THE LADIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5965, 18 October 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LADIES.

LADIES' GOSSIP.

I am afraid my notes tin's week will appear stale to some of my readers, when I have to take my thoughts back to the opera of Thursday week, but the sub-editor will kindly .allow it to pass, and thus escape the ?ato, reserved for stale locals — consignment to the wastepaper basket. That night; I think, was about the most (enjoyable of the season, at least to the many little children who were, present on that occasion, judging from their eager happy faces, so intent upon the stage and its proceedings. All is so real to them, that when the interval comes numerous are the questions to be answered. To return to the dresses. Mrs Ormond blabk, lace cap; Mrs Nairn, black, high bodice, and n scarlet feathor fan. Mrs T. W. j Balfour, black, low V bodice, white wrap ; accompanied by her sister, Mrs J. B. Rhodes, also in black, low bodice, white flowers ; Miss Balfour, ! pale blue; Miss M. Balfour, pink. Mrs Provis, black, lace cap. Mrs Crowlcy, black, white lace collarette and cap. Mrs Warren, handsome gown of white silk and plush. Miss Thomson, pale pink, low bodice. Mrs Todd, black merveilleux and jet. Mrs Eathbone, black silk, white wrap. Miss Knowles, black merveilleux and bine wrap. Mrs Rochfori, black lace cap. Mrs Parker, black silk. Miss K. Ifitchings, black net, low bodice and sleeves. Mrs Hoadley, black, V bodice, and pink wrap. Mrs Rhodes, black luorveilleux, lace collar and cap ; Miss Rhodes, white ; Miss M. Rhodes, pink. Miss Lascelles, black, low bodice, and flowers. Misses M'Hnrdy. walking dresses. Miss Banks, black cut V and short sleeves. Miss Hindniarsh, crushed strawberry gown. Miss I Newton, black and orange. Miss Heath, white, and.blue sash from the shoulder. Miss Luckie, black, low bodice and scarlet flowers. Misses Carter, white. Mrs Hansard, white, high bodice. Mrs Richardson, dark terra cotta and white striped velvet gown. Miss Bower, geranium color evening gown, bodice cut square back and front, and shoulder straps. Miss Moss, crushed strawberry muslin, opening on a V front, and back of bodice trimmed with folds of the material. Mrs Fraser, evening dress of silk and lace. Mrs A. 11. Price, block costume. Mrs J. T. Carr, black silk and jet. Mrs Reid, black, low bodice, and white flowers. The little children I noticed belonged to Mcsdames Nairn, Balfour, Hoadley, Blythe, Corn ford, Todd, and Miss Moss had three Misses Burke, and there were many more I did not know. Mrs Swan, black, plush wrap. Mrs C. Ellison, white, black velvet collar and cuffs. Mrs Mason Chambers, pale pink, high bodice, long sleeves. Mrs J. McLean, black dress, and white flowers.

My readers will have noted with pleasure that the Rev. Charles Clark purposes lecturing in Napier. Those who have already heard him will be glad to renew their acquaintance with hint, while to those who have not yet had that pleasure, all I say is do not forget his dates. As a lecturer lie is superior to any one we have had in the colonies, while his elocution is as nearly perfect as it can be. Years ago, when lie was minister of the Albert Church, Melbourne, .1 critic said of him, he (the critic) would be content to sit out the service if Mr Clark only read hymns all the time. In those days the orthodox used to look with awe at a preacher who had the courage to go into the pulpit in a silk coat, with a white vest, and who was not afraid to show his gold sleeve links and studs, but once the man began preaching you forgot all those little peculiarities. It was not what ho said that impressed you, but the manner of saying it, which was charming. His lectures on ' The Tower of London,' ' Charles Dickens,' ' Thackeray,' &c, were gems in their way, and the extracts from either Dickens or Thackeray acquired anew meaning from the pathos and feeling that the lecturer threw into them. Sight after night he would give a. lecture on a different subject, and while for two -hours lie held 3'ou enthralled, he spoke without a singlo note. His memory is something wonderful. He can read a page of a newspaper once, and then repeat it off word for word, while I know on one occasion as a test of his powers during a railway journey he amused his fellow travellers by reading a column of the Melbourne Argus and then repeating it backwards without a mistake.

After Mr Clark's lectures Mrs Sheath follows with an operatic concert, in which she will have the assistance of all our leading amateurs, and in addition, I understand, at least one singer new to Napier will make his first appearance on the occasion. The lady herself is too well known to musical audiences to require any notice at my hands, but what is needed is the early intimation of the concert—it takes place on the 1 Oth of November—so that oilier engagements may not be entered upon. The day will be a holiday, and therefore it will be a fitting finish to a day's enjoyment to spend the- evening at the theatre. Mrs Sheath, in addition to taking part in innumerable entertainments of all kinds, will be best and longest remembered by her impersonations of Yum-Yum in the ' Mikado' and Phyllis in ' lolanthe,' so I trust her first concert will prove a great success.