A Lady's Letter.

Manawatu Herald, 10 September 1895, Page 2

A Lady's Letter.

■*■ i Wellington, Sept. 7, 1895. On last Monday night a most successful little entertainment was given by the Wellington Leiderkranz in the Art Gallery. Ib took the form of an ' At Home ' and the room was filled with guests. Daring the interval light refreshments were handed round and duly appreciated. Madame Merz was the conductress and very ably filled that position, the concern going off without a hitch. The soloists were Mrs Parsons, Miss Parsons, Miss Pownall, Miss Mcc and Miss Boss, each lady being encored. Among the audience I noticed Mrs Levin (President), Miss Pearce, Mrs Tuckey, Miss Tuckey, Lady Stout, Mrs Dowling, the Misses Gibson, Mrs Butt, Mrs (Dr) Haines, Miss Hutchison (Dunedin), Mrs Courtney, the Misses Gore, the Misses Beid, Mrs and Miss Stafford, Mrs and Miss Wilson, the Misses Reynolds, Mrs Fitchett, the Misses Halse, Simpson, Boss, Grady, Hawdon, Prouse, Barber, Seed, LoydWilliams, Richardson and others. I must add a word or two about the very pretty and artistic decorations. On the wall at the back of the stage was hung red cloth, in the centre of which was a large gold harp, the badge of the Society, then all round the stage on high and low stands were placed pots of ferns and flowers, each draped with small fags or red drapery. The grand piano was in the centre and two rows of ladies, all in dainty white dresses, formed a half circle, altogether the arrangement was very unique. Madame Mprz, of course took up her position in front of the stage, and wore a red sitk gown trimmed with black lace. Nowadays people go in for decorations far more than they used to, two or three years ago. Indeed some of the decorations at balls and parties now are simply lovely. At Mrs Duncan's dance on Thursday last, the supper table looked extremely pretty. In the centre was a ' lamp covered with a huge yellow shade, over which violets were carelessly thrown and there were also i small vases of single yellow prim- (

1 roses placed about the table. Both in the ballroom and drawingroom, violets and daffodils were everywhere to be seen. Now for the dresieff, some of which were very tasteful. , Mr 3 Duncan wore black satin, with white panels on the skirt veiled with jetted net ; Miss Duncan.wofid.pale grey, with shoulder straps of pink flowers; Lady Alice Boyle looked very well in white figured satin, trimmed with white chiffon-and-epra lace; Mrs H. D. Bell, lovely pale s green brocade the front of the corsage being prettily trimmed with crystal beads on pink chiffon ; Mrs A, Russell, lovely thick cream brocade trimmed with deep cream lace ; her sisters . the Misses Williams wore very pretty gowns of very pale blue satin, trimmed on the bodices with delicate white lace ; these gowns were very much admired, as also were those worn by the Misses Johnston, which were of dead white silk, with be"be bodices of white accordian chiffon ; these I may mention were English gowns, and though simple were very stylish. "Mrs A. 'Pearce also wore what ia commonly termed a 'home' frockj it was of the very palest heliotrope brocade, and the short waisted bodice was bordered with a twist of purple silk, and on the sleeves and round the low corsage were frills of deep cream lace ; Mrs Le^in, *ry handsome blick brocade fgown, trained, and lightened on the 'bodice with soft folds of white chiffon. Miss Levin, was a somewhat distinguished personage, being a de"butante, and was looking very nice in white merveilleux trimmed with chiffon and white flowers, this pretty frock was made ,by; Madame |Be Verney, of- Te Aro HoWe^ mca Baldwin wore a very stylish pink pompadour silk, the flower pattern encircling the skirt, which is quite a new idea. There were several other pretty gowns worn, but I must ' not let my pen run away with me. There was another . Afternoon Reception at Government House last Thursday, when there were a large number of guests present, among whom were Mrs and Miss Hislop, Mrs and the Misses Quick, Mrs and the Misses MacGregor, Mrs and the Misses Menzies, the Misses Morrah, Mrs and the Misses Harding, Mrs G. Hutchison Mrs Holt, Mrs and Miss Edwin, the Misses Hamerton, Lady and Miss Hector. A large number of children assembled, at the invitation of Lady Glasgow to a dance last Monday night. Lady Glasgow received with her daughter and wore a very lonely white pompadour silk gown trimmed with soft cream lace and satin ; Lady Alice Boylo wore white satin and lace and Lady' Dorothy soft white muslin trimmed with frills of white lace and insertion. Some of the grown up guests helping to entertain were Mrs A. Russell, Mrs Werry, Mrs Menteath, Mrs W. Johnaton, ihe Misses Johnston, Miller, Williams, Buller and several gentlemen. The Misses Higginsbn, Johnston, Bell, Douglas, Riddiford, Gore, Fitzherberfc, Wilson,,- Baker, Hislop and Brandon were among the little guests. • jSIGNA.