Afternoon Tea Gossip

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 269, 26 August 1905, Page 8

Afternoon Tea Gossip

By Little Miss Muffitt

THEPvE is really no prettier function than a children's fancy dress ball, and the long-looked-for one given by Mrs. Miles, at Sydney-street Hall, last Tuesday, was really a charming sight. Hundreds of dear little children, representing" them- gNreatngi and parents, favourite lriuseiry heroes, or some well-known character, all dan'cang with the lightest hearts and happiest faces, enjoyed eveiy moment of the ball. At 8 o'clock, and again at 9, there was a "grand march," in which all participated, and it was quaint indeed to see a demure great grand-mother walk hand-in-hand with a handsome Mephistopheles, or a diminutive John Bull inviting a sweet little Jap maiden to be his ■partner. Supper was arranged on severdl long tables in the gymnasium, each table beautifully decorated with different coloured flowers and on the centre one a large weddung-caike, remindlmg one that Mrs. Miles had chosen this happy way of celebrating her salver wedding. On either side of the cake were handsome silver candelabra, a gift in honour of the day from Messrs. Murray Roberts 'and 00., Mr. Miles's firm. Mrs. Miles also received ma.nv other lovely gifts and me^ages of congratulation. • * • The guests were received by fHie hostess at the entrance to the ball -room. Mrs. Miles wore black p&tin, brightened with jet, and Miss Miles wore a most becoming dresis and powdered hair. Miss Hilda Miles represented "Virginia" (one of Winston Churchill's charming heroines). Master Leslie Mile« made a handsome Pirate King. The dresses were just as quaint as they were beauti-

ful. Muss Rita Simpson's "Cnnolme lady" was one of the mowfc admired frocks. It was of white musilui, frilled to thle waist. Her haiir was very beoomangly dressed, with a ringlet ouri over one shoulder. » • * Master Ohaahe Mile* was altogether splendid as "John Bull," complete in every detail. An original duess was worn by Mr. Ben. Wilson's little boy, who was "Robinson Orusoe." Hus costume was most faithfully carried out, even to the little goatskin umbiella Miss Eileen, Ward Looked very attractive as an "Irish Colleen." Hei fiook of green was partly covered with a little muslin apron embroidered with shamrocks, and a arimsan cap and 1 wreatlh of shamrocks were worn on her dark hair. as "Cherry Ripe." Very dainty, too, looked little Vailmai Gore— Mrs. H. M. Gore's wee daughter — in the same' role of "Cherry Ripe," cleverly modelled on Millais' mcfcure. Mrs. Ward's Wo little children, were "Jack and Jill. Miss Vida Kennedy wore a very attractive frock — '<Elsie Mayraard," from the "Yeome-n of the Guard". Over a pretty, full skirt of silk were ribbons of every gay shade, falling loosely from waist to hem. A black velvet cw=©let Tjodioe, white chemasette, red 1 ca.r». Amd tambourine with ribbons to ma.t,dh Hhe frock, completed the pretty ooistuime. * , ♦ * Little Rboda Bristowe was delightfully quaint as "My Great-Grandmother," m a black silk frock, lace fichu, glasses, grey curls, mittens, aindl ebony stick. Amongst the very tattle ones, Mrs. Sfcubbs' little daughter was, a dainty fairy, and little Miiss Abbotit looked sweet as "Buttercup." Mrs. Jack King's three sweet little daughters looked very dainty — one as "Pierrette," i" white "nruislin, with quaint ruffle and black mittens. Another as "Vivandiere," and ■ the third representing "Juliet." » * * Miss Elsie Gray wore a wonderfully clever dress represeniin'sr a bat, and her brother wais a very splendid "Mamdiarin." I/ittle Pat Waird was the iolliest Mttle "Irish boy," with em eral rli-grecn tail -Goat, red waistoont and coi'diurovs, felt h>at with pipe oornnleite'. amd l a shilMa<rh. Master Mtlps, as M^oh'stopheles, was one of tihe moj«t =trilr'nof character's. Misis Baby Wilforri wore a pretty Japanese dress, and her brother wa* an undien-'er^adinafe. M^s«

Belle Watson was "Pierrette-." Master Stuart Seddon was a gay "Beauoaire," Jack Fmdlay was a "Toreador," and his brother represented a "Barrister." His first brief (a breach-of-promose case) was tucked under his arm. Miss Lulu Dyer looked 1 very sweet a^ a, Watteau sihiepheirdess, in pretty panniered frook and crook. Amongst the older guests were : Muss Rawison,, who was quaint a^ her "Great Aunt" ; Mrs. Fisrth, as "Queen of Hearts." Miss Tolhurst wore a blue silk dress, and hair poudre. The Misses Ewen also ware powder and patches with black evening gowns. Miss. R. Brandon represented "Night." Misses Fitz-Ger-ald, Smith. Stafford, and Simpson were also present. Miss Coates has issued invitat.ons for a ball, to be held in Sydney-street Hall, on September 7th. X * * Miss Borlase's pleasant little assemblies are being much enjoyed, and all regret that they will so soon be over. A "long nignt" will be held probably in September. On Wednesday last I noticed amongst the many guests: Mesdame® Tu-egear, Fulton, Eliott, Bucholz, Bridge, and Misse^ Eliott. Tregear, Fulton, Boirlase, M'acdonaldi, Morecraft. Brewer, Ward, Lingaird, Mairchant, Hoggard, Didsbury, and Lambert. * * * The sixteenth aainual ball of titoe D Battery is to be held at St. Peter's schoolroom on Friday next. * ♦ • Mr. and Mrs. W. EQldreth have issued invitations for the marriage of their daughter, Annie, to Mr. Henry Turner, on Wednesday, October 6th. * * * The Victoria College Tennis, Hockey, and Football Club® held their annual ball at the Sydney-street schoolroom on Tuesday last, the function passinc off with great success. About 150 guests were present, and the programme of dances weire gone through with' great sipurit and enjoyment. Mr. Fleming's orchestra supplied the music, and! an excellent supper was provided by Mr. Godber. Wattle formed the special feature of the decorations, and! scented the air with its fragrance. The programmes were charming, having been brought from London by ome of the student^ 'Mr. George Prouse). From

corner to comer was threaded a ribbon of either green or gold; (College colours), aaid in one corner V.C. was printed in green, the whole card being very artistic and appropriate. • * ♦ Mrs. Holroyd-Beere and Mrs. Maurice Richmond were the chaperones present. Amongst the guests were: Miss Eileen Ward, wearing white miuslin ; Miss Prouse, in pal© blue silk, with flounces of lovely laoe ; Miss 0. Prouse, wearing a charming dress of aocoirdeoaiplleated mousseiline-de-soie, the corsage effectively swathed with chine silk; Mis® M. Seager, in a very pretty rose pink silk dlress. • # # Miss Atkinson wore black laoe; MissErica Fell, Wphite glace; Mijssi Spragg, paile blue silk • Miss G. Mills, white taffeta silk , Muss Rutherf ord (Canterbury), a pretty gown' of lilao silk • Miss Brindley, a very becoming gown of palest heliotrope silk ; Miss Winder, pretty blue silk dress ; Miss Bodmin, white silk. Mr. Rawdion Beere was a very excellent secretary, and was ably assisted by his committee. • • • Everyone will sympathise with and,. we hope, desire to assist Miss Mary Richmond's excellent scheme for providing a kindergarten for children who are too young to attend the State schools, and who alas, are too often compelled to spend the.r days playing in the gutters, to the detriment of their health and habits. It is becoming quite a common sight in many of our streets to see children, in dozen?, from the age of seven or eight years down, playing about, the eldest of the family — often a baby also — tiyingto "mother" all the others. • * * It is for these little ones, I understand, that Miss Richmond desires toopen a kindergarten, where they will be able to spend the years previous to entering a State school. Here they will be trained under the kindergartenmethod — amused more than taught. But, good seeds will be sown, and there is no doxubt that such a scheme, well carried out, would do worldb of good. In Amieriea, and nearer home stillj. — in Sydney — these kindergartens- have been opened, and are a perfect boon to hardworked mothers, who are often too busy earning their bread 1 , and have no time to amuse the children, who are thus left to themselves, to the gutters, dtrains, and microbes.

Miss Richmond has aa excellent idea by which a faarly large school could be supported without the slightest difficulty — the annual of half-a-orown by a certain number of sympathiseirs would keep things going, so tickets are being issued, and anyone who has the welfare of these little ones: at heart should at once volunteer theair annual subscription of 2s 6d. Miss Borlase has issued invitations for a children's fancy dress ball, to be held at the Sydney-street schoolroom early in October. Only the young pupils will participate in this, as it is to be simply a children's dance. The older on.es will have their break-up dance at Sydney-street, on Saturdlay, September '30th. «■ * * Mrs. Tolhurst's dance la^t Wednesday was — as her's always are* — tibotroiuHhly enjoyable. A feature was the quantity of very lovely flowers which were arranged iai every room. The "den" was prepared for dancing, the floor being perfect, and spring flowers banked the mantelpiece. Bridge tables were waiting for those who preferred cards to dlancinw, and a delightful sit-down supper was enjoyed in the dining-room, the table bein.9: decorated with bowls of sweet violets. Mrs. Tolhu/rst received hier guests, and was wearing a handsome black satii gown and diamonds. Miss Tdlfhurat wore irose- coloured slk and chiffo 1 . Miss Horton (Auckland) wore turquoise blue. Amongst the many guests were • Dr. Amd Mrs. Webster, Mr. and Mrsi. J. Tripe, Dr. and Mrs. Haossiell, Dr. and Mrs. Pollen, Mr. and Mrs. W. Kennedy, Mr. and Mrs. Bnstowe, Mr. and Miss Coates, Mrs. George, Mire Joh&nnson, and the Misses Blnndell, Butt, Fulton, Nelon M. Fitz-Ge-rald, Rawson, andE. Fell. * • ♦ On Tuesday, August 22nd 1 , a very bright and pretty wedding was quietly celebrated at St. John's Church, Johnson vil'le. when Miss Vera Willis, dlaughteir of Mr. A. J. Willis, secretary to the Cabinet. ww> marHedi to Mr. William I^wson, of the A.M.P. staff. The bride, who entered 1 the church with her father, looked' exceedinslv -nrettv, wearing a dress of white embroidererl muslin, with fine insertions". A ' tulle vei] was arranged over a wreath of oran>q?e flowers, and' a shower bouquet of white fresiaK and narcissi wa^ carried. • • • Miss Brenda Hacon, as bridesmaid, ■wore a dainty gown of white book muslin, with wide folded belt of forget-me-not blue <%atin., and l a very pretty hat of the same shade, wreathedl with chiffon. Her bouquet was of purple violets. The other two maids were thie little nieces of the bride, Phyllis, andl Elsie Hubbard who looked sweet in frocks of white muslin, pale blue sashes, and little Dutch aaps of the shade. Their Shoes and socks were also blue, and they carried baskets of primroses'. Mr. Duncan Menzies was be=t man, amd the ceremony was performed bv the Rev. J. Vosper. assisted bv the Rev. T. S. Handover. The "Weddi "c March" was played as the bridlal narty left the church. ♦ * * Mrs. Willis afterwards eirotertariined a few friends at afternoon tea. Quantities of beautiful sprine flowers deooratedi the rooms, and in the d&niner-room the table looked lovely with masses of primroses and violets. Thie health of the bride was proposed by Sir Robert Stout, and responded 1 to bv the bridegroom. • • • Mrs. Willis wore black satin, with fichu of lovely old lace. Mrs. Lnw^rm also wore black, and! a black amd wbnte bonnet: Miss Willis, a pretty white silk blouse, and' cloth skirt: Miss Ida Willis, florail muslin «*own. Mvs«* Pp 1""'1 ""' Willis wore white muslin The wedding ■presents were very numeromisi amd prettiv anr? included a hai T ndi<sO TnD onT^ a-nd" silver spirit «tamir?. pirese^itled' to Mr. LawsoTi bv Tii^ A.M.P. friendk. * • • Miss I#incard andl Miss D. K. Richmiond's exhibition of pdetures has attracted much attention. Special interest is taken in the wort of Miss I/ingard, who left here an enthusiastic student, and, after a few years' hard work in liondon, and later at tbe liatin Quartieir, in Paris, has oome back to us still an enthusiast, but with a. marvelfonus difference in her work. The little of Holland a.re altogether charming and qraaint. and have been quickly soldi. ♦ • • Miss Lingard 1 will stay for a few weeks with Tier parents, andl then leave for Canada, in which country shie will spend some months. Mi^s Richmond's •pictuires have also found many admirers. The little collection is altogether a very interesting one. • * • The Newtown Bowling Club gave a, very enjoyable social evenning for their mamy friends on Wednesday, August 23rd!. A concert formed! tlhe early part of the programme, and later there was

dancing, and 1 card-rooms were ai ranged for those who preferred l&ss energetic pleasures. Altogether, the evening passed very pleasantly indeed. * * *■ At St. Mark's Church, on Wednes day, 16th August, the Rev. Mr. Coffey officiating, Miss Esma Levesitam, the youngest daughter of the late Mr. H. A. Levesitam (for many years M.H.R. for the city of Nelson), was married to Mr. Henry Jessup 1 , of the Maimtena/nce Branch, of the Railway Department. The bride, who was given away by her brother (Mr. Arnold F. Levesitam), was dlressed in a prettily-trimmed soft white silk and oarried a beautiful shower bouquet. The richly-worked veil was the gift of a girl friend 1 .

Miss Levestam was attended by her water (Miss Nettae Levestam), who wore white, with a picture hat. Mr. T. G. Bradson acted as best man. After the ceiemony, a reception was held at the residence of the bride's mother, 55, Pine-street, and in the' evening Mrs. Levestam entertained ai number of young people at a progressive euchre party and musical evening. Amiongst a la.rge number of va.luable presents receivedl by the happy pair were several handsome tokens from the principals and employees of the Economic (where th© bride has been employed on. the office 1 staff for the past seven years), and from the staff of the Railwa- Department. The honeymoon is being spent in the Hawke's Bay district.

Among those present wen&: Mrs. Levestam (mother of the bridle), in black, with handsome silk mantle, and pretty black bonnet ; Mrs. Jessup, navy blue; Miss Levestam, blue cloth costume; Miss M. Levestam, grey tweed; Mrs. A. F. Levestam (Lyttelton), pastel grey, and white check voile ; Mrs. J. H. Richardson, biown tailor-miade costume. Miss Richardson wore blue; Miss Hargreaves (Nelson), in a cream robe, witih picture hat : Mrs. J. Ewing, grey voile, with black hat ; Mrs. Keeble, black silk, and violet bonnet ; Mrs. J. Robinson, black skirt, and' silk blouse. * • • Miss Dimant wore a white silk blouse and pretty brown, skut ; Muss L. Dimant, blue tailor-made oositiume; Mrs. Besant, black silk ; Mrs. Nahr (Westport), aeeordeon-pleated 1 black silk dress; Mrs. Sadd, green silk blouse and black skirt- Miss Sutherland (Levin), grey tweed costume; Mrs. W. Robinson, black silk ; Mrs. Mueller, cream broche blouse and black skirt: Miss Marks, whit© silk blouse and! black skirt : Miss Doris Marks, white salk ; Mrs. Captain Hayward, in grey tailormade costume. * • * Amongst the gentlemen, present were — Messrs. Levestam (three), Robinson (two 1 ) Ewing, Jorgenson, Fullerton, Cl&rk. Redgrave, Jes&up, Stables (Duniedin), Bridßon, Kelline;, Sadd, Grnabam, Kiely, TlbcAmipson, and Hayward. The prizes at the euchre r>arty were won by Miss Marks and Mr. Bell. * • * Mrs. Lennox (Remuera, Auckland) is visiting her daughter, Mrs. C. Yonmor.

I have pleasure in announcing that I have purohesed from Messrs. Wrigglesworth and Binns the whole of their negatives, and am now prepared' to supply copies to original sitters. These portraits will he supplied in the latest and most up-to-date styles. — J. N. Isaacs, Victoria StudSo, Mannersstreet.