A LADY’S LETTER FROM AUCKLAND.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 609, 19 May 1891, Page 3

A LADY’S LETTER FROM AUCKLAND.

SOCIETY NOTES. Auckland, May 12. BOWING CLCB'S BALL. Although my last letter contained a short account ol the Rowing Club Ball, perhaps the editor will allow me space for a few more Dotes on the same subject. A great feature of the dresses worn on that occasion was the popularity of artificial flowers—wreaths of roses,chrysanthemums, poppies, marguerites, violets, pansies, and many other flowers, trimmed the bodices, fell from waist to hem of the skirts, headed a ruche at the bottom of a plain skirt, or encircled the waist as a girdle, the long ends hanging loose after crossing in front. Scattered blossoms or bunches were also much worn, dotting the front breadths of some handsome gowns, or fastening the festoons which appeared at the foot of many otherwise perfectly plain and untrimmed skirts. The corsage is generally cut a little higher on the shoulder, and high, puffed, transparent sleeves are more fashionable than bare arms. Some dresses were made with round basques finished with a frill of the same material, but they did not look so dressy as those with pointed barques cut away over the hips, or even us belt bodies. THE SUPPER. The supper table looked very pretty, with its interlacing ropes of white and yellow flowers and autumn leaves. Red flowers were difficult to obtain, so the colors of the Club only appeared in a red cross lying upon a bank of white flowers which occupied the head of the table, and in the bouquets (white with a red cross) carried by the lady members of the Committee. It is often difficult to think of inexpensive supper dishes for the lords of creation, who for the most part despise the sweets—the jellies, trifles, and meringues—which we appreciate most. They always enjoy oysters, both uncooked and in the form of patties. At many dances here oysters are served hot. They are delicious scalloped, and it is very easy to prepare two or three large dishes of them in this way. I must try and get the recipe for an “ oyster pie ” about which all the men were raving at a recent dance. A PRETTY WEDDING. On Thursday,, by way of recovering from our fatigue, we went to see a very pretty wedding in St. Mary’s Church. Miss Challis, the bride, was given away by her uncle, Captain Clayton, or rather transferred by him into the keeping of Mr Arthur Monroe, son Of Judge Monroe, of this oity. The bride wore a handsome trained dress of Liberty Silk. The sleeves were high, full and gathered right down the middle of the arm from shoulder to wrist. The skirt was perfectly plain except for the trimming at its edge. The body was finished at the neck, with a full niching of the silk. Her veil of lovely point d’Alengon was fastened with a ■pray of orange blossoms, some of the same flowers also trimming her dress Miss Challis was attended by three bridesmaids, all dressed in pure white. Two of them were tiny Kate Greenaway maidens, who wore mob caps, short-waisted Indian muslin dresses, with many frills, and oariied baskets of flowers. They were both related to the bridegroom, being Miss Doris Haultain and Mrs Ware’s youngest daughter. Miss Bookes, the one “grown-up” bridesmaid, looked only less charming than the bride. Her white drees and big drawn muslin hat suited her to perfection. The handsomest gown among the guests was that worn by Mrs Ware—grey cloth, with waistcoat, collar and cuffs of silver passementerie After the ceremony we repaired to the residence of Captaio’and Mrs Clayton, where about fifty people were assembled. The wedding presents were very handsome. The refreshments took the form of afternoon tea—a great improvement on the old fashioned formal breakfast. A GRACEFUL OPERETTA I A YOUNG LADY FORMERLY OF GISBORNE TAKES PART. That evening the Lome Street Hall was the scene of a private entertainment given by the pupils of the Mount Eden Collegiate School, conducted by Miss Matthews and Miss McHarg. The hall, with its prettily tinted lavender walls, was tastefully decorated wih lycopodium and ferns, arum lilies and other flowers. About six hundred in, vited guests, relatives and friends of the Scholars, were present. After the perform anoe of a pianoforte duet as an overture, the cuutain rose on the opening scene of a graceful little operetta composed by Myles Birket Foster, on the favorite fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. The principal parts of Beauty, her father the merchant, and the bear, were taken respectively by Miss Kate Biyldon, Miss Maud Harper, and Miss Rose Rees, whose name will be familiar to many in Gisborne. The first named young lady suffered visibly from stagefright, but the other two characters played their parts with vivacity and in a natural manner. The opening scene, which represented a garden full of the sweetest little rosebuds—pink, crimson, creamy, and white—singing of their happiness in being “ the chief of all the flowers,” excited the admiration of the audience, and showed that they were going to enjoy a treat. When Miss W. Buddle, in her character of Queen of the Roses, reproved her subjects for their vanity and pointed out that a nobler mission would be to cheer the sad heart of the enchanted Prince Azor in whose palace gardens they grew, and to 1 ure to his rescue a maiden who alone could r emove the spell under which he lay, their sweet little voices rang out gaily in delighted obedience. The next ehorus is that of the sailors who man (f) the ship which takes Beauty’s fathar to a distant land. Here a very pretty duet between the merchant and his daughter occurs, she begging him to bring back no more costly gift than a rose. Before the sailors leave the stage they dance a hornpipe. This was splendidly flpne on Thursday night, the lightness, grace and precision with which the girls danced being greeted with round after round of applause. The hard hearted way in which Mr Foster dooms all these merry young mariners to a watery grave is glossed over lightly, and in the next scene the merchant is shown wandering, ship-wrecked and alone, through the Prince's domains. The voice ol the ;csea in the chorus “ Enter, weary mortal,” attracts Mm, He picks a rose (a real one, not a chorus child), and is about to return to his daughter when the Bear dashes on the stage with a harsh “ Hold 1 rash intruder,” which terrifies the Merchant and some of the audience considerably, The only terms on Which the Merchant’s life will be spared are that he shall bring Beauty to the Palace. To make a long story short she comes, and the languishing glances which the Bear easts at her with their swift change to bate and fury when the wretched father interposes his form, continue through a melodious trio for the three principals. The grouping was especially good in the scenes in the palace, the Eastern flreeses of the chorus of slaves being most graceful and harmonious in coloring. The transformation of the dying Bear in the last scene into a handsome young prince clasping io his arms Beauty (who with prudent forethought has arrayed herself in wedding garments , and veil) wee the eignal for most enthusiastic. applause. The music of the cantata is pretty throughout, and net too |iffloult,

THE SECOND 7ABT. The second half of the programme consisted of songs, glees, pianoforte pieces, and recitations. One cf the most remarkable of the latter was delivered by the children of the low-r school, Mite McHarg conducting With her baton, “The Dead Doll" was wonderfully rendered by these tiny ehildreii, every werd being distinct, and delivered with the right emphasis and expression. Tne celebrated scene from Julius Crasar between Cassius and Brutus was acted by Miss R. Rees and Mias W. Buddle. The latter delivered her lines with great ease and spirit. Miss Rees was very good, but rather more constrained in her acting. It speaks volumes for the coolness and nerve of both young ladies that a laughable incident which upset the gravity of half the audience shou'd h&ve passed entirely unnoticed by them. In her vehement declamation Brutus had the misfortune to lose her helmet. At the end of her speech she quietly picked it up from the Boor and replaced it on her bead. But unfortunately, the long white plume which

ought to have curled over the top had twisted round and nodded out from the back in most ludicrous style. The suppressed littering in the hall warned Brutus that something was wrong. Without a change of countenance or the omission of a single word, she quietly removed the offending bead-gear and went on calmly with her piece. NOTES RESERVED. I am afraid I shall have to reserve the account of the Tandem meet last Saturday, and of an afternoon we spent on the French man-of-war, till next week.