WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1920, Page 10

WOMAN'S WORLD

GONE DANCING MAD. London, Feb. 10. "Take from earth the gift of song, lost were half her gladness," says the old-time ballad. Judging by appearances, a great many people would find ample compensation in the art—if that be the right word—of which Salome rather than Miriam was an early exponent. Posters on every hoarding now intimate where you can learn the newest steps or meet people who, having learnt them, would be glad to have you join the revel. All still very new to London is that kind pf poster, vleing for popular attention with theatrical bills, protestations of the virtues of somebody's Burgundy or some other body's stout, wr indioating the only shop worth thinking about if you want to buy furniture —which, of course, nobody does while there are no houses to put it in. The fact is that London has gone dancing mad and wants its frolic at first hand. Mostly to a kind of music which a Kentucky authority assures us makes the hens lay. To watch the lascivious twinings of the leg-cele-brity of the hour or a daintily-undressed corps <le ballet—these are mere vicarious tributes at the terpsichorean shrine. People insist now on doing their dancing for themselves and the assembly places are crammed by young and old —youth declaring that it is healthful exercise, age asserting that it is not only golf that can cure lumbago. Why not? Was not dancing the chief relaxation of Davoust, and who could be braver and finer than Napoleon's famous Marshal? And did not Mr. and Mrs. Fezeewig—most respectable people—make as good a showing as any of the apprentices or their sweethearts when they stood forth for Sir Roger de Coverley, with a stiff piece of work cut out for them. And are not the most pleasant memories bound up with the thought of Oliver Goldsmith's ' —dancing pair that simply sought renown By holding out to tire each other down? "On with the dance," then, as Byron hath it in his immortal verse on the Waterloo Ball, whence Captain Osborne —doomed, like "Brunswick's fated chieftain," went forth to battle after his last flirtation with Becky Sharp.

WOMEN BURGLARS. CHEEKY NOTES THEY LEAVE BEHIND THEM. A "lady burglar" was arrested when leaving a country house lately on ft bicycle. Among other things she had annexed a sealskin jacket, but her claim to originality in the burglnr class rotfts upon the message she left pinned upon the wall of the dining room: "Please will you have these bars removed from the window for my next visit? I wish I had a trunk for all these boots. Have taken a few things, so don't be alarmed. Hope you all slept well.—Yours, The Housebreaker." Two disappointed burglars who broke into a big house recently left the following note in the sitting room: —"4 15 a.m. Dear Sir,—We are here with your house at. our disposal, but there is nothing of any portable value except the bottle of red ink witli which we are writing this note. We are taking that, and also a green pencil from your escritoire. Trusting you will not miss these articles, and wishing you a happy New Year—We are, yours truly, Gentlemen Jim and John." The letter—a red letter—was printed in capitals to afford no clue, and the articles mentioned were actually all that were missing! But the woman burglar seems The smartest at this sort of cheek. One of these ladies of the lampliffht added insult to injury with the following scurrilous note: —"I don't want your mouldy coat and vest. I want something bet- | ter. As for your beastly vases, I knocked one down as I climbed through the window, and a pretty sound sleeper you must have been, I reckon, nof to have heard _it." At the Police Court, when she was arrested and charged, she added: "Well, I only told the truth. I wanted watches, not old clothes an<! cheap lustres." But perhaps the most remarkable literary legacy left by a burglar is "Advice to Burglars," written by a New York cracksman, illustrated with diagrams of Bafes and doors and combination desks. In careful preface the author declares that courage, sobriety, perseverance, and, above all, earnestness, j should form part of the modern bur- , glar's equipment.

MARRIAGE PROPOSALS TO'FLYERS. [£lo,ooo FOR LECTURING TOUR DECLINED. ! Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith began to-day (says the Melbourne Herald of February 7) by declining a business offer of £IO,OOO, rejecting proposals of marriage, and refusing to be made use of for advertising purposes. They are not disagreeable. On the contrary they want to please, but they are having the fact cleaTly shown to them that it is impossible to ;;:easc everybody. With eyes of youth they are now looking into the mirror of fate, and every day some tempting offer is made. Hundreds of proposals from theatrical firms, business people, and young women are being received by the two airmen. Some suggest how the young knights may obtain wealth; others how they may obtain matrimonial bliss. Only the word "Yes" is needed to complete negotiations in either case, for the proposals, whether monetary or matrimonial, are of a most pressing nature. Sir Ross and Sir Keith are experiencing now the second half of an Arabian Nights tale. Their great journey through the unknown has ended, and riches and romance are now being revealed to their aslonished eyes. _ Theatrical firms ara making oners 1 which the ordinary citizen would consider beyond the realms of possibility; but these have not been readily accepted by the knights. Indeed, Captain FranJc Hurley intimated that an offer of n. minimum guarantee of £IO,OOO for the world's rights of a limited lecturing tour had been declined. However, negotiations were pending with several theatrical firms for a lecturing tour by Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith, and_ whatever arrangement was reached it was certain that the first series of illustrated lectures would be given in Australia. , . ~ Sir Ross Smith's book on the flight from London Australia is now in the course of preparation. It will be published in A series of magazine articles by him will be ready m the <)oursd of ft few <say»t The United

State;? rights for the magazine articles have already been purchased by the Geographical Society (Washington). Large packets containing letters stood upon the table at Menzies' Hotel this morning. These were for Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith, who are overburdened with correspondence. "I have not yet opened all the mail which I received at Darwin," said .Sir Ross this morning, "and when J. am going to read all the letters addressed to me I da not lenow."

Autograph books are also making their way to Monzies' Hotel for the, signature of the two aviators. In Sydney the desire for signatures became so general among young women, that the airmen found it necessary to leave books ynsignod at the Australian Hotel to "be called for by the owners. "We tried "to do our host," said Sir Keith this mofning, "but when CD came in in one lot for our autographs T thought it was too hot. We are signing in good many in Melbourne, and 'are trying to keep pace ivith the flow." SIR KEITH'S LOVE LETTERS; Sir Keith Smith always brings'llls mail—or the letter portion of it—to the breakfast table, and amuses his .colleagues by reading extracts from his letters. However, he is fair to the young women who propose to him, for he never discloses names, even in leap year, though having a keen sense of humor, he turns love into comedy. Sir Ross makfls no attempt to Toole through his correspondence in the day. He generally reads his mail before going to bed at night, for this is about the only spare time lie has availableFollowing is one of the letters received by Sir Keith and read out at breakfast at Menzies' this morning:— Sir Keith Smith, — Dear Lieutenant, —You are so brave, so noble, so reckless, so heroic that one cannot help loving you, but I feel and know that my love for you is no youthful joy; it is a permanent and overflowing stream. I loved you when you started on the great journey. I followed you through the snows of France, over the mountains of Italy, the deserts of Arabia, and the wilds of India, and when you passed the Frenchman (Poulet) my feelings got beyond control. My rich blood fairly rushed through my veins. I felt I was doing thtf journey with you. On, on, on, over the boundless forests of Malay, where engine trouble would have meant death to you and everything, and then that last awful stretch over the Pacific, Islands, mid tempests and willy willy; then Darwin, Australia; and safety and the accomplished feat. I am considered by other gentlemen a charming girl, with bright eyes and superb figure. I take a delight in everything livinff, and can work if need be. Please consider this proposal with due seriousness, and answer this as soon as possible, as I am anxiously waiting your decision.

"GREAT ADVENTURE NOT SOUGHT" A warning to those who are composing love letters to Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith was given by Captain F. Hurley to-day. "They have no desire to embark upon the great adventure of marriage," he said- "At present there are too many other adventures afoot for them."

Praise for generosity has been bestowed by the public on Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith as a result of the announcement that the Commonwealth prize of £IO,OOO will be divided among the four who formed the party, Captain F. Hurley, for Sir Ross Smith, explained to-day that an agreement was reached in London that everybody would do his individual share of the work. Special duty was allotted to each member of the party, and as each would go through the same risks and hardships Sir Ross Smith had thought it was only fair that each should have an equal share of the prize.