1927-05-13 — Page 8

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, MAY 13th, 1927.

PICNICS.

BRIDE KNIVES.

The

WOMAN'S PAGE

OLD FASHIONED BABIES.

There is something about eating n meal in the open which appeals especially to English people. As I knew them picnics in Frapes were dreary formal affairs, only to be undertaken after days of prepara tion. I remember too, is Italy, the horror of the servants when I said I was going on a picnic, and the genuine distress of a young Fran- During the seventeenth century, ciscan brother who find me sitting and earlier, there was no wedding on the grass covered plateat out of importanes where bride knives side the ninastary at Fiesole. | did not figure. In nearly every After remonstrating gravely with country in Europe these little mat on the danger and impropriety | knives were popular, and they can building and returned with enough of the women in some of the old of the proceeding, he went into the hoseen hanging from the girdles chairs and talde napkins to nevom Flemish pictures. modate the party and then fetched' bowls of thick soup with the blessing of SC Francis" to replace our unwholesome foreign foot.

There are some old wedding cus-! toms worth reviving, and now and again prospective brides ransack ancient wardrobes and archives in their endeavour to find something"smart"

ulliriently attractive to be brought There was in the to light again. past one pretty custom, that of giving bride knives,

Little Tragedies.

But our light hearted English fashion of packing a basket and starting off for the day, simply be enuse the sun is shining at 9 a.mu has resulted in a number of minor tragedies. Hard boiled eggs that were soft, no salt or suiar, and n, child, who had paddled ton vigorously, conveyed one in a mae' and a table cloth, are among my memories. One of the Homer- ville and Rows storien tells of a picnic which was blighted by a basket of washing, instead of eat

Symbolical Of The Wife's Sovereignty.

seen.

ያኔ

and

Even clothes for very tiny people. L lily labelled

chic" to-day, and the old fashioned baby in a simple white muslin dress and starched musiin e organdie hat is very seldom

Quaint or the American equivalent cule seems have been the ideal for children's clothes and toys during the past few years. and just as most little ones like an old fashioned at that air than the queer beasts so in- look they their sweetest in the simple old trigue their elders, so do

Few people renlise that at one time these knives were just as neers. sary to the wedding as the ring is No lady in Queen Eliza to-day. beth's time would have made her way to the nitar without wearing the girdle on which hung her wedd. ing-knife. The bride's name and the date of her marriage were often engraved on thear knives, also. a couple or posy, telling of tender, w and sometimes of pathetic, senti- nunt. The knives were supposed to be symbolic of the wife's Cuture sovereignty over the domestic part of the household.

Finest Examples Made In Sheffield.

It is believed that the finest of these brides knives were made in Sheffield in 1659, but there is un- thing to tell us why they lost their popularity.

Some of these knives were sheath- ed in beautiful cases of embroider- · nd brocade, carved wond, or piered silver; while the handles were of amber, agate, silver, and often of grid, richly atudded with precious stouca,***

Now Used On Writing Tables.

· These ald knives can sometimes be seen wing on the writing-deska in old country houses, probably used a paper-kaives or to THE string but they do not seem to be held in the veneration one might expert.

The Drinks.

For drinks Margery elose Mission orange and Gordon cocktails which you can buy ready mixed in bottle shaped like a shaker. Cherry brandy is another useful and wel. von adjunct to a bathing pienic. -There is always someone who will stay in too long, and it is both warming and palutable.

abd

cockery

Cheap cutlery should always be taken on a pienie. The best of hostesses is apt to lose her sense of proportion

if her A dance dress with the pre silver spoons get lost in the sand. chrysanthemum fringe. The fringe We found on the mezzanine floor is made from lung triangular knives, forks and spoons, which strips of material rallid to look like wore nicely shaped and not tog a petal. The armlet of corded silk patently aluminium. If you are ribbon is an innovation from Paris having tea you want ¡1 storo and serres to comer vaccination of sorts. The primus is quite the marks and swing, prettily when hest on the market, but a small dancing.

stuve which burns solidified spirit is perlups safer and is less to

ables, being opened when the hungry

meet assembled af 1 p.m.1

A House Warming Picnic,

carry,

toys to be got now, such as swans There are all sorts of large rubber

and erodiles, which when blown

TNT,

Most of the

dresses are hand made with fue tucks and narrow

PSYCHOLOGY AND

TEA SETS.

Window dressing has become a art since the days when Kipps" lost his job for making a sunset scene from coloured blankets, and psychology has entered the world

of commerce,

BY THE WAY.

is

PRICKLY HEAT POWDER.-1 wise precaution to get in some sort of powder or lotion to sooth prickly heat or the irritating bites of an them, al certainly no nursery iling, before you are attacked by expboard should be without some thing of the sort. Small children get overheated very quickly in this The merchant, to-day knows that weather and a scratch with a window dressing means more than grabby little hand may lead to a display of sample of his stock, something serious, The Queen's Now that entire streets are faced Dispensary are putting up powder with shop windows, and more in ting at 75 cents which I bave capecially now that entire streets heard is very good. are taken by shopkeepers selling! the same class of goods; it has be- come imperative to make a window display arresting and original. Yet a difficulty arises at once in a place like Hong Kong whose sales

SUMMER BLANKETA:It is always unwise to sleep in this climate without some sort of woollen cover. ing. A sudden chill in the air at night may give you a couple of days misery with “Hong Kong Dog." Whiteaway, Laidlaw's have just received some very thin fght ankets at 83.50 each which give just the necessary protection with- out being oppressive.

THE LATEST VANITY CASE, to be found at Lane, Crawford's, made in the form of a little book beautifully bound in tooled and coloured leather. The literatur consists of powder rouge and the inevitable lip stick, and a mirror is set into the inside of the cover.

A GARTER POWDER PUFF.- w at Powell's some pretty garters which were finished off with a rosette and a stud of brilliants. The rosette is fastened with a press button and opens to shew a tiny pawler puff. They also have some attractive garters to wear with an abbreviated dance dress.

fashioned clothes. It is strange though that Paris should is spon soring them. Perhaps it is the Eng- lish

the ideal of nost French mothers, who has set the fashion, largely on the tourist. 1

archant only shows in his win- At all events, Whiteway, Laių-

dow one or at the most two items) Inw's hure just received a shipment of his stock, after the fashion now of title frocks and honnels which in vogur in London, a would-be remind one of the things English customer may not realise that he babies were wearing thirty years

has other and different articles for ago.

sale. At the same time there is a crying need of letter window dress ing in Hong Kong especially on the part of the silk stores, not one of which strikes any individual note,

Psychology also plays its part be hind the windows, and the merchant has to consider what effect his pre- mises are likely to have on the class of customer he hopes to attract. There is no doubt that Gordon Selfridge owes his success to his premises rather than to his wares good as they are. The spacious building and the feeling that one could wander at will through all departments and "shop It is that idea which has prompt- gaze" without being expected to ed Mr. Komor not to display the buy was a novel departure for few ton sets that he has at present Londoners. The consequence of the in stock, but they are there if you policy, as Selfridge forrany, was ask for them, and they are really that every day countless people gej lovely as are also three sets of into the building simply because coffee cups which are hidden away they have 10 minutes or half an for the same reason. One of these hour to spare, see there something tea sets is of the same design as which attracts them and buy it.. that which took the first prize at Customers vary as greatly as the Anglo-Japanese exhibition at shops. There is the timid person the White City. It is charmingly who to afraid of being asked too decorated with a red and gold. high a price or even of being pattern on a white ground. suubbed in a large and wealthy looking establishment, and of com- ing to harm in a shop with a dark and crowded interior, especially in the East. There is the customer who prefers to deal with Indians or Chinese because he feels sure be can bring the price down by bargaining, and another who feels that

a shop with European as- sistants he will be asked a fair and fixed price. There are people who fee unequal to making a choice when confronted by a large variety; and others, who as Mr. Komer says, dazzled by a heap" and will not hay at all unless they are offer- r a wide choice. •

(Continued on next Column).

Evening gown in peach coloured georgette and lace run with gold threads. The girdle is gold galon with his oblong stance of clear amber.

up are big enough to ride on in insertion embroideries on mouseline

rie

I met Margery the other day just the water, and are great fun at models in argandie and embroider- outside Lane, Crawford's. She told a bathing party.

me that she had just got a matshed grown ups

Been

at Repulse Bay and was planning amusement in rolling off them and,

a house warming

picnic. We of course, a ball is almost a neces sat over a delicious coffe ice by sity.

one of the windows in the new part.

First Aid.

are

KAI hat there are several Children and

ed musfin. to find equal

One pattern combines the simplicity of the old dresses with a more modern cut and trim- ning, These little dresses hound with pale, pink or blue und trimmed with drawn thread work. one which would be lovely on a child with decided colouring is in deep shrimp pink with a white hem. The bonnets are exactly the fit- setting for a little flower like face,

in the ospecially those

" poké nearest return to the big starched muslin hats we wore as babies.

of the restaurant and made lists. The equipment of a pienic party Margery is very practical and which includes several children is insisted on considering food first, not complete without a few first aid an we went down to the grocery appliances, and the wise hostess sees that she has bandages, lint, department. Nothing squashy was our first decision. Soft food like jedine, and ammonia to put on insect bites, somewhere in her baskets,

cream cakes are mistake at Anther very necessary precaution bonnet" style which acem the picnic; they look tunabled when one unpacks them, and are difficult to in these waters are ear plugs, there ent. Equally, of course, meat that have been lurrid stories of bathers needs expert carving is a nuisance. who have been seriously injured Galaatin tongues or delicacies, through inserts getting into their

cars.

There is no need to sing the praises of the sailor suit, little hoys love them as much-ng their

such ay lamb and green peas in a We found deck chairs in the mothers do, but I saw some in the glass, or a veal or chicken luu, are furniture department covered in rot same shop with the knickers fasten- ideal for a picnic, and, of course, proof enivas and cushions with gayed outside the jumper by buttons you must have plenty of biscuts,

cretonne covers for only $3, and in the American style, which are A loaf needs glicing, and sand.

some nice entoured towels for the ecolier in this climate than the wichs are apt to get messy and bathing party on the ground floor. the butter often tastes sour if they

There are three essentials which other shape as there is no necessity have been kept for some hours in make the success of a picnic. First wear anything under them.

a package. So we got Crossword the weather. Even the best man-

Creams and chocolate wafer barsagement cin's guarantee that, but

#h

for the sweet course and club cheese it is better to call the party off her tea, and there are many other- to eat with our meat.

than to go on doubtful day, wise gimniable men who hate to have" Ne picnic is complete without Next the food, and lastly the mem- their after lunch eigur disturbed fresh fruit, but the dried fruits bera of the party themselves. Mrs. by a noisy bathing party, A xafe prace, figs, dates and casins, are X, who is charming at a danes may generalisation is to have your party always sure of a welcome as they be one of these people who get all much of the same age, in tem. are very sustaining and are elenn cross if the wind blows her hair perament if not in yours, and if to eat,

out of curl or if she gets annd in you have children don't invite (Vontinued on next column). (Continued on next column.) grown ups who can't stand a noise.

re

There are two harlequin coffee services which are both interesting and lovely. Ench cup and saucer- has a different decoration, in the one set on a gold and in the other on variously coloured grounds. The designs on these sets are traditional being copied from old Japanese colour prints. The old masters of Japan, as of China, considered that the utensels which we use in aur daily life should be as artistic as the pictures which we hang on our walls. The artist who painted a Makimini, did not consider it beneath his dignity to adapt his delicate flowers and birds against a gold back ground, for the decora tion of a cup or vase.

Rolande Terrealt

FOR

EVERYTHING CHIC.

22, Queen's Road Central

After a

Telephone C. 2422.

[AP.B]

warm and tiring day-there is nothing so refreshing as

· OUR TOILET EAU DE COLOGNE.

Very Special Offer $1.25 per large bottle.

Look in at

THE QUEEN'S DISPENSARY,

(Next to Whiteaway, Laidlaw),

22, DES VOEUX ROAD CENTRAL.

Tel. No. C. 492.

SUMMER UNDERWEAR.

!

PRETTILY EMBROIDERED

"NIGHTIES" FROM $2,50 "STEP-INS FROM $2.50

TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW

ARE THE LAST TWO DAYS FOR UNDERWEAR AT THESE SPECIAL PRICES.

LANE, CRAWFORD'S

LADIES' SALON.

SHINGLING

WAVING

MANICURING

The promptest and most courteous service in Town.

CAMPBELL MOORE.

19, Queen's Road Central (1st floor.

OPPOSITE COLONIAL DISPENSART.

We have just received another large consign- ment of Ceylon Basket Ware-all sizes and colours suitable for Handbags.

York Building,

Chater Road.

(120

THE SIGN OF THE

LANTERN

Telephone C. 4884.

we are NOW SHOWING

Our New Arrivals of

MANILA

AND BANGKOK

STRAW

HATS

Very suitable for present Spring Wear.

These Hats are in all the Latest

Shapes and Shades, and are

Priced from 86.

Fresh Stocks will Arrive Every Week.

SWATOW LACE CO., LTD.

21, Queen's Road (Next H. K. H. Garage).

Buy your table delicacies at-

[4.

THE FRENCH STORE

Where

you will find a large variety at most reasonable prices.

(Fresh Stocks arrive by every mail.) 8 & 9, BEACONSFIELD ARCADE,

TEL. 0.794.

[4.P.B.]

[4.8.3.]

THE PIONEER SILK STORE.

Always up-to-date goods for up-to-date people.