Its Rapid Passing English visitors to Venice are at one with the Venetians in deploring the passing of the graceful Vene-ian shawl. The shops are stil seling gaily coloured ones, at prices which would keep the average Venetian working class family for the best part of the dull season, when tourists are not; but these are bought and worn by tourists, mostly from the New World, who have broken the, tradition as to colour, and, it is hinted, do not know how to put them onto advantage. 'The real Venetian shaw black, with handsome fringes, passing away.' The war dealt death blow; bobsled hair, "sports" clothes, and the standardization of feminine fashions is giving it a hasty and deplorable burial, A Society for the Preservation of the Shawl docs at various times organize competitions and award prizes to the wearers of the most graceful shawls. Then, every Venetian working irl who can produce or borrow a fine specimen parades in it for one day, and again Venice looks like the city of tradition. But the moment the prizes are awarded the shawl is Put away in the family chest and there it remains till the next competition is announced.
The newspapers, the upper classes, many employers of labour lament away of this dainty gives grace to every. mastered the art of draping it as it should be draped.
tradition is dead; "sports!
dress has triumphed; lamentations are in vain. The once universal shawl has transferred itself to foreign shoulders much in the Process. the Finnish women were the first in Europe to obtain the vote. Under: the Educational Department "Study traing"—small trains with sleeping accommodation for teacher and 60 pupils, dining-car, cte—run all over the country for a week's instruction. The scholars seo all that is worth seeing, under a guide at each halt, and the cost 298—dinners extra, La like manner, there are trains for all those connected with land work. The students live aboard for a week attend lectures, and' visit timber warks, farms, dairies, ete, All applications have to be sent in to the Educational Department.
Total abolition is rigorously tpheld, not so much because of the principle, but as a lesson on economies. "Advance" the national watch-word, and it is relentlessly followed. Now, after 10 years' labour, Finland begins to reap her. reward.—Isapet. NEAvES.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.