A WOMAN'S LETTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8166, 25 June 1906, Page 3

A WOMAN'S LETTER.

(Specially Written for the Age.)

WELLINGTON, Saturday. The cloud which baa hung dormant over our city for the last ten <Jiyahas lifted, arid once again the sun may shiue without a feeling of intrusion. Suushine of the highest quality is the tonio everyone is in need of to lift from their minds that intense feeling of depression. Never before has our Empire City worn quoh a lamentable appearance. Tributes of grief being conspicuous on all buildings, hundreds and thousands streamed in by boat and train to pay* a 1 last respect to a man for whom all New Zealand has mourned. The wonderful inpour of floral tokens tells how aniversally the chain of friendship was linkeJ. One of the most beautiful was a harp composed entirely of red berries, another, evidently from a Scotch admirer, was of white and purple heather, and another sent from tbo Seamen's Mission was a large wheel entirely decorated with Durple and "white ribbogs and clusters of violets. The lobby in the House of Parliament was lined,jjthe fourlsides being a perfect mass of bloom. The funeral which took place ou Thuraday, waa most impressive. Seven bands played alternately "The Dead March" and "A Garland of Flowers." The crowd of spectators, which was the largest Wellington has ever seen was most orderly and reverent. The gun oarriage, which bore the body, was drawn by six magnificent horse?. A gronp of Maoris stood at the top of Bowen Street, and as the funeral procession passed, waved their wands of greenery, "»nd, wafted through the stillness—which was unbroken save for the slow sad {tramp, tramp of the people—oame the strains of the weird, but most impressive lament of oar admirable natives.

Fuji-Ko, the well-known JaDanese actress; wbo is now n Londonhas writing and will shortly perform a one-act "dream play," the main feature of which is an extraordinary series of illusions or visions. The theme of the play is the doctrine of "Nirbana" believed in by Buddhists and Brahmins. According to this doctrine toe soul, after death, and after passing tiirongh a variety of phases, finally becomes "Nirvana" or the "drop in the ocean," 'that is, it loses all individuality and becomes extinct. The process by which the state of Nirvana is arrived at la called dyhana, and is simply a series of exstasies or tranoes self-imposed. Fujo-Ko, whose Dame literally translated signifies "The Lady of the Wistarias, speaking of her play, said it is oalled"The Love of a Geisha." The scene represents a Japanese shcp or small duelling. The Geisha comes in and her thoughts wander away to the events o her past life. She sleeps and before her rise the dream visions. 3?bese are absolutely different from anything ever seen before in the Western world. A Japanese Artist having designed them. The beauti ffal Eastern belief that the spirit of of soldiers wbo are killed on the field of battle, rise again, will be made the basis of one vision. A battlefield on whioh the bodies of dead soldiers are lying is seen. Suddenly a silver bugle sounds and from the still forms spirits arise and obey the call of the bugles. <

There is ever some new delicaoy pat in our way of temptation, and it is astonishing how eager we are to lest its quality and value. It will soon be possible to spread he breakfast toast with violet marmalade, or the the afternoon muffin with rose-leaf jam. An enterprising English jam- maker is adding these dainties to his list of novelties, and he will "also aspire to jasmine jelly and preserved lilac. Violets, preserved or orystalized have always been popular, delicaoies, and a large business is awayß done in sugared rose leaves, glaoe violets and other floral edibles. These are especially effective when used ./ for decorating ail Ordinary iced sponge sandwich or for home made swWts.

Anything Spanish will be fashionable. Consequently the* revival of the toreador hat adorned with silken pom-poms may be shortly looked for. Spanish laces have been greatly worn, especially when enriched bydarned designs in gold and coloured silks.

Long earrings are once again coming into favour To most faces they re beooming. They give light and colour to the face and all' boblists agree that they benefit the eyesight.

stooks and fancy collars whioh are so pretty and dressy can be made of odds and ends of lace and embroidery and nearly every girl has quantities of pieces 'left over from various summer or evening dresses and scarcely realises what effective collars oan be niacle from them with a little ingeuuity.

Chain bracelets are ooroing again into fashion, and slender chains twisted three or four times round the wrist ate also worn, and I've noticed some women wearing their pearl necklaces round her left arm. This is very fpretty with the e bow sleeve.

Veils form a most important part in woman's attire, especially in this world renowned windy city. They are worn in different ways according to fch«» weather. Quite the latest importation is Eussian net borded with lace, all colours being worn, though blue and brown are the favourite colours. These are' more useful for dressy occasions, the tbiok gossamer being most generally used for making fast one's hat.