WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 223, 26 January 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen"). DON'T NAG THE CHILDREN. ' A child tlint is nagged at never holds itself well. Its deportment betrays its mental attitude, and to the trained eye of the physical training instructor the round shoulders and apologetic air tell their own story- in the ease of a child whose physique otherwise reveals no sign of constitutional weakness. The attitude of the body discloses in a marvellous way that of the mind, and many parents would be astonished to learn that the bearing of their children reflected their home inlluonces in a very unflattering light. While lunching the other day with,a lady (writes a teacher of physical training to the London Times) T listened to a talc of distress about a little fellow's flat chest. Presently the child came in from school, running excitedly to show his new "jograpi;y" book with colored pictures. "Oh, yes, dear, but don't start with it now; go ami wash your hands and get tidy." The child's enthusiastic little face fell, his flat little chest seemed flatter still, and he resignedly put away his hook and left the room. There'will be little chance for that child's chest until his mother learns to express her affection more positively in the form of active and ready sympathy, not merely negatively in the form of anxiety. The glow of enthusiasm which was swelling the child's heart .metaphorically was quenched by the chilly reception. The expanded chest which accompanied the movement of enthusiasm collapsed at once like a pricked bubble. Give your children encouragement rather than criticism, sympathy rather than reproof, and, whilst they are in the awkward age at least, do not add to their self-consciousness hv constantly drawing attention to their faults. But nagging is fatal. FEMININE FRILLS. Shaggy materials are up-to-date. A touch of purple appears on a great number of gowns. Most of the new big rough coats have very large pockets. Buckles on leather belts match the color of gowns. Shot as well as brocaded velvet makes up handsome dresses. : Big buckles of embridery in a unique' design come at the back of some stylish gowns. Chamois leather comes as a facing to some wide-brimmed hats. VULGARITY OF THE TRANSPARENT BLOUSE Among other, things which bear the patent stamp of the undesirable may be mentioned the transparent blouse. Have you thought, mothers, of the sheer bad taste exhibited here, to say nothing of the impropriety? What can be the object of a hole in a blouse save to show what is under it? You say the girl's corset cover and the dainty ribbon tha.t ties it "looks so pretty." Doubtless your daughter looks pretty in her nightdress, but you do not wish her to appear in public in it. Yet would not this be almost as proper a proceeding as her going to town with her underwear plainly displayed through the open pattern of her transparent blouse? You may bring forward the other argument, "To the pure all things are pure." Quito so; but the trouble is that your daughter cannot choose her company once she leaves the home shelter, and enters business life, and unfortunately all the men she may encounter in the office, the train, the car and the street cannot be guaranteed to be men of the same stamp as those she would meet in her own home. HOBBLE SKIRTS. Judge Scott, in the Passaic County Court, at Patterson, New Jersey, has defined the hobble skirt as "a pair of trousers with one leg." His Honor's definition was made incidentally in a case in which a schoolboy was placed on trial for smashing the straw«hat of an elderly gentleman. The schoolboy's defence was that the season for straw hats had closed, and summer headgear should not be worn in October. Judge Scott, in imposing a fine of £l, said public opinion might mould fashion, but not to the extent of employing violence. "Public opinion," he said, "might prescribe a hobble skirt for men, and then I suppose we should have to wear it. The hobble skirt would certainly look better on men than on women. It is really a pair of trousers with one leg." TO REDUCE THE FIGURE. The following appears in one of the medical papers:-—"For the young girl inclined to embonpoint this advice is offered: Rise early and take a cold bath, rubbing vigorously afterwards with a coarse towel or flesh brush. Drink a cupful of water before breakfast. Take one small cup of tea at breakfast, some dry toast, boiled fish, or a small cutlet, and "a baked apple or a little fruit. At dinner, which should be at midday, take white fish or meat, dry toast or stale bread, vegetables or fruit, either fresh or stewed. For supper, toast, salad, fruit and six ounces of water. Hot water with lemon juice in it is also good for supper." "A Mere Man" writes: "But why should young girls wish to reduce their figures? Do they suppose that men admire the 'slimness' which is now so fashionable among women? The average man ■ admires a graceful figure—that is, a ' natural figure, of course, not too large, but on the other hand not too small, certainly not thiikor 'reduced.' He thinks ' the slim girls looks unwomanly and absurd." i

TO ENCOURAGE DIVORCE. Pascal Fa vale, a benevolent gentleman who has just died, lias devoted his modest fortune to promoting matrimony. The re-populating of France was his end in view. He leaves three sums of £27 Mis each to three spinsters on condition that they shall desert spinsterhood. The list of applicants was to close on Xovemlicr 15. They must be over sixteen and under twenty-five. Otherwise no conditions whatever are imposed, save the one essential one that they give up celibacy. They may be plain or lovely, unco' gnid '. or flighty, but they must marry. Three '

mimes will be drawn by lots from among those on the list. These three spinsters will then bind themselves to marry before the expiration of three years. This gives them ample, time to look round. On their wedding day, provided that it comes to pass within three years, the .■CB7 Ids will be handed to each of the three brides. If any of the three spinsters are still spinsters after the lapse of three years the dowry will be forfeited, and fresh candidates* chosen by lots. A dowry of ;t'2T His does not seem an enormous inducement to marriage, and will hardly be enough to keep house on. Yet the list of applicants is said to be a fiiir one.

SOCIETY WOMEN AS FLIERS A feature of the recent international meeting of aviators at Belmont Park, New York, was the number of society women who are flying with the aviators. The Count de Lesseps has taken three of them up and ho nearly had a duel with the president of the American Aero Club over the hitter's playful, jest that, each of them must have given him a thousanddollar cheque for the privilege. The French,nan's retort was: "I'm a gentleman not a professional chailll'eiir." nor eSars, the Boston society •.vho plays lawn tennis and golf, s1ioo:j, swims, rides to hounds, drives a motor car, and last year in California nearly killed herself in an attempt to walk seventy-fives miles within twenty/four hours, flew ten minutes with (Ira-hamc-White. On alighting she exclaimed: "This is the greatest sport on earth. I'll lly with any man who asks me. Kvery girl who does will forget all about her nerves." TRAMCARS FOR WOMEN. Steps will probably be taken by tins London County Council with the object of setting aside special cars for women, and so obviate the difficulty experienced by women in obtaining seats during the busy periods in the morning. The Commissioner of Police of the metropolis, who has been approached upon the matter, states that under existing Acts of Parliament he is not in a position to permit the Council to reserve special cars. The Highways Committee report that they are of opinion that authority should be sought in the session of Parliament of 1!)1I to run .special cars for women and for other purposes, and they made a recommendation to the Council, who, it is expected, will approve of it.