Afternoon Tea Gossip

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 123, 8 November 1902, Page 12

Afternoon Tea Gossip

By Little Miss Muffitt.

Colonel Pole Pcuton, ex-Commandant of New Zealand, went along to look at his former friends, the Coronation Contingent, while that body was in London. He said he hoped that anything that had taken place would not lower him in their eyes, and said that he had told his army friends previous to their arrival that they would be the smartest colonial troops at the big shivoo. Evidently, he had not forgotten the cowardly cur and raw meat incident at Newtown Park. I notice that the river Murray, in Victoria, is lower at present than it has ever been before. The river is either sixty miles wide or two yards. I have hopped across that stream without getting my skirts wet, and have been pulled across the same place in succeeding years for many hours in and out among the gum-trees, drowned sheep, and floating bullocks. Sometimes pastoralists get Murray cod washed up to tihe door of their homesteads, many miles from the banks of the ordinary channel, and sometimes they take a small jam-tin to scoop enough water out of Australia's biggest river for a drink. * * * If you are tender-hearted, do not co and see cattle shipped for export. It may be funny to the twister to violently screw a bullock's tail round to eet him to negotiate the "race," or it may be a comfort to an animal to be belaboured with a handspike or an iron stanchion, to have the hoof coverings torn from the bleeding toes with gratings, or to be driven mad bv a horde of yelling mm. The noble sport of bullfighting is a healthy Sunday pastime equal to the reading of the "Child's Companion" in comparison with the treatment of cattle for export Go and have a look at it. It will open your eyes

It s said that a lady of benevolent tendencies, with a rathei aggiessive moustache, recently offeied to many a convict in a Southern goal. It was hei duty, she said. "She'd reform him " * * * I had the honour of shaking hands the other day with a lady who has just recently arrived from Home, and who moves in the society of royalty, 01 something. I suppose it is the new shake she inflicted on me. Grasp the hand of your friend at the full stretch of the arm, them shoot it from you in the same manner as a signalman shifting points on a railway line then pull the unoffending person violently tow ards you, and bow, and you have accomplished what I am led to believe is the only way of letting the world know you were born in the purple. * * * True tale of a Wellir-gtoman as w ellknown as the Empire's Richard Friends of exemplary character, and prohibition principles, who saw the error of his ways, prevailed on him to go to church. The citizen said he would go provided they allowed him to have a drink before church. Sunday, too' Well, yes, they even agreed to this as the convert's heart might be mellowed under the soothing influence of beer They could not get into an hotel of course. They called on a private friend, therefore, and borrowed tw o bottles of beer. The intended convert engulphed the decoction of hons, aided and aibetted by the prohibitionists and went to church Can anyone supply me with the names of the three local gentlemen implicated who visited numerous hotels on that Sunday trying vainly to obtrin drink for a sinful mortal, and which was eventually obtained from a tenderhearted friend? If prohibitionists want to reach the hearts of the mere beerdrinker, get him a bottle of beer before church on Sunday. He is your friend thereafter for life. * * * I noticed a Panama-hatted and grevcoated ex-officer of a Contingent the other day. who has assumed the lisp learnt from Imperial officerdom stare stonily at an ex-friend, who had dared to call him "Bill." The said officer is now luxuriating in his £100 clothing allowance, and the ex-friend, whom he knows not, is wishing he had the 25s clothing allowance that he, as a trooper, got. This Contingent business has ruptured some thousands of friendships, and I know that the accessions to snobbishness in this country through the

suddea boosting of some cads into good positions is the most nauseating of the efiects of the war. What a blow for the political prophets that our Richard positively denies that he is leaving this country to run the rest of the world in May. Funny tiling where these wild rumours come from. Christchurch "Truth" had it on the best of authority, and 365 other papens, like the small boy who cribs, had the same tale on the most excellent authority. Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air , Ajid many a social bud so fresh and green Will waste her sweetness on a millionaire. » * • I happened to be there when the Southern members of the Coronation Contingent were embarking for home and mother, on Thursday evening. One huge soldier, with the chevrons and star of a ~uartercnaster-sergeant, leaned over 1 the side of the ship, and hailed a khaki warrior ashore. "Billy Hardham " he called, m a loud voice, "you're the only officer we had in the Contingent and I wanted to tell you. So long." And Hardham, V.C., seeing that the crowd was reminded that he wore the "fourpennorth of bronze," bolted far cover Do you want to be independent, ginls? If so, take an average contract for making shirts. Rates, about the same as when Tom Hood wrote his soner of the shirt. Adelaide, the home of holiness and "butchers" of beer, has been indicted with paying the exorbitant rate of 2d each for the making; of this useful article of male attire. These shirts are retailed at 4s 6d, and the free woman (she has the franchise in South Australia) of Adelaide supplies her own machine and cotton. Probably the factory owners have nice bald heads and prayer-books, and rent the most prominent new in the most prominent church in the holy city. In this exclusively free and enlightened land you may find commercial sins of equal magnitude, and employers of eoual holiness. • • • Talking about average holiness, did you hear about the correct person who may have been a relative of the immortal Stigeins, who nulled the blinds down because the sunset assumed' a shanp he objected to?

The King is not really rich. He has a paltry income of £150,000 a-year — nearly as much as you and I spend in ties per annum. He pays a fearful aum in taxes, and then, of course, he has to keep the crown jewels burnished, and has horse and pnze cow feed to pay for. After all, however, poverty does not seem to stop the "genial currents of his soul." # * # Mr. H. D. Crawford, whose landed possessions adjoin those of his brothers, Alexander and Charles, the Lairds of Miramar, was accusel point blank the other day, by a person who wanted to know yon know, of making £1500 ayear out of gravel and sand. The cleanshaven, Roman-nosed gentleman, who may be seen any day riding a nicelooking cob remarked that he would "sell the show for half that monev." which is a fair indication thait there is money in sand. t * * Corporal "Jack" Muir, of the Coronation Contingent, formerly a sergeant in the "First," carried the Duchess of Portland's parasol at Welbeek Abbey while at Home. Jack is not unduly elated at the fact, not being a snob. But, he pays a high tribute to the aristocracv of the Old Land by saying tihath the Duchess and all other aristocrats, who insisted on showering hospitality on them, in no case showed in any sense that there was a difference in rank. Jack went awav into the North of Scotland for a trin. and was there pounced upon bv oeople who desired to shower gold on him. He is quite satisfied that hobnobbing with the aristocracy is fully as interesting as — ploughing, for instance. ♦ ♦ • The Right Hon. G. H. Reid, leader of the Federation Opposition, whose adipositv has been reduced from 19st 121b to 18st since tihe advent of the new religion, Sandow, is probably the cleverest criminal lawyer this side of tihe world, and would give points to Britain's brightest and best legal luminaries. George has a way with him that simply paralyses juries, and makes them love him with a fervent passion, or English to that effect. You remember how he won the case for the "Bulletin" aisrainst Miss Billee Barlow, when the red paper said something about Billee's clothes, and eot a libel action as the- consequence, and how his bitter political enemy, the said "Bulletin," went into ecsitacaes in its next issue about him. Georjrie Porgie's brains are straight, even if he is "hen-toed," as the "Bulletin" nersists in oicturing him.

Mr. and Mis. Heiapath aie staying a shoit time m Dunedin befoie lea\ing for India. Captain Hughes, D.5.0.. is organising a large garden party to be held at Napier, in aid of the Veterans' Home. It promises to be a great success. Napier functions of this sort geneially are a success, for it is only on lare occasions that ram interferes with the plans. * * * A very pretty and enjoyable enteitainment was given by the pupils of Mrs. Ralph Fitzherbert, at Mar ton, on Saturday, November Ist, the occasion being the " breaking up " of their dancing class. The Drill Hall, which had been tastefully decorated, was filled with guests who thoroughly enjoyed and admired the graceful dances of the little ones. The Japanese dance, abbon reel, and lush jig were especially applauded. » * * Mrs. Fitzheibert wore a black silk blouse with white guipure embroidery and a black voile skirt. I noted amongst the guests — Mrs. Birch and Miss Larden, both in black ; Mrs. White, wearing a long fawn coat and a pretty black and white hat; Mrs. J. Mcßeth, in black; Miss Deighton, sailor hat, smart muslin blouse, dark skirt ; Miss Olhvier, black ; Mrs. Cash, black , Mrs. Tennent, fawn coat, becoming straw hat, and dark gown ; Miss Tennent wore white and a pink swathed hat; Miss S. Tennent, pretty flowered muslin ; Miss Hardy, becoming navy coat and skirt ; Miss A. Hadfield, in black. There were also present — Mrs. Mowatt, Mrs. Howard, Mrs. and Miss Iveson, Miss Stedman, Mrs. Austen, Mrs. Davenport, Miss K. Mcßeth, Mrs. Tythendge, and many others. » ♦ » Mr. Louis Cohen, who is shortly leaving Marton to reside in Wanganui, will be greatly missed, he having for years taken the lead in musical matters there, and was always ready to assist at any entertainment • ♦ *■ A pretty wedding was celebrated at St. Matthew's Church, St. Albans, Christohurch, on October 23rd, when Miss Ellen L. Swindell, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Swindell, Chnstchurch, was married to Mr. Henry Hunt, of Wellington. A large number of guests and friends witnessed the ceremony, and the church had been beautifully decorated for the occasion. The Rev. H. Williams, vicar of the parish, officiated. • • • The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a gown of ivory merveilleux, with chiffon and twine-coloured insertions, and a pretty veil and wreath of orange blossoms. Her attendants were Miss E. Swindell and the Misses Gapes and Heaven (2), who wore frocks of grey muslin, with grey chiffon and white lace, white chiffon hats with pink roses, and they also wore gold cable bangles, the gift of the bridegroom. After the ceremony a reception was held at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Swindell. A large number of valuable presents were received by the bride and bridegroom. After the honeymoon, spent at Lake Wakatipu, Mr. and Mrs. Hunt will reside in Wellington. • * * Mrs. Frank Waldegrave is visiting Mrs. 0. Waldegrave, Palmerston North. • • • Miss Osborne-Gibbs has returned from a visit to Dunedin. • » * Miss Stowe has returned from a trip to Hawke's Bay. • • • The engagement has been announced of Miss Ivy Hovell, only daughter of the Dean of Waiapu, to Mr. Hermann von Dadelzen, of Napier. • • • The marriage of Miss Blanche Coates, daughter of Dr. Coates, Mount Eden, Auckland, to Mr. Leslie Mair, was quietly celebrated, only the immediate relatives being present. • • • A pretty wedding was the marriage of Miss Florence Lilian Sidey, daughter of Mr. Francis Sidey, Manakau, to Mr. H. E. Wilson, youngest son of Mr, F. J. Wilson, of the Public Trust Office. The ceremony was conducted by the Rev..W. Shirer (brother-in-law of the bride) in the presence of a large assemblage of friends and guests. The bride, who was beautifully dressed in a gown of ivory brocade silk, with Maltese lace zouave, trained skirt, and the usual veil and orange '. blossoms, and was attended by four maids '. — the Misses B. and R. Sidey, E. Wilson, i and E. McGowan — who were daintily frocked in white frilled muslin and lace, i with white hats swathed in chiffon. The ' three little maids (neices of the bride) i

wore soft white spotted muslin, with \ alenciennes lace and veils. They carried baskets of white dowers. # # * The bridegioom's piesent to the bride was a long mutt chain, with a pearl star pendant ; and to the bridesmaids he gave pearl and torquoise brooches. The best man was Mr. W. M. Stack, and Messis. F. E. Wilson, H. J. and J. H. Clark acted as groomsmen. Many beautiful wedding piesents weie received by the bride and bridegioom, including a beautiful tea and coffee seivice and set of carvers from the staff and employes of the Stewart Timber Company, and a handsome cake dish from the Newtown Tennis Club. The wedding was fully choral, the wedding march being played by Miss Billman. * * * Aftei the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Sidey entertained a large number of guests at Melbourne House. Mrs. Sidey (mother of bride) was gowned in black silk with sequin trimming, and cream and black hat ; Mrs. W. Shirer wore a black Eton costume and black toque ; Mrs. A. Clark, in pink muslin and a cream chiffon toque ; Mrs. Hueston, a blue muslin dress and hat to match ; Mrs. S. Brown, stylish green cloth gown, black sequin hat with tips ; Mrs McGowan, a pretty grey costume and cream hat ; Mrs. Burnett wore a blue costume and white satin revers ; Mrs. Mutei, a green sage costume ; Mrs. C. Clark, a black gown strapped with satin, and a black and yellow toque ; Mrs. Glascow, a black cloth costume ; Miss Brown, a very pretty flowered silk blouse and a Tuscan straw hat and black skirt ; Miss May Brown wore a pmk silk blouse, white picture hat and frilled skirt ; Mrs. Tatum wore black silk and black and white hat. * * • Mrs. Anderson, a grey costume ; Miss Anderson, a cream silk blouse and blue hat ; Miss Clark, a blue frilled muslin dress and Tuscan hat ; Miss A. Clark, pink tucked silk blouse and chiffon toque. There were many more guests, but space being limited I cannot mention any more this week. ♦ ♦ • Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are spending their honeymoon in Sydney.