A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON Faminine Facts, Fancies, and Frivolitier (BY ELISE,) London, October 7.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 130, 28 November 1885, Page 3

A LADY'S LETTER FROM LONDON Faminine Facts, Fancies, and Frivolitier (BY ELISE,) London, October 7.

Dear Mb : Editob,— Here- we>are>ba6i again in town, and comfortably settled down for the winter. I always find London delightful in October. The -, weather "la fine, crisp, and bracing, without' being chilly, informal little parties abound, and the shops are full of all sorts, of tempting "winter novelties." • ' As though the fashions in , hats , and bonnets had not been sufficiently extravagant during the last two or three seaeonp, we are promised even more curious femibii c headgear for th 6 coming \ autumn 1 and winter. To an observer not well yer'seti in the secrets of millinery the art of trimming seemed to have reached its height* 1 during the past summer. At -Dieppe;, where [ «pent a pleasant month, it was v n6t a.t d\l unusual to meet Parisiennes whose' bonnets appeared to consist entirely of several wellfeathered birds. Woollen braids and' other woollen decorations are amongst the mo^st prominent of the London novelties, and these are supplimented by jet ornaments of elaborate kind. Felt bonnets and ba's look best trimmed with bands and bows of braid of the same colour. - -' A curious material, which Madame \Devy ia trying to pueh, consists of velvet studded with jet or sheet nails, the points, not the heads, appearing on the surface. More artistic and manageable are, however,' the -mbroidered gauzes made in various shades, more particularly blue, which colour is likely to supersede entirely the longfavoured green. Plush and velvet, with 'heir derivative velveteen, are favoured materials for costumes, or rather for portions of them. Kedfern makes the skirts of elegant walking gowns with panels of plush divided by pleatings of woollen, while a vest of plush or a shoulder piece of the same, with epaulets, puts the bodice in harmony with the rest.' Plain plush skirts, also, to wear with tunics embroidered in open work, are braided with gold or Bilver, the edge of the jacket bodice being cut out in the same way so as to show a front of underlying plush. Be likewiee uses plu3h— of the thick furry kind— as an excellent substitute for sealskin, trimming the short coats made of it with tufcs and the mantles with a ball fringe of real fur. Have you heard of Miss Lydia Becker's scheme for teaching dressmaking to young ladies of good families who have to work for a living? There is to be an institute after the manner of the School of Art Needlework, where novices can first learn their trade, and secondly obtain employment, and where the leaders of fashion will be able to obtain the most original and exquisite costume for about half what they now pay Worth or Madame Rosalie. I shouldn't wonder if the notion answered. The titled lady who not long ago staited a bonnet shop at the West End has within a few months got together a first-class connection. People who went to her to buy hats or bonnets out of curiosity found they had to deal with no incompetent novice, but with a skilled artiste, whose perfect taste and faculty for fitting customers with what was becoming more than counterbalanced her trade inexperience. So successful did she in a short time become that the Princess of Wales, who ia the most particular woman in i norland about her bonnets, gave her several orders. Now the ball has been set rolling I shouldn't wonder if other impecunious great ladies were to turn their attention to shop- keeping. I should think both Sir Charles Dilke and Mrs Mark Puttison must feel deeply thankful that their wedding ceremony on Saturday last passed off without any serious disturbance occurring. An immense crowd assembled both inside and outside St. Paul's, Chelsea in the hope of catching a glimpse of the bride, and the police proving inexplicably absent, order was only maintained with the greatest difficulty. Mr Chamberlain, Sir Charles's " boat " man, had literally to fight passage for the bridal party to the altar. Mrs Pattison, a handscme, intellectuallooking woman, apparently about five and thirty, was pale, but calm. Sir Charles on the other hand, no doubt fearing arow, appeared nervous. All went well during the ceremony, but as the bride and bridegroom emerged from the vestry and passed through the crowd to their carriage some faint cheers were raised. This must have been the signal for a preconcerted demonstration, as immediately a perfect atorm of hisses, groans, and hootiog3 arose, and bus for the timely arrival of some constab'es the carriage might not have been able to drive away. That the demonstration had no political meaning was evident from the fact that Mr Chamberlain, who appeared a moment later, met with quite an ovation. On Monday it was announced that the proceedings in " Crawford v. Crawford and Dilke " had been abandoned, but this statement has been since contradicted- r lhe trial will take place in Decbmber next. A friend of ours, who knows Sir Charles well, says he has a caressing way of treating women that might easily lead strangers to form mistaken conclusions. Mrs Crawford, there can be no doubt, made mischief in a fit of hysteria. She would now give the world to undo her work, and has indeed retracted the accusations against Sir Charles many times over Mr Crawford, unfortunately, is quite determined to have the whole matter sifted in public. Amy Sher win is singing at the Promenade Concerts again. Tom took a box on the grand tier last Friday, and we spent a delightful evening listening to the music and looking down on the crowd. Mies Sherwin eang a charming ballad, "A Dream of Yore," by Log£ (which I have since bought, and am learning), and (Janz's '• Dear Bird of Winter." The triumph of the evening- was, however, Mr Crowe's new vocal waltz, " Faerie Voices," sung by a choir of girls. It is less taking and more elaborate than "See Saw," but effective enough with a big band and chorus. On the piano I can't fancy it would amount to much. A tenor, whose name I forget, also aang rather a good ballad, " Conetant Still," by Leigh Kingsmill; and of course somebody warbled the inevitable "Golden Love," which has lived longer than even "Once Again " or " In the uloaming." The autumn season at the theatres is now in full swing. Mr Harris has made a big hit at old Drury with " Human Nature." We drove down on Saturday evening! fully expecting to be able to get seats bf some sort in that immense house, 1 but it was" no use. ''Turned hundreds away," said the gruff man at the box office. So we went to the Vaudeville instead, and : enjoyed a good laugh at "Loose Tiles," the Australian rights of which have been purchased* by Mr Williamson You will enjoy this piece when you see it. - No elaborate scenery is required, and any average company will; do it full justice "The Great Pink Pearl." jtoo, ought to be a success in the colonies*, and ' ' The Magistrate. " I hear the Kendala and Hare have had a quarrel*, and that the latter means to secede from management, The St. James's reopens next* month cwjth an English version of the famous 'fJJrince Zilah." - . . „ - H* *