A LADY'S LETTER. [Home Paper.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2230, 23 October 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

A LADY'S LETTER. [Home Paper.]

The science of palmistry, if scienco it may be called is in certain circles eugaging much attention, so much so that a welUtnowu author uud divine, the Rev. | E. R. Hiwei«, in a recent sermon preached in the parish of Marylebono, thought fit to comment somewhat severely on any attempts to pry into tho secrets of tho future, withheld from ua, without doubt, in most moroiful consideration. Mr Hnweis, after expatiating at pome length on the unwisdom and wickedness of seeking to fathom what lies before us, bade all persons inclined to tamper with occult scienco in tho shape of palmu.try and other means of divination to remember und bo ware of the fate of Elymu*, the Sorcerer. The ancient Egyptians more than any other r.ice, either in ancient or modern times, excelled in tho art of magic, necromancy being a recognised profession among them and no astrologers iv tho latter times hare ever possessed iv the s.ime degree the dark aud mysterious knowledge which we are accustomed to style the "Black Art." That there are certain mysterious aud incomprehensible forces j in the universe few of us are prepared to deny. How far mortals may lawfully venture to inquire iat.o or attempt to coutrol those forces is a question it would be hard to reply to to the satisfaction of all. That men have been and are bold enough to try to institute relations between themselves and the invisible powers referred to is an incontestable fact. Nor can it be gainsaid that a certain success in solitary cases seems to have followed the daring endeavour. I use the word "seems" advisedly. That many clever men have believed in occult science and its influences is also.au iudisputable fact. The late Bulwer Lytton'a "Strange Story " is believed on good authority to have been no mere fanciful brain creation \ of a novelist in search of a theme, but a practical expression of belief. "lam no believer in palmistry," said a clever man in my hearing quite lately ; "I have no desire to believe iv it, and I will nob be made a subject for testing the belief of others, and yet," said the speaker, a physician of much repute, "I recol- I lect a very curious coincidenco occurring many years a<*o in connection with this so called gift of { divination. A gentleman, a country j curate, one of a party of assembled friend?, acknowledged that he bad an uneasy conviction that he could foretell a person's destiny by means of the lines iv his hand. Not a few jokingly submitted their palms, and were dismissed, no very tragic events ahead calling for any special interest. Finally, one of the most jovial of the party held out in turn his hand for inspection. To the surprise of everyone, the seer refused to say what he read there, and remained firm in apite of the rallying he met with, and the assurance of the disappointed, who declared his ability to face the worst, should it come, with entire fortitude. It was all of no use, thg curate remaiaed invincible, and, a certain constraint falling on the company, they soon separated. Being on terms of intimacy with the curate, I privately inquired his motive for withholding his conclusions. He answered with the utmost gravity, ' I foresee that that man will destroy himself,' a sinister prediction painfully fulfilled not many months afterwards !" " You believe just a little, then, in palmistry," I said. " Not at all ; it was a mere coincidence, remarkable, I allow; but still, only a coincidence. " Bodices, round-waisted and full, are decided favourites, and I have just seen a very tasteful way of varying their character. I will describe the dress so treated, as the best means of illustrating this style. The gown, of white nainsook, had the usual rouud-wateted full bodice, and a pointed Swiss band made of olivegreen velvet ; braces of the same velvet, cut crosswise and passed over the shoulders in a sloping direction, the ends being fastened under the belt or band, a little to the side of the point both back and front. It is surprising how this littlo simple addition altered the style, and how highly becoming it proved to the wearer. The idea is capable of many modifications. Ido not favour Swisa bands, for I consider them in simple form unbecoming to most ; but the braces alter their character entirely. One sees the same style of bodice worn by Italian women, and the Norwegian national peasant's dress presents some of the same features. Women whose necks are not so round or so white as to justify their following the French fashion of cutting the bodice rather low at the throat, hereby exposing it considerably, will be glad to hear that Toby lace ruflles are being sold again. Long necks, surmounted by hair dressed high, favour this style. The ruffle should not be of Elizabethan stiffness and circumference, but small and compact. A series of loops of irregular length aro attached, and hang over the bodice in front, thus removing some of the stiffness associated with the Toby frill proper. I have already alluded to the fashion of wearing a scrap of coloured ribbon round the neck, inside the collar. I have seen this repeated on the wrists, ami there are occasions when such bits of colour tend greatly to relieve monotony and to give lightness of effect, but ribbon so us>ed soon gets shabby. I hope none of my readers will outrage good taste by wearing ribbons which are not fresh and dainty. Trifling embellishments of this order demand scrupulous nicety. A clever housewife thinks I shall do my readers a kindness if I recommend to tho^e who do their own preserving the following method of covering jams: — Cut a paper the size of the pot and dip in puro salad oil (ulive oil). For the outer cover snip tho edges of the paper and brush the insido with a little thicklymade starch, pressing it round the jar closely with the {lands. Starch answers better than gum or paste for the purpose. Raspberry preserve is too luscious to b« agreeable to all palates, aud the lady I have been quoting says she puts about a pound of black currants to four of five pounds of raspberries ; the jam is greatly improved by the admixture.