THE LADIES

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 86, 6 May 1882, Page 118

THE LADIES

. Spanish, lace, black and white, is the rage. Neck chains are worn only for full dresses. Lady Gordon, opened the Catholic bazaar in Chris tchurcb. The fashionable engagement ring is a sapphire stone set in diamonds. •Trimming ribbons are wider than those of last season, and will measure three to four inches. The water colours which hang on the walls of the Christen urch Exhibition are mostly the work of young people, and many of them are well painted. Rich silk with China flowers (that look like Land-painting) are revived on f'uillo grounds. These are seen not only on ribbons, but in silk dress goods, with alternating stripes of moire or satin. A Bevy of Giris. — A fleshy girl : Addie Pose. A pugnacious girl : Hetty Magin. A muscular girl : Katy Did. A very bad girl : ' Em Bezzlement. A very hard girl : Ada Mant. A muchly married girl : Big Amy. An affectionate girl : Em Brace. A tasteful girl : Sal Ad. A Paris girl : Helen. The revival of black silk for costumes is now j placed beyond a doubt. Every woman in her heart dearly loves a black silk. On occasions when a satin would be too elaborate, cashmere, | not elaborate enough, and velvet ambitious., a ■well-made btaek silk is exactly what is needed. Many costumiers arc making dresses and mantles of it, with heavy trimmings of jet and chenille. Lady Gordon wore, at the opening of the j Christchnrch Exhibition, a dress of claretcoloured velvet. Miss Gordon (niece of the Governor) was in grey trimmed with claretcolour, and black hat trimmed with red. The ' Governor's little daughter looked like a picture by Vandyke, in a velvet dress with deep point lace collar and cuffs, and a broad blue sash tied round her waist. In the Ladies' Court at the Christchurch Exhi- i bition there is an extensive display ot really ! beautiful work. The variety and excellence of the crewel work is worthy of great praise. The point and Homton lace would be a creditable display in any Exhibition. The dais is crowded with chairs, ottomans, tables, etc., worked by ladies ; and the paintings on satin and velvet are real •works of art. For ball dresses this season tulle will be much ■used. Blacks are draped in diaphanous clouds, fronts are of plaited flounces ; scarf tunics with ends falling gracefully at the back, and either velvet, satin, or watered silk. Bodices are cut with many seams, very short on the hips, the fi'onts pointed, or rounded, the backs describing points ; the sleeves short, the bodices low, or low square. A beautiful dinner dress was recently worn at a large party in London. It was of maize-colored plush, made with great simplicity, princess shape, and having those long and uninterrupted folds from the waist, which impart so much apparent height and dignity to the figure. The sole trimming consisted of panels and bands of dark rich sable brown. The assertion made by one or two knowing ones early in this year, that the return to crinoline was inevitable, has proved only too true. Slowly but surely it is looming up in increasing jiroportions. The small bustle was replaced by a much larger one, and now the full crinolette, reaching from the belt to the foot of the skirt in the back, is seen, and it is to be feared that fashion will not stop short even with this. Where were the people of Ponsonby on Monday evening last ? What was the counterattraction which kept them away from their own hall, and from the first concert of their own new, meritoriotxs Choral Society, to ■which they did not roll up ? Or was it only apathy and indifference ? This is not generally a fault of that community ; cm eontraire, they generally turn up in most astounding numbers for any mortal thing, good, bad or indifferent, which concerns that flourishing suburb. Yet the very best concert which has ever been held in Ponsonby •was remarkable for its beggarly array of empty benches ; for the concert, as a musical performance, was a decided success. The choruses were strikingly rendered, and most of the solos were far above the average. But the feature of the evening was Miss Halstead's beautiful singing of the lovely aria from " Satanella," " The power of love." It was worth a long walk on a far worse night than that of Monday. Always a taking, popular melody on the subject which, above all others, sways the human heart, it was doubly pleasing when so pleasingly sung. Miss Halstead received a most hearty encore ; and Mr Edwards divided with her the honors of the evening. He also was vociferously applauded, and had to submit to an. encore after thejxretty song of " Madeline," when he gave with great taste " Carisshna." Let us express a hope that when the next Choral Society's concert is given in Ponsonby, the hall may be too small to hold the crowded and sympathetic audience ; for the waves of sympathy are magnetic and attractive, and from their responsive thrills, the musician and the singer gather force and power to electrify ar.d delight their audience. The marriage of Miss Evelyn Mary George, the youngest daughter of Mrs .Shayle George, ■was solemnized in All Saints Church, Ponsonby, on Wednesday, by', the Rev. C. M. The" e^\ircn' was qiiite' full of spectators on this interesting occasion. The bride, who •was given' •a^ay.'.byC lierJ hro.tiheKyMiv.Cß SJShaylo George, solicitor, wore her^ travelling dress of dark/ttltp.^ljet.e^ silkY aiKWavy-bluis'imt and feathers' to" match." Her two sisters, who accompanied, -her to the altar," •wore dresses of peacock'blue t'rihimed with plush j fawn-cpleaired fer hatsjuicT feathers. -The bride^;mother wore velvet 'silkj' with' long.}slack" ' dolman' / r seabbKO%n>plusli ' bonhetyand: old %rown 'feathers' tipped,|wjfch r.browjii, ;.,Mk ->0h S.\;Shaylec>George'liad %'flress. )i of,fawn;.c.olQurfi€l» qashm^i;e G ±rimme,d._ ■witfi" 'feeM-b^wnl"'^^^!;^--'''^'^^ satin .dolman; "bro#a^i|us-li ;;i bbnnet; ;i and J feaih!efsl;7 $Mtt tiiei; wedding 'guests we, Jiopiced 1 '''th : e" y wifB J or > the" -; k JPtemier.tjMrs cWhltitef ffl : ti vfe r ry~ handsome

dress of peacock-blue silk, elegantly trimmed with lace ; cream-lace dolman ; cream-lace bonnet. Mrs Hughes wore a dress of navy-blue silk, trimmed with cream silk and fringe ; black flowered satin, beaded dolman, cream bonnet and feathers. Mrs O'Neill wore a black silk with brocaded green flowers, black Honiton lace mantle ; black silk bonnet with yellow crysantheliiums. Mrs Nelson had on a black brocaded silk dress ; cream bonnet trimmed with crimson sateen and crimson flowers. Miss Whitaker wore a very stylish dress of peacock green, with bonnet of peacock feathers. Mrs C. Cowan wore navyblue surah silk, black silk dolman, navy-blue silk hat. Miss O'Neill had a dress of brown velveteen, with brown plush boat-shaped hat, and long brown feather. Miss Wray wore a seal-brown cashmere dress trimmed with silk to match ; black lace hat, with cream roses. Miss Hughes wore a pale-blue sateen dress, and cream-silk hat and feathers. Miss Annie O'Neill, tussore silk dress ; black silk hat and feathers. Miss Cartel", palegreen sateen dress ; white straw hat and feathers. Miss E. Hughes, white Turkish towelling dress, white and blue sash ,• hat to match. Miss Alice O'Neill wore a dress of dark green velveteen ; cream hat with spray of black currants. There has been a great deal said about Thomas Spurgeon since his arrival in Auckland, and, never having heard him, we determined to go to the opening of the Wesleyan Church of St. John's, Ponsonby, on Saturday last, and judge for ourselves. We now give the "ladies'" the benefit of our experience. The congregation, as is usual at the opening service of any place of worship, was \orj large, and undoubtedly very discriminative. Yet from the moment that young, slight, almost boyish figure, appeared in the rostrum, he took possession, as it were, of that vast congregation, and held them attentive to hi 3 every word. " Come up here my friends, don't stand at the bottom of the building; there is plenty of room yet remaining, and I want you all seated before we start," were the first words with which he addressed his hearers, and his wondei'ful self-possession continued to the end of the long service. 7#Tis opening prayer was a fine specimen of oratory, and his sermon, which lasted for three quarters of an hour, kept the attention so closely absorbed that no one would have been aware that he had been speaking for more than twenty minutes. His text was suitable for the occasion : " Gloi'ious things are spoken of thee, O City of God." His ideas of a personal God, and of our personal nearness and oneness with the Diety, were very happily expressed, as also were some domestic and homely allusions. Of course it was all extempore and equally of course, there was no hesitation, but a continuous rush of earnest, and forcible language. Yet it gave us the idea of being very carefully studied and arranged before hand, and though it poured forth in unpremeditated flow, a certain amount of labour had evidently been expended upon it. His elocution was very much to be admired. Should this young man's life be spared him, we venture to predict that upon him will fall no small measure of the mantle of his great and apostolic father.