Fancy Dress Ball.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 6, 4 September 1914, Page 3

Fancy Dress Ball.

The fancy dress ball as held in the Miners’ Union Hall on Wednesday night proved a huge success, and the ladies and gentlemen who constituted the committee must in that success have found compensation for thought,care and labour bestowed. Though the hall does not lead itself easily to decoration the result was most successful, the patriotic colours which formed the base of the colour scheme contrasting finely with the fern and greenery so extensively and effectively used. The stage had been turned into a conservatory for the nonce, the abundant vegetation, the electric lights hidden behind parti-coloured shades, and the cosy and comfortable seating going far to attract the dancers from the floor. The supper tables, also elaborately and profusely decorated, literally groaned under their loads of tempting comestibles. The floor was in capital order, while the music by Darby’s Orchestra (5 instruments) left nothing to be desired. When the ball opened with the grand march the flloor appeared to be well filled, while the gallery was crammed with spectators who thoroughly enjoyed the Kaleidoscopic scene before them. The rich handsome gowns of the ladies, and the gay uniforms and other costumes of the men formed a blaze of colour that gave to even the most unimaginative an idea of fairy land while the ineongrurous pairings and the efforts of those who had assumed a comic.character to act their part added that touch of fun which broke down formality and promoted geniality. The gentlemen assumed many characters, there being no scarcity of cooks and butchers, washer and charwomen, naval and military officers, sandwich-men and sports, Highlander, Turk and Chinaman, and even a baby with bottle and feeder complete. In awarding the prizes for the best costumes the judges, Mesdames J. Darby, Farrell and Herd had a most difficult task, but the popularity of the awards proved that their decision had the support of competitors and spectators. The prize (a solid silver hand mirror) for the home-made costume was won by Mrs F. W. Garland (Greek Lady), Mrs Rae as Queen of Sheba carrying off the leather bag which formed the prize for the wearer of the best hired costume. Mr Robinson as a Turkish Pasha carried off the prize in his class. From beginning to end the function was most enjoyable, the sole regret of all being that the end came too soon. The introduction of the old fashioned country dance “ Sir Roger ” was a step in the right direction, even though its length was not appreciated by the musicians. Appended follows the list of the ladies’ dresses: — Mrs B. Ralph, Cleopatra. Mrs Gardner, Liberty. MrsC. Bird, Japanese Lady. Mrs McLeod, Japanese Costume. Mrs Garland, Grecian Lady. Mrs E. A. Jones, France. Mrs Edwards, Camp Coffee. Mrs Rae, Queen of Sheba. . Mrs Janies, Indian Squaw Mrs F. Littleproud, Quaker. - W. H. Thomas, American Cow Girl. Mr Going, Hamilton, Tango Dancer. Miss E. Macdiarmid, Squaw. Miss Boyle, Gipsy. Miss A. Furniss, Poppy, Miss Darby, Spanish Dancer. Miss G. South, Rag Time. Miss Evans, Stars and Stripes Miss A. Furniss, Folly. Miss Lyall, Gipsy Fortune Teller. Miss Fallon, Sunflower. Miss J. Horwood, Yachting Girl. Miss Smith, Rag Time. Miss G Furniss, Normandy Peasant Miss K. Cameron, Red Cross Nurse. Miss MeCaskill, Folly. Miss A. Furniss, Night. Miss Georgette, of Hawkes Bay, Poppy. Miss Prisk. Powder and Patches. Miss F. Spiers, Spanish Dancer. Miss B. Gribble, Folly. Miss Lyall, Portuguese Fortune Teller. A number| of ladies names have been omitted from the above list owing to them handing in cards without adding their names.