FOR WOMEN FOLK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 286, 12 May 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.

« PETTICOAT INFLUENCE."

THOUBLKS OF THE KAISKII.

THREE REMARKABLE WOMES,

Moving in the highest • circles in German v are three young women. They are remarkable girls, and in their dilterent spheres have figured very prominently before the German people. The three young women are:— The gay butterfly, the Crown Princess ' The self-willed daughter of the Kaiser, Princess Victoria Louise. The staid and serious Bertha Ivrupp, the richest woman in Europe. Sonic piquant disclosures about these personalities are made in "The Berlin Court under William H. J? This book, published by Cassells, is at present the talk of London, on account of the diary attributed to the Kaiser, the discussion being divided between the question of the authenticity of the document and the author of the book, '"Count Axel von Schwering," a name which is said to conceal the identity of one who has been the Kaiser's guest. We give some extracts bearing on the petticoat influences surrouiuliiig the Kaiser. The author describes the Crown Princess C'erile as an exceedingly fascinating little person, full of life, fun and merriment; cue who enjoys the good things of life with a particular zest. After her marriage she horrified Berlin society by her truly French smartness. She exhibited tiie most marvellous clothes that Berlin hud ever seen, and she put them on with true Parisian chic and a certain extravagance that did not appeal to the Empress, whose taste was for a simpler magnificence. The Crown Princess often bore herself and dressed herself like a little grizette. She was dashing and eccentric, and compelled admiration even from those who did not approve of her.

SOCIETY WHISPERS. She became the centre of tlie ultrasmart set, and there were, declares "the count," whispers about her that would have made the Kaiser very angry had he heard of them. ''lt was related that she borrowed money right and left, and gambled whenever she found the opportunity. "In tier* early married days she flitted through life like a gay butterfly; but beneath her apparent frivolity was hidden a considerable power of observation and whilst trying to make for herself friends with whom she could indulge her taste for unlimited amusement, she also succeeded in winning over to her "USbaml's side many serious people to help him to form a political party which woti'd learn to depend upon him in the future.

"She had seen French politicians, had listened to their conversations, and seemed to have come to the conclusion tilat a war between Germany and France was inevitable. That war the Crown Princes did not dread, but she thought "her countrymen did not bear enough in mind that France was, as she believed, a watchful enemy. She encouraged her husband in his warlike sympathies, and very soon the couple became the idols of the military party." The Emperor reprimanded his son, and even in public did not spare him. The Crown 'Princess, irritated at the silence of her husband in the presence of the reproaches of the Emperor, attacked his Majesty herself, and told hiin plainly that it was strange he insisted on such absolute obedience from his children after having himself been such a disobedient son!

INTRODUCED THE SLIT SKIRT. The Kaiser's daughter, Princess Victoria 'Louise, was not such a source of trouble to him as his daughter-in-law, but she caused him many anxious moments, and her modern spirit alarmed the Empress, who had strong views on the subject of propriety:— "The most daring French modes were irresistible to Princess Victoria Louise. She delighted in causing a sensation, '.(lid when no one in court circles dared wear slit skirts, because the Empress declared them to be indecent, the Princess went about in an exceedingly closefitting skirt that hardly left her any joom in which to move, and flaunted a really embarrassing slit." The Emperor also knew how to manage his daughter, and he showed som* ingenuity in leading her to select the very lmsband he had chosen for her. He knew that he had only to express approval of the advances of some prince or other for his daughter's hand and she would strenuously oppose the idea. A ROYAL COURTSHIP. The Emperor, having in view a reconciliation between the lionses of Hohenzollern and Hanover, decided that his daughter should marry Prince Ernest of Cumberland, lie got the Crown Princess to enter into a conspiracy for the two girls to have a holiday together. When his daughter asked permission the Emperor objected, and then assented with apparent reluctance. The two Princesses were enjoying the winter sports at St. Moritz when, as if by chance, 'Prince Ernest arrived, and lie was naturally included in their excursions and pleasure parties. Tne writer thus describes the progress of the Koyal courtship:— "It was not lung before the young daughter of the Emperor, suspecting no-

thin 0- , became aware of a more than vasbtng interest in the sou of the Hanoverian I'reteuder. This led on to the romantic side of her nature being bred by the idea of eiVceting, through a warria°'e with him, the reconciliation ot two houses that had hated each other for nearly half a century, these conclusions being readied, she immediately bc"an to plan by what means she could induce her father to agree, as slip was certain he would consider her idea monstrous.

"NEVER MARRY ANYONE ELSE." ,

"The Crown Princess meanwhile wa3 carefully -watching and from time to time writing to ller father-in-law, reporting progress. W lien she fancied that tilings were beginning to ripen she chicled her sister-in-law" for getting too friendly with Prince Ernest, adding that she felt that the Emperor would he very angry if he thought that a (lirtation had been going on between them. This was sullieient to make \ ictoria Louise declare that she loved Prince Ernest, and would never marry anyone else. . . "Thus came about through a young girls' caprices and spirit of independence the reconciliation of two rival houses who for years Ind been bitter enemies.'' The Kaiser, allowed the same shrewdness when he planned a marriage between Bertha Krupp, heiress of the Kmpp millions, with a member of the ! Tiohlen branch of the Bismarck family. ] He was anxious about her marriage; lie ' dreaded she might fall in love with an I Englishman or Russian, and so lie, with- ! out her knowledge, arranged for her to meet .Von Bohlen

Tlie young man quickly succeeded in winning the girl, much to the reKcf of the Kaiser, who at once sent his good wishes to the pair and invited himself to the wedding. Bertha von Bismarck Bohlen dresses with the utmost simplicity; meeting her ill tlie street one would never dream she is the richest woman in Europe.

" WOMEN WILL FINISH THE WAR.' "We have run against many Germans who were ready enough to surrender," remarked Private Jujip, of tlie Dragoon (Juiu'ds. "Men came in and said very rude things of the Kaiser. Tliey told us they were 'fed up' with the war. One day early in the year we took 400 prisoners, and so relieved were they to be out of the fighting they olfered us anything they had as souvenirs—watches helmets, swords, bayonets, and all sorts of odds and ends. 'We, who are at the front won't finish the war,' they said, 'but our wives will.'"

THE SOLDIER, THE SLIPPER AND THE LADY. 'A 'Loudon correspondent writes:—Here is a curious little war story that was related to me by its "hero." He is a British ollicer who is home from the lighting front on a short leave, haying injured one foot rather severely. Meanwhile he is going about in mufti, and is wearing a carpet slipper on liis injured foot. The other day, while he was travelling down from Hampstead to Wimpo'.e street in a motor 'bus, to see his surgeon, a woman opposite him in the vehicle leaned over and enquired how long lie had been back from France? Considerably surprised, and wondering if he were confronted by a seeress, or a feminine Sherlock Holmes, he explained and then asked how she knew that he was a soldier and had been ill France. "It is quite simple, really," smiledthe fair one. "You see, I made that slipper that you are wearing, and sent it to the front!"

USEFUL HINTS. (Powdered sugar is preferred by some people in making hard sauce. To curl an ostrich feather, sprinkle it with salt and shake in front of a liot fire.

To keep a kitchen table white, wash it iirst with vinegar, then scrub it as usual. Sal ammoniac will clean a furred kettle. Fill the kettle with cold water, add a little sal ammoniac to it, and boil. All the fur will dissolve. Well rinse the kettle afterwards.

Over-boiled potatoes, placed in a cloth and squeezed hard, can be mixed with flour or barley meal and made into scones. They should be toasted, and eaten with butter.

An excellent silver polish cloth can be made in the following way: liny an ounce of jeweller's rouge, mix with a little water, rub into a piece of chamois skin, and dry. Clotlu'S that have become yellow call lie whitened by soaking in buttermilk for live diiys. Use a stone jar or a wooden bucket for this purpose. At the end of this time rinse thoroughly and boil in light suds. Dissolve one handful, of salt in a pint of vinegar, and wash the stove with the solution. Wipe dry with a flannel cloth and put a few drops of turpentine in the blacking with which you finish it ofT. This will put a lusty stove in good condition. When making fruit pies 'put in the sugar when the dish is half full, and not on top. If you add the sugar last the pastry will be heavy. IF you make boiled starch with weak, white, •.■oi\psi;i|'s, there will lie no difficulty with the iron sticking.