MISS COLONIA LONDON

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 483, 25 June 1890, Page 3

MISS COLONIA LONDON

Girls’ Gossip From the Great City

(Specially Written for this Journal.)

London, April 25. Dear Lena,— Here we are in London at last, and established in a queer tesbheti-cally-furnished house in the Cromwell Road the season. When the family arrived, papa (who, as you know, went overland from Brindisi) took us to Burley’s Hotel, Gloucester Road, which is a delightfully comfortable, homely house, and a great resort of Australians. Naturally, our first days were spent chiefly shopping. Lady Knutsford has kindly promised to present us at one of the May drawing-rooms, and you would not believe what a business it is getting the frocks made. Mother had fortunately brought an introduction to Mrs Labertouche, the Sydney lady who some years back started in London as “ Victoire et Cie,” and who has a very smart connection, or I don’t really know what we should have done. The firm’s atelier in Bond-street (on no account must one call it a shop) is a positively awe-inspiring place, and the “young person” to whom I was handed over seemed bo think she was doing a great favour in offering advice as to materials, cub, etc. I will say, though, the dresses promise to look very nice. You shall have a full description of them, dear, presently. On Thursday afternoon last, papa took us to a matinee at the Prince of Wales’ Theatre. The piece was a new one, called “Cerise et Cie,” and Mrs White (Miss Myra Kemble) played the principal part. We had often seen Miss Kemble act in Australia, and naturally expected a treat. Unfortunately, the poor lady was so painfully nervous she stuttered, ran one word into another, and altogether failed to. do herself justice. The piece was a farcical comedy, making fun of the lady-milliner craze, and amused a nob very critical audience fairly. I heard afterwards Miss Kemble had purchased the Australian rights. The same evening we went to our first London party. It was a big reception at Mrs Smith’s", in Grosvenor Place, and I can’t honestly say I enjoyed it. The crush was too fearful, and the going there and getting away a dreadful experience. We practically waited more than an hour in the vestibule whilst the carriage was being called, and when papa blew up the footman he said it wasn’t his fault. The coachmen of certain great folks, it seems, tip the policemen on duty who assist them to break the line.

Mother was much pleased when first she got the card 44 Mrs Smith at Home,” and realised that this was the Mrs Smith, the wife of the leader of the House of Commons, and an undoubted great lady. It was, however, somewhat galling to discover on the night the hostess hadn’t the least notion who we were. A certain number of cards for these big crushes are sent to each AgentGeneral, and he fills in the names. . Do you know there are fashions in jewels just like dresses ? Papa took me to Streeter’s yesterday to order some pearls for my presentation dress, and the man who served us was full of information. Diamonds, it seems, are good taste all the year round. In engagement rings, if the brilliant is sufficiently clear, it will warn the wearer of the treachery of his beloved object by breaking at the least blow of steel. The pearl is fashionable, and usually preferred by ideal oetic lovers, but it is

supposed to possess a frightful secret influence impelling to treachery or death. The ruby, by its colour or brilliancy, is the image of eternal flame and the best possible omen. The sapphire signifies tenderness and truth. In Poland the stones are chosen according to the month in which the engagement is made —the ruby for July, the pearl for May, the sapphire for January. For March tho turquoise, which turns green upon tho infidelity of the giver ! The emerald in June symbolises fidelity, and the Russians expect to always see at least one emerald -amongst tho gifts from bridegroom to bride. An emerald, my dear, is a token of certain happiness. Mr Streeter’s man showed us some lovely diamonds, a tiara, necklace and bracelets and set of five stars, which the firm had been re-setting for young Lady B . For the first time I began to understand the influence which induced the persecuted heroine of fiction to marry her rich elderly suitor. To possess diamonds like Lady B.’s I could almost marry a Sir Gorgius Midas.

“Thou shalt not kiss.” That, my dear, is the latest medical commandment. All sorbs of appalling diseases are, these terrible scientists assure us, promulgated by osculation. The “ St. James’s Gazette,” of Tuesday, contained some amusing verses on this new scare headed “ Kissing : What the Heart of the Young Man said to the Doctor.” Tell me notin scientific Pages, such a tale as this, That diseases most terrific Gain diffusion by a kiss. Ivissing’s real, kissing’s earnest, Though the vile bacillus lurk In the kiss that thou returne3t, Trust me, Damon will not shirk. Vain the doctor’s adjuration, Phyllis lightly to mo trips; If there’s death in osculation Let mo take it from her lips. When a merry maiden fair is, Medical advice decline, Let her sweet orbiscularis Oris lightly rest on thine. Yet, since kissing surely pleases, We, by ACsculapian art, Can prognosticate disease. Soft affections of the heart. Kissing is bv Nature taught us, Kiss the girls, then, when they come, Though a kiss be, vide Plautus, Acherontis pabulum. The Agent-General kindly took us to the House of Commons the other afternoon, bub we were unfortunately rather late, and thecomfortlesslittle pen with in front, called the Ladies’ Gallery, was full. Our cicerone , however, gave us a glimpse of the Lobby and pointed out the celebrities. I think I was most insterested in Sir George Elliot, a short sturdy old man, with a monkey-like face and extraordinarily shrewd eyes. He rather glories in being the original of “ Punch’s ” Sir Gorgius Midas, and only this last week has been figuring as the defendant in a particularly horrid breach of promise case. The papers were full of it for some days.

Father brought home Mr J. M. Barrie’s new book, “My Lady Nicotine,” last Saturday. Procure it at once if you enjoy really refined humour of a high order of merit. Most of the sketches, I am told, appeared originally in the 44 St. James’s Gazette,” and will be recognised as old friends. They are all more or less whimsical and Laughtermoving, and yet in the majority there is a distinct undercurrent of pathos. For a brief newspaper sketch of a little over a column, what delicate and yet polished workmanship there was in the “ Romance of a Rose” re-christened in “Lady Nicotine,” “ The Romance of a Pipe Cleaner.” The rose relates its ead eventful history from the stalic moment when it is torn from, tho beloved object’s bouquet and handed to the adoring lover, who hides the flower away in a pocket-book next his heart and kisses it twenty times a day through various vicissitudes, down to the time when the wretched man sees only in the wire round the faded stem a muchneeded pipe cleaner. “ My Brother Henry ” is another amusing little story, and Tom declares “ The Arcadia Mixture ” appeals to all the best feelings of his nature. By-the-bye, in this week’s “Speaker,” which we girls like chiefly for tho articles signed Q. (Mr Couch), B. (Augustine Birrell), and J.M.8., the author of “Lady Nicotine ” tells of a precocious boy of eight, whohas already written a highly sensational romance. It is about another boy who lives with his widowed mother, and takes walks with an intellectual chimney-sweep. One day the chimney-sweep fell into a river an d—what do you think’—the youthful hero gallantly plunged in after him. There may be nothing absolutely novel in this, but hear the end. The water washed the sweepelean.whenhe stood ra>KatocZ as f/ie&oy’s long-lost father ! You remember our reading Andrew Lang’s “ Letters to Dead Authors,” and enjoying the perfection of the parody. Well, Mr Lang has just perpetrated another elaborate literary joke of the same sort. This is called 44 Old Friends,” and is a series of epistolary parodies or letters from famous characters in fiction to contemporaries whom they might have known. Thus Mr Clive Newcome writes to Mr Arthur Pendennis enclosing an article for the “ Pall Mall Gazette,” and the Hon. Cecil Bertie describes to lady Clara Vere de Vere (in Ouida’s most turgid style) his gallant rescue of the young American Miss Daisy Miller. There are also two letters from Mrs Proudie to Mrs Quiverful, retailing (l) the former’s meeting with Lady Crawley [nee Becky Sharp), and the conversion of that muchinjured woman to the Bishopess’ views on bazaars ; and (2) the infamous adventuress’ successful attempt to lure Bishop Proudie into flirtation. In other epistles Lovelace describes to Belford an adventure with Tom Jones, who at the instigation of Sophia (now his wife) comes to town to avenge the wrongs of Clarissa, and Mr Redmond Barry tells his Uncle Barry Lyndon of a gambling row with Mr David Balfour's friend, Alan Breck. Best of all the jests, however, is the correspondence between Inspector Bucket and M. Lecocq concerning the arrest of Count Fosco. Fosco having met Mr Pickwick at the hospitable board of Benjamin Allen, Esq., invites him to supper in order that he may explain how to preserve the lemon in milk punch and yet destroy or disengage the deleterious elements. Pickwick falls into the trap and is arrested in place of the Count, to whose description he exactly answers. In Paris, fortunately, an old acquaintance (Count Smorltork) recognises and rescues him. In all these letters the styles of the writers are accurately parodied. Mr Lang’s forte , indeed, obviously lies in this direction.

Saturday last was Primrose Day, and every other person wore the Tory emblem—whether out of respect for Lord Beaconsfield or because primroses were cheap that afternoon, I could not determine. It struck us as odd to see the knockers at the great Conservative houses in Belgrave and Grosvenor Square swathed in primroses, and the fronts of the windows banked with them. We learnt afterwards chat the decorations were more elaborate this year than ever before.

The best of the comic operas we have yet seen in London is the “Red Hussar,” the

score of which you should add to your collection. “Marjorie” I didn’t care for one bit. We were also sadly disappointed with the Carl Rosa Company’s performance of “ Lurline,” which father said he had seen far better done by Simonson's troupe in Australia. Later, however, sve went again to Drury Lane and experienced a great treat. The opera on this occasion was “ Romeo and Juliet,” with a perfectly lovely young Juliet, a Miss Zelie de Lussan, and such mounting as one never even imagined before.