wantonly tearing them; but, as lessons ! on economy and neatness must be incul- | cated, it is a good plan to make it a rule I that on Sundays different clothes shall J be worn and different walks taken, no

romping being allowed. By this means Sunday becomes a day different from the others, and also having on best clothes becomes an event and not a penance—! rather a matter for pride. ! Many over-zealous and painstaking mothers frustrate their ends by enforcing rules, instead of gently leading the children along the pathway, thereby not only making the children suffer from a sense of constant supervision, which has a peculiarly irritating effect, but also

laving the seeds r? that lack of sympathy between ylar.nt and child which too often exists. Jt is within the power (.: every mother to make her children happy; and, where i children :ire happy and understood, they will place their love and t nidcnce, both in childhood and in after .'.'..■.—"5., ,: in London Chronicle.

THE PLAIN MAN Jt is the plain man who marries young and marries fair, and the girl who has no taste for a lon-: < tigagerhent should refuse to be da:-.;-.led by the. attentions of the "handsor. e beau," as her grandmamma would have called him. Trobably that astute vouth would simply keep her dangling! His ; dea is to have a downright good time with as many pretty girls as are willing—and their number is legion!— to help him to have it. There's no foolish notion of marrying and settling down in his curly head, you may Ibe sure, and whatever prospect may lie before his sunny blue eyes, he certainly j does not envisage, ir the immediate fu- j turc of a home'with all its responsibili- j ties, expenses and confining cares. The main reason why plain men marry sooner than others is that social life and feminine society in general have fewer attractions for'them (ban for gay and handsome youths round whom the girls crowd witli ready admiration. But the plain man does not like being left out in the c 'd, and if the admiration of the man " not for him he knows that he can id < -rntentimit in the love of one 1 swe . little wor-iar. and he seeks diligently till he ; this treasure. He has the satisfactie : knowing, too, that the girl he choos. s comes to him for the sake of his solid qualities and not be-

cause she is enamored of the curl of his j nioustache or the straight line of his L (ire-jiitn nose. In (the extreme case, B if she is P»rauty and he the Beast, be will I worsiiip her for her condescension, and * even if he be just ordinarily plain and * she merely conventionally pretty he will < admire not only her looks, but her great < wisdom in having made so wise a choice , of a husband as his admirable self. < Very likely the plain man will not be J half so conceited as the handsome one, , ana his fancy will not wan<i •• from ' flower to flower. He will not ''irt or ] make his wife jealous; he will 1 : con- • siderate .and affectionate, and he will ap- ' predate the sober, serious things of life. ', But don't let us handicap the nice-look-ing young man too seriously. 'Marriage at best is a lottery, and when all is said and done there is no real reason why the handsome lover should not be a kind, tender, and unselfish spouse, while the fact that the world has always treated him well for the sake of his pleasant looks should go far to make him good-humored and agreeable to live with. If you happen to have a taste for a handsome husband, and the opportunity of indulging it, do not be unduly wary. 1 The fact that a man is ugly will not keep ■ him from drink or bad-temper, and in spite of all the prejudices against a hand--1 some fellow there is no absolute reason 1 why a man may not be at least as good : as he looks.

THE HOME DOCTOR Always apply oil to the skin before treating it with a mustard plaster, as it is then less liable to blister.

If a finger is badly bruised, plunge it relentlessly into the hottest possible water. A lump of fresh butter applied to a bruise will also relieve the pain. Apply the butter for five minutes every two or three hours. Olive oil may be substituted.

Yet another remedy for bruises is wormwood boiled in vinegar and applied as hot as it can be borne. A wrapping of flannel will keep the heat in for a long time. The wormwood remedy may also be applied to sprains, which are troublesome i things and require considerable care. Fomentations and hot water will be found beneficial, and the joint should be bandaged. If rubbing is allowed extract of witch-hazel should be used.

Burns are most quickly treated by a poultice of soap thic kenongh to exclude all air. The injured part may also be covered with powdered charcoal, flour, or finely-ground starch. A poultice of bread soaked in cold water and firmly bandaged will often give relief. After a scald glycerine is very comforting, and the injured skin should be treated" with strips of rag well soaked in the glycerine.

THE LATEST SHOULDER WRAPS. The pretty fashion which found expression earlier in the year in the wearing of long straight soles of soft black satin, lined either with white or grey, proved infinitely becoming; now these are being replaced by stoles and scarves similar in length and width, but carried out in velvet, either black or of some dark shade, outlined with a border of fur, and drawn together at the ends, under handsome ornaments of silk cord, finished with long tassels. Later on these velvet scarves will give place to others j designed on lines that are exactly similar, | I but carried out entirely in fur. Some of i | the prettiest and most successful of the I new shoulder wraps are made in mus-' [quash, bordered throughout with skunk, and lined with shot-silk in dark color'ings, such, tor instance, as two shades of deep peacock blue and green, or dull crimson shot with chestnut brown. The lining should be chosen, of course, to harmonise with the color of the gown with which the wrap will be frequently worn. Shoulder scarves in fur, still less expensive than those of the musquash, may be made in sealconey, and bordend with opossum, dyed the color of the skunk. A wrap of this kind, lined with sealbrown satin, and finished with brown silk cords and tassels, will look well with almost any colored dress.