ST. MARY'S BAZAAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 302, 19 December 1872, Page 2

ST. MARY'S BAZAAR.

Juat as we had completed our report of tbe doings at the Provincial Hall yesterday, we received from a correspondent the following lively account, which we willingly substitute for that which we had prepared. It will only be necessary for us to give the names of the stall keepers, which were as follows : — No. 1 : Mrs. Broad, Mrs. Stavert, and Miss. Adams. No. 2: Mrs. Bartlett and Mrs; Million; No. 3: Miss Cooke, Miss Bolton, Miss T. Bolton'. No. 4: Mrs. t Russell and Miss Parker. No. 5: Miss Byat>, Miss Egan, and Miss Edwards. No. 6 : Mrs. Cardoza, Miss O'Connor, and Miss . Easton. Refrelhment room: •'■• Mrs. McGee. Mrs. Firth, Mrs. W. McGee, and Mrs. Blick. \Postoffice: Miss Bolton. The rest we leave to our jeorrespondent:— - I dph't remember ever having in the body visited a fairy palace, but; I have, as A;b youngster^ after, hearing of the mysterious , contents of. such a> fabric ;. :wbiier sitting over a roaring Christ-.. A^ ; mas 'A';:firjeA^r-,:.such an 'one as was y scarcely required last night— entered its !■' •': portals'; in my dreams, :andAbeen delighted s with 'the ; scenes ■ that ; m'ojt^my wondering . eyM^: A<^asionatly^ ; tooj I would' there | ;;Ameei|a';nttimber of; ,pharaiing;]j.ttle sylphs^* f A^hb^^esy^ould;iak© . to a ••Bubject o

brancß until I yesterday visited the. bazaar in aid of St. Mary's schools. One remark, however, I feel bound to make, namely, that the little creatures with whom I thus made acquaintance in times gone by differed from thoso who swarmed around me yesterday, inasmuch as' they were not armed with lucky bags, nor was it, so far as I can recollect, essential to their happiness that I should invest tialf-a-crown in o raffle for an uncomfortable looking cushion ornamented with harsh looking beads whose very appearance was suggestiv-8 of an excoriated face. After such a preface I have no iutention of entering into a lengthy description of the appearance of the Provincial Hall as it appeared to me on entering it yesterday afternoon.' "Do please take a dip into the lucky bag, it's only sixpence." " Here's a splendid opera glass, there , s v 6nly one chance left, and I'll put your namo down for it if you will give mo five shillings." Such were the greetings that assailed me on all sides when entering the door, but putting on my siernest look I successfully evaded all these importunities and proceeded to walk round the room and take notes. To stall No. 1, I was attracted by some es'quisite "photogrnpbs, such as onedoes not often meet with, of a few of the most celebrated public buildings in Paris. These were exposed for sale in the, most tempting manner, and, I was told, had been sent out from Lyons expressly for this occasion. Some beautiful bronzes representing Savoyards with their musical instruments and performing monkeys, were tastefully arranged on a, remarkably handsome fender stool of, Berlin\ work, made and presented by the Lady Superior of the Wellington convent. These were surrounded by elegant fans, numerous other specimens of worsted work, and articles both useful and ornamental of every description, on some of which there lay in calm repose the most fashionably dressed dolls that ever were seen. One of these, more attractive in its appearance than the others, was/upon my expressing admiration of its placid features as it rested there in a dreamy 1 attitude, taken hold of by one of the stall-keepers, who appeared to understand its anatomy, and on a judicious pinch being applied, to a sensitive" part of its body, it languidly opened its eyes and uttered in tbe sweetest of tones the word " Papa ! " Never having been so accosted befoie, I hurriedly left the spot, for my experience of bazaars led me to the conclusion that if once a little one was heard applying to me so endearing a term I should immediately be required to make large purchases of tiny frocks, embroidered petticoats and fancy pinafores, not to mention other garments of a more mysterious nature with which the next stall — tbe proprietors of which had loaded it with materials of a nature highly useful to parents of large families — abounded. But I must not attempt to describe all I saw, or I should fill your columns to overflowing. Dressing cases of the nattiest make, workboxes that caused me to feel ashamed of my inability to use a thimble, well-stocked shaving cases containing razors so sharp and so bright that I felt tempted then and there to sacrifice at the shrine of the fair vendors the beard on whfch I so pride myself, writing desks thafc,»made me wish I was young again', so. that I might sit down at them and pen -a -poetical effusion to the object of my adoration, statuettes of the most artistic design — anything, everything that I did or did not want was laid before me in the utmost profusion, while the coaxing tones and beseeching eyes of those who had undertaken to dispose of tfrem were calculated to play sad havoc, with the purses even of those who visitedAthe gay scene with a determination not to be beguiled into making purchases, but who, nevertheless, did buy, and, what is more, could not regret it afterwards, if they took into consideration the pleasure thoy had by so doing afforded to the irresistible shopkeepers pro tern. Among other articles displayed for raffle or for .sale in the vicinity of an exceedingly dangerous stall at the' end of the room was a Mexican war saddle, that was viewed as a great curiosity, and on which bad been set tbe somewhat exorbitant price of £20. For practical purposes, however, it did i not look attractive, its ridge-like .appearance suggesting the probability of the rider being reduced "to something of the condition of the Austrian " split eagle." In the apartment known as ||he i.Grratfdv Jury Room , ampleAprovision^ask made 'against any possible suffering^frcra the evils of hunger; or thirst, elMjles and drinkables being there to any extent, ; and j udging from; appearances,- I ; ifioujd ; Vsay that- the? ladies who disposed : fof' these ■creature comforts A, must have ii'done -a |<;r|ajsng^ '■' COf Athe/ Postoffice;. T; iciaii^t;^^ ? jdfes^tched. -ther^rtijbr ;heih g v -of"--r "-th p'■ ; : -i3Q.os t; ■ £pr.din^ hot always expect to get^^my : moneys worth at a"Bazaa'r,-I drdfeela little inclined to' .;;grsmpl^

manuscript copy of a' nursery rhyme. Nevertheless, in spite of such trifling > drawbacks, I would recommend anyone.;; who feels* inclined for aa hour's fun to go to the Bazaar.