Household.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1771, 10 November 1883, Page 6

Household.

A novelty has been introduced at the afternoon teas in London. The cakes and other dinner-spoiling abominations are seldom partaken of by guests who care about the appearance of their gloves. A lady who receives a good deal has introduced a silver cake-lifter, something like a pair of oldfashioned sugar-tongues, but shorter, and ivifch broad flat ends. Until one gets used to it,lt looks decidedly odd to see a piece of cake carried to the mouth with tongs.

There is to be an entirely new style of beauty, says the London Court Journal. The girls with the ruddy locks or the golden hair and the Saxon skin, that have held their sway so long, \rill have to abdicate their throne to their darkrhaired sisters. So fashion has decreed, and, when fashion does decree a thing, the result is as unalterable as a general election. To be in the fashion today you must hare dark hair, dark blue eyeg, not a particle of colour, and lips as red as the cherry. These rather varied requirements are to be met — with art.

Why is it, asks the Boston Transcript, thai men always talk of the vanity of handsome women ? It is not really handsome women ■wljo think most about their loelcs, but the women who have some indefinite claim that way — who possess some points about the practical value of which they are not quite sure, and are constantly trying effects with them. Youu- really handsome woman gets used to hearing of the fact from her childhood up, and learns to accept it as composedly as she might inherited wealth, good birth, or any other solid condition one is born to.

Thebe are no very decided changes in earrings, according to the World. There have been floating rumors that large hoops will be revived. There is not much danger of these very unbecoming ornaments receiving notice so long as the short ear-rings are sold. Solitaires are fashionable, but the chic in this line of goods is the large ruby, known in Europe as the "lord of rubies." The finest speoimens of this valuable gem are taken frem the Burmah mines belonging to the King of Burmah, and Mrs. Grundy says that his majesty is such a spendthrift he is glad to sell some of his rubies.