THE SOCIAL ROUND

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 64, 22 April 1914, Page 4

THE SOCIAL ROUND

NOTES AND NEWS. Mrs Wilding gave a delightful musicale on Monday afternoon, those who contributed items being Mrs Burns, Mrs Vernon, Mrs B. B. Wood, and Miss Leggatt. Afternoon tea was served in the dining room, the decorations being in red and white flowers. Amongst those present were Mesdames Borthwick, R. Macdonald, Pyne, B. B. Wood, Yernon, Nancai:row, Moore. Burns, .Lord, Humphreys, Cordner, Raymond, the Misses M. Rhodes, Campbell, Hayes, S. Murray, Wood, Moore, Nancarrow, Burton, Raine (Timaru), Leggatt (Nelson), Barker, Strachev, Wright (Timaru), Wilkin, Pyne, and Fell (Nelson). It has been decided by the Heatlicote Valley School Committee to recommend Miss Jamieson for appointment as headmistress of the school. Mr and Mrs P. S. Nicholls will leave for Wellington to-night, when they will join the Athenic, en route for London. They expect to be away.from New Zealand for six or seven months. Lady Ward, .who has been staying with her daughter, Mrs B. B. Wood, Fendalton, left by the Wahine last evening for Wellington. Mrs Stead was a passenger for the north last evening. * The Misses) Marjory and Freda Phillips, The Point, who have been in town for the last day or two, staying at Warner's, leave for Wellington to-night where they will join the Athenic, which leaves for England t#-morrow. Mrs Peache, who has been to Mount Cook for a short holiday, has returned to Mt. Somers. Mrs Carrington has issued invitations for an "At Home" at Mt. Deanery on Saturday afternoon.

The Hon. Eilee.n Plunket.. second daughter of a former Governor of New Zealand, was presented at their Majesties' Court on March 6th. Iler mother, Lady Plunket, presented her.

Dr and Mrs Morkane, whose wedding was celebrated yesterday, were passengers last evenipg for the noxth. Yesterday afternoon a quiet but pretty wedding was celebrated at the Merivale Church, when Mr Fred Armstrong, youngest sou of the late Mr T.

Armstrong, Christchurch, was united in matrimony to Miss Evelyn i Byrne, ; daughter of the late Mr Byrne, solicitor, of this town. Only immediate ' relatives were present. The bride wore a charming gown of heavy white silk, trimmed with handsome lace, and instead of the usual wreath and veil, donned a smart white hat, ornamented with a, long lancer plume. Miss Blackmore attended as bridesmaid, and .was attired in pink crepe de chine, pink hat to harmonise. Mr N. Johnson accompanied the bridegroom as best man. After the ceremony, a reception was held at the residence of Mrs Bounington (sister of the bride) and a wedding tea- served. A large number of handsome presents were received.

Women and theatrical enterprise seem to be closely connected nowadays (says Miss Ella Hepworth Dixon, in an English journal), for not only have we had, this winter, the ventures of .Miss Lena Ashwell, Mrs Percy Dearmer, and Miss Netta Syrott, but now Miss Rosin a Filippi pvoposes to start an important enterprise, namely, a People's Theatre, with "Shakespeare, for Lady Gregory, with her Irish Theatre, which she transports to New York and London with as much ease as other people take the twopenny tube, and Miss Horniman, in Manchester, with her superior comedians, have done yeoman's work for the modern drama, but prices have remained the same with both these ladies' enterprises, and "the people" must still go to threepenny gaffs or cinema-shows. Miss Filippi's People's Theatre is to begin at the Victoria Hall, Waterloo Road, w r ith scenery and dresses lent for three Shakespearean plays by Mr Matheson Lang.

The Duchess of Aosta, who arrived last week in Brisbane, and is reported to be contemplating visiting the: many islands situated in the South Seas, lately published an illustrated volume of scenes and events associated with her travels in darkest Africa. As an explorer our royal visitor has already gained a reputation for courage and daring. Dressed in man's attire, she has penetrated into hitherto unknown regions, and had a strenuous time shooting much big game, including lions. One day the cook accompanying her caravan stabbed a native carrier, whereupon the wounded man's; companions became furiously angry, and pursued the assailant into the duchess's tent, where he. had fled for refuge. She sternly ordered them to retire, but as this only infuriated them more she seized a gun and pointed it at the savage horde, and her unerring skill as a dead shot saved the situation.

It has just become known that a former housekeeper of Robert Browning recently died in Portsmouth Workhouse Infirmary, at the age of ninety-five. Her name was Eliza Cawley, and on the return of Browning from Florence, immediately after the death of liis wife, she became his housekeeper at his residence in Warwick Crescent. Here she used to see Carlyle, Mazzini, and Garibaldi when they paid visits. On the occasion of Garibaldi's visit he wore his favourite red shirt and slouch hat, which, together with his foreign appearance, led the housekeeper to refuse him admission until she had consulted her master. On hearing her description of the visitor, Browning, it. is stated, wrung his hands, and exclaimed, "You have shut out my best friend.'' Mrs Cawley eventually left Browning's service on account of ill-health, and removed to Gosport. In the end she was obliged to go -to the infirmary, where she was noted for her embroidery work. A number of friends have arranged to erect over her grave a cross.commemorating her association with Browning.