THE LADIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4006, 24 May 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LADIES.

LADIES' GOSSIP.

Dear Louie, —Well you may say I am forgetting my promise made to you in regard to keeping you posted with public events, but nothing of importance lias taken place since you got the account of the Druids' procession. Taking up my evening paper last week I read Piano Rccitol by Madame Summorhaycs, Willmott's Comedy. Company, and a sale of plain and fancy work in aid of St. John's parsonage fund, so, to use the old adage,."' it never rains but it pours." Madame Summerhayes you will remember ' hearing at the exhibition, so of her talents I need not speak. On entering.St. John's school-room on Monday evening I found a musical audience assombled, and I noticed many young ladies, and I think there is nothing better for the young student than and sco what they can attain to by patience and hard work, for what can you not learn from a good pianist? Look at Lill and Frank after thoy had onco heard Ketten, the stylo they acquired. Take another instance, who could play.your grand organ in the Town Hall, costing as ; it did so,

many thousands, until atone time it seemed likely to become a white elephant, till Giorza and Hill carno and showed its capabilities ; it did not take your other musicians long to acquire the wrinkle, and now those who go to Melbourne are told to be sure and hear the organ recital on Thursday afternoon or Saturday evening. Madame Summer-' hayes wore black velvet tastefully trimmed with lace, and Miss Anderson was iv white. Ono thing I greatly admire in Madame, she is so unaffected, or, to use Ted's words when he first saw her, thank goodness she has no jam shares. I have so often noticed, have not you, that artists with great talonts seem quite unconscious of those talonts ? Madame Summorhayes comes in witli a sweet smile, which seems to say, I am pleased to see you all, and will try and make you forget everyday life; she sits clown, strikes a few chords, and away you are in fancy, ono moment sad, and tho next joyful, with each varying mood, till you are recalled by applause and brought back to reality. Such is the power of great musicians, and Napier can boast of some very good instrumentalists, the gentlemen having the palm for singing. Perhaps the most enjoyable singing I have heard hero has been given by gentlemen belonging to Ht. John's choir. I wish I could say something good of the trebles. I often feel I would like to transport them to your St. John's just to hear the difference it makes, all commencing on tho first note of the bar instead of coming in on the third or fourth, to the discomfiture of tho other parts. Well, if 'wo cannot ask people to como and hear our grand singing like you, ovon with your prosy Mr Chase, our inducements would lie in our eloquent minister, and our voluntaries, which aro delightful. Our contraltos are wonderfully strong, but the sopranos I have heard at concerts are— well, amateurs. Ted declares lam spoiled by having heard the best singers the colonies have secured during the last score of years, but I did not expect to hour any with R.A.M. attached to thoir name, as_they can bo counted on the tips of the fingers, all who have ever reached this side of the world. Speaking of R.A.Ms reminds me that it must have been a case of birds of a feather which prevented Mr Summers from allowing Miss Christian to sing in oratorio. I am going to send you something novel for a children's party, whichT receivod in a letter, and some nice dresses. I have been sent some woollen patterns for a baby's outfit, and as I know you are great on bazaars, and tho little things arc quickly made, I will send you the patterns when I have time. The Queen has given groat offence to tho High Church people, for permitting the first drawing-room to be held on the third Fridayin Lent, as we arc all supposed to be thinking of our sins on that day, and not of tbe pomps and vanities of tho Court. At first, it was decided it should bo held on the Thursday previous, but as this was discovered to be the anniversary of the assassinatiou of the Emperor of Russia, that day had to bo changed to Friday. There were about ono hundred and fifty presentations, among whom were some really charming debutantes. The Princess wore such a lovely gown of Indian gold embroidery, over a skirt of vandyke brown velvet, and brown marabout. The train was of the same.costly Indian embroidery, lined with gold satin, and bordered with marabout. The Princess Beatrice was dressed in a pretty dress of poult-de-soie, ornamented with violets, and with a train and bodice of peach-colored broche trimmed with valenciennes.

White dresses are the chosen wear for all young ladies at evening entertainments, any material, tulle, tho lovely silk muslin, surah, serge, the exquisitely soft crepy cashmeres, or even nun's veiling, so that the effect and floral trimming are altogether white. I went to two very charming children's parties I must tell you of. At one, some very clever little boys blackened their faces and acted Christy Minstrels, ono playing a tambourine, another bones, another banjo, and so on. Their get up was delightful; long tails sewn on to their Eton jackets, striped cotton trousers and largo white neckties. And to see the way these young imps danced and sang, and asked riddles, and exchanged jokes was perfectly delicious. It was really awfully amusing. The party concluded with a 'bran pie,' most ingeniously constructed out of a large waste basket, the crust formed of paper, much ornamented with pink and white wreaths and flowers, and one slice cut out roady-for-._-■ hanirto-tlip-Onc of the boys carried this into the room dressed as a cook with white cap and apron, and invited all present to try their luck by. dipping for themselves. Every one got a present, and the success of the party was admirable. The other party was for some children's theatricals out in the country —a remarkably good performance of " Cinderella." The oldest actor was only sixteen, and the youngest five, yet there was not a hitch, and all knew their parts perfectly. I have just time to enclose pattern for infant's vest. Matorials required, 2oz wool, 3 bone, needles No. 10. Cast on one pin ono hundred stitches, knit three ribs. Thus : knit two rows, purl two rows, knit two rows, then knit forty stitches, and with the third pin continue to work on these forty stitches until you havo twenty-two rows— that is, eleven ribs. Leave these stitches on the pin. With the third pin cast off twenty stitches for the shoulder (by passing one stitch over the other) of the sixty stitches left on tho first pin, knit on the remaining forty stitches twenty-two rows for tho back the same as the front. In the twentythird row cast on twenty stitchos for tho other shoulder, and knit them on one needle, with the forty stitches left from the front. You will now have ono hundred stitches again, on which knit six rows as at the beginning. Cast off tho stitches, and sow up the sides under the arm, leaving the arm-hole open. A crotchet edging is worked round the neck and sleeves. First row one single into the edge of knitting two chain, pass over one stitch of knitting one single into tho next, second row ono double under two chain of last row three chain, one double under next two chain, repeat. Run a ribbon through tho first row of crotchet round tho throat. Edith.