HOME OF COMPASSION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 147, 16 March 1908, Page 9

HOME OF COMPASSION.

A SUCCESSFUL FETE. The great black cloud that aroso in the south-west on Saturday aftornoon looked as if it would spoil a good many amusements, and its aspect was so threatening thattho promoters of tho feto at the Homo of Compassion .were afraid it would prevent peoplo going so far from town, but Mother Mary. Aubert is a fortunate lady, and her good fortune did not'desert her that day. The Homo, . wido and spacious as it is, was crowded with visitors. They wero everywhere, in tho passages, on tho stairs,' in all the rooms, and surveying the laridscapo from tho roof.' Amongst those presont woro the Hon. Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, Hon. Dr. and Mrs. Findlay, Hon. ,G. Fowlds, ;His GracA Archbishop Redwood, and Vory Rev. Father Kcogh, Hon. T. W. and Mrs. Hislop, Drs. Collins and Milsom, Mesdames S. A. Rhodes, Grace, Crawford, Fitchott, and many other, prominent citizens. . The opening, or rather the re-opening, of the Homej a coroinony which was performed by His Excellency the Governor, was'.very simple. On itho arrival of Lord Plunket, who was accompanied •by Her Excellency Lady Plunket and the Hon. Kathleen Plunket, and aittonded by Capt. Gathorne-H&rdy, he was welcomed by Mother Mary Aubort. His Excellency, with a long > experience of bazaars, said. that >; as the main object'; of tho gathering was to collect , every penny from everybody's pockets, ho would not detain them by making any speech, but would merely disohargo »tho duty entrusted to'him in opening the Home. Though he knew, the worries and difficulties that had, been in the way of the good lady who had. built the Homo, he know that , by now they had all been overborne, and ho felt sure : tbat for thofuture , she would 'have tho hearty .- support,/ of tho people,, of Wellington ,in her ,woik. Ho then declared the Home- open, and, tho people, : without delay, bogan to spend their monoy/with delight." : ... ■ There wore plenty of ways in which this .could be done, inexpensive; ways,- but so. many of them that they, amounted to one grand opportunity for se.lf-impovorishment, and tho, result was that by tho end of the afternoon £170 had beenVtaken. . On the roof in-thd-wind and sunshine, wero the diabolists, who during the preceding weeks had boon doing wonderful things with the uncanny toy, anil who that afternoon played off tho final games.. l On the top iloor were rooms dc-. votod to tho sale of flowers and produce, home-made sweets, arid'fancy 'goods. Just by tho., head of' the stairs, where no ono could escapo, half a dozon girls: diligently /sold tickota for the raffling, of .half'a dozen vory desirable hats. Not a littlo business ability was exhibited hero". Next door was tho camp of the fortune .tellers, one of the greatest attractions of ™ie feto. l Here you •paid' your money and , took . your' choice of fortune-telling methods; . You could, have your , fortune road from tno'.cajrds 'as-.from,; a book r fluently arid, in detail,. 6r you , could; take it ~with you' in ,'a V ;read ; or you could go to.yet'anothor corner,'where,' from tho . palrii of. your hand,,.' a., dark-eyed siljyl '. read.' interesting ' information ? about, yourj past and your J.'utur6 with'_■ sometimes, disconcerting accuracy., It was in another room,- oh itho samo floor, that an orchestra supplied fine music at intervals all through the afternoon, arid near by was an art gallery, where Miss 'May Mooro.mado clover portrait sketches.' : Downstairswero various, other stalls, and attraction's, "chief 'among them boing. the baby. show. There was a ward practically,' full of babies —tiny babies,.fat babies, babies dark and fair, sleepy,; wideawake, and .Wed;' They."wero wonderfully'.good infants, con-;, sidering the heat of tho, room arid the way tho visitors stared, at them, chucked; them, under tho chin, and criticised. In 'fact;'| some of the babies stood it 'so Well 'and smilingly that the matter, of. voting on their charms became a maddoning perplexity.' Two young: girls took 'the thirigvv'ery "soriously, l and wandered; about for-; a.lorig time looking;. seaVchingly 'at the respective.' competitors;' and evidently feeling that it was'their-duty to see that the right ■babies won tho prizes, but quite unable 'to say . which - the right' babies were. . The most unconcerned person: in the room, was a tiny;girl with a'mop of golden. curls,. who sat; domurely ; on a little stool for an'hour and a .half, taking not tho smallest, notico of ..anyone' who spoko to her, not contemptuous, , but simply . indifferent., Once during the hour arid ; a half she got up, and, putting her hands ou--the'; middle ;of the stool, she walked yound it twice. Then she sat down 'again solemnly, arid dreamed again .with;/her eyes wide, open, a pleasant picture of patience. _ "-'■■,"■ Just outsido the .windonr. of this ward was a : piece of dug-up ground, where treasure in plenty was hid, and this was; the resort'of the children -who, with little wooden 'spades., felt thoy.wore;on'•tlio,way to. fortune. Thoy puffed and panted, darting from one. likely? looking spot to another, digging feverishly; almost', turning themselves .[upside down .In: their.efforts to_ get;there, flinging the earth wildly in all directions; while an inexorablo young lady stood by, watch in hand, dismissing tlierii; when time w,as, up. ' ~ At tne end of the lou;er corridor wero two long wards,",the heart of' the whole .institution, the wards where lio tho children who have been so long, waiting for the Honio to. be .opened. 'Not many, of the' visitors found, thoir way. there, and thoso Who. did caine . away saddened' and distressed. Upstairs and > downstairs, iu ' all tho other; ■ ; rooms, were, health and vitality,-talk and . laughter, -and vigorous movement. ; Even ; the helpless babies in their mother's arms wero healthily helpless, and thoy chuckled and kicked about'in an entirely normal and delightful way.' ;Bnt for. theso others, the darling iniriates of tho Home, /looking at them in ; their weakness, one is thankful that Mother Mary has succeeded in providing for, those who need it so, such shelter'and such care. . ,'••••:'.• ■; . ' COMPETITION PRIZES, . Tho following prizes for competitions liavo beOn already awarded:—'. '. Pincushions.—Most original: . Miss Muriro, 1J 'Miss. Flora Brandon, 2. Most useful: Mrs.... Turrell.,. Prettiest : Mrs. Alex. Crawford; i'. ■. . ■

Sweets;— Assorted: • Miss :Rose, Mrs. O'Sullivan, 2..,. Cocoaiiut. ice: Miss D. Wjlsoii...'- Toffee: Miss Arthur. ■ Turkish delight' and date and prune creams, and . walnut creamo: Miss Rose. : , v ■;

! D'Oyleys—Prettiest, d'oyley: Mrs. Knowles; ■Most.neatly made:.. Missßaird,l; Mrs. Motiatt, 2. .Greatest .number handmade : Mrs. Coffey. Silver medal for ■ collection of d'oyleys: Kirkcaldie - and Stains; ' •■' -. Cakes. .Special'prize for, wedding cako: Sisters of Mission, Nelson. Fancy iced cake: Mrs. Millward. Sponge sandwich': Miss M. Martin and Miss. Biss, equal; ■ Assorted cakos: .'Miss Fullcrton 1 . ■ Scbncs: Miss Eva Hillier. : 1 ■

■ Hats.—Silver medial' for. prettiest lint Winchester and Co. •

Handkerchiefs.—Point laco: Misff Taylor; greatest number: Miss;K. Campbell. Camisole. — ; Best camisole:. Miss .Duncan; most neatly made camisole: Miss H. Dymes.

• Bags.—Most useful: Mrs. Bunny,, of .Mas-, terton. " Most original: Miss Edwin.. Prettiest:' Miss A. Kennedy..".'

Blouse.—Prettiest and most' highly priced blouse: Miss .Doris Johnston, i Most neatly, made: Miss Simpson. . . ~

Limerick:—Mr. W. Moorhouse,, prize; Miss. Nancy Johnston, second in morit; Mrs. Q'Sullivan, third. . .■■i .'. Matchboxes.—Mr. Noel. Ross. '.

Baby Show.—Twins:.Kathleen and Eileen. Samson. Champion: Caroline Daly. Youngest: Wilfrid Jameson. ; Boys : Class A—Noel Vealb,' 1; Austin Revelisse,. : 2. . Boys: Class; B—Donald Macarthy, 1; Gordon Saunders, 2. Girls: Class A —Mona Clarke, 1; Ngairo Hill, 2. Girls: Class B—Eileen L'urati, 1; Jean Muir, 2. . Mother Mary Joseph Aubort does not wish lief garden fete to clash with, the celebration, of' St. Patrick's Day and.the National Concort in the evening, and so lias deoided'that tho garden fete at tho Homo of Compassion will bo closcd on Tuesday, and.sho hope« that all lovors 'of the poor and good wishers will put in iiii appcarnnco on Wednosday, tho clos-' nig dayand night of the feto.