SOCIAL GOSSIP

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 849, 13 October 1916, Page 16

SOCIAL GOSSIP

Deab Christabel,

The pinafore frock is tlie favourite for matron and for maid, for day wear and for evening, for eacli and every occasion. Even the babe has adopted it. The uniform dress of the modern school occasionally bores the mother, whose child happens to look best in anything but what is ordered by the head of that same school. She needs to visit the Town Hall on- those occasions when there are. present, en masse', children whose school has no uniform. She will" agree that there is method in the madness, or reason in the argument of the head who sticks out for navv blue or something equally plain. And navy "blue can look so, charming, provided the white collar attached is spotless and fresh;' the tie not worn as - a halter round the neck, and the placed at the correct -angle on the head.

In the child of can be seen the "woman of- to-morrow. There walks she who -in '-the future' will wear her clothes with distinction and with grace —and - there. is the dowd, that woman (in ' who claps upon het- head •unsuitable hats, .whose clothes T rarely fit and iwlio seldom owns a decent pair of gloves: ' Sisters they are some times — children of the same mother brought up under ?the; same conditions, both enjoying tlie same, advantages. r Tlie clothes sensed is borax, not made, but it. ea,n be ©ncdiiraged, and no doubt should be. Why"look a frump, even if you-are one? The >,xrise woman dresses to charm and learns to cook. If she can play bridge (and is blessed with luck) and if she can listen intelligently to the words of wisdom it. pleases man to. hear himself utter, she will be a success. Occasionally a clever ma.n stretches forth his hand and grasps a plant whose virtue lies in its root,- but is not apparent in its blossom.

Now, where was I?- —Pinafores, of 'Course. Well, the plain, straight magyar jumper is going out; and the child of to-day is. dressed in full skirts, as. is her mother, and if the school rules permit, her uniform can be very dainty—a white lawn blouse (clean every day, if you .please) and a blue pinafore frock— bodice quite plain and skirt rather full — quite a smart little outfit with the white straw hat and school hat-band.

Then, there is. tlie jaunty little short bine -coat, which can be worn, too, over a Saturday frock, made of striped, material Very smart indeed can such a •-suit look, provided it is the right length, and does not dip behind. The grown-up sister wears her frocks a trifle shorter than does the junior, but the pinafore style is the same. There is possibly a difference in the material, and. occasionally in. the colour, but the Panama hat •is a. replica of that worn by la petite, and sometimes mamma appears in an equally short skirt, pinafore style, often made of dark .blue taffetas.

The really - well-dressed woman is •often very hard up indeed- —and then she has the Clothes Sense —otherwise she dresses execrably. Slie owes no success to a secret; in moments of intimacy she ■confides it to about twenty of her very dearest friends. She never buys trash. She has very few garments, but they are all of excellent quality, made by the best tailors or dressmakers, and carefully hung up, and pressed almost every day. They are never spectacular and often quiet in tone. This wise woman always possesses a coat and skirt of very thin covert coating, or equally useful material, and for it she pays a good deal more than she confesses even to those very dear friends. But after " all —why shouldn't she P And why should she •confide anything more than she chooses to confide? Those dear friends have other friends, and they do say that these friendships have been in the past the reason why women were not employed in banks.

Of course, to-day, everything is changed, even the leopard's spots and also the extreme assurance of the Kaiser ; himself. But the telephone girl remaineth as she was—a creature of impulse and an uncertain quantity. And why not? Why should she do more than her duty? And surely studying the convenience of the person at the other end of the wire has nothing to do with her every day business ? Wliy indeed should she be polite? x And yet-, when she is—how we love her.

Miss Stafford is spending a few weeks with Mrs. Teschmaker (Blenheim).

Miss Coleman- (Auckland) who has been staying with Mrs. Arthur Myers, has now returned to her home. * * -a- -s Mrs. J. H. Coleman (Napier) and Miss Simcox (Porangahau) are probably returning to their homes at the end of this week. * " * * *■ Mrs. Morice has been visiting friends on the West Coast, and is now back in Wellington. ®. » « e Miss Lukirt is paying visits to friends in the country, and is probably going to Australia before long. * * * * Colonel Hughes ■ and M!rs. Hughes have returned from Rotorua, where the Colonel has been undergoing treatment. He is very much better, but is not likely to be fit again in the immediate future for active service. * ~ ' * -55- * Miss Payne, for many years matron of the Wellington Hospital, has gone away for rest and change." She has

been very ill, and has resigned from the Wellington Hospital, to the regret of the many people who know the value of her -work. It is hard to estimate how many nurses ha.ve been trained under her, but it is easy to realise how excellent that training has been, for Wellington nurses are lopked upon as firstclass, • and they do valuable work wherever they go. # * * » Captain Hollis has been appointed Australian Marine Superintendent of the Dominion and Commonwealth line of steamers. He has cabled for his wife (nee Miss Kitty Wood, Napier) and she will probably come straight out from England to Sydney with her two small . children. Her mother, Mrs. • Wood, and her brother, Mr. Wilfrid Wood, a. returned Anzac, are leaving for England very soon. Mr. W. G. Wood left New Zealand with the 17tK "Reinforcements. Tho.ugh her daughter may not be in England much longer, Mrs. ■Wood's plans are unchanged.

Passing through Hobson-street the other day I noticed a garden in which an old fruit-tree- was pink with blossoms, and where some tall pink spiky flowers made a gay display. Then I thought of a brave airman in London town, on whom His Majesiy the King conferred the D.S.O. just a few days previously, and I remembered that here, in. the old garden, not many years ago, the airman, then, .a boy, had played. That, soldier lad must know that here, in his homeland, his friends are rejoicing in his success, and that at this season the verj T gardens put on their gayest dress as who should say: "We know him. ' He comes here, and he will come home again some dav."

. In my wanderings up and down I have heard so many expressions of good wild and satisfaction. High and low, rich and poor, they are all so glad that this great happiness has come to Mi-, and Mrs. A. de B. Brandon, whose son, Alfred de JBathe Brandonj jun., hos won -the Military Cross and the D.S.G. for his gallant aerial exploits.

We live in trying times, but they are not monotonous, and our men rise to fame very quickly. Someone, writing the other day, mentioned that a certain dentist of that town (a humdrum place, begging its pardon) is now a colonel. He has. won fame at Gallipoli and in France, has been honoured with the Military Cross, and is entitled to write "D.S.O " after his name. And there is more marrying and giving in marriage, more travelling to and fro—the unexpected oftener happens.- A well-known woman novelist, writing some months ago, mentioned that ''Six of our blind soldiers have - married wives they have never seen." She .was speaking of St. Dunstan's Hospital, I believe.

- The New 'Zealand Academy of Fine Arts opened its annual exhibition with interesting speeches from the Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister of Internal Affairs) and Mr. , H. M. Gore- (President of the / Academy). The Minister is in sympathy

with art and recognises' its refining influence and its claims to public support. This is hopeful and encouraging for our Academy. Art lovers are enjoying themselves in leisure hours, and the gallery is a pleasant meeting place for friends. In Art circles there is quite a great deal of talk and ci'iticism. and outsiders listen amusedly.

Mrs- J. Tripe has scored a great success, and part of it is due to the fact that her excellent portrait is of Mrs. Vivian Riddiford, a lady who is known to the general public, by sight at least. There are dozens of beautiful any of which most people would be glad to own. Some of the well-known artists have been most favourably - criticised. Let us trust this will help the public to do its bit in the way of patronage. Artists must live, and, like grocers, drapers, and others who are more fortunate because they can advertise, they, too, must sell their \varos —or starve. The present exhibition will well repay a visit.

Last Saturday, at the church of St. James. Lower Hut-t, Miss Miriam Mason, only daughter of Dr. and. Mrs. Mason, was married to Lieut. Ashley Duncan, of. the 18th Reinforcements. Dr. Mason is away oh active service, so the bride was. given away by her brother. Mr. Malcolm Mason. Miss Bunny was her bridesmaid. The wedding was a quiet and very pretty affair.

The 18th Reinforcements were the guests of hbnoiir at the Soldiers' Club last Saturday night, when the usual dance place, this time in the big hall, by special permission of the Committee. Previously these dances, have been held in the gymnasium, but. that room overflowed, and on dance nights, in future, will be used as the clubroom, and a place where, the dancers are fed. * * • *

Mr. "and Mrs. Guy Williams (Masterton) spent the week-end in Wellington.

Mrs. Ritchie Abraham and Miss Ma3 r Hindmarsh are staying at the Golf Honse (Heretaunga). Mr. Abraham is m canip.

Captain Sir Robert Walker and Lady Walker have been visiting Auckland. Mabel.

The marriage 'of Mr. Ambrose GaffH6.Yj of Hawthorn, and Miss Winiifred Cotter, of Auckland, was arranged to bo- celebrated in Sydney on Tuesday, September 26th, from the house of one of Sydney's leading society ladies, says a Melbourne society papQr' The happy pair will make thoir home in Sydney..'

- Mr. Patrick Bowler, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Bowler, of Taihape, was married at St. Kilda, Melbourne, on August 24, to Miss Margaret Mcintosh, fifth daughter of the late Mr Duncan Mcintosh, of Little River. The bride was given away by her brother-in-law, Mr. Lew Jones, and her-sister (Miss Jo Mcintosh) acted as bridesmaid. Mr. James Mcintosh was best man. The bride and bridegroom left on their honeymoon for the i3lue Mountains, en route to New Zealand.