WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 321, 7 June 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(conducted Dy "Eileen.") society~news. new plymouth. Fire Brigade Ball.—The grout event of the year in the juvenile mind is tha Fire Brigade ball, and never has it been a greater success than it was on Monday night, a result mainly due, I am sure, to its earliness (King's Birthday), instead of eventuating at the. end of the dancing season as it did in previous years. The night was glorious, and the hall was a marvellous speetable. One could hardly realise it was a modern dancing hall, massed, as it was, in flags, Chinese lanterns and umbrellas, with festoons of scarlet and purple drapings, hedging in a merry throng of gailydressed, happy-faced children. One could easily surmise a scene from a childish pantomime.

During the evening a majestic elephant paid the children a visit, led by a magician, and very amusing it was to see the forced bravery of the little ones, trying so hard to wear an indifferent air, but as the animal drew near them they dropped all pretence and fled to their mothers, just giving a final peep as the elephant passed by. A description of the ball has already been given, but I do not think it would be wrong to mention again the wonderful and untiring work of Mrs. Dockrill (head of the ladies' committee) and Mr. Harry Brookes (manager of the theatre). Never has the former committee worked so untiringly, and never has the hall looked more beautiful.

Amongst the merry throng T noticed Miss Willy (Eltham), Village Belle; Miss Morson, Nurse; Miss Bessie Xicholls, Little Matehgirl; Miss Edna Prior, "Grace' Darling"; Miss Mona McOill, Flower Girl; Miss Kathleen Cummins, Roses; Miss L. Bellringer, Judy; Misses Grace and Elsie Staples, East End Bathers; | Master Gerald Webster. Master Perry .Johnson; Master Percy Parker. Arabian Magicians; Miss Rita Xicholls, Emerald Isle; Miss Emmaline Parkes, Butterflies; Miss Grace Clarke, Superstition; Miss Carrie O'Brien, Tambourine Girl; Master Wilson, Winter Gymnasium; Master Jack Clarke, Punch; Master Hard wick, Fireman; Miss Marjorie Smart, Dahlias; Master Ernest Hardwick, Bellringer Bros, (poster); Miss Xom Jury, Little Miss Ribbons; Master Teddy Whitehouse, Clown; Miss Theresa Cummins, Pole Star; Miss Maud Smith, Roses; Miss Doris Russell, Spring; Miss Xorah Bedford, Cherry Ripe; Master Ernest Bedford, Good-night; Miss Mary Kivell, uutch Peasant; Miss Evelyn Angus, Little Lord Fauntleroy; Miss Bubba Angus, Hobble Skirt; Miss Gladys Whitehouse. Pride of the Ring; Miss Violet Doughty, Turkish Lady; Miss Ivy Doughty, Pigeon; Miss Lambert, Queen Mary; Master Eric Richards, King George; Miss Maureen Whitehouse, Ladybird; Miss Nancy Thomson. Starlight; Miss Mona Roberts, Fisher Lass; Miss Gladys Thurney, Proserpine; Miss Olive Inch, Spanish Lady; Miss Clarice Drinkwater, Washerwop"'!]; Master George Drinkwater, Sailor; Master George Patterson, Sailor; Miss Annie Rea, Gleaner; Miss Grace Coleman, Queen of Hearts; Miss Ida Gardner, Spanish Dancer; Miss May Hardwick, Folly; Miss Dulcie Gardner,l Champion Flour; Miss Marjorie Pellew, Italian Dancer; Master Cecil Tunbridge, Clown; Master Eric Kendall, Aladdin; Miss Queenie Patterson, Taranaki Dairy Maid; Miss Dolly Drury, Morning; Miss Xaney Thomson, Starlight; Miss Ivy Mills, Ivy Leaf. After supper, which was a sumptuous one, the mothers gathered their happy but weary little flocks together, homeward bound. The adult dance which followed was largely attended. Amongst those present were:

Miss Brewster, cream ailk. Miss Bewley, pale blue crepe de chine. Mrs. Bewley, black velvet. Mrs. R. Cock, black silk, lace yoke. Miss McEwan, black silk. Mrs. J. Clarke, cream. Mrs. Glasgow, Miss Glasgow, pale blue chiffon taffeta. Mrs. Paul, Mrs. Percy Webster, Mrs. Home, Miss Wade, Mrs* Paton. Miss D. Bedford, pale pink satin charmouse. Miss R. Clarke, canary colored silk. Miss B. Clarke, pretty cream silk and lace. / , Miss V. Kirkby, black net, white lace fichu. Miss I. Fitzherbert, vieux rose crepe de chine. Miss Milroy (Chrisitchurch), black siTk. Miss Turner, cream satin. Misses W. and K. Bennett, white muslin. Miss E. Penn, pale blue silk. Miss Kirkby, primrose colored crepe. Miss Bedford, black silk. Misses E. and Eva Jury, white silk Miss R. Knott, white muslin. Miss W. Roberts, cream silk. I Mrs. Hall, Miss Roy, Misses Demp-1 soy (2). J MLss M. Humphries, heliotrope silk, j Mrs. Staples, black silk. PERSONAL ITEMS. Mr. H. Davies has gone for a week'i holiday to Auckland. Miss Fitzherbert left on Monday for Wellington. Miss Short, of Hawera, is visiting her sister, Mrs. Rudd. Mrs. and Miss Reid, who have been visiting Mrs. Fitzherbert, have returiod to Wellington.

ORANGE BLOSSOMS COOKE-SMITH. A very pretty wedding was solemnised :it the Wbitcley Church, New PlyniouLli, yesterday afternoon by the Rev. •!. XV. Burton, when Elizabeth, second daughter of Mr. Kaymonil Smith, of Westown, was united in matrimony to Mr. Harold Fuller Cooke, of the Bank of Xew South 1 Wales, Waverley, son of Mr. William Cooke, of Blenheim. Tlio ceremony, whifli was a choral one, was witnessed by a large gathering. Tlio bride, who was given away by her father, was charmingly attired in white charmeuse satin, trimmed with pearl trimming and silkinsertion. She also wore the customary veil and orange blossoms and carried a handsome bouquet. Two bridesmaids were jn attendance, Misses Flor-:

ence Amelia and Elsie Smith, sisters of the bride, both of whom were attired in dainty dresses of amethyst soitin stripod tall'etas, trimmed with cream tucked net and insertion, with butterfly bows, with hats to correspond. The bridegroom's gift to the bride was a handsome diamond ring, and to the first bridesmaid a neck chain and pendant, and to the second a band ring. The bridegroom whs attended by his brother, Mr. Len. Cooke, of Lautoka, Fiji, as best man, and Mr. Syd. Smith, brother of the bride, as groomsman. Mr. G. If. White presided at the organ and played the Wedding March as the bridal party retired. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the guests, to the number of about 00, assembled at the residence- of the bride's parents, Westown, where a sumptuous wedding breakfast had been laid out in a spacious marquee. The guests were received by the bride's mother, who was dressed in black satin-striped voiled, trimmed with wmie satin and black allover lace, with bonnet to match. The usual felicitous toasts were duly honored and responded to. The magnificent array of costly and useful presents, displayed in the dining-room, were much admired by nil present, and served to show in a practical manner the esteem in which the youii!» couple were held. Mrs. and Mrs. Cooke left by the afternoon train for Hawera, en route to Christchurch and Blenneim, where the bridal tour will be spent. They carried with them the best wishes of the gathering. The bride's going-away dress was a navy blue tailor-made costumo and bkek hat, with whito plumes. QUEEN MARY'S PERSONAL FRIENDS.

The lato Queen Victoria used to say: "Mary is a continual ray of sunshine," anil this statement is borne out by Her Majesty's principal friends. It is well known that Her Majesty is slow to make friends, but once made she does not easily allow anything to sever the friendship. Pier tastes are, of course, not like those of many society women. Her chief interest is centred in her home and her children, and she has no desire to be liko the "butterfly" society woman. Rank does not receive any great consideration from Her Majesty, and many of the frienships which she made with people in comparatively modest stations of life when a girl living with her parents in White Lodge. Richmond Park, .she still retains. Indeed, a number of peoplo living in the neighborhoods of Royal Richmond, Kingston, and Teddington own intimate friendships with Her Majesty. Queen Mary, like Queen Alexandra, is fond of really good music, and is a very fair musician. She also possesses a tuneful but not powerful r">zzo-soprano voice. Her Majcstv is of considerable skill in art., and lias distinct literary tastes. She very seldom misses an exexhibition of any importance. On these visits she is generally accompanied by Lady Katherine Coke, who, since the death of the Queen's mother, to whom she was a lady-in-waiting, has been one of Her Majesty's Women of the Bedchamber. Lady Katharine Coke is a very keen art critic, and Her Majesty is often amused by her clever comments upon the pictures whicn come under hor notice. rTer Majesty has very few intimate friends among society ladies, but among those honored with her friendship may be mentioned the Duchess of Devonshire, who was recently installed as Her Majesty's Mistress of the Robes, and Lady Mount Stephen, to whom their Majesties, it will be remembered, paid a visit at Brocket Hall, near Hatfield, some few weeks ago.

Lady Eva Dugdale is perhaps the oldest and most intimate friend that Her Majesty possesses. As .is well known, Lady Eva has been the Queen's Lady-in-Waiting, or Woman of the Bedchamber, as sho is now officially known, ever since her marriage nearly eighteen years ago. She is a very clever needlewoman, and is also said to be an expert upon furniture and old china, two topics in which tie Queen takes a very great interest. Neither the Queen nor Lady Eva Dugdale cares a great deal for outdoor sports; both are great readers, and often discuss and criticise books together. The Countess of Shaftesbury, who, it will be remembered, accompanied their Majesties on their last visit to India, and will again this November, as the Queen's Lady of the Bedchamber, is another intimate friend of Her Majesty's. Before her marriage with the Earl of .Shaftesbury she was Lady Constance Grosvcnor, and is a sister of the Duke of Westminster.

All the Queen's friends have something to recommend them more than a mere social qualification. Her Majesty takes a very great interest both in "British manufactures, which she has done so much to aid in every possible way, and in social questions. Old relics of the Royal Family have also a great fascination for the Queen. Among the Royal Family Tier Majesty is immensely popular, and this is no doubt due to her general hi"h spirits, the way in which she always looks on the brightest side of life, and lier good humor.

NEARLY BURIED ALIVE. A woman named Mme. David, who lives near Pau, in the Basque Pyrenees, has just bad a narrow escape from the' fearful fate of being buried alive. Mme. David, an elderly woman, was token ill a few days ago, and apparently died. The doctors said she was dead, and the funeral was arranged for. As the body was being placed in the coffin a slight movement was noticed. The '•'corpse" was hastily carried into another room and put to bed. In a couple of hours' time Mme. David recovered from her deathlike trance, and was aide to converse intelligently with members of her family. During the state, of catalepsy she was unconscious, and is, therefore, unaware that she had been taken for dead.