Late Social News.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 97, 10 May 1902, Page 17

Late Social News.

Mrs. W. Derry, who looked pretty in a blouse of chine silk, with lace yoke, and a black skirt, and Miss Rena Butt, in a dainty pink silk blouse And daak skirt.

A ;\oung Wairarapa lady had a disagiceable' smprise lately. Her parents, en route for the coronation ceiemomy, forwarded her from Sydney a pair of 'tip-top" gloves. When the parcel arrived, she found a badly shrivelled lump from which the parts that had ongmally lepresented fingers could hardly be disentangled. Almost in tears, the voune ladv lushed to the postmaster. "Oh," said that official, "don't you know that Sydnev is plague stnckeax? Youi gloves have been disinfected." True enough, thev had been fumigated to some purpose. * * • Tale told of a pa,rsomcal bowler. He is said to be the mo&t exemplary man in his district away from the game, but as soon as he is on the green his language is as forcible as that of many a mere layman. He had been unusually expletive one dav recently, and, as he was going home, he murmured, ''I maun gi'e it up." "'Hoots, no," his companion said, ye niauna gi'e up bowls" Wha was savin' onything aboot gi'en bowls up. It was the meenistry I was speakin' aboot." * ♦ • Thev reckon thev have discovered a prize mean man in the Forty-mile Bush. He is a shopkeeper, and was casually informed by a customer that the Commonwealth Postal Department had just decided to receive New Zealand letters at the penny postage. The news flattened him out as if he had just been robbed of thousands. "Hang it all," he exclaimed, 'I've just posted a twopenny letter to Australia. I'll go round to the post ojnee and get them to return me the extra penny stamp " Result of interview not yet to hand. * * * King Dick and King Edward. Sa-\ s Seddon, big and proud and bold, We want all Africa's strand, We want the good red Transvaal gold, We want the fertile land, We want to rule the blooming lot' — At least, that is my view, And any talk of terms, Great Scot ' I will not listen to'" Says Edward, with a heavy sigh "I hear vour words, King Dick. We'll do your wish, and, sire, we.'ll try To make it short and quick Heie, take my crown, and take my throne. Mt sceptre with the knob, Now run the Empire on vour own, I abdicate the job '" —Adelaide ''Critic." -"■ -r ■* A young ruddy-haired and faced policeman received rather a rude shook up North the other day when a voune and prepossessing oung woman laid over his uniform and exposed partsi a stout umbrella, flourishing a letter at the gotten to search his clothes before changing or something The small bo\s were delighted, and the sergeant, to whom the voung lady presented the letter, looked worried, but said little-. Thev say it was the policeman's wife Poor bobby ' The weekly 'Tommy" yarn. A Wellington man, who has just been invalided home, tells how, when the column of which he was a unit met General Flyger's column, at Dorstfontein, they amalgamated for amusement. Thev held a concert thait night, and Flvger's column had three pianos going. (They were chasing De Wet ') Next morning, the New Zealander, who was an officer's servant, received a message from Flvger's. staff. Did the New Zealand CO. want any pianos? They had seven pianos and a harmonium, and tihev w ould like to show their appreciation of the goodfellowship of the New Zealanders bv giving them one. That evening the New Zealanders boiled their billy with a 100-guinea "grand." -*■ ■* * Taihape has a football enthusiast who beats anything of the kind ever heard of even in Wellington where enthusiasm sometimes boils over. At a recent meeting of the Rugbv Union, held at Marton he rode sixty miles on horseback to attend. The business did not conclude till midnight supper absorbed another hour, and shortly after one a.m. the Taiha>pe man rode out into the -still dark night on his way home so a& to be present, a.t an exciting game to be plaved m the township on Saturday.

Messrs. Thompson Bros, and Co , the enterprising coal and grain meichants who have four branches in ranons parts of Wellington, are enabled by the extent of their business, to fill all orders for coal, firewood oats chaff, wheat, bran, and pollard very ••omptly. The very large stock of produce on hand enables the firm to deal liberally with customers, and pi ices are very satisfactory . The public are notified that the branches are at Dixon-^treet, 49. Featherston-street, Pipitea-street, and Harris-street.

V»"e aie in leceipt of Our Femeiy," the \ e.ry attractive annual of St. Mail's Convent School, for the current yea,r. It has been compiled by the good sisters themselves, and reflects highly on thear artistic taste and literary skill. There is a full record of scholastic doings, which will be of interest to pupils and their friends. A brightly - written article, entitled "Advance New Zealand," forms a capital introduction, and an historical tale, "From out the Buried Past," displays considerable merit. Snatches of poetry, and a couple of well-finished photographs of distinguished pupils, are also attractive features of this verv pretty volume. In all, the annual contains ninety pages of leittei press and illustrations ,and ought to sell well at the low price of a shilling. The New Zealand Express Company has a reputation foa packing, removing, and storing furniture. Moreover, its terms; are moderate, and the care exercised in transit minimises risk to valuables. Expert packers, carters, and shippers are always, employed by the company, and it undertakes the transmission of any kind of property to airy part of the colony. The office of the company is at 20, Customhouse Quay. The Wellington Association of Spiritualists have succeeded in inducing the celebrated lecturer, Dr. Peebles, of Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S.A., to come to Wellington . We gave some particulars about his interesting career and life-work a few weeks ago. The opening lecture will be delivered in the New Century Hall, Kent Terrace on Sunday, May llth, on ''Spiritualism, and the good of it." As there is bound to be eager demand for the tickets, those who would make sure of being there will need to look sharp. Dr. Peebles's fame as a lecturer is worldwide. Prices of admission are fixed at the very low rates of Is 6d and Is. Mr. J. B. Speed, well 1 known in athletic circles, and popular everywhere, has just opened his new tobacconist shop at 71 Lambton Quay. It is> fitted up in first-class style, and stocked in a way to suit all tastes. There are not manv kinds of tobacco leaves, but there are a good man" methods of treating them, both before and after manufacture. Mr. Speed uses his expert judgment in dealing with the product, and one can always be sure of getting a choice article at his shop. Also, he makes a specialty of high-class pipes, of which his stock is. very large and complete. In packing tobaccos for the post, particular care is taken to ensure arrival at destination in good condition. Miss Carr, well-known as a partner with Miss Hardi© in the shorthand asd typewriting teaching profession, has severed her connection with that lady. Miss Carr has opened a school to teach the winged art and its sister craft in Stewart, Dawson's building, on the corner of Lambton Quay and Willis-street. Mr&. J. F. Gimmon,' her sister, will assist her. The rooms are fitted up with all necessary appliances, and all the machines used are of the latest and most approved type. The well-known ability of the sisters, who each hold high certificates, should ensure large classes.

At. the last London census 1 etui us theie were 2234 actois and 2900 actresses- in tlie ' little \ lllage ' Miss May Beattv is stuchmg, sinking, imdei Madame Slapoftslci at Melbourne, and is getting on spleuchcll\ Mr. Tom Leonaid is pl.n 1112, a part 111 Tiie Wrong, Mi Wnght " with the Willoughb\-Geach Compain at Melbourne Miss Till\ Lake , some vears ago w ltli Bland Holt, and well known in New Zealand died on Febiuaiv Bth .\t Diana pm It is said that C'liaihe Cartel the tenor of the Pollaid Opera Comnapv will leave aftei Chustmas in oulei to tiv his luck ui London Plnl Goei a coiueiman challenges any nun 111 Austiaha to a whisthnq. match for am pait ot £100 Here I*a chance for Piccolo Charlie Janet WaJdoif staited liei S^\ dnc\ season in ''As You Like It" foui davs after hei amval from New Zealand And she established hoi self at once as a fust-grade aitiste Strong man Sandow ai 1n es in Fiemantle undei engagement to Han a Rickards on July 10 In his tour ot the colonies Sandow intends to establish athletic classes in the cities he \ isits The St. Onge B- others now plawAg at the PaJace Theatre, 111 Svdno\ are said to be the cleverest trick bic\ chsts who Lave eve>r visited Australia. If so they must be top-notchers Madame Albani talking to an mteiviewer, lately said 'A reputation made in London is one made for evei in other countries they soon tire of a ftuouute, but 111 England \ou can keep on singing as long as you have a voice Arthur Collins' Drurv Lane production of Ben Hur" is said to ha\e cast £20,000 Shows twenty-four horses and four chariots 111 the race scene, and three camels come on in the desert .scene. In Sidney, J. C Williamson had two chariot^ and eight horses, also one camel * * *- How is this for high ? It is a novel feature in the show gh en by the World's Entei tamers, at the Sydney Palace. Mis. Grace Millar W aid smg& before a cm tain, and when the chorus comes the curtain goes up, displacing the chorus and music on a big w lute screen the notes being fiftc heads thrust, thiough the cloth. and each "note" singing his shaie of the choius. When McAdoo's Jubilee Singers were in Bioken Hill the other day, sa\s the 'Critic," two ot the company staged at the 'swagger" hotel of the town. Their piesence annoyed several of the wouldbe anstociats who also patronise the hostelry and a piotest was lodged w ith the rn.ana.gei , objecting to the presence ot coloured people in the dmmg-ioom, and if the hoteJ persisted m allowing it they would lemove their patronage The hotel people sensibly said that while the singers behaved properK the\ would be treated as anyone eJse and pointed out that in decency and education the O'bjected-to coons were a model to many w lute men even to some of the objectors Harry Rickaids' Vaude\ille Company started its New Zealand tour at Napier on Satuidac last. It consist*of Cinquevalli, the jugglei, Madame Yeamans-Titus. described at, a ' hue actress and travesty queen," who is assisted b;s Fiederick I. Titus, piano soloist and accompanist , Colle\ and Way, ventriloquial entertameis Val Vousden, society entertainer and chaiacter impersonator Professor Wrigle^ .saxophone and clarionet soloist the Diamond Duo vocalists, dancers and banjo experts . Miss Nita Lette contialto, James Opie, bantone am] Charles Walker and Ida May, champion gold medal cake walkers and specialty artists Another ex-member of the Pollard Opeia Compam got married at Lvttelton the other day, changing her name from. Miss Kate O'Brien to Mrs. Andrews 'Pasquin" savs the follow ing is the cast of the Pollaid "Household Brigade" up to date — Cissy Sandford (Mis. Cha.s. Phillip*.) Auckland Marion Mitchell (Mrs. Ernest Davi.) Auckland Maud Beattv (Mrs Milbourne) at sea en loute to England Emily Metoalfe (Mrs. Cleaver). Svdne-\ Bertha Harrison (Mrs Bush) Christelm rch Cissy Stephens (Mrs. Schatz). Chii^tchurch Lett' Harmston Mis Ten ell) Manila Kate Hicklinc (Mrs Honev), Bulawa-o Kate O'Brien (Mrs Andrews) Rangioia