SOCIETY

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 167, 24 November 1883, Page 4

SOCIETY

Mr. W. T., of Onehunga, is about to enter the holy bonds of matrimony with Miss M. 3L, also of that suburb. The toll has already been paid. Amongst the published invitations to a ball given by Colonel the Earl of Caithness, and officers of the Caithness Artillery, at Wick, Scotland, in September last, we observe the names of Miss Chapman of Auckland, and JMiss Cassells of Dunodiu. At the evening party given by Messrs Short and Shepherd, of Parnell, the room was prettily decorated with evergreens and lillies. Among the best dresses wore: — Mrs K. Teutenberg, black silk ; Mrs J. Thornton, peacock green silk ; Mrs F. Shepherd, black and blue silk; Mrs Finch, black velvet and satin ; Mrs M. Jerod, black satin ; Mrs M. George, , white satin and cardinal ; Mrs Kavanagh, grey silk ; Mrs McNeil, black cashmere, satin and bead trimmings ; Mrs Baker, cream sateen ; Miss Shepherd, green silk ; Miss A. Jerod, black velvet. Dancing was kept up till the small hours. The word Fashion was the name of an English dressmaker of the last century, who was quite as celebrated in her clay as Worth is in this century . Miss Fashion lived in Hanover-square, London, a square noted for its Court dressmakers even now. Miss Fashion, on account of her celebrity, was soon only called Fashion, as Worth is simply called Worth, not Mr Worth. Miss Fashion's taste was so great that even' dress of taste and elegance was culled fashion. •'' That's Fashion " meant the nc plus ultra of tasi.fi. From Fashion to '"'the fashion" the stop vina -Liort. A successful Bachelor:;' Ball was given at Point Curtis by the young men cf tho district. Among the ladies present wave Miss ?-icK. who looked well in black velvet with bea.'i d trimmings ; Miss McKay, brown merin*, velvet trimming ; Miss R., Japanese silk, grer trimmni'/s , M\>-'< S., black merino, velvet trim r.-. ings ; Miss 11.. biack satin; Miss J. H., brown lurtre ; 'Miss W. X., grey lustre prune trimmings ; Mrs J., wlm o muslin and rose trimmings; Miss McK., pink muslin; Miss $L McK., black satin cloth : Mias A. C, prune nifi-mo, trimmed with white lace ; Miss G., white muslin, trimmed with white lace and pink ribheus, decidedly the belle of the ball ; Mrs M. il., pompadour and lace. Mr McGr. acted as M.C., and was quite at home. Music was supplied by J. and H. Melt, brothers ; th,e catering . 'by Mr uur,tis. Dancing was kept upHntil daylight, whefl a)U retuxnod to ;

their homes, well satisfied, praising the music j and the catering, and voting it tho joliinst evening' J tfi ey -had spent for a long time. I A little gossip about big peoplu. Thy two | eligiblea, par excellence, of the London xxixrriagc market, are the Earl of Fife and tho Duke of Portland, both young and wealthy. Bub neither makes any sign to relieve tho British maiden of suspense. The celebrated beauty Gladys Lady Lonadale is to be married to Mr Luke White, son of a Lord. The precious Earl of Aylesf ord is said . to intend settling in Texas, after buying a ranche. But as he's bankrupt, the ranche is the prime difficulty. The Earl tried recently for a divorce . from his wife, for adultery with Blandford,'but it came out that the Earl himself was such a complete edition of a scoundrel that the court would not recognise him as an aggrieved man at all. So, aa he couldn't get rid of the Countess in London, he'd probably go to Texas, or anywhere else. And of the co-respondent, the noble Marquis of , Blandford, we may say he is such an ornament.^©/ the peerage that when he had to deliver Tip-tnV Garter insignia of his dead father, the Queen declined to allow him into her presence. A lively discussion has been lately aroused in the pages of several of our contemporaries • over the use ■of the word "lady." Correspondents proporly complain that it is now so universally applied as to be absolutely meaningless, and our ears -are constantly offended by such terms. as " salos-lady," &c. Tho whole matter can be easily settled. In the most refined and intelligent portions of Society, the word lady is seldom, if ever, used, tho good old Saxon word woman being employed instead, and to hear persons speak of " my lady or gentleman friends" stamps them now quite as quickly as does tho expression " quite elegant." The word " gentleman," also, is often misused as noted above. One may say " a certain man is a gentleman," but should never say "gentleman friend," " Society gentleman," &c. A prominent morning journal lately headed an obituary notice of a prominent person in social life, "Death of a Society Lady." How much better " Death of a Society woman "would have looked and sounded. If writers and talkers would only stick to the plain " man " and " woman," and use " lady '" and "gentleman only when absolutely necessary, there would be no further trouble. A Tairua correspondent sends the following : — Although we are living in an uncivilized part of New Zealand, we possess loyal hearts and true, and, being such loyal siibjects, we could not let the 9th November pass quietly, so a concert and ball were arranged, and moat ably so, by Messrs Honeycomb and McKay, to whom great credit- is due, as also to Mr H. Spain for the efficient manner, in which he carried out the long programmo of dances and other matters ; and when we remember that this is his dfbttt as M.C., I. am sure every one will give him the credit he deserves. Dancing was commencocl in tho now hall abont H o'clock, and kept up with spirit until 5 o'clock on Saturday morning. Mrs Bvini was voted belle; of the ball, oven by the ladies ; she was cha/oningly dressed in a white llama dress trhmrua with white silk. Miss Laycock's dancing was pretty ; her figure was nicely set off with a black dross trimmed with black satin. Amongst others tho following were tho most noticeable in ibo room : — Miss Simpson, olive, with muslin polonaise, pink bows ; Miss Harden, white, with black polonaise pink bows ; Mias Allen, blue, trimmed with white llama ; Miss Bradley, canary skirt, black jacket; Miss Douglas, white muslin and white lace ; Mrs Gamble, black silk and scarlet ribbons ; Misses E. Laycock and J Simpson looked very well. At intervals during the dancing soveral capital songs were sung by Messrs Edmonds, Elvidgo and Soymour. At half-past eleven, ample justice was done to a good supper provided by Mr Laycock, after which three cheers were called for tho Prince of Wales. Altogether •a most onjoyable night was spent, and I have no hesitation m saying it was one of the best balls held here.