WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 86, 2 October 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

(Conducted by " Juieen STRATFORD NOTES. I'. \\. Wake gave n most cni".v.*il>lc dance mt her residence on Wednesday evening, the guest of honor Jinny Mis- liaylv, of Auckland, The hostess received lior guests at the hall mtramv, ;ind was becomingly frowned in black ehilVon taffeta, relieved with iwmi maftc-c 1.-ise. The dance was held in the .dining-room, which was prettily <lm>ratcd with spring (lowers and buntin}*. Supper was served in the morning room, and a most enjoyable time was .spent. Among those present were: Miss Wake, white gown with touches of crimson; Miss Xora Wake, .pretty pink silk, trimmed with oriental embroidery; Miss Bavly, smart gown of heliotrope silk; Misses Peerless (Nelson), James (3), Hamilton, and manv others.

On Thursday afternoon Mrs. W. Young entertained a number of guests at a progressive euchre party in honor of Mrs. W. Raikes, who leaves shortly to take up her residence at Auckland. The drawing-room was beautifully decorated with violets and spring flowery as waft j the dining-room, where a dainty after- , noon tea was served. Mrs. Young received her guests in a charming gown' of vieux rose silk, with dainty yoke of ! tucked not over silver tissue. The prizes were won by Miss O'Brien,, silver mounted out glass scent .bottle, 1; Miss Black,handsome mosaic bracelet, 2; Miss Anderson, silver trinket Box; and) Mrs.. Anderson, box of perfume. A, most em joyablc time was spent, and' Mrs.. Raikes was the recipient of many hearty good wishes for her future welfare and prosperity in her new home. Amongst those present were: Mesdames Raikes, Crawshaw, Dingle, W. D. Anderson, C. | Bayly, Lowgrove, Rennell, Morant, 1 Bayly, C. Penn, W. Malone, Fookes, Twiss, Richards, Porrftt,. Johnston;. Stubbs, Misses O'Brien, Mack ay (2), Anderson, Fussell, Peerless (Nelson), Wake, Orbell, and Black-

AMERICAN WOMAN A FAILURE; The American woman, according to Mrs. Hillis, the well-known writer, isa failure. Here is her indictment: "She may be more talkative and self-assertive,, but it is a question whether she is better prepared for real work in the worldj! for the making and maintaining of. *.( home, or, failing that, for the support of herself or those who may oe depend-: ent upon her. It is exceedingly doubtful. The German and English women' of the same class are far better house-! keepers than we, the French are far better business women, and' as for, art, we have not yet produced an Angelica KaulTmann, a Vigeo-Lebrun, a' RosaBonheur. In literature we have had no Mme. de Stael, nor Mme. de Se-I vigne, nor George Eliot, nor Elizabeth j Browning, nor even a Jane Austen or a Charlotte Bronte, hardly a Mi's. Humphry Ward. We have had: no such actress as Rachel Siddons, or Bernhardt. We import most of our prima donnas end our gowns." And who is to blame V Not the servant nr the house; that is, not the girl servant in the house. As has been shown, it is possible to "reach out"'and escape het. But there, is noescaping him. It is the American' man* Mrs. Hillis declares, who is responsible for the failure of the American' woman; He will strain himself to give her all she' wants, but is "too busy" to give her himself. So the "heart-hungry" wife goes on and on, first into clubdom, then to the Smart Set, and finally reaches Reno.

AN INDISCRETION'. Mr. Eames MacVeagli, a son' of the Secretary to the Treasury, and' Chicago's most eligible bachelor, bewails with comic despair his indiscretion in confessing recently to an interviewer his regret at being unmarried. Since the appearance of the interview in a Chicago newspaper, Mr. MacVeagh, who is forty years of age, and wealthy, has been inundated with passionate love letters from young women who are anxious to- become his wife. Mr. MacVeagh says that the let-ter-boxes of his Lake Shore mansion, as well as of his business offices and club, are stacked with epistles from maidens eager to assume the title of Mrs, MacVeagh. His indignation is particularly aroused at the familiarity of some of the correspondents, who address him as "Dear Eames," or "Eamsey," and ask him to meet them, assuring him that they are confident of making him happy . Mr. MacVeagh adds that he has stationed several furious bull-dogs in front of his garden for the purpose of welcoming the many ladies who have notified him of their intention of calling at his residence for a personal interview on the subject of matrimony. ENTERTAINING A STATUE.

Madame Julie Montroville, a Parisian lady, who died a short time ago, won considerable notoriety in tbe French capital by entertaining at dinner for over a decade a marble statue of her late husband. From the day of her partner's death until her own decease she always dined with the statue, which was 6ft in height, placing it at the head of the table, and setting before it food and viands by way of oblation. The late King of Bavaria always had a bust of Marie Antoinette by his side when he sat down to dinner. He regarded the stone image absolutely the same as if it were the Queen herself, placing before the bust the most costly viands for its consumption, and speaking to It In tender tones.

THE DOMESTIC PROBLEM. An American lady at present in Melbourne (writes the Sydney Morning Herald) is of opinion that a "Housewives' Society" would go far to solve the domestic problem. She states that the idea works well in New York. Any householder is eligible for membership. There is a small annual subscription, and an initiation fee. Girls are placed only with members, and no fee iB charged for them. The secretary becomes personally acquainted with every member of the society, and endeavors to bring together mistresses nnd maids that will be congenial. The president appoints a committee of three to investigate agy complaints against mistresses. If it is proved that a woman has treated a maid unfairly, housed her poorly, or fed her meanly, her name is struck off the roll. If the maid proves a failure she is similarly treated. When a maid holds a position for two years she is awarded an embelm of merit from the society. This entitles her to special consideration. In some measure this is said to promote a spirit of fairness, and to promote a better understanding. Schedules of hours and wages are left to individual arrangement. THE QUEEN'S TABLEWARE

Queen Mary's pantry at Windsor is said to contain the most valuable collection of tableware in the world. Every design since Queen Elizabeth's day has contributed to the collection, which is stored in two rooms. The wa!ls arc lined with cases made of plateglass and mahogany, with similar cases

occupying the centre of each room. The I most imposing thing in these two rooms ( is the dinner service of solid gold, used \ only for dinners of the highest state. There is a table of solid silver three feet in length. A rosewater fountain of silver has a dome supported on columns around which are grouped horses and hounds. A silver gilt flagon almost 1 a yard high is said to- have been saved from the Armada. A pair of bellows mounted in. silver and gold was once ; the property of Nell' Gw.vnn. There is a massive pair of firedogs in solid silver made for Charles 11., and a huge punchbowl was contributed'by George IV. PRINCESS LOUISE;

A graceful, tall woman, with strong features and sad eyes, is Princess Louise, the second daughter of Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holittei'n. What Princess Louise does not know about slumming is not worth knowing. STie is a familiar figure in every hospital'm London, and she knows tHe wards of at least one as well as the matron- herself. As for her knowledge of prisons, she laughingly explained' afc a' Church Army meeting some time ago- that she was as intimately acquainted' with' their workings and their rules' as any of .the prisoners.. A poor coster who stole aj wheelbarrow once asked her'to have tea with him when he flhashtedi Hi's. term. And she kept her word, and was introduced to his wife in a d&mp,,<3ark cellar in Bermondscy, the only seat in the room being her chair, the only furniture the bed and a kettle—the other tea accessories having been borrowed' fibar the occasion. RACE BETTERMENT'

A. recent cable message from> GHicaig©v published in some of the Australian pap' era, states that a new activity Hai* arisen among a section of the Atnerican women. ;• In several cities a women's* mnvsmsrtt has been born. It is known as ; "TheRace Betterment League" and its object j i. is to> afford working girls better-protec- ( , tidm against their malfe<'aditoirer«. IThw' .movement has been gradually worked 1 up |in tHe press. It had its beginning in articles written by a lady journalist, who described her experiences while seeking work at various caJlihgs>. She investigated the special temptation; of every field covered, from the vaudeville ■ stage to the factory seamstress. SOMETHING OKIGINAt.

I It would seem to be the desire of every Bride to originate some new and pretty custom of dress idea for. her marriage. At a recent: wedfllhg,', where the bride's greatest friend! played' the ,part of best girl, the three other: brides- / maids were chained together by means ;of: silver cords twisted with, smilax. and sweet peas. The ropes were attached toithe' left shoulder of'eash'-bridbsmaid, who m their right liands-carried'large bunclies of sweet peas. At the- reception held after the wedding, the ropes were withdrawn and the bridesmaids set if tee. Instead of the floral .bell' that is , ohosen in' many case* to .mark, the' place I taken' by the bride and I bridegroom, a j young couple who were wedded the | ottfer dk£> took up> their pfeoa bemaath a white satin parasol. Krom each rib • was suspended a silver biell, and; iii the ' centra, from the handle of the parasol, i hung-a large bell of the same kiiidL It was a very pretty idea to furnish the i guests at the wedding just mentioned with: bowls of rose petals and silver i paper horse-shoes. These were placed ini ttte embrasures- ofcthewindbm® and at ■ small tables upon the stairs, so that ; the guests could help themselves to the I' fragrant and symbolical luck-bringers.

"THE HUMAN TARGET." One of the "turns" at a- vaudeville show in Trinidaidl. Coloradb-,, recently, wa» much more thrilling and realistic thuo it was intended to. Be.. The sensation: was provided' by ai My with the suggestive name of. Risk,, who is billed as "the human: target,'" and whose "amazing feat,.'" as it is advertised, consists in her catching Between her teeth a bullet fired from a rifte across the stage. This act was ntcinded in the programme as. usual;, tent after the shot was fired Mme. Risk fell on the stage with a shriek. The audience was stricken with liouror,. for everyone thought the woman had been shot dead. It was discovered' that although madame had not been fatally injured, she had suffered a very ugly wound in the head. It has since leaked out that the bullets which Mme. Risk nightly stops are made not of lead,, as the innocent imagine, but of wax. These bullets always melt by the heat of the explosion in the rifle, and never reach Mme. Bisk, The real leaden bullet which the lady smilingly reveals canght between her teeth, is one that she has concealed in her mouth, where it remains until thrust forth at the right moment. On the night in question the waxen, bullet failed to melt, hence all the trouble. SOCIETY WOMAN'S EXPENDITURE.

According to ft telegram published in » London paper, Mrs. George A. Trude, who has just been separated from her husband, an elderly judge, explained at the Chicago Court the amount a careful society woman need* to spend on beautifying herself. "My expenditure is most modest," she said, "and consists of the following items: Perfume and toilet waters £ 120, face powders £9O, services of a manicurist £4O, hairdressers' bills £7O, miscellaneous cosmetics £55; annual expenditure, -E37&, The bills of many women in Chicago society," Mrs. Trude informed the Judge,.' "are much higher than mine. They spend hundreds of pounds in while I pay only £1 10s an ounce for my face powders." Mrs. Trude insisted that she practised most rigid economy- in buying, and explained that she kept her silk stocking bill down to £ls a month and never spent more than £240 a. year on hats or £35 on atwea. Her maxim, which she recommended all fashionable women to imitate, was: "Reduce your wants 10 per cent, below your income, regardless of the demands of society'j even if you do have to go without the best perfumes now and then." I