THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2700, 3 January 1910, Page 3

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

WHAT WILL IT MATTER, What will it matter in' a little while That for a day We met and gave a word, a touch, a Lmile , Upon the way ? What will it matter whether hearts were brave And lives were true; That you gave me the sympathy I crave. ' As I gave you? Those trifles! Can it bo they make or mar A human life? Are souls as lightly waved as rushes are J3y love or strife? Yea, yea! a look the fainting heart may break, Or make it whole; And just one word, if said for love’s sweet cake, May save a soul. —May Riley Smith.

GROWING OLD GRACEFULLY

(By E.M.G., in the “Sydney Morning

Herald.”)

Much has been said on the theme of growing old gracefully, but X have always thought there exists a very foggy conception in most people’s minds as 10 how old age-should behave itself. The misconception is evidently present in the mind of the writer of ““Morituri To Salutant.” My belief is that this tragic situation in life —tragic because of its nearness to death—women show more courage and endurance than men. ’Women are the last to give in and boeomo absolutely helpless. Is there any housekeeper under the sun who would not rather have a woman of seventy than the man of seventy in her home? We all know that a woman is helpful to the end, physically, morally, mentally ; a man, on the other hand, is o'*ton a burden, a fire-hugger, grumpy, a..d dependent. Who does not 'know the dear old womanly figure, how she at least can go in the garden and gather fresh flowers for the vases, how she is always ready with needle and thread to sew on a button, how in the winter evenings she gets through so many knitted socks, how she never forgets how to make jam, and so on, ad infinitum ? Whati does a man do when he is old to help along the wheel of domestic life? He just smokes and becomes more and more irrascible as the days go on. The woman certainly never omits to see that her cap and collar are of the snowiest, and enjoys her game of whist always. The woman of 70 is just as weary as the man, but she sees duties and performs them. To grow old gracefully is not to give up wearing colored dresses and tell everyone you meet that you are too old to partake of life’s pleasures. Every situation in life has its advantages, and everyone is justified in enjoying them to the full. If a woman of 50 feels disposed to dance, dancing is an exhilarating exercise, and has never been

known to injure young or old, indulged in in moderation. It is not that you must abstain from picnics, concerts, etc., if you care for them. You: may grow old gracefully tuid still wear white dresses in the summer—they are cooler for young and old. You need not do your hair in the tightest possible bob —it engenders head-ache in old as well as in young persons.

USEFUL HINTS. Many people complain that drinking milk always upsets their digestion. The reason is not that the milk itself is not too wholesome, but that it lias been taken too quickly. Coffee is a valuable stimulant to the brain and nerves., although it has only a slight amount of nutirment. Mixed with more than half its quantity of mill;, coffee forms the most perfect ’breakfast beverage for hard-working people who lead a sedentary life. To remove grease spots from books scrape very fino some white chalk or whitening, and lay as much on the grease spot as will cover it (both on the top and under part of the leaf); get a moderately heated iron, and press it hard on the spot, the heat will dissolve the fat body and mix it with the chalk, and by repeating it two or three times the paper will assume its original whiteness.

When wet boots are taken off fill them quite full with dry oats. This grain has a great fondness for damp, and will rapidly absorb the last vestige of it from the wet leather. As it takes up the moisture it swells and fills the boot like a tight-fitting last, keeping its form good, and drying the leather without hardening it. In the morning shake out the oats, and hang them in a bag near the fire to dry, ready for the next wet night; draw on the boots and go happily about the day’s work. The Kitchen Sink. —The ‘kitchen sink is a most important part of the house, and in many houses should receive more attention than it does. Once a week at' least the following mixture should be poured down it: —Into a gallon of boiling water put two tablespoonfuls of soda, and one of household ammonia. This will keep the pipe clear, ami if the sink itself is brushed round with the mixture all grease should bo removed. NOTES. On her eightieth birthday Miss Catherine Helen Spence, the doyen of Australasian writers; was given a great public reception in Adelaide. In her speech on the occasion Miss , Spence said: “The best part of my work has been done since 1 was forty, and the hardest since I was sixty. I was fifty-two when invited to go on tlio outside staff of the ‘Register’ and ‘Observer.’ I was sixty-six when Melbourne folk discovered that I had the gifts of a public speaker. I was a little older when I took to lecturing on ‘Effective Voting,’ and went through my own State, and afterwards through America and Canada to preach the doctrine of electoral justice, and I was seventy-one when the Ministry of the day put me on the Destitute Board.” Miss Ethel Roosevelt made her debut at seventeen of set -purpose in order to enjoy, for an all ,too brief period, the position of first young lady in a continent. a pardonable enough ambition. Miss Ethel Roosevelt (Says “M.A.IN”) is decidedly attractive without being strictly beautiful, a slim girl with an excellent complexion and fair hair, and the joy of living written vividly all over her. She rides and cooks, sings and shoots, swimsi and sews, but probably is a shade less sure of hersolf than her half-sister. Mrs. Nicholas Longworth. At the girl and boy dance to inaugurate her social career she looked radiantly well in an Empire gown of white satin, with crystal embroideries, and she received as many, ,if not altogether as costly, presents as the average popular bride. In all pickling v aml preserving use only granite v-are or porcelain-lined pans., All metals are liable to be dangerously attacked by the acids.