WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 317, 2 June 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen.") A BEWITCHING HYPOCRITE It was exactly one minute before the service began when Kitty walked up tie aisle into the vicarage pew. Being the vicar's daughter, she naturally wouldn't be lute; being a woman, she equally couldn't be early—for church. She was dressed nil in white, and looked—well, you shall judge for yourself. Figurez-vous—-a dainty little figure of about nve-foot-fiv.c in a gown of soft silk. I thought it was .silk, but Kitty informed me after the service that it. was book muslin, that she had made it herself, and that it cost tenpence-half-penny—no, I beg pardon—tenpenco threefarthings a yard. I remember this fact very distinctly, because four and a-half yards, "double width," came to—the exact amount has escaped me —but Kitty worked it all out accurately coming home from church. She looked so pretty engaged in adding up ridiculous fractions of a penny, and wrinkling her smooth, white forehead into tiny furrows, that it was all I could do not to take her in my arms and kiss all th» creases out—but I am afraid I digress. Picture to yourself, then, a delicious figure in a soft white frock, a little head "sunning over with curls," on the top of which reposed a huge black hat with a drooping feather. The feather, I was given to understand, was a very expensive one. It had originally been white, and had adorned her best summer toque. Perhaps you will know at once what a "toque" is. I didn't. She enlightened me afterwards.

She 'had had it dyed because she could not afford a new one "just yet." The result was bewitching. I informed her of this fact during an interval. Under the aforementioned big hat peeped out the sweetest little face imaginableno. I can't describe it. The expression, which on wrek-days varied with every passing niooil, was on Sundays absolutely and unchangeably demure—sanctimonious, in fact. When I knew Kitty better. I asked her how she managed it. She said it had given her a lot of trouble at first, but by practising before the glass at odd moments during the week, and for half an hour regularly before starting for church on the Sabbath, she had succeeded in getting, as she put it, "almost the right expression." She was not quite , satisfied with the result yet, but thought "it would do for the present." I don't know anything about "the present"—it did for me!

I After church, we walked home together. We discussed the sermon. Kitty would never allow me even to mention secular subjects on Sunday. I listened gravely to her quaint remarks on the vicar's address, then merely turned the conversation, as I think I before stated, [on to hor dress. j She was off her guard in an instant—- [ gave me all the details I have already recorded, and was then stricken with remorse, ,v.d apologised profusely. I begged her not to mention it; I liked it. She explained, prettily and perfectly seriously, Ehat she regretted not so much having bored me—the expression was hers —as having profaned the .Sabbath by | talking about matters mundane. She hoped I wouldn't think her very wicked. I

T didn't. It took some little time to convince her, however, and her conscience was only beginning to settle down when we reached the vicarage. She apologised for I not asking me in, but "they never had visitors on Sundays." Notwithstanding this fact, which I thought she rather over-emphasised, I called in the afternoon. I found her in the garden, reading. She greeted me politely, but coHly. Might 1 look at the novel she was engrossed in? "Novel?" She raised her eyebrows in pained surprise. I don't know how sh« manages it, or how much time and practice it represents, but she does it beautifully. I picked up the offending volume —Fox's "book of Martyrs." I knew practically nothing about martyrs, I admitted—very little about "saints." Saint Kabberine, however, was a favorite of mini'!

"My name is Kathleen," she corrected, a trifle crossly, then, catching my eye, bit her lip with vexation. "And a very pretty name, too," I assured her, feigning not to notice the slip. She thanked me silently but eloquentJ y- . .. .

"To return to the Martyrs," said I; "you ndniire them?" She admitted as much with great fervor, and discoursed on their virtues at some length. "Why not follow their example?" I hazarded presently, their superior claims on Kitty's admiration having somewhat irritated me.

She looked deviously puzzled. "Sa»rifiee yourself;' I explained. "The altar"—then, anticipating a rebuke, added hastily— "matrimony is a sacred subject, you know." She frowned, hut presumably accepted my explanation. A few minutes later she informed me that she had a Bible class to conduct that afternoon and must think about "getting her things on." I offered to accompany her to the schoolroom. She declined politely, murmured something that sounded like bad example to the maids, blushed divinely, but declined to explain the meaning of that somewhat ambiguous sentiment, and dismissed mo gently, but firmly. I met her "by accident" coming home from church. "Has the class been a success?" I enquired politely. "Not exactly," she admitted with a certain amount of diffidence. The boys had been tiresome—wanted to know too I much. "Too much?" I couldn't conceal my surprise—did she. mean tke girls by any chanco ? •

"Ob! T didn't mean in that way," said she airily.

1 was not aware Uiat I had specified any particular branch of knowledge, but wisely held my peace. 'Toys never want to know anything important!" she continued, the tiniest smile curving her lips. Had my eyebrows been eloquent, I wonder? No. they merely wanted to know the names of' Cain's father and mother-in-law, the exact number of great-great-

great-grandchildren Methuselah had, and | whether all went to his house for Christ- : mas. | ; "You don't happen to know, I supjpose?" she finished, looking at me curi-' ously. We had reached the vicarage bv this time. 1 was spared the ignominy of a reply. ''l can't ask you in," she began. "We never " I interrupted her—l knew what was coming. "Yon really ought to have allowed me to be present at your Bible-class," said I. "Why? Could yon have answered those dreadful children's questions?" enquired she, looking at me quizzically. I "Not absolutely correctly, I'm afraid," II admitted, my spirits sinking below zero at this frank avowal of ignorance. "Still, 1. do wish you had been there," remarked Miss Kitty sweetly, pausing for a moment on the doorstep, her eyes demurely fixed on the ground. "Really," said I delightedly, moving a little towards her. "Why?" "To swear at them!" said she, and disappeared into the house. She was not so sanctimonious, after all TROUSERS FOR WOMEN

Paris, May 25. Despite the hold attempts to popularise it, the harem skirt has been a failure even in the "gay city." Though the garment is occasionally worn at the roller-skating rink or in the theatre box, it is seldom seen on the streets, except in the shape of the milder models, which are hardly distinguishable from the conventional woman's costume. The harem has not yet appeared at the fashionable racecourses. The manager of Worth's, the famous house of modes, says that society was unprepared for the harem skirt, but it may, be resurrected later on. Lesser known luminaries of fashion say that the innovation was killed by cheap imitations—hideous models that were -put out by the great department stores. Really aristocratic women in Paris are wearing with their ball gowns and house dresses, the latest freak the hoop licevc. In this sleeve the hoop, seven inches in diameter, is placed in the middle of the forearm and the material of the sleeve is drawn in at the wrist and elbow. i LEAGUE OF FATHERS. LARGE FAMILIES ASK FOR STATE PREFERENCE.

More than 1000 of the 400,000 members of the League of Fathers of Large Families gathered in front of the dome that crowns Napoleon's tomb, in Paris, ob April 0. They came from every corner of the country. They wished to demonstrate and make an appeal for preferential treatment by the Government. The gathering attracted such a crowd, and the onlookers engaged in such fun, that M. Lepine, the Police Prefect, haa to intervene. The gathering was broken up, and Captain Simon Maire, the father of 11 children, also father of the movement, was arrested for a breach of the peace. He was afterwards released. A stir was caused late the same evening by the announcement that Captain .Maire had been received by M. Monis, : thp Prime Minister, who said he would take account of the aims of his society, and would see what he could do to help it. It is felt that M. Lepine made a tactical blunder, and after M. Monis had allowed it to be announced that he gave a favorable reception to Captain Maire, it was rumored that M. Lepine may resign.