THE SOCIAL ROUND

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 248, 23 November 1914, Page 4

THE SOCIAL ROUND

Nurse Everett (Christchurch) is visiting Wellington. \ Mrs and Miss Boyle have returned to Christchurch from Wellington. Mrs Straehey (Christchurch) is the guest of Mrs Westmacott, Timaru. Dr and Mrs Pearson (Christchurch) are spending a week at the Hydro, Timaru. Miss Frances Board (Grevmouth) is the guest of Mrs A. L. Wilson, Wellington. Captain and Mrs Laudle have re turned to Dunedin from their visit to Canterbury. Miss Vera Williams and Miss Tailored Avere amongst the passengers for the north last night. Mr and Mrs Benson (Wellington) arrived in Christchurch yesterday, and are staying at the Clarendon. Mrs Burdon, ,Avho Avas at Orielton as the guest of Mrs Bernard Tripp, has returned to her home at Geraldine. Miss M. Grahanie and Miss T. Hunter, who have been spending a few days with friends in South Canterbury, have returned to Christchurch. Mrs 'Dampier-Crossley and Mrs P. Overton, who spent a feAv days at Warner's during ..last, week, returned to North Canterbury on Saturday. Miss Pansy Nixon (Wanganui), avlio came down to Christchurch for the race festivities, has gone on to Timaru, where she is the guest of Mrs -Gordon, Nixon Bank. Mr and Mrs Aufrere Fenwiek, c# Dunsdin, who have been on a trip to England, returned to New Zealand last, week, and are spending a feAv days in Wellington before coming south. Miss Dunlop, of the Y.W.C.A.- Hostel, Wellington (who,was in Christchurch on clic occasion of the opening of the Diamond Harbour Conference earl; in the year) has obtained the appointment of lionse secretary to the Melbourne Y.W.C.A., and leaves to take up her new duties early in the new year. ; A large number of people availed themselves of the opportunity to spend a pleaBant afternoon up at the Rhodes Convalescent Home on Saturday, when the first flag in the possession of the institution was unfurled. The weather was particularly propitious to an out-of-door function, and the glorious view obtained from the Home, and the beatuiful surroundings, was an entertainment in itself, apart from the other arrangements which hafd been made for. the enjoyment, of the guests. The matron, Miss Hayward, who acted as hostess, really initiated and carried through the matter of providing the flag, her efforts being loyally supported by the staff,' the patients, and ; the expatients. Mr A. E.' G. Rhodes, who performed the ceremony of unfurling it, Avas accompanied by Mrs Rhodes, the latter wearing an elegant gown of mole-coloured corduroy vplvet, the white satin being brocaded in a design of violets, wide-brimmed, mole velvet hat,j ornamented with white and violet pom-poms. Mrs George Rhodes came along with her little daughter, and wore a pearl-grey costume and black hat with lace wings. , Amongst the many other ladies present Avere noticed Mrs Barker, Mrs Pairman, Mrs Moore, Mrs Temple, Mrs Herbert Robingon, Mrs George Harris, Mrs .Jamieson, Mrs Pratt, Miss Budden (Sumner), Miss Ewart, Miss Thurston, Miss Lake, and Miss Colburne-'Veel.. On Saturday a party consisting of Sir Joseph Ward, Lady Ward, Mr and Mrs Cyril Ward, and' Mr and Mrs Bernard Wood visited Banks Peninsula, returning to Christchurch last evening. They were entertained at Little River both

on the outward and return trip by Mr

, ,7. Coop, who, by the way, U the eldest, of one s>fi the .earliest settlers of the district. At Akaroa Sir Joseph and Ins party were entertained at dinner by the members of the Akaroa Borough Council, and were taken for a motor launch trip on the"harbour. > They returned to town about sunset yesterday. , Mrs Philip..Snowdon was the guest of honour at a luncheon in the Y.W.C.A. rooms on Saturday. Proceedings ware ■ of an informal character, but in the drawing room later on a lew brief speeches of welcome were made, and various aspects of women's work in matters of national moment were touch ■ eiTlipon. The speakers were Mrs McCombs, Mrs Wells, Miss Roberts, Mrs -J. H. Wilson, Mrs T. E. Taylor, Page, and Miss Kolleston. Mis Snowden made a graceful acknowledgment. Amongst tho?e 'present, were Mesdames MeCombs, Newton, J. 11. Wilson, Page, Wells, Lovell-Smith, Evans, Patterson, Jj. .Birks, Atkinson, Holland, Day, and Cummins, Misses Gordon, Henderson, Bolleston, Macdonald, Shanks, Lovell Smith, Bishop, and Smith (2).

Florence Nightingale's advice and tender common-sense counsel is beiug sought now by those who have the care of convalescents to think of. That great nurse never said a truer word than this: "A convalescent is like a child. Neither mind nor body has recovered its proper tone, and for a certain time, differing in different circumstances, the

nurse lias to guide him by her own experience." A great difficulty with a . convalescent may be his want of appetite, and in such cases the nurse .should exercise the greatest care in regard to ! diet and the hours at which it should be administered. Many a convalescent | caunot. endure the sight of food before i 11 a.m. or thereabouts, and before that | time a spoonful of beef tea, arrowroot; 01* egg-flip may be given to him every hour to prevent him from becoming too ! exhausted before a more solid meal is j served at midday.—English Exchange. A thrilling tale of a woman's courage and sang-froid is told of one of the nuns of the Ursurline Convent, of Yhieldonck, J between Malines and Louv'ain, where the staff of the German army recently i besieging Antwerp had their headquar- • t.ers. This nun, Mere Ambrosine, is , Avell kuown to a Wellington resident, j whose two daughters were educated at ! the convent, and who has always had a great admiration, intensified now, for the brave woman.' In the school, : like so many other Belgian convent schools, were 150 English girl pupils, and after the Germans had broken through -Liege, the nuns were overwhelmed with telegrams commanding and beseeching them to send back their children to England. The nearest vail- ' way station was at Wespelav, between two and three'mile's away, ami it was a difficult undertaking. During the early afternoon the English pupils Avere as- . sembled'in the big hall, and, in order: not to cause a panic among their schoolfellows, were told to dress for a long walk. They did so, and tramped to the station. They had neither luggage nor tickets, but Here Ambrosine, in charge, decided to take the risk of going on without either. They got seats in the train, and when the guard ordered them to get out, the Mother pro tested that lives were more precious than tickets, holding her ground in spite of threats. Finally, as it was clear they could only be removed by force, the train went on, and the party arrived at Ostein!. There Mere Ambrosine commandeered all the food she could get at. the buffet, and marched her charges on to the Dover boat. The ; girls were on board, and the valiant protector still on the wharf, when she was literally besieged by other English girls, governesses, and others, who were Avitb out money to pay for their passage. She dragged them all across the gangway. Again she was asked for tickets, and again admitted she had none. The collector ordered them all ashore, but the plucky nun said anyone compelling the girls to disembark would walk over her body. Finally they were allowed to remain, and the girls huddled together for warmth, many dozing. Mere Ambrosine looking after and spothiug those whose ner\*ous fears kept them aAvake. Halfway across they were aroused by the noise of cannon, and shots fell around the ; steamer. She was stopped, and a party of sailors from a patrolliug warship came aboard, and thoroughly searched the A'essel. She then Avent on to Dover, and Mere Ambrosine had the supreme satisfaction of handing her charges over to their parents.