SOCIAL GOSSIP

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 152, 30 May 1903, Page 10

SOCIAL GOSSIP

WELLINGTON has been very duH socially for the last few weeks. Bridge and dinner parties, like the poor, are always with us, but otherwise there has been little or no distraction. Several large "teas" arc shortly to eventuate though, and I hope, the ice being broken, many more enjoyable afternoons will follow. The Misses Waldegrave are entertaining a number of their young friends on Friday afternoon, and the College Rifles have issued a great many invitations for their "Birthday Ball," on Friday evening. • * * A bright and pretty operetta, ''The Minstrel Prm.ce" (Roeckel), the libretto of which was w ritten for the occasion by a Wellingtoman, "Quilp N.," w r as produced at St. Peter's Hall, last Friday evening. The various Darts were excellently sustaaned, Miss* Ethel Parsons being particularly pleasing is Teresa. Other performers were Mr. A. J. Geary, as Lamberto, Misses Ella Gill, S. Wilson, Archer and L. Drew, assisted by a good chorus and orchestra. The performance* was conducted by Dr. Fyffe, w T ho is to be congratulated upon the result. • • * A very pretty dance by four little girls, was introduced. A short concert occupied the first half of the programme, songs being contributed by St. Peter's Church Choir (part songs), Mrs. F. P. Wilson, Dr. Fyffe, and Messrs. Hendry, Palmer, and Jones. At the conclusion of the concert, Dr. Fyffe entertained the performers at supper, after which several dances were enjoyed. The floor of St. Peter's Schoolroom has been greatly improved lately, and I hear that the vestry have voted a further sum for the same ourpose. • ♦ * Mrs R M Simpson leaves shortly on a visit to Fiji.

The fact that over four hundred applications from those wishing to sing in the chorus were received by th& committee of the Musical Festival, makes one doubt the oft-repeated statement that Wellmgtonians are not musical. Once more the want of a Town Hall n, felt, for the choir must, through lack of accommodation, be reduced to 270 voices The Festival is arousing great interest, and the dates fixed are October 22nd to 25th inclusive. * * # The annual ball of the Wellington Tennis Club will take place early in June. * * ■» It is proposed to hold the annual ball of the Wellington College Old Boys' Association on Thursday, Juno 25th. * * • The marriage of Lieut J. D. Nares (Royal Navy), of H.M.S. Dart, to Miss Lena Mclntyre, second daughter of Mr. Justice Mclntyre, Australia, will take place immediately on the return of the Dart from surveying in December next. * * * There is really no end to the trouble some hostesses will go to when they have set their heart on a novel enteitaanment. Quite recently, a New York hostess issued invitations for a "fish dinner," the chef d'oeuvre being boiled Japanese telescope fish on toast. The hostess's flat was entirely transformed for the occasion, the walls being covered with seaweed and moss. The table decorations consisted of a miniature lake, m which real goldfish swam. The hostess w ore a pale green gown with trimmings of lrridesceoit fish scales, and the waitresses appeared as "Jack Tars" — I wonder if the soup was salt 9 * * * The latest little coat is called a "caraco." It is a sort of sacque-bolero, ' r black tucked or corded silk, trimmed with tiny lines of black ribbon velvet. Thisl can be made specially smart by the addition of "macaroon" buttons, or rosettes of ribbon. The collar may be left to the discretion of the wearer, and be either of lace or Pans applique — a matter of taste. * * * Pretty little coats for cool days, too, are cut short, and so full about the> hem that they undulate after the manner of a shaped flounce. The sleeves are bellehaped, aoid are turned, back to disclose a lining, while a turned back stitched piece also forms the collar. Coat collars are quite out of fashion now and, as this 1 part was the difficulty of the amateur dressmaker, shei has now a chance of turning out one of these up-to-date coats without fear of a failure.

A nev\ evening wrap is the Spanish mantle, u luch is simply cut like a wide cnoular cape, and which envelopes the weaier in graceful folds is generally made in light textured cloth, and lined with soft surah or merveilleux. ♦ « * A very enjoyable dance was given last Wednesday, in the New Century Hall, by Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Briggsi, the occasion being the coming of age rf their youngest daughter. Mrs. Bnggs received in a handsome black silk. Miss Bnggs wore a pretty cream dress, and her two sisters had on dainty whate muslins. ♦ • • Amongst the numerous guests I noticed Mrs. Dodwell, in black silk. Mr. and Mr®. Roland Boot Mr. and Mrs, A. E. Masters, the latter wearing v pretty grey voile, Miss E. Rule (Christ-church) white, Miss P. Bock, white . Miss J. Evans, pretty white silk dress, Miss Blomquist, white . Miss E. Young, black satin, trimmed with pale blue, her younger sister :n: n white and primrose, Miss Mitchell, cream . Miss Parry, in pretty cream voile Miss Grey in cream silk . Miss Levastum in white , and many others. * * * Amongst the gentlemen present w ere Messrs. Bnggs. Boyes (2), McGowan, Duncan, Levastum, Mimfie Reid Dodwell, Miller, O'Reilly, Bock, Henderson, Sample, Pownall, Applegarth, Bnttam, Jones, Jessop, and others. * * # That latest American craze, the "gossip party," has already caught on in Wellington. The idea is most amusing. The hostess writes a dozen or more topics of conversation upon cards, which are handed to guests upon their arrival. Chairs arranged in paars, and sofas scattered about the> room are numbered. These are drawn for, and each couple drawing corresponding numbers hunt up the seats. A bell is rung to announce each topic of conversation, for which five minutes are allowed. * * * At each change of places the next subject of gossip is chatted about. At the end, slips' of paper and pencil are then distributed, and the women vote for the men whose gossip ha® most nterested them, and the men vote for the women. The two gaining the most votes receive prize® as a reward for their brilliancy. • * ♦ It has happened — not often, but just occasionally — that Wellington girls have learnt that some men are gay deceivers, and not all that they profess to be, and a letter from Sydney tells

me that, although very wide-awake, the girls there have been sadly disappointed in a new arrival, who put up at a swagger hotel, and, somehow or other —no one ever knows how these things happen —he became acquainted with all the very "naicest" people. They welcomed him into the fold —he, by the w ay, was supposed to be a captain and a V.C. and was, of course, most charming —but the sequel came rather unexpectedly for the hero, and totally so for his admirers. Imagine their horror when, at a select little gathering, the gay captain was arrested by a stern officer of the law! He was well known in New Zealand, it seems, and some wealthy tourists, who had reason to remember meeting him over here, recognised the man once more when chance brought them together and promptly informed the police. • • « The engagement has been announced of Mr. Horace Cooper, of Sydney who was lately here with the Fitzmaurice Gill Company, and Miss Kate Wrigglesuorth a popular Wellington girl, now acting, as Miss Kate Gair, with the Majeroni Company. ♦ ♦ A wedding, which t\ ill be of interest to many in theatrical circles, was celebiated at Dunedm, on May 4th, when Mr. Edmund Montgomery, proprietor of Montgomery's Entertainers, was married to Miss Ettie Hargood, of Wellington, the well-known, soprano of the company, and a pu-il of Miss Randall. The bride wore a travelling gown of zibeline cloth, in the new blue shade smartly piped with light blue, and faced with white, a pretty white felt hat with black ostrich tips and chiffon, and a> gold watch and chain (the latter the gift of the bridegroom) completing the toilette. * * « At the performance in the evening, the "Weddinp- March" was played by the orchestra. The members of the company presented the bride with a very handsome travelling case, and the bridegroom with a gold-mounted cigar case. After the performance, a number of guests were entertained at a champagne supper, when the healths of the bride and bridegroom were duly honoured. Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery have received numerous letters and wires of congratulation from all parts of the colony. (Continued on page 13.)