WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 188, 18 November 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen.") WOMAN'S LIFE 400 YEARS AGO. WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF THE WIFE AND DAUGHTER. A picture of woman's life in England 400 years ago is presented in the current Nineteenth Century by the Rev. \ D. Wallace Duthie, who has found | material for his article in the famous Paston Letters. The Pastous were a Norfolk family. One of the members was a Justice of the Common Pleas, and his sons were all persons of note and influence. The letters which passed between the members of the family, male and female, were collected by one of the Paston descendants and sold to an antiquary, and published by him toward the end of the 18th century. They were republished—edited by the late Mr. James Gairdner, the eminent historian—some 40 years ago. Below are several passages from Mr. Duthie's article:— "A Venetian who visited England about the year 1497 was shocked by the want of affection on the part of parents towards their children, whom they treated harshly and put out to service in the' houses of other people. At first sight the case of Elizabeth Paston would seem to confirm his assertions.

"There is little doubt that in those days girls were brutally treated. Society inclining in its conversation as hi its feeding to grossness, they found it hard to escape obscene talk. They caught more than the echoes of the hard swearing heard on all sides, and imitated it, to the disgust of moralists and preachers. In their own persons they were liable to indignity and subjected to the roughest of domestic discipline., | "Elizabeth Paston was kept in seclusion by her mother Agnes, who would not permit her to speak to any visitor or even to hold any conversation with the se'rvants of the house. 'And/ continues Elizabeth Clere, her gossip, 'she hath since Easter the most part been beaten once in the week or twice, and sometimes twice in one day, and her head broken in two or three places.' "The great anxiety of her mother was to be rid of her, nor does she show a reluctance to be gone. Even the personal disfigurement of Stephen Scrope, her senior by 30 years, could not appeal to her, so anxious is she to marry and find a, door of escape from the irksomeness of her lot.

"But there is palliation for the parent as well as commiseration for their offspring! Undoubtedly there was much' severity, a. want of affection, more apparent perhaps than real, and intrusion, of commercialism into whai should have been the sacred domain of the family ties. "But Margaret Paston doled out her carresses with a deliberate niggardliness,- she was uncompassionate in all kindness. For English homes were still dominated by the feudal idea which demanded in the youth of both sexes selfrepression and control; above all, a respect for order. It sent out boys and giiie into alien households that they might learn mariners and what was due to others, and not from any motives of unconcern or selfishness. "As her letters are the most numerous, so it is the personality of Margaret Paston which engages us the most.

"Out of the whole arsenal of female vanity there is mention made only in the letters of a girdle, and something for her neck, some black lace and cloth for a gown or hood. She had a lovt for positive colours, blue and bright sanguine making an especial appeal to her.

"Even in the woman's own province of attire she is willing to be guided by her husband. After the manner of her countrywomen, her attitude towards him is one of submission and respect. Yet she possessed his confidence and affection rto the full. . . . The iron bands of conventionality could not always restrain his feelings when writing to 'myn owne dere sovereyn lady.'"

WINTER FASHIONS. ' VERY LARGE AND VERY SMAEL HATS. PILLOW MUFFS. 1 London, September 25. Hats that will be worn this winter will be original in design, and it will be a relief to the' devotee of fashion to learn that she need not be bound down by the hard and fast rule of a "one-sized" hat. If the small hat suits her, the small hat may be worn without the wearer being the least unfashionable, and there is to be the same freedom for the woman who delights in a large hat. "There is to be no happy medium in millinery this season," an Express representative was told at the Maison Lewis yesterday, "for hats are either very large or very small." "The present rage seems to be for the small mushroom-brimmed hat, with a large crown, the brim of the hat almost covering one side of the face. "Blaek silk beavers, like the oldfashioned men's beavers, will also be in vogue. The trimming will be at the back of the hat—as, for instance, a bunch of ostrich plumes or aigrettes." A toque shown at the Maison Lewis is of the chimney-pot order, of dark blue velvet with a royal blue ribbon bana round the diminutive brim, which is pulled down well over the face. A soft pad of feathers rest between the ribbon and the velvet, giving a delightful effect. SOU'-WESTER PICTURE HAT. Another style is an exquisite picture hat of black velvet, almost sou'-wester in shape, with two large white ostrich plumes drooping over the back of the crown. Musquash toques will also be worn with small wings set at each side of a boz pleat in the fur, which gives a novel effect to the toque. Fur will play an important part in millinery. Grey fox and skunk are popular. * "The Apache hat will certainly be very popular this winter," an Express j representative was told at Messrs. Self-

ridge's, "and these little hats will be worn in beaver of the long and smooth variety. "The Apache hat forms a peak at one side of the forehead, and fits tightly all over the head, covering all the hair almost to the nape of the neck. A new feature of the trimming of these Apache hats is the chenille chrysanthemums stuck jauntily at one side." Furs are more sumptuous than ever. Stoles are broader and muffs flatter ana more gigantic than ever. They resemble pillows with pockets. [ A novel feature of most of this winI ter's furs will be the worked pattern on the Fur itself, either the Greek key pattern or some other artistic design, LONG FUR COATS. A scarf of black velveteen, lined with brilliant blue ratine, was showed at Messrs. Selfridge's. This scarf is designed for present wear, and is a compromise between the summer satin scarf and the winter for stole. The winter stoles are broad, and the corresponding muffs are flat and long, and are lineel with ratine to match, long blue tassels depending from a pocket in the centre of the muff, while tassels to match finish off the ends of the long I scarf stole.

Fur coats will be long and fit the figure. Fur will play a predominant part in all kinds of trimmings. ' "The popular kimono shapes will still be used for evening wear this winter," Mme. Frecknall, of Bond-street, said, "this style being simple, calls for rich materials and embroideries." Novelties will be introduced this winter in the way of Paisley evening wraps, and the woman who possesses her great--grandmotk-er's Paisley shawl will find she must unearth her treasure. In these days of luxurious electric broughams no one wants : a heavy evening cloak, therefore all 'these wraps will be quite light for winter wear, sleeves being conspicuous by their absence.

A BETROTHAL CAKE. For the future no engaged young lady who wants to be in the fashion will fail to have a "betrothal" cake. This is said to be the very latest fashion in contemplated matrimony, but, of course, it has not taken the place of the engagement ring or the wedding cake. No such luck. It is merely another proof of the 'higher cost of living, which is bearing down upon the bread-winner in all kinds of unsuspected ways. The betrothal cake is described as a modification of the wedding cake, built on similar lines, and intended presumably to be a concrete reminder to the would-be bridegroom of his promises and j>'edges. As if there were not already sufficient obstacles in the path of the poor bachelor: one writer complains. He is blamed for not marrying, and yet every day the road to matrimony is made more expensive and less alluring. He is being told with tremendous emphasis that women are selfish, that they can nob cook, keep house, darn, or sew, or nurse, or do anything properly. House rent is always soaring upward, food is keeping it company, and as for dresses and hats! To add a betrothal cake to all this seems suicidal. Yet what will it all avail when the critical moment comes?

AN ARISTOCRATIC DOG FANCIER. Lady Kathleen Pilkington, owns some of the most famous toy bulldogs in the world. She was one of the original members of the Toy Bulldog Club formed' some eight or nine years ago, shortly after the introduction of these diminutive bulldogs into the country, when they were by no means so fashionable as they have since become. The Duchess of Sutherland became president of the club, and Lady Burton was also one of the original founders. Lady Kathleen has probably won more prizes with her dogs than any other lady in England. There are twenty-six toy bulldogs in the kennels at Chevet Park, and most of them win prizes every yeai at various shows. The most distinguished of these animals is "Bumps," who has been champion in his class half a dozen times and has won in all seventy cups and various other distinctions. "Bumps" is certainly one of the most valuable pet dogs living, and is probably worth five or six hundred pounds. The most valuable pet dog in this country is perhaps a Japanese spaniel named "Togo" which belongs to Lady Samuelson, and which is worth probably a thosuand pounds. Lady Gordon-Len-nox has, however, a Pekingese dog for which she has refused the same sum of money.—From M.A.P. THE PRINCE OF WALES' FRIENDS. Lord Wendover, who has been spending some of his holidays at Balmoral, is one of the intimate friends, or, perhaps, chums would be a better word, of the young Prince of Wales and his brothers.' Lord Wendover is just a year junior to the eldest son of the Sovereign, and the two have in common a great love of all field sports. When the young Princes stayed at Windsor Castle in the late reign, Lord Wendover would often come over from Eton to join in their . games. Treeclimfiin'g was a sport which appealed immensely to the Royal children and their friend, and a favourite pastime of theirs was to race from the Castle to the tops of some of 'the large beeches near the terrace gardens. Prince Henry was usually the winner of these eontests, and is the champion climber of the Royal Family. Another friend of the Prince of Wales is Mr. Edward Knollys, son of Lord Knollys, who has also been lately a guest at Balmoral. Mr. Knollys is a very quiet, reserved sort of boy, and fonder of books than outdoor sports; he has been, since his nursery days, a constant companion of the Prince of Wales, and the two are the closest of friends.

The Prince's intimate friends, by the way, at present address him as Edward —not Eddy, a contraction which his Royal parents greatly dislike—but he is addressed as "Sir" by all outside Royal rank.