Issue #257 - Sinking Socialites

Issue #257 - Sinking Socialites - Printable Version

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Issue #257 - Sinking Socialites - Witch Weekly - April 12, 2021

RE: Issue #257 - Sinking Socialites - Witch Weekly - April 12, 2021

Survival Tips For The Shipwrecked Debutante

The recent shipwreck of the Santa Antonina has made it quite clear that one can never be too careful when traveling. Of course, being marooned on a rock is a poor excuse to allow oneself to look ghastly. Do not allow yourself to be caught looking a fright by a handsome sailor come to rescue you. Instead, follow our tips on ways to survive after you have been in a shipwreck.

Painting of a shipwreck in progress.

The main thing we must caution readers about is drinking from the water if you are stranded near an ocean. The saltwater will not only make you look bloated, it is also quite toxic for the human body to drink from the ocean. Your best bet for water is to collect rainwater. So be sure to fashion something that can catch rain even if you do not have a wand to help you do so.

When it comes to hair, the combination of seawater and the sun can wreak havoc to your locks! If you are the sort that uses curlers, hunt down twigs. Break them into roughly the same size as the curlers you use at home. Wrap your hair around it as you would a curler. You can then use part of your dress to fashion a headscarf to keep them in place.

Making fire is another important step in survival. It will keep you warm and dry, keep away bugs, can be used to cook and might signal rescue boats to your location. To make a fire gather twigs into a pile and if you have a wand, utilize the fire making spell. If you do not have your wand then hit two rocks together over the twigs until sparks catch fire.

Do not eat berries that you are unfamiliar with if you come across them. They could be poisonous to ingest. They could be useful in adding a little color to your lips and cheeks, however. Not too much, of course! Being shipwrecked does not give one leave to be a hussy. Crush the berries with a rock, use your wand to change the coloring. Make do if you do not have a wand. Lightly dab against your lips and cheeks.

Having your wand can make a huge difference in survival. Be sure to make sure it is always with you!

Be sure to keep your garments as clean and dry as possible. Of course, one also cannot run about in their underthings. Instead, consider fashioning a dress out of leaves. Find a way to affix them together in roughly the same shape and pattern of your usual dresses. Find seashells or small pebbles to add some embellishment.

Of course, once you have been rescued, consider other means of travel in the future.

RE: Issue #257 - Sinking Socialites - Witch Weekly - April 12, 2021

10 Facts About John Alfred Darrow
The captain of the Voyager has taken his ship out, along with a few dozen volunteers, to help rescue those onboard (and potentially overboard!) the Santa Antonia. Captain Darrow is a mysterious figure, and there's lots to know about him that one might not realize at first sight, which is why we're bringing you everything you need to know about him.

1. He's a dead man walking. Once a member onboard the infamous Sycorax, he was declared dead by the Ministry in 1883, one year after the ship set sail. There's plenty of questions about what happened between the time the ship left the dock and when it returned in 1887, but one thing is sure: it's a good thing Captain Darrow didn't have a great fortune or number of possessions to be divvyed out to his remaining family, as that would have caused quite a stir when he returned!

2. He has siblings. Captain Darrow has one living sibling in Mr. Evander Darrow, who currently works as the head of the Improper Use of Magic Office. Anyone who's met both brothers can tell how drastically different they are, and it's a wonder they're related at all. It's no wonder Mr. Evander Darrow has managed to stay out of the asylum so long; with such a danger-prone and adventure-loving brother, one would have thought he'd have lost his mind a long time ago! Captain Darrow also has a sister, the late Mrs. Evalina Lloyd, who left a daughter who currently lives with Captain Darrow's brother.

3. He's good with kids. On occasion Captain Darrow has been teaching his young niece, Miss Charity Lloyd, age 9, to sail. We can't help but question the decision to take such a young girl out to sea without the safety of a cabin beneath the deck, but we also can't fault Captain Darrow for wanting to spend time with his family after being separated them for so long.

4. He lived with savages. True savages. While on the Sycorax, Captain Darrow and his crewmates ended up in South American and in the clutches of a local tribe. He supposedly learned their ways, lived with them, and became one of them; it's no wonder he had such difficulty assimilating back into English culture when he returned home. Still, we can't help but wonder what the inside of Captain Darrow's home looks like. Does he keep forks and spoons in his kitchen, or does he still use his hands? Does he sleep in a bed at all?

5. He might be a former cannibal. Apparently the savages he lived with had a taste for human meat, but there's still questions about whether or not Captain Darrow, who otherwise seemed to adapt tot he lifestyle of the tribe, took part in this specific tradition.

6. His 1888 expedition is a bit of a mystery We expected to bid farewell to Captain Darrow for at least a few years when the Voyager set off for the lost isle of Avalon, but it was only a matter of months before he returned. For a time his ship was under observation by the Ministry, which begs the question: what happened on the expedition?

7. His natal chart is a fun one! A Sagittarius sun makes a lot of sense for an adventurer, but Captain Darrow has three planets in Capricorn (moon, Venus, and Mars). We wonder what seriousness and depth he's got hidden under his adventurous façade!

9. He has tattoos. Those who spend a lot of the time near the docks might have caught a glimpse of Captain Darrow at work in the past, his chest tattoos peeking above the neckline of his shirt. We at Witch Weekly have theorized about the tattoos before, but it's never less shocking to be reminded of them!

10. He's tied to the Fisk family. It's no surprise that Captain Darrow's ship is the one leading the rescue mission, seeing as he's courting the Minister for Magic's sister-in-law, Miss Zelda Fisk. The pair have been courting for nearly a year, and we wouldn't be surprised if an engagement didn't come for many years; with a love for sailing and adventure, Captain Darrow likely has no plans to settle down soon.

Captain J. Alfred Darrow - a hero with a troubled past, or a misfit seeking redemption?

RE: Issue #257 - Sinking Socialites - Witch Weekly - April 12, 2021

Sinking Socialites
The ghastly news of the Santa Antonina's sinking comes as a terrible shock. As luxurious and modern as the cruise liner seemed to be how could this possibly have happened? At the time of writing there is still no news of what caused the shipwreck, only that it was on the final leg of its journey from Brest to Plymouth. It is also unknown at this time whether the majority of passengers managed to find safety or if there is a significant death toll.

Society may well be shaping up for a gloomy start to the season should the sinking of the Santa Antonina prove to be a tragedy of historic proportion. Many notable figures were travelling on the ship at the time of its wreck from Ministry officials to famed socialites. Whilst the season usually begins with a flurry of excitement around the new debutantes, it is the seasoned society wives who host the most dazzling and exclusive events of the season where the young ladies make their first impressions.

What is the season without its socialites?

Mrs. Matilda Zabini

Mrs. Matilda Zabini along with her husband, Mr. Domitian Zabini, are known to have been on board at the time off the incident. Mr. Zabini is certainly a most competent wizard having recently proven as much to the spectators of the Transfiguration Teacup Trials of last month, hopefully he was able to use his expertise to escape the ship safely. Other ladies may not have been so fortunate.

Mrs. Rufina Mulciber & Mrs. Ursula Black

Mrs. Zabini's sister, Mrs. Rufina Mulciber, was also a passenger but is said not to have been traveling with her husband. Mrs. Mulciber's parties are not the sort any self-respecting lady cares to miss if she has an invitation. What will society do if Mrs. Mulciber fell victim to the perils of the ocean? Certainly it cannot look to the lady's closest friend and wife of Hogwarts Headmaster, Mrs. Ursula Black, for she too was aboard the ill-fated cruise ship! Just as Mrs. Mulciber was, so too was Mrs. Black left to weather the wreck without her husband. While our readers may find it incredibly difficult to fathom how ladies such as Mrs. Mulciber and Mrs. Black might be left to their doom, it is worth remembering that in times of panic and chaos people are oft to think only of their own safety and that of their immediate family.

Mrs. Ambrosia Selwyn

Another familiar name on the passenger list is that of Mrs. Abmrosia Selwyn, although as a known bird animagus we should think its likely that Mrs. Selwyn will make it back to Britain alive, if not well. (Certainly Mrs. Selwyn's animagus form will be more helpful than that of Mr. Zabini.)

Mrs. Diana Abbott

Text A much more recent addition to the ranks of society wives is Mrs. Diana Abbott who was also onboard along with her husband, Mr. William Abbott. The couple have only been married since September and surely were not prepared for such a calamitous disruption of their newlywedded bliss.

It is our ardent hope here at Witch Weekly that those involved in the Santa Antonina's shipwreck will return home to their families very soon.

RE: Issue #257 - Sinking Socialites - Witch Weekly - April 12, 2021

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Ask Harmony Aidsworth
Dear Miss Harmony Aidsworth,

While my beau has been respectful and kind towards myself and my family, his sister has begun to show minor signs of rebellion and I fear of any influence to future daughters of our own. I also fear to allow this connection to go towards a more serious commitment outside of courtship if things have a likelihood of getting worse. What should I do?

Sincerely,
Miss Perfectly Respectable

Dear Miss Perfectly Respectable,

Your wise thoughtfulness into your connections is admirable. Judging by this situation, perhaps a carefully thought out discussion with your beau into introducing the possibility of finishing school for your possible future sister-in-law would prove both beneficial and considerate. If this should prove to be a too forward discussion between you and your beau, putting your family's reputation and future first should be your absolute priority. Finding more suitable match may prove to be the best for everyone.

Sincerely,
Miss Harmony Aidsworth

Dear Miss Harmony Aidsworth,

I am newly engaged, and am worried that my mother-in-law is already displeased with me. I lost my own mother at a young age and my father never remarried. As such, when I held a dinner party for my future in-laws, I fear I may have made a terrible blunder in serving only four courses. What might I do to correct this error?

Sincerely,
Miss Future Wife

Dear Miss Future Wife,

While the lack of a mother of one's own can certainly be detrimental in a young woman's societal development, take a moment to remember your etiquette training. No matter if you are a Hogwarts graduate or not, every proper family should have given some means of training towards these areas. Read more into the topic and ask friends who have found themselves in successful marriages. Finding respectable resources where you can will always be useful to become a successful society darling that a mother-in-law would adore!

Sincerely,
Miss Harmony Aidsworth