SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 173, 15 April 1908, Page 3

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

, Dr. Elizaboth Gunn, who is just recovering from'an illness, has booked her passago for. Sydney by the Maheno, leaving Wellington next Friday. .' , By tho same boat Mr. and Mrs. and' Miss Lycett-Gfeen/ - who have 'been travelling through Now Zealand for some weeks, are turning to' Sydney on their way to England. Mr. arid.Mrs. J. Lachman leave for Sydney by tho Maheno on Friday. . \ . ' Jliss S. Dimant, of tho Government Tourist Department, is leaving on Friday for J a holiday -trip to Sydney. - 1 ; A sale of work, in aid of Puridita'Ramabui's Mission to the Child Widows of India, has been organised by the Christian' Union ot tho Wellingtoii Girls'- College, "and is • to bo'hold-'in tho .College • Buildings on the ovening of Friday, May 1, and the following afternoon" and evening. THE FAMILY ALBUM, 'i •• (By Jenny Wren.) Of all the mistakes that we make-in our journey through life, surely that-of handing down our features for posterity to-gaze upon is the one most frequently committed. -Not very many people can deny that:it is a mistake. It is" only, nccessary to look through-, an old family albjim .aiid one will shut it up perfectly , of the fact, from ,an artistic point ;of view, at least. - ■■■_ - . ' They, are so quaint and conventional these: portraits of forty ,or fifty, years ago.-; Photographers' did ,not allow .originahty".,-tp-' nin away with thom for many a long-day, as the same attitudes are to. be seen in' nearly: all the photographs .belonging to that period. Did these ladies of. the voluminous skirt 3 creep in fear and trembling ; to the.,studio? They look-at' one ■ gravely, with such calm placid faces, such pretty hands; so i'carefully placed to .the best advantage, that one cannot imagine they felt unhappy br ill at ease. Perhaps, besides-being.taught ideportment, -they wore also taught how to look and arrange' themselves when being . photographed, and': yct it is rhighly'.probable that they went through'.-the .same performances-as S-we havo to do.now; . No doubt they had to'kcep-thoir' eyes glued to an object (perhaps a onq-eared dissipated looking toy- cat). -placed ascertain; distance: above the ground, their!, chins .raised to an uncomfortable, unnatural angle, and heads -twisted over 'their shoulders; till'. they; felt, as though they could nev;sr!come roulid to - the front again. • Thoy miist have been told, even as ive, -not -to look so .serious, .to think* of::pleasant things,' to .smile! ' ; Of. all things'. to•: smile! ■ The result, of-- forced smile- is enough to' make one . fly to a convent for tho rest;of one's or weep! At~,any rate, no matter, how,,-they look .at-us; from the, pages of \ our albums, faint shadows of the inen women, who lived j'earsiago.; ' . ••• All. the chief events of our: existence aro pictured s there. The tiny,;; featureless - baby in ' wonderful christening robes, Iwitlv. .its' mother's gaze fixed, Madonna-like, upon-its ugly little countenance, heads the prdepssipn. .Then come the, different / stages ■ of,;, 'growth.The schoolboy in coat and long trousers, something, like the Eton suit, of to-day, stands " stiffly i • and uncomfortably', qn: igu?ird, while the 1 little girl, in low-necked dress and short sleeves, with very long full, skirts ; standing :out .stiffly, all 'around. her/-gazes in a, prim and'dignified fashion at us—a funny little, figure. : Later on, the. young debutante' j oworges ; '-freshV.^charming,. and: - expectant, J .alight- with -the ioys of anticipation, ill the world a carnival for-her; enjoyment. She is simply ; dressed. " • A -; round low-cut . bodice edges her, .y,e,ry,,sloping,.shoulders, ; i tightly; fit, ting,-; -with, short;' puff .. sleeves : and very.' -full, flowing.skirts. -Tlioro are many of her .photogiaphs taken .at r,this,.. l timo, on r alli sor.ts-.of occasions and in all kirids.,pf".attire. / Next she -is-.seen ..as a bride, arm in arm.,-with; her husband. ■: Now and .again, at i'different • wo get .'glimpses of, hor till .tho - end is very-nearly; and the;lpve 'of 'life ore : .gone how, 'and Ago; patient; and jworn,V with quiet ■: folded hands; looks at'ius' with wis© and serene .eyes,.';from. between-'the ' -r6cprdin». pages. ; ; v; : - * • ' V Tho photographs ot the old rarely: disappoint as those in the bloom and freshness of youth so frequently, do. . It may bo that age is not dependent upon tho 'softness, the roundness; ,the 'vital look of Experience and the wear and tear of exist,'ence have.chiselled them awaj ; ',-'and only the sunken outline • is- there, through, which ;the real, man or '-woman' so . clearly looks. Every: furrow arid'every' wrinkle is as much a part of the.face we. know as is the mouth .or the 'chin; and must-be, there- or' it-is not what we-wish to. remember always. .' After, .all, '.a ''photograph,-., beautiful" and faithful, though it may be and often is, for •modern has.- reached a high; ar-tistic-standard, is:. only: a Toflootion of ione -mood;, for one, - fleetirip: ' second; ' --We may. .hardly ever a:gain , : look like .that, and so the -whole thing 'becomes' unfamiliar and wo;'do .not likp .-it/..;. - What -a ,-burflen, of guilt the -photographer would sometimes'bear lipon his ishouldersi did bp but realise tho illusions ho ,has cr.eated,,.horn; only^-.-to. bo- shattered-'in 'bitter , disappointment. , .iMany. of ,-us havp istopped short before an unknown photograph, pored .upon. every feature (it may havo belonged to man,, : woman) or' child), feeling simply fascinated by its' beauty "and '.charm, and when by some chance wo, have como across the original,received quite - a bitter shock of. disappointment. Like, and. yet so :iinliko! -Sometimes the reverse -is/tho case, the reality surpassing the presentment,' 'its great. .charm - being' dependent upon the; everchanging play of .expression, the ,of the.ifacb as .well as the: .colouring,- that cannot be caught by any caniora.. , ... -. Casually, for the amusement of a .few un.occupied, moments, we. glance through tho .book, our icHo fingers carelessly, turning' the pages over one by one. Tragedy, comedy, -and.'romance lie hidden there, • each .having had their turn in the lives of. the -men and women we,.find 'between its. covers!: Quaint, stiff, and absurd they may appear, but, liko lace and old china, the, more precious they become to the heart ..of the possessor, as tho years go by. THE BELLE OF THE DAY. A.fresh .interest In that ever'interesting subject,; the claims of feuiinino'beauty, ; has Ibeen aroused. by'the exhibition in Berlin of famous eighteenth century portraits, ajicT by ■the " Fair AVpmcn!' exhibition just held in England, Were ' portraits of present-day women by all the leading artists hive been exhibited.' " The difference iii tho . types of the beauties of the two centuries" is vorymarked; and an Australian journal raises the question whether one.ago can.accord full admiration to: the - beauties of another.' ! , " Wpuld: the Georgian beaux havo admiied tho type of'female, beauty which the present generation, through its ai'tists ; belioves ,to ;be the standard to-day, and will, tho young ;inan of 1958 think that'wo were 'warranted in -worshipping at tho shrinp of tho Daiia Gi,bson. facp.'and figure .as tho ideal of Womanly lovclinoss? Looking back at the portraits .of, Lawrence, Gainsborough, and, Romno'y, it does just seem a little-difficult to accept- the florid descriptions of the marvellous beauty of ,-their sittors. The type belonged- to; the period, arid 'tho painters "and writers accopted it. Tho exact oval- and rather inexpressive ■face' was thp .century's, effort, and it-lasted almost to tho mid-Victorian era'j' wheri it began slowly to alter in foriri. As timo moved on, the contour broadened, and its development can be clearly traced in Du Mfiurior's drawings. Tho chin firmed and squared, tho forehead lowered, tho eyebrows lost-their archness, the mouth strengthened in character, and has continued .to so as freedom of body and indopondoii'ee of -mind progressed. Tho pattern of the period has become so.fixed that, with the exception of complexions—and these, it is darkly rum-, oured, can me imitated —all faces seom td'be turned out of tho same mould, ivitli figure, walk, and bearing to correspond. •>•«'.. " Outdoor sports are credited with being a leading factor in the process of transformation. The attention paid to tennis' and golf evolved corresponding ezprwswnß, and'

tho automobile is responsible for the ' motor mouth,' which an' alarmist specialist has pro- 1 dieted will in timo almost- put an end to kissing, and turn Cupid out of tho" car altogotlior. It is quite cort-ain that the girl of tho period gets nioro air and is more sensibly (tressed than her predcccssors. She has not to tio herself down to ono form of coilfuro and costume, and those rigid, ones. Tho roverish lives often led by maid- and matron to-day may, militate against good looks in one Way, but on the other hand thero aro compensations far moro numerous and successful in their aids to comeliness than women oF former generations enjoyed. Moreover, the laws of health are better. understood and observed. An interesting comparison may be made by placing a full-length portrait by Roniney—say that of Lady Hamilton at tho sido of a girl drawing, and noting how they differ in all essenitals; indeed, the former might be easily takon for a visitor, from another pla.net. Thero is. little doubt but that woman is going from strength to strongth, and gathering as sho goe6. This is an age when she knows how to livo; up to •now sho has only been learning in a difficult school. The stage has been busy, too, along tho general lines of development 'with it's own deviations. The portraits of modern boauty act-rcsses indicate how successfully the drooping oyo has been cultivated, and the complete success with which the often unruly lips havo been disciplined into the plaintive, appealing I look beyond the stage' for a future' mode of expression. "Taking a line through the past and present, is it possible to forecast the future and to hazard a guess .. as to what the golden youth pf fifty years, hence will'consider tho ;irresistiblo woman? Will they wonder', on looking at our photographs and paintings, how wo.ftould ever have been satisfied with tho alleged .beauties of the day? Can woo down the long years, conjure up the typo of loveliness to come? Will she be Brobdin°--nagian in size, or havo dwindled to' a Lilliputian? She will.be stylish—of that we may be assured—but in .what direction?. Very probably the skirt may have disappeared, and some garment, something emblematical of tho period's absolute freedom, takon its place. That she will be pretty in a way and moulded to a pattern is. nearly' a certainty., Maybe the faco, in opposition to tho vogues of the -oval and square, will have bcoomo perfectly round, and most likely pallid, with tho grey oye of' power and the mouth of determination and domination to match the masculine, form and its external coverings. They .assuredly will consider themselves unique, and wonder how the' insipidity of the past could over have be-on attractico in tho eyes of man,' and 'thank goodness' thoy weTo not liko the frights dopicted by the Romnevs and Sargonts and the extinct camera. On tho other. hand, tho pendulum may have swung •to the far sido altogether, and tho world may-be-'flooded with bread-and-butter, simmering -misses, with doll-like complexions, slight petite figures, with an abundance of delight fully sympathetic curves, and a disposition overy way in keeping. . How'interesting it would- be to return' to earth once every century, with. ample time to noto tho changes j and some mentor, to explam'\them/" , .- BEDTIME.- ' '• ;■ . " What an awful noise," said the Baby, round-eyed, as tho bath-water made a final gurglo down tho drain-pipe. "A water-rat lives in that drain." "H'bw do you know that, Baby?" I questioned. , "'Cause that noise is too big for a mouse to mnkc. l 'spect my bath is the water-rat's supper,'.and the bits of. sponge that go down are, his sponge-cakes." , " Perhaps so," I'agreed. " Would you like to go pick-a-back to the night-nursery ?" "Is nurse dying ?'' ho whispered in m'y,ear as, wo/ passed tho, room'-, whero nurse was having a slight attack of : iniiuenza, . .".I' hope not," I said fervently. ~ • .. 0 '; Shut ,your eyes, Baby, when ' you '• say -your prayers," I admonished, for he. had--stai'ted his " Now., I lay me down " .with-'.a; wandering .gaze'round the room. • " JVhy ? " 'he; questioned. Lots of quite holy' boys keep their eyes open when they pray." ' . v ' ■ , . ' He pointed to Sir Joshua ltcynolds's pic■turo.of tho infant Samuel which hung above his cot, and which certainly .has a very wideawake expression. The Baby know how to, pray, so-as to put off bed-time indefinitely. He blessed his immediate family and distant relations two or three times before lie ,camo to what might, be termed tho business part- of his'petition: "Jear God, you will bo asprised to hear I got ten for reading to-day. : Please prevent nnrtfe from , dying till the crocus is out in my garden, for I want to plant it on hor graoo. And. do bless the dear water-rat in the bath-drai'u, for' pf such is the Kingdom of Heaven." ; HOME OF COMPASSION. '' £500 FROM THE GARDEN FETE. . , A. number of' ladies and 1 gentlemen who:took part in tho recent feto at the Homo of Compassion mot thero-yesterday afternoon to .-present'- jfche' not prcceeds : to 'Mother, Mary .Joseph Aubert.. . The spokesman, in handing the-rpv. rnothor a chequo for £501 6s. lO.d/, said ho felt sure that all present would ,be surprised and pleased at the.result. It,was,' ■he-said,; a tribute alike" to th? management arid thp patrons of the fete'.' When 1 all'had -.worked so-well, it might be thought invidious to single out anyone for special praise; .but ho felt .sure tliey would all agree that. tho .credit for the successful effort made was in,a very- largo measure due to Miss ,o'Connor, .who had been'the.mainspring of the management, and had shown all the, genius of a ■modern financier in reducing the expenses to' a miniriium. The Homo .was also the richer •for a number of donations voluntarily given. "In handing thp cheque to Mother Mary Aubert," lie added, "I feel sure you will all join with me-in tho hopo .that she will .be spared for many years-to carry on -the splendid work in which she has already accomplished so much. In years the rev. mother grows old slowly: in spirit not at all. A French philosopher and cynic has said there is., soriiething in the riiisfortunes of others that does not ill-please us. The rev. mother is a living example to tho contrary. Sho not only triumphs over-her, own-misfortunes, but she has devoted her whole life to making light the misfortunes of others. Even in connection with this Home she: has faced and triumphed over difficulties that would have made many a younger heart quail. Yet, notwithstanding this, you will ever find a merry gleam ,of sunshine and sympathy in her dear old eyes, which Aye hope will bp long spared to watch, over'tho unfortunate litlo ones on behalf his Home has : been built.-" ■ ' Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, in roply, spoke very feelingly in regard to the great kindness sho had experienced in Wellington. She had been told, that sho would find it a cold place, but tho contrary had proved tho case. Sho expressed great surprise at tho' net return from tho feto—tho management up to that time; having kept hor in ignoranco of tho amount. Thero was still 'a mortgage of £6000 on' the land and buildings, but.' there was good security for the amount. , The balance-sheet, .compiled by Mr: Frank Grace (treasurer), was read by Mr. Crombie (secretary), as.follows:— . . Roceipts.—Gorioral—His Excellency the Governor, donation, £10 10s.; Mr. C: .P. Skerrett, K.C., £26 us.; Sir-George Clifford, £25;' Mr. 1 Folix Campbell, £10 10s.; Miss Ma.loney, £10; Hon. lCathlcen Plunket, £5; Dr. Herbert, £3 3s. ; D.1.C., £2 25.; Conci's, £2 25.; Potono Railway Workshops, £2; sundry other. ~£3 Ss.;. gato money, £20 13s. 6d.; Madame Steele's performanw, £3 10s.; musical box, 3s. Od.; cigarette ancl refreshment stall, £71 ss. Id.; produco stall, £60 18s.'; tea stall, £54 15s. lOd.; sweets stall, £44 3s. 6d.;, handkerchief stall, £32 155.; blouso. stall, £22 Is. 7d.; baby show and entertainments, £18 17s. 6d.; flower stall, £17 ss. 3d.; pincushion stall, £15 125.; hat stall, £14 lis. 6d.; Mrs. Kendall's stall, £14 25.; bran tub, £13 ss. 5d.; camisolo, limerick, art, and diabolo, £26 10s. 4di; total receipts, £545 10s. Exponditurfi— Printing and advertising, £39 19s. 6d.; stamps and stationery, £4 3s. Bd.; total expenditure, £44 3s. 2d. Net proooeds— £501 6s. lOd. ' The formal proceedings ended, • all thoso present' were entertained at afternoon tea ill the-Refectory.'