TEA TABLE TALK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 14 November 1913, Page 2

TEA TABLE TALK.

"Carmen Sylva," Queen of Koumania, first mot her'future husband at the Court of Berlin. She was, one evening. running down a marble staircase there, when she slipped, screamed, and fell, but was caught by the arms of the future King of Roumania, who happened to be passing at the moment.

Mrs Audrey Lo Blond, the intrepid lady mountaineer, whose photographs of Alpine scenery are world-famous, first took to mountain-climbing to cure a tendency towards consumption, and was soon restored to perfect health.

Among the leaders who are promoting present-day methods of scientific honie building in the farm ho:ne, Mrs Harbert, of Menzonola, Colorado,- is aft' outstanding figure, a woman of charm and versatile ability. Mrs Harbert was a teacher for many years •after which she fnarried and took up life on a farm, which had always been her one desire. Besides preparing three square meals a day, washing dishes, washing clothes, personally looking after a largo flock of poultry, superintending the care of a cherry orchard, canning fruits, vegetables and meat, Mrs Harbert also finds time to keep her mind in touch With the current events of the day through the magazines, and personally to get into association with her neighbours and friends. This, sh<t declares, is (brought about by the labour-saving devices which she had studied and introduced into her home. An electric moifcor runs her sewing-machine, washes her dishes, washes her clothes, supplies the power for an ironing mangle, electric iroln, coffee percolator, and an elective fireleas cooker, at the low cost of on© pel' cent, per hour (says the Woman's Life). This Colorado leader advocates the practical kitchen, which lightens work and makes living more simple, but discounts the fancy odds and ends, and decorations, which have no placo in her home. In too many homes of which they are a part, she claims, the sacrifice of strength and ' time that should be given to the as- i sociation of the family has a large debit element. Every housekeeper, Mrs Harbert maintains, should be a cihemist, and the. kitchen should be a -laboratory: holding .tlie.koy to. the health of her family. 'Mrs'.Harbert is a woman who .gathers, richness out of life as she travels through it, has fotund in farm life something worth while, and is enthusiastic in giving it out and urging other farm women to see the bright side of what has been called "The best lifo in the world," i.e., the country life.