ANTONIA DOLORES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1988, 19 February 1914, Page 2

ANTONIA DOLORES.

BACK FROM BURGEE 'j S . . . . AND IRKSOME CONVENTIONS.

[BY smiuE.) , |

Old boats, old trine, old friends arc \ tho best, and who will dispute that thp '.i most cherished of these joys. arc old | friends ? With many ddigK-.fti : l memories to inspire such thoughts, 1 searched and found McUlc. Arit-o-iiih- Dolores is company with her inseparable friend Madam-o Vaudour, comfortably chatting hi. Mrs. John Promise's drawing-room, the window's of which overlook harbour siid city. Mdlle. Dolores lias grown young, with the years—the sparkling eye, tke smooth, round cheek, and the iiierry laugh'Mdile. exhibited yesterday have not conceited anything; to the advancing years. She confessed to a feeling of entire satisfaction qt being back in New Zealand oiteo inure. "It is-all so ..different, y-ou know, out here," she said. "At Home, the finest (listinetiojis are still drawn between tho cla-ssei,'.and yau-mus-t--i-iot-do-thi>s, and yoii'-miist-not-do-that in French society -rai-id German find English for that matter- becomes rather irksome. . For instance, Madame and I should not ' walk home through . the- boulevards, though they are as light as day, after tlto opfera. She is not. married, lam not mii Tied —it is not proper. When ire told someone that we had been, to ■ the midnight mass -alone at Notre Dsnie o-ii Christmas Night, .they urged us not to tell anyone. Ok-ife tvas hiost improper." '•yes," intervened Madamo Vaudour, "and if. wo had a man with:us,it is quite alt right, 'no matter if he, be an idiot. It is only the clothes, aeli!" "And then, if you are asked: out to dine—you must come at stive minutes to seven precisely. If you arrive ten minutes ton early, you cither flrite r : o-vm-sl tho block or walk about., until it is live. mimites to seVen. Then yot-i may go in ' wHIi-cmt ofltowling anyone. ' If it be five ■minutes past seven you should beat a retreat and send an excuse at once, or blame the taxi-drivei'., The conventions are as rigid as steel, and yon must notoften dthem.'* . "No," said .Madame Vaudonf, "ivo staved with one lady who would not allow me to make -my own bed as I wanted it. When' I did, I was told tlu.it .t should liave informed Madante the Way .1 liiced niy'bed made, or rung for-the maid,. My explaining that 1 did not know which way the j»i?d was made iiijtii midnight did not soften ray hostessV-. indignation." "That's why we like earning, to New • Xealand and Australia," resumed Jldlitf. Dolores. "Here you , are all one; you are a nice, pleasi-ire-iovhig pen-pie, and are always so appreciative of good music." Si.iee Mdlle. Dolores was in New Zealand she. lias toiired -South Africa- with Brest: success, and -lias jjiven concerts throughout- the United Kingdom, Holland, 'Belgium, {.iermany, Switzerland, - mid Avistwilih. France? No, France is not; a coHcert-lofiiiw L , omrtry,-:'hiit..tbere!■: at. Vendorne, ih'''tlWMvpaft'of the'CStSen of La Belle' France, jldllc. spent- some happy weeks. There the land is eul- : tivatid inte»sely.,- Ii that ' there is mi roowi->fctcn' the eows are so 'Weil trained that the.v wiil feed off the grass i;t the lanes, but will never dream-nk taking a .mouthful til" the 'standing- ' ernVi- which _is quite unprotected l>y any barrier. . 'i'heio -tile largest dairyman. It-is no mere than twelve to fifteen rows, and each one answers k> its nhviie. The kin" are earefnllv coddled all the year l-iiunrl' —indeed, \lie eows are almost members of tho family. Hut it is all iiweet.lv rustic and rurally 'eh-arming at. Madame Yaitdour's pretty- home., and the rest after' the rush of. ttavel comes like, a 1 benediction to the.travel-stainwl pilgrims from all the- v.orkl, and "in the long evenings tbey. tell their friends' about Hie f-traiiVft people who dwell un- ' de.r the Southern Crass, who lilip so Weil to he Mini.; to. ' Then in London there 'is - dear old Paoa Tito Ifattei.' the' eminent _ kook writer to" lft;>k niter. ■ 51-dlle, ■ said he is now 74..-years of -age, but still a wonderful miin, and stili wrib-i-nj beautiful liwie, In his keeping islldlie's Australian eonkatcro-'-o'h, a wise -olib bii'd— which cite has had fm - < 30 years, and \vhieh goes fcrazy. with delight when Mdlle.- returnsf.fofii the «th.ei' side of .the earth. Tito 51'attei iii likeja filher to her and lie -loves l'it>r (piil-r' as much as lie does, his black dog and eat—and that is caving a great dir'al. The old man- would go to sleep with, .the doc resting his. paws .on.'One arm- and the eat asleen oil his.opposite shoulder,. and so ho will remain loiu' after be wakes, fearful of-arousing the .ieal.dns.v of -one or other by mO/iiiß one oft hem -iii'st. and'so roHnl the world Mdlle. ■ has- lier friends—-last friends—aiid thanks to her mode'of life, ilie .parting that is. such sweet foiroiVji's sopit transformed into the jnV of welcome:. - . Mdlle. Dolores has decided to .commence a tour of Ne-iv Tteaftitiel at Dun-' edin on .Wat'eli 3. Afterwards she will visit fuve'reai'gi'll, Gore,. Oainarn, Tiniaru, Ashbnrtoh. Ohristchtirth, li-'r-iiaps the AVpH Coast, .feae'hiiig Wellington Co rue time in April ■ not yet fixed. The tour of the Dominion will end at-. Auckland towards the end -of Mav» and will be followed by one.of Aus« tral-ia eotum-eiiciitg in Sydney. \ ■ . ]