Weekly Mail

I" rn a;ilI LATEST FROM PARIS-.—HOME .AND TRAYELLING COSTUMES. j silk dress in buff and brown, and a bonnet I trimmed with blue ribbon and cornflower's; And here I must call attention to the Association of Lady Guides, which will, I believe, prove of great value to those who are in need of such assistance as the guidea are prepared to give. Lady Guides. There are many intending visitors to Lon- don who have to travel unattended, and who I know possibly little or nothing of the,great Metropolis. To these I especially com- mend the lady guides. On arrival call- or beforehand telegraph—to the office. You may, according to require- ment be met or rooms engaged for you where cleanliness, comfort, respectability, and good cooking are assured. Individuals 'I are met at stations or on board ship. Apart- ments, boarding-houses, rooms at hotels, Z, well recommended, they will engage. Shopping, dressmaking, and all commis- sions are executed, arrivals and addresses are registered, letters and parcels received, shipping, steam passages, and railway tickets provided, houses taken or furnished, rooms arranged and flowers provided, entertain- ments, dinners, and balls arranged. Type- writing, shorthand, copying, &c., are undertaken partnerships negotiated insurances effected recommendations of every description to be had. Parents who have children to place at school in London, or those who have daughters or boys passing through the Metropolis oiii their way to the Continent, can ensure safe conduct by writing to the Lady Guide Asso-' ciatien, every member of which is certifl- cared, and by careful salection efficiency is guaranteed. The guides may be engaged by the hour or by the day, and all particulars as to charges will be furnished on application. The lady-sup«rintendent, Miss Edith Davies, is, in every sense of the term, a lady, and I cannot speak too highly of the value of the "institution of which she is the efficient head. Tlie terms are, I scarcely need say, most moderate. Ladies living in the country who want advice concerning the latest fashions in dress furniture can have their purchases made. Only lady guides certificated for shopping are employed for this .-purpose. A receipt for all deposits sent is immediately I forwarded, and the balance accounted for or returned, as desired. Invoices and receipted accounts are sent with goods. A form 10 be filled in, detailing the needs and wishes of the employe, is furnished by the association. By the supply of intelligent gentlewomen as lady guides—whose honesty, competency, and good behaviour in general the manage- ress takes the utmost pains to secure—the purposes already detailed are accomplished and the requirements of travellers are sup- plied. I have only to add that services of every kind and information of every sort in connection with the objects and subjects mentioned will be rendered and given by the guides. To the Pole! To-day there sailed away on a voyage of peculiar peril the good ship Windward, carrying with her a small band of brave and enterprising men, whose goal is that .terra incognita the North Pole. '• Nothing attempted, nothing won." j is a motto that has served as an incentive to other explorers, undaunted by the fate of many pioneers who had already perished, even as brave Benjamin Franklin did. Wei fervently hope a happier fate is in store for those who start the same momentous quest to-day—the discovery of the North j Pole. Other countries more recently sent ships and men to find, if may be, that i hitherto inaccessible region. All true I English men and women hope, however, that the honour of the discovery may rest on our countrymen. Money and men's lives have already been sacri- ficed in the attempt to penetrate those pitiless regions of Cimmerian ahd dark- ness, ice and show, which are supposed to environ the ol e 1 n search. ''A. gentleman, environ the object of search. A gentleman, whom I am proud to claim as a friend of many years standing, accompanied the famous Arctic explorer, Mr. Lee Smith, when some ten or more years back that gentleman, at his own cost, fitted out the Kira and started to seek that which may be called truly the mysterious Pole. It is a matter of geographical history, the fate of the Eira, the sufferings of the crew, the relief expeditions sent out to seek, j and happily ./to find,, the brave ex- plorers, one of whom accompanies the1 Jackson-Harmsworth expeditioa. I met this sailor at my friend's house a short time back; and it was most interesting to hear the gentleman and his brave but humble com- rade exchanging reminiscences, re-calling past experience and perils, and suffering, jointly borne, and other Stirling incidents of those long months during which friends, relatives, and countrymen had good reason to fear all had perished. Visitors to the Fisheries Exhibition will, doubtless, remember the boat which the crew of the Eira dragged across the ice after the vessel sank, being crushed by ice- bergs; and possibly may re-call Bob, the famous retriever, who was himself an explorer, and instrumental in providing- rations for the often famishing company. Bob's province it was to allure the beara,to, within musket range, when iSiey became an' easy prey. Bob died a few years back full of years and honours, his master having refused a sum of £ 200 for him offered by a lady admirer. I looked through an, album the other day which had been preserved through all those terrible experiences, as it shows by unmistakable signs. It is an open secret that the gentleman at whose entire cost the expedition has been fitted out is the wealthy and enterprising ¡ y ing proprietor of that bright little serial, I Answers," and, I believe, sou of a. War- wickshire gentleman. Mr. Harmsworth, has, with Unstinted liberality, provided every- thing that can add to the comfort of the explorers, no less than advance the object in view. view. Those present at the reception given by Mr. Harmsworth at the Grafton Galleries had an opportunity of inspecting, in part, the provision made for the physical needs ¡ THE NELSON HAT. I The foundation in this ,)t1,s<! is a luga hat of plaited sti-HK, covered with old la co, tied at the back into a large Alsatian knot. A mutch of tulips is perched at the rig-lit hand side as shown. and general well-being of the horoes. Nor is this all. To beguile the weary months of total darkness that must be encountered, Mr. Harmsworth has thoughtfully provided games of every description, &c., and a. musical-box that play3 so many tunes tha.t did I set down the number in figures my readers would scarcely credit me. Mrs. Harmsworth, dressed in white satin, and wearing superb diamonds, welcomed her guests. Seldom, or never, have more pains been spent on the decoration of reception- rooms. Mrs. Harmsworth is an enthusiast as regards Sowers, gigantic busketsof La Fanee roses appeared everywhere, and the tables, laid with refreshments of a most delicate kind, were literally strewed with the same lovely blooms, banks of moss, and other exquisite lloral decorations were con- spicuous otherwhere, a sight to be remem- bered long; and who could help offer- ing up a fervent wish for the preservation of the explorers, coupled with the hops that success might crown their efforts. I Grafton Galleries. The galleries themselvea are well worth L_ L I THS EHHST.INK JiOWNKT. This -is a sprett.r hoiraet for the theatre or for visit-- 'nj It is made entirely of jot bijouteire, with a knot of Jet in irons and an aigrette in the centre. The 1 \uole is singularly Jig-ht and diiiaty. j '¡" ,I inspection. Of course, they have been open to the public some £ ime now, and, apart from the pictures of fair women which line the walls-famous women who lived centuries a, ago, and also of women who are contempo- raries of our own-there are many interest- ing exhibits. To some very pathetic in- terest attaches. One can hardly look un-, moved at a collection of relics worn by Mary Qtteen of. Scots at Iter execution 'a.t Fotheringay Castle. The list includes a necklace;" a ooloured silk fan mounted in tortoiseshell (very small sizh), two lockets centaining portraits, and a pendant betong- ing to a, docket. -When Mary ,¡went to the scaffold. 1 she gave her nedklace, fan,' arid locket to one of her maidst of honour, A dressing-case presented by ■ Charles 'II. to NeU 0wynne ;i >is another- ■■■■interesting I e*hibit> A christening basket belong'- i rr-y --V ing to William and Mary, date 1688, and I a pair of child's white satin shoes attract, as d» a brocade gown worn by Queen Elizabeth. The specimens of lace lent by various people are of the most exquisite kind. Among those who have loaned pictures, jewels, lace, and other valuable relics are the Queen, her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, the Duchesses of York and Teck, Baroness Burdett Coutts, Ac. I hope my readers will feel interested in the subjects I have selected for my weekly contribution, though dress and current fashions hardly count on this occasion. lV-

ATHLETIC NOTES. Games nowadays play a very important j part in the class-room work; wands, Indian clubs, parallel bars, chest weights, and inedi- i cine bails each receive due share of attention. With a game for the merry finale, one called "Don't touch me," is a great favourite, although somewhat childish. The pupils form a ring by grasping with their right hand to the left wrist of their left neigh- bour. An obstacle, which is easily over- thrown, is placed in the centre of this circle. An Indian ciub answers the purpose. All begin to pull, and the object is to bring some one close enough to the obstacle in the centre I so that she touches or upsets it, and then is out of the game. This is continued until the last two decide between themselves who is the champion of the class. Tennis is nearly as old as the ancient Greeks a.nd Romans themselves, and quite as clas- i sical and respectable. Homer mentions hand- ball, which was about the same thing as our game of tennis, as played by the maidens of Uorcyra. The game is said to have originated with the Lydians. They were inflicted with a famine, and this and other games were in- vented to distract the minds of the people. Indian clubs are a fasinating form of exer- cise. Their use deveiopes the muscles of the wrist, arms, and, to some extent, the shoul- ders and back. The weights used should be tight, irom one to two pounds, and white wood clubs are the best, as they have a large bulk in proportion to their weight. Heavy iron clubs or dumbbells are not so much used as formerly. The following are a few useful exercises prescribed by one who is an authority: tiring forward the arms, raise the forearms, and place the lingers of each hand lightly on the front of each shoulder. Then, with a. quick movement, without removing the ringers from the shoulders, jerk the arms out- ward, then back again, and repeat. Another is: Stand quite erect, extend the Another is: Stand quite erect, extend the arms above the head, interlace the thumbs, and keep the forefingers in touch, Then, keeping the knees quite rigid, bend the trunk gradually, until, without unlocking the thumbs, the fingers touch the toes. This is a very good exercise, seldom successful without a little practice. Very important gymnastic exercises are those which tend to develope the muscles above the waist, and to produce proper ex- pansive breathing power of the chest; the development of every muscle separately re- quires special attention.

FRIDAY IS FISH DAY. SCALLOPED FISH.—This can be made from any flaky fish, cod being the cheapest. Put over the fire in cold, salted water, and boil. allowing eight minutes to the pound; drain, break the fish apart with a fork, and mix with a cream sauce, allowing half a pint for each pound of fish. The sauce is made by mixing one tablespoonful of butter over the with one of flour, and then adding ha-If, a pint of boiling milk; season with salt and pepper. Stir the fish and cream together lightly with a fork, season- ing, to taste with salt and pepper, and just a ''suspicion'' of msce. Put into scallop shells, which your fish merchant will give you, dust thickly with bread crumbs, and bake fifteen minutes. Minced parsley may ha mixed with the sauce if liked. DEVILLED, HALIBUT.—A little cold- boiled halibut, will make, if treated as fol- lows, a nice little luncheon dish or side dish at dinner —Pick into shreds a. large coffee cupful of cold foiled fish; put half a cup of milk on to boil and thicken with a, sauce made of one tablespoonful each of butter and flour melted together, into which stir the boiling milk. Cook for two minutes; take from the fire a.nd add the yolks of two hard-boiled1 eggs niaslied. fine with a table- spoonful of me It. ed, i butter,, some chopped parslev. sa-It,: pepper,, and the fish. Wash some scallop shells, butter tliam, fill with this; mixture, brush. over with beaten egg, sprinkle with fine; crumbs, and brown in a nuieli oven. SARDINE SALAD.—Open i a small box of sardines, remove the skin and; bones and cut 'them' fiae. ■ Squeeze over ibetti the juice of a lemon; season with salt and pepper, and mound up in the middle of a.'dish.' isext put a circle s of chopped hard-boiled eggs, three in number then -a circle of dice of cold boiled potatoes, then of small, inner leaves of *t lettuce; Garnish with olives and capers, of you have them, but the salad is very good without them. Pour lover Wat the moment of serving a, plain French dres- sing or salad dressing. t :t <

A LIBRARY LIVING ROOM. A GLIMPSE OF A PRETTY LITTLE HOME IN THE SUBURBS. -ad* "I furnished my library first,, and. lr.ad* it my living room," said ihv newly aairned friend, when, for tiie first time, I visit ad --hf-r In her new homo. The -chairmiaig home wliich cf used mj query is in one of the suburbs. It is .'en- tirely unpretentious, and 7,t is s;mp<e au -th« extreme i but is perfectly homelike and use- ful, and t'u-u-hout the'whole there is nob an offensive bit of colour. ■■ The liou. e is built in the colonial style. The hall is ample, and the stairway is broad. On the stained fioor,of, the former are a few rugs of quiet tone. On the wall is a cart- ridge paper of sage green, against which hang some etchings simply framed in cream-whittt p mouldings. To ths right is the drawing-room, which in pervadiwl with a yellow-brown tone. The floor is covered with a yellowish olive in. grain filling, or plain, unfigured carpet. On it are thrown two or three rugs, in which are bits of the prevailing yellow. On the wall is a yellow paper. All the pictures are framed in gold. At the windows hang curtains of yellow and white Madras musiin. Th. furniture is mahogany, upholstered or cus- hioned with yellow damask. The lampa have yellow shades. In the bay window stands a glorious palm, as tall as the room is high, which adds just tho finishing touch. But the room beyond, which you enter through a curtained doorway—-the room M which the mistress reads, sews, embroiders, and receive her intimate friends—is the centre of the home, the magnet which at- tracts all who come within its influence. It has two big windows. At either side of one, fitted into the corners of the-room, are the book shelves, and both are draped with soft, clinging Madras in white and yel- low-brown. On ihe floor is more filling, but this time it is wood-brown, and again there are a few well chosen rugs. The dado runs well upon the wall, to about the height, of e, an average woman's head. It is of yellowish cartridge paper, stamped with olive, and above the wall is covered with the same left plain. The dividing line is a tiny rail painted in the same tone, and above it hung; & few well-chosen pictures—a water-colour landscape, a fair girl's: head, and the like. In the centre of the room is an table equipped with paper, pens, and ink, and all the writer's needs. In one corner where a perfect light falls, is a divan, covered with some warm, rich stuff, and piled high with tempting pillows. In one window are a few flourishing plants, and here and there inviting chairs offer their perfect rest.

FASHION WHISPERS. WHAT IS WORN BY LEADERS OF THE STYLISH WORLD. Those who cannot well wear the sailor shape can have just as stylish an effect-witb. the wide-brimmed walking hat. One of the prettiest and newest models in these is of burnt straw, the crown being slightly dented' in and trimmed with a band of wide black ribbon and three jetted quills. A hat in white and black is not only exceedingly sty- lish, but serviceable, as it can be worn with a gown of any colour. Besides, the touch' of black must be in some part of the entire dress, and as it cannot always be put into the gown itself, 'or even in the gloves or parasol, it must come in the hat. Black flowers continue to hold their posi- tion as a stylish, garniture for hats and bon- nets, no matter what their colour may be. Stiff bunches of tiny rosebuds are used on hats. They are invariably used in twin fashion, and not infrenuently make a pretty nest from which aigrettes, single quills or Gists' Home Costume. .1. pretty costume may be made on these lines ia rose crepon, trimmad with white lace and greea: satin ribbon. There is a double fold in front—an imitation redingrote, opening over a narrow tablier, and there are three rows of insertion on the skirt. The waistband of ribbon is finished at the back with a knot or bow. single narrow loops of ribbon stand defiantly erect. r,i! • Big bows of ecru lace, fastened in front to ■ the middle of the crown of coarse yellow straw hats, are very stylish. These bows- are generally secured with rhinestone orna- ments, and the additional trimming consist8. of black Velvet ribbon rosettes with pink or satin ribbon with violets, chiffon, drapery, and lilacs, &c;' Pinhead dotted Swiss in pure white sliadesi is trimmed with deep yellow lace, and 18 quite effective as well as distinctly modish. Parasols of swivel ginghams will be mucta used during the summer. In white they ar$ very dainty. This is to be a "White Sum* mer." ■■- A favourite gift to bridemaids is a pair the czarina buckles which are used to hol« in place the full bands of velvet, crepe, an £ mouseline de soie so much worn.

NEVERS. j; Never use a metal spoon for stirring attvwed fruit or tomatoes. A wooden one is the bent. and those with short handles are preferable for • stirring thick messes. Never let the handles of knives he put water; If possible, buy silver knives when yon begin your housekeeping. You will not Bad it an extravagance in the end. Never allow your carving knife to be used to cut bread; provide a separate knife. Never throw water on burning oil; us8 flour- If your clothes take fire never run about, but lie down and roil over and over until the flasu* is smothered.