IN FANCY DRESS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14408, 16 July 1912, Page 8

IN FANCY DRESS.

LITTLE FOLKS AT THE ART

GALLERY.

Tho Art Gallery was converted into a Tinytown yesterday afternoon —a Tinytown of daintily picturesque little people. A. children's fancy dress ball was being held, and surely there could Lo no moro appropriate place for such an assembly as the centre of art in this city. Tho littlo ones were pretty enough to have stepped from thc golden frames on the wall. There were nearly two hundred of them, some ruffling it bravely ih tho costumes of the gallants and ladies fayro of long gone days, others carrying themselves daintily as shepherds and shepherdesses. Thero wero costumes from every country and every clime, and from many a fairy story. It was a delightful scene to gaze upon, and it was mado even more delightful by tho "asy and natural way in which the children played tho characters they were representing. The people of long ago could dress picturesquely; they had excellent ideas of sartorial artistry. What could bo more charming than a grand lady dressed a la Gainsborough? There was ono littlo lady who was just a pocket edition of a famous beauty of that gallant time. Her large hat was splendid with waving ostricli feathers, and she trailed her dark velvet costume as to "the manner born. Then thero were ((Uito a number of representatives of tho powder and patches era —shades of Kitty BelJairs! It is astonishing what a difference the powdered wig, a few patches, nnd a flowing skirt make to a littlo girl. She seems to have reached a diminutive maturity, and to be quite tho grown-up lady of an old world. Looking at tho gay assembly of young folk, and then at tho sombrely dressed adult spectators, tho idea suggested it- ■ self that here was a gathering of dwarfs, overlooked by a gathering of .kindly indulgent giants. Somo of the children, with'their "hair up" and their skirts trailing, looked so grown-upl The music started, and the little folks commenced to dance. It did not matter particularly what danco the pianist chose, as the children hopped gravely or gaily to each and every tune. A little snow man, black pipo in mouth, wandered about with appropriate coolness, and was so realistic that one almost exned .' c t h "? to melt ' A delightful little white rabbit, with long pink ears and bobbing white tail, browsed round on Ins hind legs Everybody wanted to havo that rabbit for a little whilo. Little Red Riding Hood kept peranibu--lating on her mission to see her grandma and looked just as sweet and nico as that tiny heroine undoubtedly was. A bushranger, with mask, slouch Hat, and red shirt,, flirted sorenelv with a pretty Circassian belle. Red and wh-te Pierrots tripped lightly about; youthful shopherds paid their devoirs to exquisite shepherdesses; Highland Jaddies paid their court to Highland . lasses; a white-garbed and capped cook looked after somo dear little Dutch girls; a pretty fishergirl hob-nobbed amicably with a geisha; a typical Dutch boy was elegantly attentive to the duchess in tho Gainsborough hat; and an Elizabethan courtier was devoted "to a charmer of the powder and patches period. * There seemed to be no end to the variety of costumes, and it would be difficult to enumerate them all nere. .-' One of the' prettiest was that of a jjirl who appeared as a young cavalier, with doublet and hose, cape and sword, jaunty cap and flowing locks all complete Thero was an Oxcellent jester,• whoso, red nnd gold motley "was a work of art. A boy in a close-fitting blue of the eighteenth century did the appro-- . priato honours for the Declaration of Independence, and his costume was a very effective, and, it is said, historically accurate ono. Thero were several boy representatives of the ■ Georgian period, and very smart-looking: and finished dandies they were. Tho fairy Btories and nursery rhymes had been generously drawn on by tho ilittlo girls. There were 80-peeps and.fairies galore, ■not to mention a gallant-Littlo x>oy Blue. Then history was called upon to contribute "a 'few characters —Elizabeth of Hungary, James the First/and even bad old Henry the Eighth were handsomely represented. The Navy found " a' smart little sailor, the hunting field a red-coated and booted huntsman, tho playing grounds a cricketer, and a chauffeur in cap, -coat, and goggle**" added a very modern touch. A fairy 7 with lOvely Titian locks was just tho fairy of a child's dreams. * Th* were many others who contribirWl their share of the brightness and'jollity of an , unique party. Thero wero. little ones of all ages there—from tbo tiny toddlers of three or four, to tho more mature ' damsels and lads of twelve and thirteen. They eujoved themselves and entertained the company from tour o'clock till soven c'clock, and then their day was done. ' • In the evening the Art Gallery was occupied by an assembly, oi adults the majority of whom wero in fancy dress, though ouito a .number wore ordinary evening dress. 'Hie assembly was a brilliant ono, though from a spectacular point of view it did not reach the ' heights of the afternoon. Many of the dresses showed cleverness and tasto in design, and there were not a few of tho humorous kind. Thero wero ■powder and patches, Georgian ladies, gipsies, dairymaids, Spanish dancers, dominos, Swiss" and Roman peasants, Turkish ladies, a Chinaman, cowboy, Dutchman, Puritan, toreador, cracker, Rajah of Bhong, Lord Nelson, convict, ■■.'■ highwayman, bookmaker. , - a^yc i?' Highlanders, Queen of Summer, Chrysanthemum, bag ot flour, and many others too numerous to detail. Dancing was kept up merrily till midnight, and the- ball : was thoroughly enjoyed by all , who took part in it. The cam;va. was. organised and carried through by the ladies of the Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children, and the x-roceeds will go to assist the funds of that organisation. , The ladies . ore to be comnl mehted on the success " which has attended their efforts. Tho joint* secretaries, Mrs C. W. Reid and Mrs, F. A., Pyne, had some arduous work to oerform yesterday, and 'the way the function went off was a tribute to their otganising ability. It might he noted that the members of the committee; as a graceful recognition of Lady Plunket's interest in the work of tho Society, wore green rcsettes, green being her Ladyship's colours. The prizes given for tho best dresses were awarded as follows:— Girl, under six, Thelma Beitle, "Duchess of Devonshire;'.- boy.* under six, Terras Bell, "White Rabbit;" ■■girl, over six, Miss Peggy Palmer "Lettuce -," hoy, over - six, .Master Pat Bailey, "Declaration of Indenendence." For the evening function. Miss Mary Macdonald, as an Early Victorian, and Mr George Turner, as a Celestial, were the prizewinners. ,' . . *; . Tho committeo expressed . ite indebtedness to Miss Scrivenor for providing the music for the dances, and to JMr " Burko for undertaking tho catering without charge, to Mr Jones for tho presentation of flowers, and to others who had'generously assisted in various 'ways. * '' >' Messrs Stnndish and Preece have -offered to take the portraits of the '"•prizfc-winners freo of charge.