Social Gossip

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 121, 25 October 1902, Page 10

Social Gossip

By Christabel.

A VERY enjoyable farewell tea was given to Miss Hislop last Monday afternoon by Dr. PlattsMills, at her pretty home in Kelburne The guests were chiefly girl friends of Miss Hislop, and the- spent a merry afternoon trying their skill at various competitions. During the afternoon, Miss B. Miles sang "Husheen" very sweetly and Mr. Ballance _ delighted everyone with "Beloved it ia Morn, and another charming song. Delicious tea was laid in the dining-room, the table being decorated with vases of white broom and daffodils, on a lace work* centre over yellow satin, and pretty baskets of sweets amongst the tempting cakes and sandwiches. Miss E Chatfield and Miss McGregor assisted with the tea, and Messrs Mills, Menzies, and Holmwood also looked after the guests • • • Yellow was the prevailing colour of the decorations, for sweet-scented broom and arum lilies were artistically arranged in the drawing room. Dr x latteMills received in the entrance hall and was wearing a graceful black voile skirt and a pretty black glace tea-jacket Miss Hislop looked very -retty in, a figured silk blouse, with tiny tucks dark skirt, and white straw hat, w^th blue bows. Misa Joan Hislop wore a strapped cornflower blue frock, and lace-draped hat. Miss McGregor wore black, with chiffon ruffle and blue ohou Mrs. Adams, in black. • * • Miss Barron wore a long fawn coat, brown skirt, and felt hat. Miss Oonah Fitzgerald was in black with laoe collar and large white hat. Miss K. Fitzgerald wore violet cloth smartly strapped. Miss Miles was in cigar-brown cloth, with double skirt, and Miss B. Miles was in blue, and a hat with turquoise blue. Miss Turton looked nice in a blue Russian gown. The Misses Fell were in dark costumes, and pretty hats. The Misses Rawson wore red costumes, strapped with black, and hat to match. The Misses Turner wore black costumes. Miss N. Skerrett wore a becoming blue-grey costume, with insert-on, straps, and a large picture hat Mrs. Holrowood was in brown cloth strapped with clace Miss Holmwood, a blue gown and pretty hat with pink. Miss Holdsworth (New Plymouth^ was in a tailor-made gown and a black hat with pink. Miss L Atkinson was in black, and a burutstraw hat with black bows Miss E. Linear d was in brown and a hat to match. • • ♦ The Wellington Bowling Green was opened for the season on Saturday last, and there was a very largie gathering of visitors. The opening ceremony was performed by Mr James Russell president. Afternoon tea was handed round to the ladia= who spent a pleasant afternoon in watching the various games. » • * Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Lowry, of Okawa, Hawke's Bay who have been on a visit to England, returned to Napier last week. • * * Servian women have a curious mode of announcing that they desire to marry. A dressed hanging in the principal window of the house, shows that there is a marriageable woman within, and suitors may apply. • * * Quite a crowd collected to see the passengers by the Mokoia off to Sydney last Saturday. Mrs. Jeffcoat and Miss Waldegrave intend spending a month in the Blue Mountains before returning to Wellington. Miss Ringwood, who was also a passenger, joins the Omrah, at Sydney. Miss Dyer was accompanied by Mrs. F. Dyer's sweet little daughter, -vho was very delighted at the prospect of seeing her parents again shortly. » » • Dr Oahill and Mr. Coates were passengers to Sydney, where they will spend some weelts. • * * Major Poison, D.S 0., and Lieut B M. Taplin left last week for Sydney, en route to Durban, where they intend commencing business -^ land and estate agents. Miss B. Stafford has returned from a vis-it to Sydney.

Ping-pong players are looking forward to the coming tournament, to be held m the Sidney-street schoolroom, early in November. It is expected there will be about two hundred entries, all the ohamrjkrtis included, and separate prizes will be given for the ladies and gentlemen. * * Miss Louie Kettle (Napier) was in town last week. * * * Congratulations to Mr. Harrison, his pupils, and all who assisted in this most successful display, held at the Opera House on Friday last. The various performances were gone through with such life and vigour that one could see each nupil put his soul into the work. Especially pretty were the wand exercises by the youths, and the combined dumb-bell and wand exercises by the girls and boys. Very humorous were the boxing contests and the wonderful taniwhai acts. Mr. Harrisons club swinging, with electric lamps, was exceedingly ""etty, being loudly encored. Nothing dragged and the Opera House was literally packed with a most appreciative audience. An interesting debate took place at the Victoria College on Saturday _ evening, the subject being the much-disouss-ed toDic of women entering professions hitherto open only to men. The majority of speakers were mem, therefore opposed to the idea, and many and various were the arguments brought forth explaining why women should not enter the higher professions, or indeed, follow the humbler vocation of office clerks. During the course of the speeches, we women learnt many things. Firstly, that in taking up the daily routine of office life we go the quickest and surest way to spoil our chances of matrimony by losing our natural charm of manner and looks We were told that our eye would lose its brightness, our cheeks grow pale, and our spirits would be nil after a year or two. So office, girls, beware — resign your billets and wait for a husband to come along. When one centle maiden suggested that the moral tone of an office was raised by girls employed, she was promptly told by a gallant youth that in Ims experience the practice was conducive to bad language. More than one suggested that woman's intellectual capacity was not sufficient for her to hold her own against men, which statement is certainly a confession of weakness, or, shall I say, intellect? One plucky youth bravely took up the cudgels on our behalf, and maintained that "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." So mote it be. * * * The following paragraph has a little to say on the subject — "After typewriters, the self-supporting women who exercise most charm over the masculine heart are the sick nurses. These two professions stand far ahead of the others as furnishers of wives to the annual crop. After them comes the actress. The female liters, painters, musicians, and doctors straggle far behind the footprints that their more engaging sisters leave in the sands of time as they bend their course altarward. Can it be that the more advanced intellectually women become, the less interesting they are to the other sex?" (Continued nn page 11 )

The Tennis Club in connection with the Manst Old Boys' Association, opened their courts an Saturday last A large number of guests were present, and many exciting matches were clayed. The courts are situated at the rear of St. Patrick's Hall, and are nicely sheltered from the wi; d. Delicious afternoon tea was dispensed by a committee of ladies, and much appreciated, and during the afternoon a photograph group was taken of the members and guests. Amongst the ladies present I noticed Mrs L. Dwan, m a pretty white silk blouse and stylish holland skirt Miss EUa Collins was wearing electno blue frieze. Miss Lena Lawless looked well in a black skirt amd a cream silk blouse Miss Mary Weston looked neat in -white Miss Mary Lavertv, a r>rettv blue frock with a white hat trimmed with cherries Miss Amy Williams, blue skirt muslin blouse Miss McDonald, a blue skirt and holland blouse Some oi tf > gentlemen were Messis McKeowen (secretary), Mler, Tvvohill, Casey, Faire, Dwan, McGovern, and many more. » * * The craze tor all kinds of pietty charms continues, and collectors «~ie keen on securing specimens oi miniature animals and odds and ends ot quaint jewellery, which are converted mto lucky charms and worn on chains and bracelets. Here is a list of those which denote good luck, and are therefore mostly; 'sought after Bean, good to<rtune, bell, something will happen to your gain, bee luck, boat, prosperity, black oat luok , clover, happiness, frog a faithful sweetheart, donkey, bad luck , fish, riches , flag, good news , tortoise, constancy , mouse plenty , shoe, happy marriage. At Petone, on Labour Day, Mr Richard Greenwood, eldest son of Mr. rhos Greenwood station-master at lapanui, Otago, was united in the bonds ot hoh matrimony to Miss Hannah Gertrude Bowman daughter of the late Mr. Johi* A. Bowman and grand-daughter of the late Dr. J. Bowman, of Liverpool, England. The bnde was <nven away by her brother (Mr. R. Bowman) and Mr. A .Carver attended the bridegroom as best man. The bnde was attended bv her sister (Miss Edith Bowman), and Miss Ada Carver. Two little saaJor lads (Masters Alfie Bowman and Dudley Carevrt and two little girls (the Misses Edie Eariand and Jeannie Grut>) also attended the bride as pages. The bride was handsomely attired in cream figured silk, and the customary orange blossoms. The bridesmaids wore plain white silk dresses, trimmed with lace. After the ceremony, the newly-wedded pair drove to the. Masonic Hall, where they received the congratulations of all the guests, who numbered over one hundred. Afternoon tea was thm partaken of. Lhe Key. J. D. Russell who officiated, acted as chairman, and, after the bride's cake and wine had been disposed of, in a very happy speech proposed the health of Mr. and Mrs Greenwood. The toast was heartily drunk, and Mr. Greenwood responded on lus and Mrs. Greenwood s behalf. The health of 0 bride's mother and of the bridegroom's parents were also heartily toasted and responded to lespectavely bv Mr. Carver and Mr John Gilby (Wauganui). The resents were both numerous ani ccatly, ana Mjc - " nd Mrs. Greenwood will carry to their new home every good -wish for their future happiness and welfare. A word of praise is due to Mrs Bowman for the excellent afternoon tea, also to Mr. R. A. Mudeway, who was responsible for the handsome floral decorations at St. Augustine's Church, whore the ceremony took place. ♦ * • On Tuesday afternoon last week Miss Violet P^awson entea-taino"! "•> number of young friends at a most enjoyable tea. The quests spent a most exciting tame with the title-guessing competition which was an original idea Capital letters were written down, and one had to guess what they stood for. For instance, M of the R wag Mistress of the Robes. A very dainty tea was laid in the dining-room, purple and white anemones being used effectively for decoration Irises were prettily arranged on the mantle-piece, and in the drawingroom spring flowers were in abundance. • • • Miss Rawson was prettily gowned m white silk, with insertions. Miss Olive Rawson also wore white, and Miss M Rawson, who assisted her cousins, wore a large bk ck hat. with a white silk gown. Miss Oonah Fitzgerald was the winner of the ladies' prize, and received a pretty silver coat brash, and Mr Arbor, who won the gentlemen's first. was presented with a pencil case. Rome of the guests were The Misses Fell (3), Higginson Brandon Macintosh (3), K. Fitzgerald, Fir,oh (2). Y. Logan. D. Quick "R a.nx3 A Lawson. Cole rid sre, and Holmes, and Messrs Arbor, Finch, Buller Rhind, W. Reid and others.

A Rangitikei co; » osmoademt sends the following note Miss Ruby Scott "avea most enjoyable birthday party at ''Willow Bank," en Friday, October 17th. In 9pite of the rough weather there i\as a large muster of vests, and a very jolly time was spent. In the early part of the evening euchre was pla-ed, and afterwards the prizes were presented, Miss M. Hamir.or.id (first) receiving a silver thimble, and Miss N. Fraser, "booby," received p, pretty green basket. The winning gentlemen were Mr. A. Amon, a knife, and Mr. S. Mckenzie, "booby," a large wooden spoon. * * ♦■ A lovely supper was laid in the break-fast-room, and a handsome birthday cake was tasted bv everyone "for luck." Songs were sung bv Miss Scott and Messrs Campion and MeKenzie. Miss R. Scott wore a pretty flowered muslin dress. Mrs Scott was in black , Miss M Scott, white silk; Miss P Scott, a bliw silk blouse, dark skirt, Miss Vera Scott, pretty nink dress. Mrs. Kelvie's gown was heliotrope, relieved with oream sati" Miss Fra&er, black silk , Miss M. Fraser, yellow silk ; Miss L. FraseT. white silk blouse, dark skirt. Miss Nell MoKenzie, grey silk , Miss Ursie McKenzie, nretty muslin frock , Miss Dot McKenzie, v.-hite silk Miss McDonell, in hlue silk. • • * Amongst' the gentlemen were Messrs W. and D. Scott, O. and B. Amon S. McKenzie, J Campion K. Stevens A. McKenzde, J Duioran, and D. McKenzie. (Continued on pane 13 )