FOR WOMEN FOLK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 246, 26 March 1915, Page 6

FOR WOMEN FOLK.

" BY EILEEN."

" Eileen " will be glad to receive items of interest and

value to women for publication or reference in this column.

A STRATFORD NURSE AT THE FRONT.

Friends -in Stratford who have a kindly remembrance of Miss L. Bennett, at one time Matron of the Stratford District Hospital, will be interested to know that at the beginning of February, she was at the front nursing wounded Belgians at Calais (says the I'ost). At the time of writing, she had been three months on the Continent, and had seen some terrible sights as the result of the awful war. Referring to Xew Zealand, Miss Bennett says:—"l am proud of my adopted country and what it has done and is doing. Just fancy 11.M.5. New Zealand taking "part in' that big engagement in the North Sea! The Colonies are certainly rallying round the dear Motherland—and she needs all the help tlray can give her, for we have a cruel enemy to overthrow. . . I never had the sligthest idea what war really meant until I came here; the pain, sorrow, and suffering nearly overpower one at times. I shall never forget my first I week; I was Charge Night Sister at the receiving shed, the wounded being brought in by Red Cross trains from the frontal hundreds at a time. They are placed on stretchers and carried in, and their wounds dressed; then they are sent in ambulances to the different We had nine -thousand through our hands in one week, so you can imagine the work for the British and Belgian doctors and we English nurses. . . There is a very large hospital here, and I have been Acting-As- } sistant Matron for some time. Military : life is most interesting; we used to have 1 lots of German wounded brought in, I but now we only see them pass through in the trains as prisoners." -■

WAR OFFICE.

NOTE FOR WOMEN.

SHOULD WOMEN PROPOSE?

The old question has been revived by the unanimous declaration of New York feminists in favor of marriage for the professional woman. An amusing discussion on the subject discloses a charm-

ing diversity of opinion. According to a prominent member of the Professional Women's League, the adoption of the initiative by_ women in proposals will exclude from courtship its most important element—sentiment. "Do you know," she asks, "that women want to be proposed to because they want the last word?"

An anti-suffrage orator is in complete agreement with this > speaker. "It must," she declares, "be a stupid woman who cannot manage things ao as to make a man think he ha 3 done all the proposing himself. A woman who is so crude and clumsy as to blurt out the main question herself deserves to be turned down."

The majority of tlic suffragettes, however, announce themselves resolute advocates of the right of women to propose "it she can support herself." "I am seriously thinking of proposing to a man," announces one lady, who argues thaV "it is much more honest and decent to come out openly than to do this everlasting pretending that we do not care when we are really pursuing the man tooth and nail and leaving no stone unturned to capture him."

To this a young English lecturer adds: "I would not hesitate a moment if I really wished to marry a man. If a woman lias as much to give as a man in health, wealth and ability, there is no logical reason why she should not. The only reason why she has not done it before is that she has had to ask the man to support her, which, I admit, is asking a good deal." "Personally," says another woman, "I think it is eminently proper for a woman to propose, if she has sufficient means for her own support, and, I believe, most men would consider a proposal in these circumstances a compliment."

Another well-known suffragette considers it a woman's duty, "when she finds the right man, to propose to him instantly, rather than risk his getting away." Finally, one woman declares that "if women decide to do their own proposing, there would not be a bachelor left."

HINTS FOR GIRLS. Bad temper is contagious. never wear tan shoes. A woman is not well dressed if she has a hole in her stocking. Home is the place where you grumble the most and are treated the best. Someone has suggested some things that every girl can learn before she is fifteen. Not everyone can learn to play or sing or paint well enough to give pleasure to her friends, but the following accomplishments are within reach of everybody:— Shut the door, and shut it gently. Have an hour for rising, and rise. Never let a button stay off twentyfour hours. Always know where your things are. Never let a day pass without doing something to make somebody comfortable. Never come to breakfast without a collar. Never go about with your shoes unbuttoned.

QUEEN TEACHES ECONOMY. An English correspondent writes:— At one of our little informal tea parties that take place at Buckingham Palace these afternoons the Queen was boasting that for five months she had not had la. Ijinglc new afternoon or evening gown. Of course, we all know by; this hour of the day what a careful manager of her dress allowanc« her Majesty is. A sum of £4OOO per annum is set aside for it, but a little over £2OOJ> covers the complete outlay, and this notwithstanding the fact that Queen Mary has a decided renchant to costly materials, such as brocade and rich satin in full dress attire.

A lady-in-waiting was telling me some time tack that the Queen rarely paid more than £8 8s for her very English' tailor-made suits. Que«n Alexandra always calculated to spend about £ISOO on "a season's Court attire. This year Queen Mary hopes to put that figure carefully away.

KITCHENETTE SISTETI INVADES

Mrs Parker, the sister of Lord Kit- , ehener, is one of the most business-like ; women of the moment, and her gift of organisation is nearly as good as the . famous General's (writes a lady fro.n | London). She has immense influence ] with the chief of the War Office, and is about the only woman wro cax •'cheek" him. The other day I hear he kept her waiting to see him for over half an hour, at the end of which time her patience was thoroughly exhausted. Suddenly, she got up, and walking down the hall of the War Office, where she knew his private rooms were situated, daringly attempted to enter. Sho is about the only woman seen In that particular (part of the building, and when a clerk noticed a female form in such a place he went up ana seized her, saying: "Madam, do you know -where you are? I cannot permit you to move an inch further."

"I am Lord Kitchener's sister, and I must see him," she answered, pushing him out of the way and making for the "holy of holies," in which the great man presides. The clerk went flying out to a sentry, thinking she had come to murder the chief. Meanwhile sno was talking to "Herbert" and saying things to him, among them being: "Really, Herbert, it is about the limit, your leaving me standing on the doorstep waiting all this time to have the high honor of seeing you." At first he was rather vexed 'with his sister taking so conspicuous part in public affairs as she is doing just now, but he had to get used to it, for Mrs Parker is quite as big a personality in her own way as the great Herbert, ami she was determined to help. Some years ago she made ft tour in the United States and visited there no Jfflid of public institutions, especially prisons and hospitals, and she says the knowledge and experience she acquired on that occasion is now standing her in good stead.

WORTH KNOWING. Hair brushes can be cleaned by putting ammonia in cold water and dipping the brush in, being careful not to allow the wood to get into the water; then rinse in clear cold water. *

To remove oil stains from carpets, make a paste with fuller's earth and cold water and spreak thickly on the soiled parts. Let it dry, then remove wit], a stiff brush,

Boots should never be allowed to gS too long before they are repaired; often a few coppers spent in tinle will keep them in good condition. Heels should be kept straight, otherwise the boot loses shape and its wearer a good carriage.

Milk will keep sweet longer in a shallow pan than in a pitcher. Wash all the hosiery the day before washday; it will avoid lint on them. Always break rather than cut asparagus.

To make serviettes look like new, first wash and dry in the ordinary way, but do not starch. When dry, dip one by one Into boiling water, wrap in a starred cloth, wring as dry as possible and iron at once with a flat iron as hot as you can use without scorching. Done in this way they have a glossy. Ipofc. which is impossible to get if starched in the ordinary way.

Shampooing, Hairdressing, and Twisting. Electrolysis for the permanent removal of superfluous hair. Switches, Toupees, etc. Ladies' combings made up to any design. Mrs. BEADLE, Egmont Toilet Parlors,-Griffiths' Buildings, near Carnegie Library.