WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 208, 1 March 1912, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

.'(Onducted by "EileeM.") THE STUDENTS' DAUGHTER. ROMANCE OF A GIRL FOUNDLING. Lucie Bigarre, "the daughter of the students," found as a baby in a doorway near the Sorbonne and adopted by the Students' Association, is about to be married. Eighteen years ago—in the July of 1893—the Latin quarter was in a state of siege. M. Beranger, then, as now, was the best known crusader of morality. He aroused a furious outburst of indignation among the students by instituting proceedings against them in connection with the famous "Quatz (Quatre) Arts" ball, at which from time immemorial the utmost license had been elaimed by the students.

The Latin quarter was in a ferment. Barricades had been erected in the streets, newspaper kiosks were burned, and omnibuses were overturned. Every day fierce encounters took place between students and police, in which one student was killed.and over 100 were injured. One night during this turmoil some students found a little baby girl sleeping peacefully in a doorway . The students determined to adopt the mite. The authorities; touched by the idea, made no difficulty about according the Students' Association the guardianship of the foundling, and in due course the baby was christened, the president of the association standing as sponsor. As she wag found on the eve of the Feast of St. Lucie she was given that name, with the surname of Bagarre, to commemorate the stormy days of her finding. Little Lucie was put to school, while the generation of students of the year of her adoption went out into the world. The Students' Association paid all her school fees, and when she left school saw that she was apprenticed to a dressmaker. Now she has become a skilled, modiste, and a few days ago her ''father," the Students' Assoeiation, received a formal request for its consent to her marriage with an honest baker of Nevers, where she is employed. After due enquiries had been made the consent was immediately given, and when Luci* is led to the altar a deputation of students will give her away. The Association Is also sending; a splendid wedding present to its daughter.

LAUNDRESSES ON STRIKE. SOCIETY WOMEN AS SPECIAL CONSTABLES. , Fifteen thousand New York laundresses began the New Year by striking for higher wages and better working conditions.

On the Tuesday there was a monster parade of wretchedly-clad women—some aged and grey, others mere girls, who shivered in the wintry air—it was freezing hard—but at a great mass meeting rhey expressed their determination to hold, out until they secure a promise of improved working conditions and wages. Somo two million residents of New York and the suburbs will go "laundryJess" while the strike lasts, but the grievances of the strikers as set forth in the newspapers, indicate the necessity for a thorough enquiry into the working conditions of the laundries in the State. It is claimed that hundreds of small laundries in the poorer districts of the eity are in a frightful condition, the ordinary rules of sanitation being ignored, and in many cases not even separate dressing rooms for the male and female employees are provided. The evils of child labor are said to be rampant everywhere, and the laundry employees are compelled to work 14 hours a day for starvation wagei.

j Apart, however, from the sympathy • that has been aroused by the recital of ! these intolerable working conditions, New York is tremendously excited over the _ special force of women "deputies" that j has been appointed by Sheriff Harbarger ■to deal with the situation. The "de- ) puties," while enquiring into the living and working conditions among the strikers, are actually "special constables." The new society "deputies" are Mrs. Caroline Truax, widow of the late New York Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Charles Truax; Mrs. 0. P. H. Belmont, the millionaire philanthropist; Miss Helen Gould, daughter of the late Mr. Jay Gould; Mrs. Inez Milholland, the wellknown suffragist philanthropist; Mme. Nordica, the famous prima donna; and Miss Annie Morgan, daughter of Mr. Pierpont Morgan. Mrs. Truax has already been sworn in, and the others have accepted the sheriff's invitation to serve as "deputies." They have for years taken a prominent part in charitable work, and j are close students of the living conditions in New York slums.

The "millionaire deputies" force, however, has tickled New York's fancy immensely, and the sheriff is being overwhelmed with applications from other members of the "Four Hundred" who feel that they have been overlooked. Slumming as a society amusement is quite as popular in New York as it is in London, but the title of "deputy sheriff" and the power to make arrests like a policeman make it far more attractive to the leaders of New York society.

STATUS OF MOHAMMEDAN WOMEN Mohammedan women seem to enjoy most of the privileges for which women in Great Britain are struggling at the present moment. This point was brought out by the Right Hon. Ameer Ali in a lecture which he gave at University College on the position of women under Islamic rule. Mussulmans attach great importance to equality in marriage, said the lecturer, and amongst the Arabs the rules on this subject are very precise and strong. This may possibly account for the active part taken recently by Arabian women as combatants. The wife does not lose her individuality after marriage. She retains all rights to her own property, and has full power to dispose of it as she desires. Not only is this the case, but her earnings belong absolutely to herself. The married woman has the legal right to the custody of her sons until they are of an age to be entrusted to the care of a tutor, and of her daughters until they marry or attain their majority. Moslem marriage is a, civil act. All the privileges, however, which belong to the woman as a wife are secured to her by law, and she is portected from ill-treatment, while j ike has also the right to demand a j divorte.

CHANGING BRIDES A millionaire's cheque-book was responsible for a last-moment change of brides in a Christmas wedding at South Norwalk, Connecticut, but as the original bride holds the opinion that "a fat purse and no squabbles is just as good as a husband," no hearts have been broken. The bridegroom was Mr. Francis O'Boyle, head bailiff on the estate of Mr. John McMullen, a millionaire contractor, and the original bride was Miss Sarah Shay, the millionaire's cook. Mr. McMullen, however, flatly refused to part with his cook, and, summoning the bridegroom, said: "Now. O'Boyle, if you must marry, why not take the housekeeper, Miss Annie Lynch ? She is pretty, and I can J get along without her. but the cook —' never. What would I do without her?"

The cheque-book was brought into play, and a substantial Christmas present and a promise of treble salary henceforth consoled Miss Shay for the loss of a husband, and a wedding present of a house and furniture and a substantial expenses allowance for a honeymoon trip t) Mexico and California induced the housekeeper to take her friend's place at the altar. The bridegroom was perfectly contented, and the millionaire, supremely happy at having solved his do ; mestic troubles so easily, took entire charge of the wedding arrangements. "Dirt cheap at the price," he told the reporters. "When you have got a good cook keep her at all costs."