FRILLS FADS & FOIBLES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 196, 8 November 1927, Page 5

FRILLS FADS & FOIBLES

PLUNKET SOCIETY

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting: of the Raetihi branch of the Plunket Society was held yesterday afternoon in the society’s rooms, the president, Mrs. Sisley, in the chair. There were also present Mesdames Datson, Feltham, Cummins, Binn, McDonald. Paulzer, N. Lynch, secretary, and Miss Harris. Accounts amounting to .£4 Its 3d were passed for payment. The resignation of Mrs. Bell from the committee was accepted with repet. Mrs. Paulzer was welcomed as a new member of the committee. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the secretaries of the Bulb Show, Mesdames N. Lynch and Mrs. McDonald, for the capable manner in which they fulfilled their duties.

GIFT AFTERNOON AT RAETIHI

A “Gift Afternoon” was held at Mrs. May’s residence in Raetihi last Wednesday in aid of the forthcoming rose and carnation show'. There was a fair attendance, many members of the Anglican Ladies’ Guild being present. Many useful gifts were donated by those present, and a very pleasant social time was spent. An enjoyable afternoon tea was served, and the hostess was accorded a vote of thanks for her hospitality, and for her efforts in aid of the fancy stall for the rose and carnation show.

A BRIGHT PARTY

A delightful ‘’Guy Fawkes” party was given by Mrs. Purchas at her home in Richardson Road, Mount Albert. la.st Saturday evening. Miss Purchas, who wore a Wedgewood blue embossed velvet gown with diamante buckle, was a charming hostess. Mrs. Purchas wore a black lace model with relief of silver. The splendid display of fireworks provided the guests with much fun and entertainment. Later dancing and some enthusiastic “community singing,” accompanied by Mr. C. Olsen on the ukuwas enjoyed. Versatile Mr. Olsen also played the piano, and amused the Suests with his saxaphone. Mrs. Purchas superintended the serves of a delightful supper in the lounge. Among the guests were: Miss T. Purchas, frock of ecru lace witli rn<* new cape effect worn over crepe d» cnine. Miss McHardy, cyclamen crepe de chine lown with godets of silver lace. Miss B. Hollis, frock of shell pink satin cream lace. **? K. McGill, shaded cyclamen crepe J ne Sown featuring French tuckings ***. fl oral embroidery. •uiss Ruck. Duchess blue figured crepe c* chme model. dhin? 8 G. Coldham, dainty frock of delnnujm blue georgette se quined In silan<» georgette scarf to tone. tart 3 AV*illiam6, Princess blue geor<ksign S ° Wn handsomel y beaded in floral Gevin, henna crepe de chine Mi e ?3 u, sitely beaded. p-hV* B Rice, floral crepe de chine frock v.?l with cyclamen. wHrK .• onaldson * nattier blue satin frock skirt.

METHODIST GUILD

WHANGAREI BRANCH

The final monthly “snowball” afternoon under the auspices of the Methodist Ladies’ Guild was held at the residence of Mrs. Crawford Bell, Kamo Road, Mrs. E. B. Chambers and Mrs. Bell being the hostesses for the occasion. Competitions and games entertained the members who attended, and a most enjoyable afternoon was spent. During the afternoon, the following ladies contributed musical items: Songs, Miss R. Marra, Mesdames S. Crawford and Crawford Bell; instrumental solo, Miss G. Gibson.

PENWOMEN’S LEAGUE AT SKETCH CLUB

The members of the New Zealand League of Penwomen were the guests yesterday afternoon of the Sketch Club, at their exhibition in the Dilworth Buildings. Tables were arranged in the rooms, and a dainty tea was served. The tables were laden with a fragrant wealth of roses in shades of pink, sunset and deepest crimson. The guests were received by the Ladies’ Committee of the Sketch Club.

WHANGAREI WOMEN’S CLUB

WELFARE CIRCLE

The Welfare Circle of the Whangarei Women’s Club, held a very successful evening in the club room on Friday. There were 12 tables for bridge, and the prizes were won by Mrs. J. Wooley and Mr. Joe Beveridge. The usual dainty supper was provided.

Mundane Musings

Bleeding Hearts —Male\

It gave me great joy to read that in the hour of her desperate financial need the widow of a brave soldier in the Greatest War was comforted by proposals of marriage from several utter strangers. This should, I think, go some way toward evening up the horrid news about young Lindbergh, the world’s most romantic birdman. Since that lone hop, skip and a jump of his, w r hich helped, among other things, to popularise the chicken sandwich, and induced our leading fashionists to perpetrate the rottenest hat in the history of feminine headgear, modest bachelor Charles has received letters to the number of three and a-ha'lf millions. According to his not nearly so modest biographers, this is the largest post ever received by a single individual. The horrid news comes in just here. The mail included several thousand offers of marriage. Indeed, the majority of his correspondents were young girls and unmarried women. Naturally, all the strong and anything but silent men among us must have received that interesting disclosure with a few loud haw-haws. They would. These tender-hearted young maidens! These love-sick ninnies! These incurably romantic female breasts! You know. Not at all. Every girl or woman who sat down and wrote her little, mash note to one of the most charming heroes we’ve ever had the fun of going a little dippy about was secretly inspired by the noble thought that she alone was so inspired; alternatively, that her epistle and photograph (I bet they all enclosed “just a little snap to let you see what I look like”) would be the one that would instantly reach his heart. With the usual results. Those unknown female correspondents of the aviator thought they might get something out of it. The highest prize being, of course, a share in his thrilling publicity. There’s nothing tender-hearted, lovesick, or incurably romantic about this. And I make so bold as to say that love, fancied or otherwise, had a little to do with those business-like proposals. Visions of the glamour attendant at that time on the chosen lady of the birdman would have been quite enough. Mr. Lindbergh could have kept his heart for his art without let or hindrance, if he wanted to be so minded. There isn’t a single unmarried gentleman, from the Prince of Wales downward (in spite of the grave figure he cut in his morning suit and that Canadian straw who couldn’t invite a handsome total of proposals the moment he dropped the gentle hint. Anything but a quiet life, being the motto of lots and lots of bold, bad hussies. The history of Bluebeards and wholesale bigamists is very little concerned with cruel stories of bleeding female hearts. Merely blighted promises of wealth and ease. I have only heard of one man who, down and out, received several offers of marriage from women in various parts of this country. He was a reprieved murderer, free after serving his sentence. Even here the peculiar glamour of being honourably attached to a murder story was most probably the main motive actuating these equally peculiar ladies. -

Now men, the tender-heartbd things, are really different. When they write offering their hands and hearts it is generally with a view to alleviating some distressful woman’s lot. For seven long years now have I been writing for the daily and weekly Press, says an English writer, and I believe my record of proposals must be almost as thrilling as any actress, film star or other woman, constantly in the public eye. . Nearly all of these are from disinterested correspondents offering to relieve me of the necessity of ever doing any more work. The lambs. They can’t abear to think of me slogging away, week after week. The average used to work out to two a week, but now my fatal beauty is wearing off a bit it is only once a month that someone, maybe a widower, British born, in America, or a Tommy Atkins in India, wishes it to be known that I have only to say the word and I can be a blushing bride once more. Now, what could be more tenderly sentimental, more incurably roma_ntic, and more lovesick than that? don’t want me to love them! Not at first. They are prepared to do all the loving. At first. , , . From the husband who deserts his wife because she has bobbed her hair against his wishes, to the young lover, who threw himself and his rejected heart over a London bridge the other day while walking with his quondam sweetheart, and the hermit whose loved one has turned him down and who fears to live and love another girl another day, man proves himself to be the more tenderly sentimental of the bG ß<prelations of the bleeding heart of the male are daily to be read in the news. It’s geting worse worse. The poor sweets. Ido hope I haven t hurt their feelings by giving them away in such a cruel feminine way. And just to show I bear them no malice (and why should I, indeed?) I will herewith indite a begging marriage appeal both to Gene Tunney* and King Boris. I should like to see the latter’s current postbag, by the way. ♦l’d have written the first letter to Dempsey, of course, if he’d managed to get in an effective number of left hooks to Mr. Tunney. Meanwhile, will both these gentlemen consider themselves kissed?

! YOUR CLUB AND MINE AN OPEN PAGE

Each Tuesday afternoon a corner will be reserved for original contributions of genera] interest to womenfolk. The subject matter is for you to choose—whatever topic interests you may also be of Interest or amusement to others, whether it be about your hobbies, experiences, or merely amusing musings about the ordinary round of the day. A book prize is offered weekly for the best effort, which should be brief, plainly written, and sent to “Your Club and Mine,” THE SUN, Aucklanct.

The prize has been awarded to Miss Muriel Langsford for the following article:

HURDLE JUMPING WITHOUT CHEERS

The ring events are on! Down the broad track comes a horse with its rider. It approaches a hurdle in fine style. Can she clear it? The question leaps to the lips of a hundred spectators standing tense beside the rails. She can, and she does. it is a clean, magnificent jump. The crowd breaks into applause as she dashes off down the field to further achievement. “A thoroughbred—a real little thor- 1 oubred,” remarks a man to his wife as they turn away. That is one of the attributes of man. Let him catch but a glimmer of worth and he offers it spontaneous, unstinted praise. One wishes he might glimpse it more often. Alas! Ordinary man does not number among his possessions the gift of "eyes that see.” Allegory is lost upon him. The law of parallels leaves him dull. He will come home from showground or racecourse full of enthusiasm for some splendid performance he has witnessed, yet remain unaware of the equally splendid performance being put up by a thoroughbred on the domestic lield. Did I say “thoroughbred”? I did. Surely the term may be applied to that spirited creature being spurred by the rider Circumstance over the hurdles of life! This is no pretty fancy. Right through the ages woman has possessed amazing mental agility and mostly it has been put to fine purpose. In the days when New Zealand was young only the courageous, agile mind could have cleared the hurdles of isolation and inconvenience and changed conditions. Woman’s defeat xvould have spelt man’s defeat also since it has been proved that without the influence and comradeship of woman pioneering is a failure. The home must ever be the “cradle of the nation” and even a shack in the wilderness may contain all the essentials of home life. We do honour to the memory of the old colonists and to the remnant that remains, yet of how much more real worth would have been a cheering voice raised at the moment when every ounce of grit and energy was being put into some supreme effort! True, at that time there were few to see and appreciate, but even to-day. where our population is thickest, the cheering voice is too often lacking. We have all heard of the actor who paused to make some such appeal as this to the audience, “Ladies and gentlemen, if you don’t applaud I can’t go on.” One can quite see his point of view. A little encouragement is a magic thing. We are so caught up in the intricacies of present-day living that what should be obvious has become somewhat blurred. Worth is here in abundance, yet we fail to recognise it as such. Popula.r belief to the contrary notwithstanding, there are men and women among us as fine as any that ever breathed. All unappreciated and without a thought of praise, they are rising nobly to life’s difficult hurdles. Would that we who are made of flimsiest stuff could perceive their efforts and raise a cheer to spur them MURIEL LANGSFORD.

TALENTED ORCHESTRA

ENTERTAIN RETURN SOLDIERS

CONCERT AT EVELYN FIRTH HOME So well pleased were the patients of the Evelyn Firth Home with a concert given last evening by a talented band of nine artists belonging to Mrs. E. M. Lawrence’s orchestra, that at the conclusion Mr. Camp was requested, on behalf of the matron, patients and staff to convey their thanks to all those who participated in the delightful programme. Mr. Camp extended a cordial invitation to the orchestra to again visit the institution. This is not the first occasion on which Mrs. Lawrence has succeeded in cheering the inmates of the home despite the numerous calls on her orchestra’s services. The spirit in which the items were received was reflected in the insistent demand for encores which were given most willingly.