SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 253, 18 July 1908, Page 11

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

On Thursday evening a vory delightful dance was given at Ivarori by Mrs. Henderson in honour of Miss Dawson; who is her guest. A number of young pcqplo went out froin town," and all thoroughly enjoyed tho ovoning: Tho verandah had been closed in with canvas and decorated with palms 'and branches of macrocarpa, and there wore plenty of_ cosy corners; oho room was set aside for bridge playors, and during the evening thoro were songs and other music, so that tho visitors who did not danco were well provided 'for. Wattle bloom had been utilised for the decoration of supper-room and table. Mrs. Henderson wore a black chiffon taffetas dress, trimmed with black lace; Miss Henderson, white silk with gold braid; Miss Muriel Henderson, white embroidered muslin; Miss Dawson, white law frock over silk; Miss Hall-Jones, white chiffon taffetas; .-Miss. Gov/er, white frock trimmed with gold; Miss Bulkley, green chiffon taffetas; and Miss Myra Doughty, pink silk frock. Among others present-were the Misses Hislop (2), Gear, Hunt (2), Myers (2), Wilson (2), Bulkley (2), Rutherford, Fulton, Hayw'ard, Gavin (2), and Putnam (3). . At the Church of Christ, Pahiatua. yesterday morning, Miss Jessie Stratford was married to Mr. Jackson, of Taihape. After the ceremony tho wedding party and guests were entertained by tho bride's parents. MrsJ'M'FarlanOj of Tangaio, is at present on a visit to her mother, Mrs. Gillespie, of Masterton. • . Mrs. H. B. Mason held an enjoyable fancy dress dance iu connection with tho dancing classes, in her private hall, Ghuznee Street, on Wednesday evening last. Tho hall was tastefully decorated, and there was a large attendance of : past and present pupils. A feature' of the ovening was tho singing of Mallinson's " Snowflakes " 'by Miss •, Muriol Bennett., • A meeting of the Society for tho Promotion of the Health of Women and Children was held at tho rooms in Willis Street,' yesterday. There were present: Dr. Platts-Mills (president), Mesdames Fell, Richmond, Gray; Chappie, and M'Vicar. Apologies for absence wore received from Mesdames Atkinson _ and Young, - Rev.' Mother Aubert, and Misses Brown and Richmond. The minutes of tho last meeting were read and confirmed, and accounts for £4 lis.' Gd. were passed for payment. The ntirso's report for . tho preceding fortnight was road, arid showed continued progress and satisfactory cases. Subscriptions wore received from the following:—Mrs. Sladdin, os.;, " Life Preserver," 55.; Dresden Piano Company, £1 Is.; D.1.C., £1 Is.; Messrs. George and Eersley, £1 Is. Further; subscriptions will bo received and acknowledged -by tho hon.' secretary,. Mrs. M'Vicar, '45 Majoribanks Street. ■ - . It is a very attractive collection of .pictures that" is ] now,] being exhibited privately in her studio in 'Ballance Street by Mrs. iClifford Godden, who arrived a fow weeks ago'from England with tho intention of opening a. studio and teaching hero. Mrs. God : den '; has. had many years' ' experience as exhibitor and teacher, and sho here shows very varied examples of her work, both portraits and. landscapes, ■in oils, water-colours, and pastel. ■ Miniatures are her speciality, arid the three exhibited are excellently done. Perhaps the one'that is most-admired is. a tiny vignette of a young man,'painted with great delicacy and sureness of touch, and looking quite as picturesque as tho portrait of a bluefrocked'gentleman, of the old school which hangs beside, it. , Thero are three portraits and a landscape'in pastel, one a charming full-length portrait of a slim graceful girl, the flesh tints and the rich bluo of her gown being ' very effectively rendered inthis medium. Anothor fine piece of colouring is given in the portrait of a yellow-gowned lady. There are some seascapes, and many landscapes, mellow bits of colouring from the South of England, hero a sketch of. moorland, there a Seaside cliff, a glimpse of a courtyard in' old Paris, or groy stouo buildings seen at a distance through tho, mist. An interesting picture" entitled "At the Gate" shows a i mother and three children waiting bv a gato in the fields/ and still. more interesting are several portraits of old age. The many portraits exhibited &ro very pleasing 1 and alive... ~ \ : ——* —' ■ ROADS MADE BY WOMEN. Uganda is a land 1 of good roads. " This country has thousands of miles of native roads, each ten feet of more in width. This is different, from the other' countries in Africa, says Frank G. Carpenter in a recent article. ■ These roadways aro one of tho greatest signs of Uganda's civilisation. -They go up hill 'and down dale, crossing the streams and' swamps, 011 bridges and causeways. The. roads are kept up;' by; tho natives under thoVdirection of their chiefs, though back of the chiofs are tho British officials, who .work through them." Every person in the country, male and female, is subject to one month's, work during the year, as a road tax. ' We think it a heavy burden if we have to pay for one day's work on the roads, but here every one is supposed to work a whole month, ' Each chief is responsible for tho roads of his territory, and he calls upon ovory householder for the requisite amount of labour; The. householder as 'a rulo sees that most of the work is done by the women. ' This I found to bo tho caso all tho way from Entebbe to Kampala. Everywhere there were girls down on thoir.knees pulling out weeds, or bonding over and smoothing tho road-bed with short-handled native noes. 'In ono or two places men were at work, but as a rule the rough labour was done by bare-shouldered, ■ bare-armed, and barefooted females, clad in bark clothing. MARK TWAIN'S DAUGHTER. '■ Miss Clara Clemens, the daughter of Mark Twain, was to. have made her debut as a singer in London on May 30. Overshadowed as she is by the fame of her father in letters, it will be news to many English concert-goers (says tho "Daily Express") that Miss Clemens is the possessor of a sweet contralto voice, as well as being a pianist of no mean ability. She is a former pupil of both Mrae. Blanche Marchesi and M. Leschetizky, and has sung in. public in America for nearly two years. . Miss Clemens, who is slim and dark, with Madonna-like features, and deep brown eyes, seems to havo inherited her father's sense of humour. "Why did si not bring him with mo?" sho said to an "Express" representative who saw hor. "Well, you see, .he accompanied me in Americas for about two years, and I found that he was so anxious to get, up on the platform before I had finished, and mako a speech, and tho people soemed so impatient to hear him, I guessed if I didn't want to ruin-my career he'd better stay at homo." Brief notes'of refusal, aro often the sourco of anxiety _to a hostess. Such notes are sent moro iii thoughtlessness than anything, and are generaljy tho product of those who ■havo'little leisure or liking for lengthy correspondence. Tho reason why a refusal is necessary should always bo given, unless, of course ; tho liaturo of the note is intended to be. brief. Originality in refusing an invitation, can hardly be looked for, yet good manners should always bo discorniblo between the lines, and although a hostess may hope for an affirmativo response, a friendly and politely-worded refusal, with, say, some expressed: regret,- is a consolation when the answer. is. in , the negative; The fact has been deplored that tho majority of women possess loss self-control than men. Woman, of.courso, is a creature of impulse, first thoughts and rash undertakings.' Tf she had tho masculino gift of self-control this might bo a better-balanced world; but it would be a very dull place. It is the lack of self-control in' women which compensates for the depressing ini fluer.ee of the well-considered plans of men which so often go astray.—"Ladies' Picto--1 rial."

to fall in for a generous share of theso potty confidences, .which must make him increasingly wary about olforing assistanco to any other stray- lady traveller whom lie may meet. ' ■ Sometimes the talkativeness comes with the travelling, and ono suspects that the lady who is talkativo abroad may bo quito quiet on ordinary occasions among her own folk, though it is difficult to account, for her extraordinary want of reserve with strangers, • unless it be that her own folk have a repressive effect on her.' The last time "Dominica "Went to Sydney, sho had a cabin next door to one occupied by a'lady- of this typo, and pretty soon sho . imperfectly overheard the recital of what seemed to bo a choicely indiscreet story. Tho details were ■ murmured, but loud and clear came the narrator's triumphant finale: "I made lip my mind I would not say a word about it, as long as.l was in tho colony." "Dominica" looked at her watch, and finding they were only three hours out from Wellington, mentally complimented the lady on her successful resolution. • • • . So much for the occasional talkativo lad.v. As for the talkativo man, ho is too .well known. Everywhere and always ho speaks for himself. EXTRAORDINARY SKIRTS. As a rule American people are noted for the suitability ; and' perfection, of their attire, having an instinctive knowledge of what is suitable to tho occasion. But even those who aim to live up to tho very latest-decree of fashion in r New Zealand would hesitato beforo thoy appeared in tho latest skirt described in a recent American woman's paper—a skirt which is quito straight and very tight, with no flaro about tho feet whatever. "Nothing," says tho paper referred to, "must hold this skirt out at tho bottom, which just touches all round and ends with a flat plait. This fashion edict will bring consternation to the majority, but as the great, makers of costumes say, 'It does seem odd just now, but, ladies, you will all get used to it in less than a week.' "If this were only all —but, alas! we must also conform to a new evening skirt, dubbed ' the trouser,' which is also to bo the smart houso skirt as well. Few will bo ablo to keep their countenances when tliey read of this, or their tempers, either, and may burst out into ejaculations far from tho usual social coin. Upon demanding a detailed de-i scription, it was .given much in this raan-| ner: You may think it a divided skirt, or ' bloomers-,' perhaps —but you will be mis-' taken. It is a skirt with a train, and tho only difference lies in certain fastenings down; from the knee to tho underskirt, which form: gaiters in a' way, in front, and only in front. In tlio back, tho train falls out as usual. Of course, one has to practise walking and sitting in it over and over beforo one is ablo to act naturally, gracefully, and as if sho had worn it all her life. It is said tho effect when accustomed to it, is charming to a degree. Many women will havo to watch'the actresses and study their stage attitudes and their management of this trouser skirt, but smart women will bccomo adopts at once, bccauso the intricacies of wearing novelties, they can usually master at the first trial. "It may bo remembered now soon they led off in the sliding step required when skirts were so long in front that one's feet were quito hidden and were to be kept otit of siMit. We shall not see anything of this new departure probably until the summer seai son opens in August. '■

FASHION AND DRESS. Once a lady, while choosing a dress of startling design, -asked her French dressmaker, "But,do you think it will suit mo?" "No!" was tho truthful reply, "I do not say exactly that it will suit'you, madam, but it will makq you to be remarked." This is. the very thing that some people likej wishing above everything "to be 1 revmarked," they purchase clothes without considering the colour of their own hair or complexion; • then in consequence dissatisfied- with the result, they reverse- the order of things, and begin- by artificial means to suit themselves to their clothes, indifferent to tho injury powders may inflict on tho skin, and hair dyes on the eyesight. Almost everybody is rilled by fashion in something, if, it be only in trifles, such as pockets, for'lnstance. For many years tho lady's pocket has been impossible to find in a hurry. An aged person-required the help of her daughter to reach it; but this bccamo incndurable —the worm turned at last, and tho hand-bag was invented. It is decidedly an improvement as to convenience—tho thief also is of the same opinion.— : Lady Guendolen Itamsden in the "Young Woman."