EVERY LADY’S JOURNAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3987, 21 July 1915, Page 3

EVERY LADY’S JOURNAL.

; The engagement of Mi§» Bessie MacLaurin, daughto^of Mr W. G. , MacLaurin, Waipura, Gisborne, to Mr Bert Watkins, of Tuparoa, was rocenti ly announced.

I Mesdames Cooper and Sidebottom very kindly provided morning and : afternoon tea last Friday week at the , Women’s Patriotic sewing meeting. 1 The Mayoress received a letter rp- : contly from Lady Liverpool expi'eSs- : ing great appreciation of the gifts j sent to the hospital ship. The Gisborne Shakespeare Club are j giving a public reading of “Hamlet” :on Tuesday evening next in the ; Church of England Parish Hall. Everyone seems to be going to the : performance and it is expected that | a most delightful and entertaining 1 time will bo spent. During the even- | ing some charming musical items will | bei ;rendered. “Hamlet” is said to ibe the most popular; of all Shakespeare’s plays. There is scope for much fine reading and acting, a fact which the performers) Rave appreciated and attended to. Some most thrilling j scenes are enacted, particularly when j the ghost appears with fearful aceusaj tioHs concerning Hamlet’s uncle. A shudder passes over Hamlet, he speaks to the mysterious form, he sees it beckon him, he follows it, and hoars the summons to revenge his father’s murder. Ophelia is said to he a character almost, too exquisitely touching to dwell upon. Her love, her madness, and her death, are deserllied with touching tenderness and pathos. There are several other very important personages in the play, between whom much witty dialogue is presented. Miss V. Macdonald Inis been visiting in Wellington. M iss C. Johnston lias returned from a visit to Wellington. M ss E. Williams, of tltc Coast, and Miss Wood arrived in town on Sunday. , Mss Watefhouso arrived from Hawke’s Bay last Saturday morning.

Miss Orr has returned from a visit to the South. Miss R. Caul ton has been visiting in Wellington. The Red Dandies are appearing in Gisborne at the end of the .week. They are said to occupy the front rank iu costume comedy entertainment. Mr and Mrs A. V. S. Reid went south by the Tarawcra last Wednesday. Several Red Cross workers assembled at Mrs Henry White’s residence last week, in order to make bandages for the Hospital ship. Numbers of enthusiastic young people met at Mrs Frank Barker’s home last Thursday to dress dolls for a forthcoming patriotic sale of work. Some most quaint and picturesque creations were made by skilful and artistic people. The next meeting will be at Mrs R. P. Burke's home. The members of the skating rink met again on Monday, and indulged in their fascinating pastime. A pleasant interval is always reserved for afternoon toa, the members taking it in turns to dispense it. Trick and fancy skating, is done most cleverly by several to the accompaniment ot music, and is much enjoyed. The Scottish 'Fair concluded on Saturday night. There were such a number of people present, and great interest was displayed in the number of side shows and competitions. The members of the Cook County Women’s Guild held their annual gift afternoon in connection with the Children’s Creche at Findlay’s rooms last Wednesday. The guests brought large offerings of groceries and other household necessities. Mrs E. P. Joyce is on a brief visit to Havelock North and Wellington.

A NEW ZEALAND NURSE

Miss L. E. Armstrong, of Dunedin, who went to England on the outbreak of war to help in nursing the wounded, lias been speaking of the important part played by massage in the treatment of broken limbs, etc., in the present war. Miss Armstrong was resident in Dorchester House, which Sir Georgo Ilolford had lent for tho purpose of a mil itary hospital.

LONDON HOSPITAL. „

I’m told Sarah Bernhardt lias spent something like £3OOO on her wonderful cork leg, a portion of the construction. of which was done by an American specialist, maker of artificial limbs. At first she rejected half-a-dozen or more of these articles, and .herself gave some wonderful tips to the manufacturer. It is now perfect in its mechanism, and almost a living thing, having every joint and movement like a real leg. In appearance, too, it is exactly like flesh, and bone, for the great actress' said she could not stand the look of the ordinary artificial article. She’s all excitement about it, and tells everybody bow interesting the new log is, and I hear some of her very intimate lady visitors are actually invited to admire it. The foot is a little smaller than the great actress’s own used to be, hut this'was dofio at her own request, for she has had all her life a passion for little foot. Those who have seen the. wonderful limb say they defy anyone to tell unless she knew that it was not real. All the fittings of this amazing affair arc in solid gold. DROLLERIES. Many volunteers have been rejected for many reasons —some sufficient, others trivial and exasperating. “No good,” said the sergeant-major to one particular candidate, who in build is best described as "a. sturdy block,” and who had never regarded himself as even approaching deformity, was amazed. "What! why ! which !” he gasped, "the logs too short! Dammit, they reach the ground, don’t they.’ Mrs Hawkins, who posed as a literary woman and professed great admiration. for Byron’s works, had recently purchased- 'a little dog, and was showing him to a caller. "What have you called him?’ ’asked the friend. "Perchance,” was the reply. "What a singular name for an -animal, ’ commented the caller. "I named him after Byron’s dog,” she explained. "Dont you remember the line in ‘Child© Harold,’ where the poet says: ‘Perchance my dog’.?”