WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 142, 2 November 1912, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

NEW PLYMOUTH SOCIAL NEWS Tennis.—Mrs. W. Penn opened her private tennis court last Saturday afternoon, and quite a jolly time was spent. Afternoon tea was served in the draw-ing-room. Amongst those present were: Mesdames Malcolmson (Wellington), Moycs, D. Robertson and Walker, Misses Fitzherbert (2), Bedford (2), Blundell, Kyngdon, Webster, Bewlcy, Kirkby, Thomson, Simpson, Messrs Grant, Bewley, Bloxam, Burgess, I. Grant, Nicholson, Simnson and Q. Pott. Theatre. The P;imn:er - Denniston Company terminated their season at the Theatre Royal on Thursday nlgnt with a presentation of Oscar Wilde's famous play, "A Woman' of No Importance," but the brilliant dialogue and sparkling epigrams seemed to be somewhat lost on the N.ew Plymouth audience, their mental faculties faintly and .vaguely grasping the vivid situation, and, when too late, extolling-a weak and hysterical wiggle. Amongst tlio.se present were: Mrs. Wylie, Mrs. Harrison (Eltham), Mrs. Home, Miss Wade, Mrs. R. Cock, Misses Roberts (2), Mrs. Birch-Johnstone Mrs. F. Fookes, Misses Capel (2), Mrs. Leslie Nolan, Mrs. Tlirkby, Mrs. Moves, Mm, Quilliam, Misses Bedford (2), Mrs. Turton, Mrs. F. G. Evans, Miss Testar, Miss Read, Mrs. Courtney, Miss G. Shaw-, Mrs. S. Rennell. Mrs. Paul, Miss Cunningham, Mrs. C. Webster, Mrs. H. Collier, Mrs. E. Gilmour, Mrs. Percy Webster' Mrs. Jennings, Miss Jennings, Misses Fitzherbert, Mrs. Birdling, Miss Birdling, Mrs. Marks, Mrs. Hill, Mrs. Penn, Mrs. A. C. Fookes, Miss Fookes, Miss Nichols, Mrs. H. Stocker, Mrs. F. Webster.

Everybody is looking forward to the performance of "The Geisha" by the local amateurs, which commences next Wednesday. Reports speak of it as a splendid production in the matter of mounting and dressing, while the ballets are extremely pretty. PERSONAL ITEMS.

Miss R Evans, who has been the guest of her sister, Mrs. Bertram, Rotorua, has returned to New Plymouth. - Mr. and Mrs. M. Eraser and Mr. G. Fraser left yesterday morning by the mail train for Dunedin, where the latter's marriage to Miss Milroy is to take place on Wednesday next. Archdeacon and Mrs. Evans have returned from Auckland.

Mrs. W. Wood, late of the Royal Picture Co.'s orchestra, has left for a ten days' tour with the Plimmer-Denniston Co., which will terminate in Wellington. Mrs. Freeth, who has been on a prolonged visit to Auckland, has returned. THE HOPE DIAMOND. ANOTHER TRAGEDY ATTRIBUTED. • TO ITS INFLUENCE. The malign which' follows ownership of the Hope diamond is still very active, it would seem, and incidentally the rumor that the jewel was lost in the Titanic is shown to be unfounded.

Last year the diamosd was purchased by the son of Mrs. J: R. McLean, the Washington multi-millionaire society leader and the Standard's New York correspondent announces the death of Mrs; J. R. McLean. Her son, says the correspondent, bought the jewel last year, for £36,000, and gave it to his wife' last year, she declaring that she intended to show that its Nemesis could be overcome, but at the first crisis in the family since the purchase of the ill-fated gem its evil influence 'seemed* to' work, for Mrs. McLean's death is due to th» fact'that the eminent specialist sumponed to attend her during an attack- of pneumonia couM not'reach" her until 48 hours after the crisis of the disease began, and it was then too late.

. Mrs.. McLean, who was spending the summer at Bar Harbor, Maine, developed pneumonia, and as "the malady did not respond to the efforts of local physicians she asked for the attendance of an intimate family friend, Dr. L. F. Barker, successor to Dr. Ostler at the Johns' Hopkins University, and America's leading pulmonary specialist. The attending physicians believed that her life could have been saved if Dr. Barker were present, not only because of his professional skill, but also because of the psychological effect due to Mrs. McLean's complete confidence in him. A call was sent for Dr. Barker to his Baltimore home, but Dr. Barker was holiday-mak-ing in the wilds of the North Carolina mountains, near Asheville, one of the most inaccessible parts of the United States.

Dr. Barker's exact whereabouts were unknown, but telegraphic instructions were sent to Asheville to find him, and several mounted couriers patrolled the mountains, and finally located him forty miles from a railway station. Then the race against the diamond's malignity beDr. Barker used all the available, special trains', motor cars, motor boats, and other means of speed possible, but Mrs. McLean's strength was exhausted under the nervous strain of waiting, and when Dr. Barker arrived his skill was unavailing. If lie had been at home when the call came it is practically certain that he could have saved the patient. Mme. Bakhmetieff, Mrs. McLean's sister, and wife of the Rusian Ambassador at Washington, was with Mrs. McLean at the end. It was at a ball give by Mrs. McLean, junr., in Washington, in honor of Mme. Bakhmetieff, that the Hope diamond was first worn by young Mrs. McLean.