Social Gossip

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 14, 6 October 1900, Page 8

Social Gossip

By Christabel.

Dear Christabel — A LITTLE scene, unintelligible to the few who were loitering about the "Watermen's Steps, took place on Sunday afternoon. A launch manned by Jack tars was at the foot of the landing, and a smart, gold-banded, clean-shaven naval officer was promenading up and down the platform, casting sundry glances at the Post Office clock. By-and-bye the Governor's carriage drove up with the Earl and Countess, Lady Constance, and the Hon. Hill-Trevor in it. The Premier was behind in another carriage. Hasty adieux were made. His Excellency, with Mr Hill-Trevor, stepped into the launch, and the moorings were loosened. The Premier, lifting his hat, called for three hearty cheers, and while these were being given by the small knot of onlookers, the little launch, with the white spray washing over her, moved off to the warship Mildura. It was all a tiny scrap of history, for the Governor was off to plant the British flag on some of the South Pacific [glands, and our geographies will need revising. • • • Mr Macdonald, war correspondent and lecturer, would feel pleased were he able to hear all the nice things that have been said about him. He has taken Wellington by storm, and women especially have been charmed by his ease of manner, his pathos, and his humour. He is an up-to-date lecturer, perhaps not an orator, but a speaker who can make you forget you are sitting in a musty theatre in a quiet colonial town, and imagine that you are lying behind a merciful rock watching the charge of the Devons in their brave rush over the ridge and across the flat. Geography, I have always maintained, should be taught by travel — personally conducted tours by the teacher. The Education Boards might attend to this. History might be taught by lectures — from Mr Donald Macdonald ; no other — no other at least that we have listened to — need apply. The rows of eager small boys, absolutely silent, except when there was an opportunity to clap vociferously, were delightful to watch. This was at the evening performances. Mr Macdonald is not taking any more matinees at present. They are too exciting and noisy. • * • This particular war correspondent is one who does not reserve all his good stories for his lectures. He is as humorous in every -day talk, and especially so about his lecturing experiences. At first the mere sight of his name in huge letters on a hoarding made him blush profusely, and he was wont to go a round about way to avoid seeing it. Then he got more hardened, and could actually stand in front and criticize the way the letters were stuck up. At the time he was making his debut an Australian firm was advertising jam. His bill-sticker, a man of resource, pasted the lecturer's name always next this particular poster, so that it ran : Donald Macdonald, real Australian jam ! And the Australians understood and revelled in the situation. # * • It is said that already orders are being sent Home for the festivities that are expected to take place when the Duke and Duchess of York arrive. There is nothing like seizing time by the forelock. One caunot help thinking that a good specimen of a Maori, in as perfect a state of nature as conventionality will permit him to be, will be more attractive to the royal visitors than the most charming of our women clad in the very latest chiffons from London. The latter are no novelties, and when one travels, one likes to see the uncommon. # * • Mrs Van Slyke gave a most enjoyable At Home on Thursday of last week at Searl's Hotel. A concealed band played excellently, and some of the guests sang and lecited. Mrs Van Slyke was dressed in a most becoming frock of blue and white foulard with much lace about it. * * * The annual breaking up of Miss Borlase's dancing pupils is always a pretty function. There can be nothing more charming than these girls, dressed mainly

in white, going through the various graceful movements that they are taught so skilfully. The tiny tots, so serious and so energetic, looking as if a world of responsibility lay on their wee shoulders, are delightful. Two mites, sisters, were particularly the source of much amusement to the onlookers. There is a delicious frankness, too, among the children. One boy, whose performance had been nipped in the bud by his partner refusing to go on, informed his mother that the little girl had told him he didn't know the dance. In society, of course, no one says these sort of things, but a great many would like to. By-and-by, these children will learn to be silent and only think sorrowfully that their partners can't dance. Or else say, regretfully, " I'm afraid our steps don't quite go together," and suggest a rest. The tableaux in aid of St. Mary's Home have been much looked forward to, and were much enjoyed. No end of trouble had been gone to in order to make the entertainment a success, and the result was highly artistic. " The Dream of Fair "Women" was a series of artistic pictures — each one was lovely, but Fair Rosamond (white robed and golden-haired,, a beautiful figure against the brilliant background of flowers) and black- browed Cleopatra (flashing with jewels) were especially fine, and contrasted piquantly with each other. But Cleopatra (sitting "on her flowery rise") smiled, involuntarily. True, the smile brought much applause from the audience, but it was not in keeping with the quotation recited at the same time, " 'Tis Long Since I Have Seen a Man." Cleopatra would not smile so bewitchingly under such circumstances. Afterwards, these heroines of ancient history came and mingled with the audience, wrapped up in the smartest cloaks and furs. •;; v # Among so many beautiful tableaux, it is difficult to say which was most successful. Judging from the demonstrations of the audience, " The Legend of the Briar Rose " (after Burne Jones) was one of the most successful. The group of girls among the roses was a pictuie one would not easily forget. In the Artists' Studio two sisters, marvellously alike, filled the parts of picture and model. Two statues (life size) stood on either side of the easel, and it was not until a minute had gone by that some of the onlookers discovered these were real girls. Very effective they were, but there must have been a most uncomfortable process of preparation. Each tableau had been most carefully and artistically arranged. The only fault was that one was allowed to gaze on them for so short a time. The curtain always fell too soon for the audience. Perhaps that was the reason why the interpolated music, which was extremely good, was not listened to so intently as it would have been at an ordinary concert. A young contralto especially delighted her listeners. The Countess of Ranfurly, with Lady Constance and the Hon. HillTrevor, were present. # • * It was not easy to catalogue frocks in such a crowd, but glimpses could be got of very smart overcoats. One of grey, with pale blue chiffon, worn by a woman with beautifully dressed hair, was particularly pretty. Another coat of black satin, lined with rose pink silk, was most effective on its tall slight wearer, and Cleopatra covered her sumptuous splendours • with a rediengote of oyster-shell tinted brocade, lined with shell pink, tied with long chiffon scarves and having a crimson rose nestling among the frills at the throat. » • » The tram cars on Monday, from 1 to 8 p.m., when rides were free, were worth looking at. The people swarmed over them like bees, and, after school hours, the small boys descended on them, eager to get something for nothing. It was delightful for the small boys and the folk who took advantage of the privilege, but decidedly hard on the horses and the tram conductors with their unruly flock. It was amusing, as 8 o'clock struck and the conductor started to gather fares, how quickly the trams emptied. * # * Quite a crowd of Maoris were to be seen the other afternoon in Molesworth Street. The focus of attraction was a monkey, an organ, and a man, the two latter quite insignificant compared with the former. There were a few children too among the throng, but the Maoris were quite as delighted and excited as they were. The monkey was like a miniature edition of the Marchioness — Dick Swiveller's Marchioness — a weird, wizened object in a red pinafore and a battered straw hat very much on one side of its head. Pennies were stuck on ledges of the verandah posts, and the monkey was incited to go and get them, and when at last the little animal swarmed up the pillar and secured the prize, the Maoris fairly screamed with delight.

There is on show now at Mr Pringles the daintiest needlework, begun for industrious and skilful fingers to finish. One variety wrought on linen with heavy cord-like thread is just suited to the findcaieclc woman who has little leisure for embroidery. It produces the most . effective results with aurinimum of labour. Shadow embroidery, a sort of darning on fine muslin, is the most fairy-like fancywork, and the designs are very beautiful. But the newest kind of embroidery is worked in ribbons-China-silk ribbons of the most delicate tints. In these all sorts of flowers are embroidered, a spray ot fuchsia being very charming. The painted satin table-centres and tablecovers are also very fine, and a set of white satin toilet mats, strewn with for-eet-nie-nots would be an ideal bridal gift. All this needlework is from a large manufactory in London, which employs hundreds of women, who are paid good waces, so that one has not the uncomfortable idea that these pretty things are wrought by poverty-stricken creatures who work from morning till night for a mere pittance. * * It was only natural to suppose Lady -Randolph Churchill would have a charming wedding. She is certainly originaleven in her choice of the bridegroom who as far as account is concerned, might be her son. By, the way in the column of close print in a Home paper that enthusiastically describes the marriage to Mr Cornwallis West is devoted to two lines. But Lady Eandolph Churchill is still a beautiful woman, and such are ever young. She would not be married in the widow's grey or heliotrope. Her bridal gown was a marvellous concoction ot pale blue chiffon over glace silk cream clung lace, and diamonds and turquoises ; her hat was c dream of tucked blue chiffon, white roses and marabout plumes. Even a plain woman would look her best in such a gown, cut by a London modiste, and Lady Randolph must have been radiant. Even her travelling frock ot pale blue crepe de chine was trimmed with antjkue rose-point, and her biscuitcoloured silk coat had revers and collar of Irish point lace. Her trosseau is a perfect catalogue of lovely clothes, and with these her husband she proceeds to one of the Chinese Treaty Ports to superintend the work of the Maine as s hospital ship. Mr and Mrs Moss-Davis and Mr and Mrs Myers from Auckland are in town at present. Mr and Mrs James Mills and Miss Williams from Dunedin are also spending a few days in Wellington. Yours truly, Phillida.

We are authorised to say that the reported engagement between a wealthy widow of Wellington and a Victoria street merchant is incorrect. • * * Mrs Van Slyke held an At Home last week in her rooms at the Royal Hotel. She received in hjue, satin .foulard, handsomely trimmed with lace. Other notable dresses were:— Mrs Anson, blue tailormade costume; Mrs Fitchett, purple costume ; Mrs Carthy, grey skirt, black jacket. Amongst the guests were Mrs Elliot, Lady Gibbs, Mesdames Hall- Jones, Steward, Lee*6mUh, Symons, Luckie, Eonaldson, Ewen, Haselden, Blundell, Logan, McDonald, Tringham andLockie, Misses Logan, Elliot, Pitt, Luckie, Harris, Blundell, Pettit, McDonald, Stafford, Gilmer, Kane, Warburton and Friend. Minifies Band played during the afternoon and Mr J. W. Hill sang some tenor solos.

Tussaud's Boyal Waxworks continues to attract a fair amount of patronage, and the management have already made a number of additions to their original fine show of life-like figures. Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria and other members of the Royal Household are greatly admired by visitors, and besides there are casts of some of England s leading statesmen, actors, etc. An interesting exhibition by the Wellington Camera Club is now open at Messrs McGregor, Wright, and Co's Art Gallery, Lambton Quay. The exhibits include Cartoon, Bromide, X Ray, and Solio Enlargements, and a variety ot most excellent photos. The charge for admission is the nominal one of 6d. The allotment of shares in the Stoney Creek Dredging Company (Limited) took place on September 24th. Applicants receive the number of shares applied for and so well are the merits of this claim appreciated that 3000 shares are held by one party not for speculative purposes but as an investment for coming returns. The Directors of this claim deserve all credit foy the manner they went about this claim, as before putting it on the market they had it thoroughly tested by means of sluicing and spoon dredging.