THE LADIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5660, 19 October 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE LADIES.

LADIES' GOSSIP. Dear Louie,— Do you know I think that the clerk of the weather must have forgotten that the day appointed for the opening of tho boating seasoti was fixed for jasf Saturday, when a more beautiful day could not baye been chosen—warm, calm, and the river as smooth as gluss, instead of the usual boistoroußness, which one recalls upon past occasions; and, as was anticipated, many of tho fair sex wore present in j honor of the club. Mesdames Hamlin, I Carr, G. W. Williams, and Misses Hitchjugs and Sutton aro to be thanked for their kindness in providing afternoon tea, which wns most enjoyable, and the liberal supply of different kjpds of cake that was bunded round. These ladies went to a deal of trouble in having a tent erected, and a barrel of water conveyed across. There was also music to enliven the proceedings— a harp nicely played. A boat race took place between two ladies, which, like the other events, was thoroughly enjoyed by the spectators. There was wot a ladies' crew, us on previous occasions. Most of the ladies were in white, but there vvoro also some very stylish dresses. A number of young ladies were on horseback, and buggies were rilled with occupants, while the Napier 'Bus Company showed their usual enterprise in running at cheap fares I have no doubt in time the gathering will become very popular, like in other parts of the colpny.

I Tiie C'uiitiit* ' Drtvi'i,' by Mr Goo. P. Root, if to bo given in St, Paul's Church next week, and should'prove most enjoyable to those able to go and hear it. Mr li. Aplin has had it in practice for some time past, and it is in utd of an organ fund, which the organist vighetj to establish. Hβ has the co-operation of tho other church choira, and as I listened to tho music tho other evening I thought it one of tho most taking cantatas I had ever heard. From tho kindly lent me by Mr Aplin, I notice parte' for J:wq sopranos, two contraltos, two' tenor's, two, lJurf tonep, an<i three bassos. Miss Hiccbinge will preside at 1 the piano, and Mr H. G. Kpupki'nan at the organ. Mr Aplin vvi!. , enduot; I might adii that ' David ' h«s been performeu f" ] Chrißtehuruh and North Piiluieiston quite rfCL-ntly with groait sue^s. The i J uyno Family have disappointed me. Judging from the criticisms 1 had seen I thought they must be good, but they were only a qualified success. Popular music at

popular prices resulted on Wednesday night in the Tneatre Royal being crowded to the doors, and even standing room was not obtainable in the circle. The audience was largely composed of those who do not often patronise eh te'r tainmen ts; they were riot over critical, oiid more coheemed as to getting as much,as possible for their money— hence nearly everything was encored—than as tothoquality of that presented. In the Irish numbers the .pronunciation was faulty, the Scotch jarred still more on the ear, and even in the English there seemed to be a vacancy in the ulphabet. Miss Lizzie Payne',s voice is very thin, but clear ; Miss Nellie's is of good volume, but it in not clear; and Miss Maud—the contralto—is far too nasal to please the fastidious. Their part t-iugiiuf was disjointed, and not to be compared with the Jubilee Singers or even the Buffalo Minstrels. What a thing is luck. Tho Spanish Students played to half empty benches, and yet their instrumentation was far superior to the Payne Fnmily. There never was an more given to criticising, and yet criticism—useful, intelligent, clear—promises soon to be a lost art in this colony. What is the cause P Some say the indiscriminate purling to which the newspaper's have become ad-lieted. Others assert it is because the amateur show is driving out the professional. One man says a newspaper has no more right to condemn the poor player trying to earn an honest shilling than he .has to say the goods of such and bucli a man are poor in quality. Another says the amateur must bo dealt .with with kid gloves; while a third says the professional has to play that part for which he is cast, he has no choice, suit him or suit him noi, like it or not like it, he must fill it; while the amateur selects his own piece, plays his choice part, and therefore the man to be lenientJv dealt with is the professional, not the amateur. Whatever the cause,* criticism in the colbny ia not healthy, and it ia but rarely: that the judgments of the press can be' followed -with satisfaction.

Edith. fashion notes. Shoulder-capes of Chantilly lace, shirred at the neck, and finished with a ruohing or -with ii standing collar of silk covered with lace, are to be very popular. The lace for tho cape may be procured in widths to suit the depth required; and very broad -face of a similar pattern is gathered at the top and set into the front, of the cape to tabs that ; hang nearly to the foot. These tabs aro I either hemmed at the sidea or finished with a tiny gimp or a narrow edging, and at the waistline they are bunohod uuder a handsome bow of the same color, which, bye-the-bye, is usually blaok. Kuohingti are again worn on the hems of dress skirts that are not too ample. Tho ruche may be pinked, ravelled, or hemmed, but it must be full in its plaiting. Itie said thata conventional mourning costume demands black undressed kid gloves, because fashion has adopted the glace variety for evening and full drees. Certainly tho latter make the hand appear smaller.

The sailor dress in still in vogue for little girls, and the sailor hat simply banded with ribbon ie worn with it. Blue andblue-and-white are leading colors in sailor costumes, but any of tho fashionable shades may bo chosen for them.

A blouse of silk, uashmere, or surah is a pretty economy in women's attire, and at the same time it is a becoming garment. Most women have a number of dress gkirts and dressy petticoats that have outlived their waists, and for wear with them the blouse will be very useful. In the fashions for young folks the historic styles, modified to suit the fancies of youth, will prevail for a long time. Dam ty washable woollens and cottons aro made up into pretty dresses that show flue tucking on their waiet fronts and easjr'sleeves. These gowns are very popular, and with them are worn hats of rough straw, either wired or unwired, that are wound about with bias strips of the dress goods, or perhaps trimmed with straight folds of the material, with short hanging ends at the back. These trimmings aro fastened to place with fancy pine that are taken out and replaced with each change of costume. It requires but a few minutes to arrange such a garniture, and the effect is very pretty. The handkerchief of ceremony for this season is of sheer linen lawn with a fine lace inserting set into it inside a hem an inch or an inch and a half in width ; there is no lace upon the edge. Many of these handkerchiefs have elaborato drawn work inside the hem instead of the inserting, and are equally elegant.

It may be safely predicted that jet will renew its vogue as an ornamental accessory, notwithstanding the beauty of the various silk passementeries and fringes lately made up without it. This will prove most welcome t.o tne tn&ny women "wlio Have liucL up treasures of the handsome garniture. r '

Costumes of striped, plaid arid plain silk nets are now much worn. Several rows of watered ribbon are arranged about the hems of undniped skirts, and the bodice Show ribbons arranged in place of hox-plaits and tied about tho full sleeves. With theso gowns are worn sashes of watered ribbon or of lace edged with ribbon.

Lace is inserted between the breadths of plaited skirts. Woollen lace is used in skirts of wool goods, and cotton, linen, or silk lace in thoso of silk.

Evening gloves of black and white are vicing with colored gloves for wear with white gowns.