WOMAN’S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1922, Page 10

WOMAN’S WORLD.

BOOKS FOR BACKBLOCKS. The cry for more books for the settlers of the back-blocks and their children is ever an insistent one, and much as the Victoria League lias done in this direction there is a continuous call for more, both from those who have received supplies and others who have not. The following letter from Mr. C. A. McKinney, the organising teacher in Northern Taranaki, is eloquent of the gratitude with which those in the remote parts of the province receive these gifts. Under date of August 2, Mr. McKinney writes from Ahititi as follows to the Victoria League:—“l am writing jto convey my best thanks for the help and interest your league have taken in i connection with supplying some of the ! schools in my area with books. I can assure you that such help is greatly appreciated by teachers and pupils alike. Nothing tends to foster a love of literature among children so much as the possession of a suitable school library. I shall see that the libraries are well organised and that the books are carefully looked after.” The Victoria League is at present awaiting a further supply of books, illustrated papers or magazines to meet requests for such from soldier settlers and others, as well as schools, and any gifts will be gratefully received at the league rooms.

FAMILY LETTERS. The scattered members of a family have of course many subjects which are exceedingly interesting to them, although they might not engage the attention of the outside world. The mistake is sometimes made by people of one household of supposing that litt’e things which happen at home are not: worth setting down in letters to send to the son in business, whose heart turns yearningly to the little mountain home where he was born and reared, and to whom nothing is so delightful as to receive a letter from father or mother, which carries with it the story of happy commonplace days in the dear old home. He likes to hear of the neighbors who pass on their way to the post office, of the engagement of pretty Susie, the village belle, to young Harold Franklin, who has been courting her so long. It even gives him pleasure to hear of the hens and chickens, the dogs and c£(ts, the cows and horses about the place. The most successful family letter is the one which does not scorn petty details, but tells the home news fully and freely.

The family letter cannot be too informal and gossipy. One may safely put down in it every little thing, no matter how small, sure that the one who is to receive it will be glad to know all that has to do with the welfare of the kith and kin. People away from home are very apt to neglect those who are left behind. They forget the quiet life which goes on in the hamlet or the inland town —how father and mother go to the post office and return with disappointed faces because there is no letter; how long it seems to have to wait another day.

Away in the midst of city life the daughter or eon. filled with engagements, with no end of interesting things happening, puts off writing from day to day. and the days weave themselves into weeks and the weeks into months,, and there occur long, slowly passing intervals in which no letter reaches the dear ones at home.

These breaks in familv life by the intermittent character of family letters are greatly to be deplored. It is quite within one’s power not to let this happen.

The best way to keep up regular correspondence in the family is to write on certain days to certain people. Perhaps there may be a sister or an aunt who has more leisure than the others, and to her may be safely deputed the duty of writing to the absent ones. Let her arrange her plans, if she be tire family amanuensis, in such a way that she may know and tell all the family news, and not only that part which is most entertaining to herself.

She will not sit down in a hurried moment and dash off a letter, but will take a quiet hour in the afternoon or evening. think over what she is going to say. and write a letter which will cheer and comfort to some one in need of strength. In like manner, the absent child or the young girl away on a visit, or the student at college, will set apart a stated time and devote that to the writing of the home letter. Many things in this life are neglected because we have no system about them. The way to get things done is to do them, and the way to be sure of doina them is to set apart an hour on which nothing else encroaches, and never to suffer anything to be left over for to-morrow which ought to be done to-dav.

Tn a quiet little village, whec? there is nothing to break the monotony, and the winters are long, and time, often hangs heavily on one’s hands, there lives a married daughter who at home was the centre of all which was gay and active, but who resigned her city life because of her love for the husband of her choice; it seems hardly fair that long spaces of time should pass in which the dear ones at home do not think enough about her to write to her, and so keep her in touch with the stimulating life thev are enjoying. Not to multiply instance, we all have relatives and connections of our familv in distant lands, on business or travelling for pleasure, or working at some far-off station —-cousins, sisters, brothers, to whom a letter will be as a message from heaven. We mav well have an ambition to make our family letters as delightful, as sincere, and as unique as possible. GENERAL. It appears that for the last three years “Foyers des Camnagnes,” or village clubs, have been established over the devastated areas of France, with a view to re-starting village life by providing a centre of education and recreation. The foyers are open to men and women alike, and provide special interests; and amusements for the children. Organised classes for needlework and ecnnomv are held, as well as properly running village clinics. The establishments are undenominational and non-party. Speaking of the differences between the English and French Rural Clubs, the writer says that in England the women hold their club life separately from the men. while in France all share alike. Tn France any 'separate organisation of women is looked I upon with suspicion lest it should form a nucleus of a woman’s political party. 1 and rumor has it that another potent 'reason is that the French village woman is more active-minded than her husband, .and if did not take an active , part in organising the foyei* for both men and women the men would go

erless” for ever! Yet the men are ter--1 ribly afraid lest the example of other countries should be followed and their women become enfranchised. A strange attitude of mind.

Talking about dancing, which a Parisian writer says is most decidedly not on the wane, it appears that a meeting of well-known professors and “profeseoressefl” took place to discuss in Paris old and new dances, and to urge grace and restraint in dancing, so as to remove a reproach which has been levelled at ballrooms. The witer says:—This summer, again, hostesses can be grateful to the Union des professeurs de danse de France, with M. Raymond (of the Grand Opera) at their head, for their latest inventions. The debate and competition lasted a whole evening. M. Schwartz, it appears, told his colleague and companion (from the Opera) that in future every teacher —never mind how modern hie; tendencies might be—had to be well acquainted with the classical repertoire, past and present. Then the band played most successful acquisitions made during the competition. I specially noted the screamingly funny pantomime and contortions in Professor Christini’s “Genova,” illustrating the various phases—pleasant and otherwise—at the Genoa Conference. The four parts of the dance comprise: the arrival of the diplomats, stampings of feet, Russian memorandum, and dissolution. The “one-step,” “shimmy,” “Boston,” “tango,” followed by a potpourri of all four, replace the five traditional figures in the new quadrille, “criss-crose.” Undulating movements, simulating sea-waves, are quaintly discernible in M. Piau’s “houli.” But, to my mind, the beat of the series is undoubtedly due to Professor Valentin, whose creation, “passeto,” is charming, graceful and easily performed. We shall, nevertheless, remain faithful to the minuet pa vane and garotte for a bal poudre, and not discard the maxixe and tango. The “shimmy,” I hear, will alone disappear from the list, unless introduced in the new quadrille “crisscross.” And I am certain that nobody will regret the omission.

THE IDEAL WOMAN. The Pall Mall Gazette has been holding a competition to give men readers the opportunity to describe their ideal woman. It is not mentioned whether there was an overwhelming rush of entries, but those quoted would seem to prove that man has altered little since the days of Adam in his attitude towards the weaker sex, and that the idiosycrasies of the modern woman do not meet with his general approval. The prize was awarded to LieutenantColonel Newell, who was said to sum up in his description most of the requirements of the majority. His effort was presented in verse, and makes entertaining reading: No rouge on her cheeks, nor powder on her nose; She must not gild the lily nor paint the rose; Nor strenuous effort make for Parliament ; Nor bob her hair, nor have a temperament; No statesman she, no lawyer nor ambassador; For her the wifely role of my prime minister. Cheery she must be and kind; Warm of heart, with steadfast mind; Fair of form and face and nature, Sweet, low-toned, of perfect stature; Thrifty, amiable and good, A model of true womanhood. Such is the wife, for woe or weal, My fancy pictures as ideal. One’s sympathy goes out (says a writer in Melbourne Argus) to the gallant and optimistic soldier), who evidently desires in his long life that peace which passeth understanding. He may, of course, bv this time be a confirmed pessimist. “The one who thinks twice before she - speaks once” is the ideal woman of another competitor, while a third demands that she be “wise, optimistic, musical, adamant, and non-poli-tieal.” Still another find his ideal woman in his own wife, whom he describes as “loving by nature, open and sympathetic, venomous never, in all things practical, and not easily dismayed.” That must be a very clever woman! USEFUL HINTS. A Stratford reader provides the following heloful hints:— Wire mattresses when painted thoroughly on both sides do not rust bedding. The paint preserves the wire, and does not rub off. Any fairly thick paint will do. An old broom is excellent for applying it, and dries in one day if done in early morning. Cooking-potatoes when sun-burned should be put aside for planting if not diseased. Always divide large ones, cutting lengthwise. Cakes for children will be more wholesome if fruit used is first boiled. It also imparts a nicer flavor, and takes less fruit. Peel from fresh oranges or lemons may be boiled and liquid or both added to cake. The latter is suitable also for improving bread-pudding. Infants will be very efficiently dried if a soft square, preferably warmed, is placed inside large towel, bead resting on one corner, lower corner placed between legs and over chest; fold large towel completely over, leaving head clear, which mav then be dried, using circular motion. Olive oil should be used for under arms, etc., in preference to powder, which corodes the air passages, and is said to promote lung trouble. After careful drying olive oil may be applied behind the e®rs and top of head, which treatment is an absolute prevention of scaly growths. PERSONAL. The Spanish Princesses are considered the best-dressed Roval children in Europe. Ever since babyhood they have been dressed from Paris, just as their brothers have been tailored from London, and so by now have acquired that air of ehic which characterises their English-born mother. While in London recently (where they went to attend the funeral of their uncle. Lord Leopold Mountbatten), the Infanta. Beatrice and the Infanta Maria Christina attended Mass at the Carmelite Church just behind Kensington Palace. It was here that +he Queen of Spain, after being instructed and received into the Catholic faith by the.late Bishop Brindle, heard ''lass for the last time as a girl before leaving England to marry King Alfonso. And on one of the walls nf this church, near the altar, is a tablet put up to commemorate her escape from the bomb that wrecked the Royal carriage on her wedding day. as the Royal bride and bridegroom were 'driving through the streets of Madrid.