Social Gossip

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 46, 18 May 1901, Page 10

Social Gossip

By Christabel

DbAU CjIKISTVBfcL — MISS MORGAN asked a number of Jicr fi lends to an "At Home" on Fndav of last week. The fine rooms at Miss Malcolm's arc delightfully suited for entertaining in, and they were comfortably filled with the guests, who strolled about, took tea, chatted and laughed, and admired the collection of miniatures by their hostess. Thebc weie hung on black backgrounds, and set on easels. There is, among those that Miss Morgan has done here, a charming miniature of Miss Dean, in an exquisite rose-chiffon blouse. Mr Buchanans portrait was an excellent likeness. Mrs. Ferguson, in black chiffon, a material that apparently lends itself to reproduction in miniatures— at least, in Miss Morgan's hands— makes a most artistic picture, and Mr. Fergusons clear-cut face only wants an old-fashioned stock to look as if it belonged to the last century. • • • That is meant to be praise, for the men of those days seem to have been, on the whole, better looking than the men of to-day — or else it is their clothes give them a fictitious beauty. Modern masculine garments are hopelessly inartistic, and must be maddening to a miniature painter. Besides the miniatures, there were an amusing series of illustrations for a child's play book. They weie in pairs, «.nd represented children as they should be and children as they are — two very different things, as all mothers know. The quaint pictures were charmingly drawn, and most humorously conceived. Miss Morgan has completed seventeen miniatures while in Wellington, and goes this week to Napier, where she has commissions awaiting her. • • • Among the guests at the "At Home" were. — Miss Coates, in a black coat and skirt, and a smart cream straw toque, with pink and black trimming, and Mrs. Donnelly (Hawke's Bay), in a dark-grey tailor-made frock and a black velvet hat. Miss Morgan wore a grey cloth skirt, and a dainty reseda satin blouse, with chiffon Mrs. Tolhurst was in black, with a black and white bonnet, Mrs. Butler, in a green braided costume, with a velvet picture hat; Mrs. Mcnzios, m black, and Mrs. Watson in navy-blue Mrs. Kennedy had on a black coat and skirt, and a black and white toque and Mrs. J. Tripe a fawn coat and skirt. Mrs. Beniamin's frock was of black, with lines of black and white satin ribbon, and her toque was black Mrs Dean wore black, and her daughter also black, with an Irish lace collar Mrs Gilruth had on a black ooat and skirt, and a black hat with featheis Mrs Roberts, a fawn frock w ith a green velvet toque and Mis. Stott a tan coat, black skirt, ajid black silk and chenille toque. • * * Mrs. Quick wore black, Miss Quick being dressed in dark green corduroy velvet, with lace and touches of pink, and Miss Marian in an olive-green frock. Mrs. Ferguson wore a handsome chess of fawn brocade, with lace appliques, sequins, and lattice-work of chenille Mrs. Pynsent was gowned in grey silk, and wore a heliotrope bonnet. Mrs. Fulton had on a navy-blue coat and skirt Mis. Field, a dark bronzegreen , and Mis Wilford, dark coat and skirt, hat with rose-colour, and becoming white fur. Mrs. Stafford wore a black, tailoi-inade frock, with a black toque, her daughters coming in tan coats and flower-trimmed hats. Miss Holmes w ore black. Miss Williams had on a navy-blue coat and skirt, and a black toque. Miss Hilda a pretty violet frieze with white silk and lace collar. Mrs. Buchanan wore a black skirt and a white silk blouse. • * # Clever fingers can set to work to embroider velvet w ristbands for the under sleeves, and rovers to match for the bolero. These may be made beautiful with silks, jewels, sequins, lace braid, and gold tin cad or applique. Nothing comes amiss now-adays. But to make embroidery really effective it must have a note of gold in it. • • » The Hon. Mr. McGovvan has been tw r itted with his lone lorn bachelorhood bv a Canvastown matron — -Mrs J. K. Hart, to wit. To tell the truth, he

bears his sad lot with marvellous fortitude, but then who knows how he really feels. That semblance of youthful gaiety, that cheerful countenance, may bo only a mask to hide an aching heart. Mr. Mills has been enjoined by Mrs. Hart to attempt his conversion. One wonders what the process will be like, and whether it will have any effect. Most women will differ from the outspoken Marlborough lady when she w ondered how such miserable creatures as bachelors should be allowed to sit in Parliament. There is a sort of trailing cloud of glory about a bachelor — a halo of mystic possibilities — that fades into the light of common day around a married man. The benedict's, destiny is fixed. Let us prize the few bachelors *c have in the House. They certainly give an additional interest to the proceedings from the vantage point of the Ladies' Gallery. » • * Spotted net, over silk or satin, is one of the favourite black materials for evening wear. Flounces, many and full, adorn the foot of the net overskirt. Sometimes the lowest frill is put on straight round the hem, and the others arranged in wide shallow scallops, each being a little more curved than the one below it. They should overlap one another, and may be edged with ruching, frilled ribbon, or narrow velvet. * • * A black brocade skirt can be made to appear as if it were cut up twice on each side to show a frilled underskirt. The effect is got by marking four triangular spaces on the silk, measuring ten inches at the hem, and reaching within the same distance of the waist. These spaces, one of which comes on each side of the front breadth, and the others at equal distances further round, are covered with tiny overlapping net flounces, the ends being hidden by a ruche or some trimming. This is a capital way to renovate a dress that is rather too good to cut into a tunic. * * * Mr. Maurice Turrell, well known in Wellington, was married on the 30th April to Miss Freda Beswick. It was an exceedingly pretty wedding, St. Mary's Church, Merivale, being beautifully decorated, and the service being semi - choral. The bride looked very pretty in her white satin gown, trimmed with Honiton lace, beautiful lace veil, and pearl star pendant, the bridegroom's gift. Her two little pages, Denis and Guy Cotterill, wore white cloth suits, and three-cornered felt hats, while the bridesmaid, Miss Ronalds, had on white silk, with lace insertion, and white felt hat with white wings and chiffon. The bride's travelling dress was of grey woollen bengaline, with Maltese lace, and her hat was black tucked silk, trimmed with cream lace over chiffon. * * • What do you think of the latest vagary of the women's papers? It is a column headed "What Moles Denote," and subscribers are invited to send particulars of any moles they may happen to have about them, and answers will be printed showing what these particular marks prophesy. Looking down the column, some inquirers appear to have a large number of moles. One anxious correspondent has no less than nine, and she gets meanings for them all. A mole, provided it be in the right place, may mean "danger by poisons," or "good luck in agricultural pursuits," or "probably marry twice, and leave your own country." The moles sybil must have some rules to go on, and it would be interesting to know them. She gives us one hint. A mole on the left side bears exactly the opposite meaning to one on the right side. So that, if anyone has one on each cheek, he is where he was. The two cancel each other. Molography must be a fascinating study. (Continued on Page 11 )

Mrs. Rollo, from New Plymouth, has come to Wellington for a few weeks, and is staying with her sister, Miss Stuart, in Hobson-street. • • • Mrs. Donnelly was in town for a few cl.ijs last week. • « • Mrs. Walter Reid has been staying at Searl's Hotel. •» # * Mis. Roberts, of Nelson, who has been the guest of Mrs. Gilruth for the last few weeks, returned home on Sunday. Miss Elsie Bell, daughter of Mr. C. Napiei Bell, has been studying art m Paris, and has had the distinction of having one of her oil paintings hung in this year's salon —the Champ de Mars section. Miss Bell had great artistic talent even when she was a child. While in Wellington she was a student of the Technical School. Her success is all the more remarkable, as she ha& only studied eighteen months since she has been in Europe. • • • According to the Sydney papers, most of the women who attended the Parliamentary "At Home" woie tailor-made frocks. The Countess of Hopetoun wore aj very simple tailor-made gown of black cloth, the skirt and bodice strapped and statched; a black straw hat, with feathers. The ladies-in-wait-mg to Her Royal Highness were dressed very simply, in black. A few of the girls wore white cloth or serge, and one or two chose purple. Judging from the amount of white in the way of ruchings, strappings, lace, ribbon, tulle, and feathers, the whole effect could not have been gloomy. Mrs. W. C. Walker wore silk poplin. • • • The beautiful bouquet presented by the Mayoress of Melbourne to the Duchess was set in a gold holder, studded with opals, and to it were attached two long white ribbons, exquisitely handpainted. 1 • • • Mrs. Leslie Reynolds came up to Wellington to meet her sister, Mrs. Shepherd, from Home, and both went South to Dunedin. • • • Miss Dorothy Quick, who is on a trip Home, has been staying in Italy. She is to spend May week at Cambridge. • » * Miss Foster, a niece of Lady Douglas, is visiting Wellington at> present. Yours truly. —Phh,lida.

The Duchess of Cornwall has had a very thorough musical education, her voico having been trained by Signor Foil. She plays the pianoforte and harp like a professor, and speaks German and French fluently. • • • A most enjoyable progressive euchre party and dance were given by a committee of Thorndon ladies, in the Gor-mg-street Hall on Wednesday evening, May Bth. Euchre was played until eleven o'clock, and then, after justice had been done to a very dainty supper, dancing commenced. The ladies' prize for euchre —a beautifully-carved frame —was won by Miss Duncan, and Mr. Wright was the lucky winner of the gentlemen's prize —a gold pendant. There were about sixty guests present. • • ♦ Mrs. Fern was wearing a peacock-blue dress, with trimmings of white silk, Miss Stewart, pretty white muslin, pearl necklet, Miss Darling, pompadour silk blouse, handsome black satin skirt; Miss Banks, white silk, blouse of embroidered chiffon, Miss Archer, white glace silk, with silver &equm trimmings, Miss E. Archer, dainty white frock, lace trimmings, Miss> A. Saunders wore a beautiful cream surah , Miss Collins, eau de nil silk. Miss Stevenson, cream cashmere, with pink roses, Miss Curtis, cream, with electric blue trimming, Miss Duncan, rose pink silk, Miss Pettit, handsome crimson satm, with black chiffon; Miss S. Pettit, pretty white muslin, cerise sash.; Miss Ritchie, heliotrope muslin, finished with black, Miss 1 Benzoni, eau de nil frock and cream trimming; Miss FitzMorns, grey glace silk, red roses, Miss Welch, pink silk dress, and black bebe ribbon; Miss B. Welch, white corded silk and pearls, Miss Richardson, becoming blue silk. * • * Some of the gentlemen present were —Messrs. Fern, Dunbar, Harvey, Baradeaux, Wiggins (2), Mackie, Harton, Curtis, Evatt, Jackson, Griffiths, Welch. Gully, Home, Midgolv Russell, Sladden, Richardson, Benzoni, Bett, Collins, Wnght, and Pratt. » • • Miss Borlase's assemblies are., undoubtedly a great success, each one seems, if possible, more enjoyable than the last. Some of those present last Friday evening were —Miss Borlase, blue silk blouse, black satin skirt: Miss Lingard, black satin, with lace sleeves Miss Smith, very becoming blue figured

s»ilk blouse, black satin skirt , Miss Bendall, white muslin, Miss Daisy Bendall, white, relieved with rose silk. • ♦ • Miss Cora Lee was wearing white, w ith transparent yoke and sleeves , Miss Brandon, white muslin, lace iichu , Miss F. Brandon, white silk, old gold sash , Miss Wright, blue chifton blouse, black satin skirt , Miss Tregear, black satin dress, dainty white fichu , Miss Olive Rawson, white muslin Miss Wheeler, black satin , Miss Waldegrave, white embroidered muslin blue silk sash: Miss Foster, white silk frock, with a suggestion of black on the bodice . Miss Macintosh, black satin, Jace sleeves, Miss Burnett, black silk, and pretty lace fichu Miss Wills, cense satin, her sister wearing a pretty muslin frock , Miss Hickson, blue satin , Miss H. Hickson, pmk silk blouse, white skirt Miss Elliott, black satin , Miss Elsie Elliott, black velvet, Miss Marchant, black trimmed with white bebe ribbon. • » • Some of the gentlemen present were — Captain, Hughes, Messrs. Reid, Simpson, Bridge, Worsley (s.s. Hinemoa), Brandon, Gillon, Atkinson, Levien, PyeSmith, Ross Watkins, Griffiths, and Richter. • • * The Tennis Ball, to be held next month, is being eagerly looked forward to by everyone. Quite a large number or girls intend to make their debut at that dance, which is always one of the jolliest of the season. • • • Those of us who were present last year at the dance given by the Convent Old Girls' Association, are anticipating the pleasure of being their guests again next month. The girls work hard to make their dances a success, and are rewarded for their trouble, as everyone at a "Convent Ball" has a delightful time. • • • On Wednesday week, Miss Evelyn Elizabeth Heffer, eldest daughter of Mr. S. J. Heffer, was married at her parents' residence, Thorndon Quay, to Mr. David Leith Kelly, eldest son of the late Mr. Alex. F. Kelly, merchant, of Wick, Scotland. The ceremony was conducted by the Rev. J. Reed Glasson, assisted by the Rev. W. Thomson. The bride, who was given away by her father, looked charming. She was dressed in ivory white figured poplin, trimmed with luxenil lace and chiffon, and wore the usual veil and orange blossoms. She also wore a goldmounted Scotch stone bracelet and carried a shower bouquet, the gifts of the bridegroom. The bridesmaids were Miss Heffer (the bride's sister), Miss Itha Kelly (cousin of the bridegroom), and Misses Hilda, Olive, and Dorothy Heffer (sisters of the bride). They all wore white lawn dresses, trimmed with lace and insertion, gold bar brooches, and carried baskets of red berries and flowers and autumn leaves. Mr. Haxold Rogers acted as best man, and Mr. Frank Rogers, and Mr. Harry E. Heffer (brother of the bride) were groomsmen . • » * Afternoon tea was served after the ceremony, about forty guests being present. The newly-wedded pair left by the afternoon train for Palmerston en route to New Plymouth. The bride's travelling dress was a light green costume, made with Eton coat and skirt, the vest of panne velvet. Her hat was of green velvet, trimmed with green silk and cream tips, with violets under the brim. A large number of handsome and useful wedding presents were received by the bride and bridegroom