A Lady's Letter.

Manawatu Herald, 20 August 1895, Page 2

A Lady's Letter.

WeLlingto::, Aug. 17, 1896. Mrs W JoUu .o.is afternoon •• At Home " last Tuesday was very much enj .yed by about a hundred guests. The tea table decorations were very pretty and were of daffodils, violets and snowdrops. Mrs J->!.u. on wore a rich black corded sim gown With a widj vest of white satin veiled with black lace add jet j the Misses Johnston looked nice in black silk skirts and light pink silk blouses. Among those present were Captain, Mra and Miss Russell, Mr 3J. G. Wilson, who wore a black satin gown trimmed With blaok and White stripes, hat to match ; Mrs Arthur Russell wdre a Very becoming brown coatume trlmtned With velvet and silver passementerie ; the Misses Williams (Hawkes Bay), Mr and Miss Pearce, Mr and Mrs A. Pearce, Col. and Mrs Fux, the latter wearing a stylish black serge costume and cape trimmed with braid ruching, dainty bu>-tit Straw bonnet, with rosettes of blue and white tulle and black wings • Mr and Mrs Maxwell, Mrs and the Misses Bowen (Christchuvch), Mi* and Mrs Butler, Mr and Mrs Pynsent, Mrs Goring, who wore a neat dark electric blue braided goWn and hat to correspond, Mr and Mrs Field, the Misses Grace, Duncan, Montgomorie, Harding, Reynolds, Gore, Edwin, Friend, Izard, Daniels (Wanganui), McLean, Stowe and others. The postponed evening reception was held at Goverrlinenii House on Wednesday last, Whefi there were a large number of guests present and some very handsome gowns worn. Lady Glasgow's gown Was of very pale lavendar brocade, trimmed on the corsage with lovely old lace and diamond brooches. The Ladies Augusta artd Alice Boyle wore similar gowns of pretty sky blue *atm trimmed with lace and pink fl->wers. Mrs Wallis wore a lovely white duchesse satin goWn slightly r.riinrn>ci with lace ; Mrs A. Russell looked very handsome in a pearl gitin and brocade gown trimmed with beautiful silk lace ; Mrs St.uart Mentpath's gowu was of thick white brocade handsomely trimmed with ric'i lace aud silver embroidery ; Mra A. Pearc-s v^iy pale heiiotrope brocad", trimmed on the bodice wi,i! wide white la".c ; Miss Pearce vary lovely oyster colour satin brocaded with pink and blue flowers auu finished off with pink chiffon f i i ; Mrs J. G. Wilson, handsome m~uve silk gown, made with basques embioidered iv a darker shade, the tr ..». t part of the sleeves were of cream satin and the other of mauve Bivk ; Mrs Grace, handsome black velvet gown with panel and trimmings of black and white striped satin ; Miss Grace looked nica in white satin trimmed wi h chiffon and pink flowers ; Miss CsasH, who has returned from Wanganui looked very well in white striped satin and silk trimmed with deep lace ; Mrs H. D. Bell, white pompadour silk, trimmed With flounces ot black lace edged with a roll of dark ruby velvet caught here and there with pearl ornaments; Mrs Baldwin, lovely white satin, slightly trained, aud the bodice almost entirely embroidered with tiny pearls and fiuished off with white chiffon ; Miss Duncan, very pretty whits pompadour silk, trimmed wuh chiffon and tiny pink rosebuds ; Mrs Capt. Russell's gown was very much admired, it was of lovely yellow and black brocade, handsomely trimmed with jet and lace ; M;s and Miss Friend, Mr, Mrs an. l Miss Mi ler, Mr and Mrs Butt, Alt and Mrs L. Wilson, Dr and Mrs R, wson, Mr and Mrs B. Goring, Mr •.id Mis G=»re, Mrs W. H. Lsvin, h- Mi. B*u Johnston, William-?, M dlev.Co per, Moorh mse, McLean, Rii.W', etc. Mr Maughan Barnett gave another of his delightful concerts lasfcjWed-ne-day afternoon, wh n ttajf' Art 'nhili.Ty was crowded with ;tk large i rid fashionable audience which inclndnd the Vice Regal Party. The programme, I was glad to see was more varied than usual, there being two or three vocal items.. Miss Gw n Da vies gave much pleasure by ler sweet singing of Hterndale Bar i-t's sonus " Dawn gentle Flowr" stud. ••May D^w," she also sang a G rm'in song, for which she was ncored. Mr W. Turnbull, who *ias a tenor voice and who was vidently vey n'-rvous, sang " Winds ■n the Trees " (Goring Thomas) and very excel' en t programme was ii d • up by pianoforte solos from .1. B une t and violin solos from Mr Af u d Hill. Amonir the audience I noticed L il and Lai^y Glasgow, the Ladies Angnsta and Alice Boyle, Miss Hracp, Major Eliott. Mr ('layton. Mf dames Levin, J. G. Wilson, R ynolds, Dan. Riddiford, Maxwell, Khiud, Bill, Ruasall, Allen, Tolhurst, Habens, Gore, Percy Smith, Whittall, and the Misses Grace, Gore, Cooppr, Johnston, Williams, Moorhouse, Bode and Stowe. You wi.l be glad to learn that Lady Augusta Boyle, has now so far recovered, as to be able to walk with a stick only, however it was deemed necessary that she should again c<>n-ult Dr Humes, so she left for -Viick'and on Friday afternuon, accompanied by Lady Gia-g>w, Miss Hilda William-; and Mr G-.yton. It is to ho hoped that bel . .- long i Lady Augusta will b^able to take an

active part in all tho pursuits she used to be so fond of. Mr and Mrs Peter Parfitfc who have been to Australia for two or three raonth3 returned last week. Lady Dorothy Boyle has returned from Ohristchurch. SIONA.