THE LADIES' WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2579, 13 August 1909, Page 3

THE LADIES' WORLD.

THE CZARINA.

PRECAUTIONS FOR HER PRO-

TECTION

x A medical man whose professional duties have brought him! into immediate and prolonged contact with the personnel of the St. Petersburg palace of til© Czarina says that the precautions taken for her protection arc far more elaborate tlianCjare generally supposed. The command of the Empress’s bodyguard—a detachment of picked Lilians —is at present in the hands of Major Orlov, an officer who distinguished himself in the suppression of the insurrection in the Baltic provinces. The Uhlans are camped about various parts of the Imperial gardens. Outside tho palace domains are eight infantry regiments, which change their camping and guarding centres daily. Inside the castle walls is a squadron of absolutely trustworthy officers; in various outbuildings are two regiments of mounted Cossacks. Every man is fully armed. No officer on duty in the castle may leave his room or close his door ;or receive a stranger during the period he is detailed for duty. When on niglit duty these officers sleep still fully armed, in specially-made armchairs, behind which stands a sentry with a bugle in his hand, and with orders to blow it at the slightest alarm. Indeed, every soldier forming part of this numerous body guard is provided with a bugle for a similar purpose. The instructions are: “On analarm being sounded every soldier is to remain at his post prepared for action; the officers are to surround the Empress immediately and form a protection to her with their bodies.” yet, in spite of these precautions, a threatening letter was found on the coverlet of the Empress’s bed one morning.

WOMEN’S RIOT AT A SALE

RUSH TO BUY SMUGGLED DRESSES

A scene hardly possiblo outside the United States was enacted on sth June, states the New York correspondent of the London “Daily Mail,” when the first part of the collection of smuggled gowns recently seized by the Government was sold at auction. Five thousand expensively-dressed women, including the wives and daughters of some of o’the 0 ’the most prominent men in New York, struggled and fought to enter the room at the Custom-house, capable of holding not more than 700 people, in which the sale was held. Now and then the auction had to be stopped and the doors forced open while the women who had fainted from the heat were dragged out. One woman, unable to push into the room, procured a ladder and, raising it to a wall, made her bids through a window. The United States marshal, who was the volunteer auctioneer, and regarded the entire proceeding as a huge joke, dubbed this voice at the window as “Cuckoo,” and continually exasperated the women inside by accepting it* &id as final.

The auction proceeded amid indescribable confusion and deafening chatter, not silenced either by the _ strenuous efforts of forty Customs officers, who were overwhelmed by the crowd, or by the 'auctioneer’s continual appeals to the ladies to bo quiet. Tho sale began at 10 a.m., and was still going on at 5 p.m. without visible diminution of the crowd.

Yet if there were bargains they were few. Most of the stock, consisting of embroidered gowns and fine and delicate lingerie, was acquired by businessike men in check suits and with large scarf pins grouped near the auctioneer’s stand. They .were said to represent importers to whose advantage it was not to permit this stock of- finery to fall into amateur hands. The few samples obtained by the women were purchased at prices far above the average in the shops. Mr Loeb, collector of the port, who smilingly watched the sale, was gleeful at the Government’s prospective profits.

JOTTINGS. If it is true that the marriage rate is declining in America, there is perhaps some consolation in knowing that Americans are every year providing a large number of wives for the citizens of Canada. Sixteen brides-to-be travelled to the Dominion of tlie Snows on the last voyage of the Allan liner Corsican. The brides-elect are described as being all young and pretty, and they constituted a “cargo” which is without precedent in the annals of St. Lawrence shipping. It is said that a search through thousands of hills of lading for years hack would fail to discover a consignment of such interest. On hoard tho girls knew nothing of each other until they met in the Corsican’s dining saloon, where, somehow, their secrets wore revealed. For the remainder of the voyage they entirely forgot the other passengers in the interesting task of arranging to exchange vis!xs when the" knots were tied.

Queen Elena of Italy lias revolted (the “Daily Mail” says) against the mode of gigantic liats which the French milliners havo endeavored to impose on Italian women of fashion. Her Majesty and most of the ladies of her Court do not wear a hat of any description, hut have adopted a sort of light mantilla to wear in public. The movement of protest against “ridiculous fashions imposed on us from abroad” is said to be spreading throughout the Roman aristocracy. The “Post’s” London correspondent under date 25tli July, writes:—Their Majesties the King and Queen held a court at Buckingham Palace last night, at which several New Zealanders were present, including Sir Robert and Lady Stout, Dr and Mrs Charles Moriee (of Greymouth), and Miss Rubi Seddon. Sir Robert had attended the King’s Levee at St. James’ Palace earlier in the week, being presented by the Secretary of State. Mrs Moriee, daughter of the late Mr Seddoil,- wore a dress of ivory white satin-imperial cut in shape, the frpnt having an overdress of silk and crystal embroidery studded with large pearls and edged with a deep crystal fringe. The tight-fitting chemise sleeve was finished with trimming to match the overdress. The train of the same satin-imperial was lined with deep shell pink satin soupli, and trimmed with chiffon and silver noouds, Louis XV. A spiky bouquet of •pink carnations and lilies-of-the valley gave an effective finish to the tout ensemble. The presentatiok^vas made by Lady Crowe. Miss Rubi Seddon. wore a dainty dress of soft white' tulle sown with bugles of silver, and the tunic was, exquisitely embroidered in floss silk and silver in a design of laurel leavesf the train, arranged from both shoulders, was of soft white satin lined with bugle not and trimmed with tulle ruches.”