ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7650, 29 May 1886, Page 4 (Supplement)

ITEMS OF SOCIAL NEWS.

[FROM THE SOCIETY PAPERS | Among thoso at the Queen's hist Drawing room, I notice the name of Mrs. Howard Vincent, the esteemed wife if the member for the Central Division of SluiTU-ld. Mrs. Vinot-nt's drtss is thus described :— " Corsage sud train of rich emerald croon Lyons velvet, liued with satin tnervilleux ; petticoat of celadon tulle and crepe, trimmed richly with pale green silk of the same shade : head-dress, plumes and veil, and a tiara of diamonds and emeralds, with necklace to match. ' The Queen adds :—" The dark velvet showed up a most splendid paruro of emeralds and diamonds, and a bouquet of Cv.ir viole:e. | Mrs. Vincent was presented tin - ysara ago. On this occasion Mrs. Vincent presented Lady Batemau Champaign, the wife of Sir Bateman Champaign, mo of the new K..C.M.U.'*, and head of the Indian Telegraph Department. A lady writes from Paris :—Paris, the gayest city of the world, appears to have its sombre side also ; and lately a novel but doleful idea has struck the mind of an exconvict called L'Voourue, who ha? opened a cabaret as a travesty on a prison. " All the waitresses arc dressed as oouviets, and fettered, and the ch'i' represents tho executioner, who grimly tells his customers that ho will be ready for them in ten minute*." He will open a second cafe, where trie tables shall be coffins, decked with skulls as saltsellers, and where customers shall be waited upon by young girls "got up" as corpse?, and habited in shrouds. What can be more revolting or sickening than to have such realistic surroundings in a place where appetites are indulged, and yet 1 am tall that all theae restaurants do a prosperous business. There are bvastoitx and cuU's where the kings and queens ot France are represented, and also the mistress: s of the Acnes Sorrel, labtllei-abrielle, Louise \ alhere, Pompadour, et . The crazo for variety is so great that if such things as convicts and ghosts are accepted, verily wo may not know what to expect next. When Her Majesty drove through the park one Tuesday on her way to Keusingtou Palace, she were a white feather in her bonnet. Mauve was the prevailing colour at the last Dr.\w;i groom, r, rather, it shared honours with yellow. 1 saw several dresses at the leaning dressmakers ma!o for the occasion, but, really, they defied ail my powers of description. It is a pity that pluraea are the regulation ceremonial headdress, for they are very difficult to arrange becomingly, and so often gat out of pla.'e. The following is the latest story that is told about the impress Kuge'uie, who has ever been a striking figure since the day she charmed Napoleon ill. with the wreath of violet 3 which she wore in her golden hair. " 'Twas morning then, but now the- night has come." A short; time ago, says the chronicler, a visitor to the Marcus Church at Venice, where the exEmpresa is no.v staying, observed a lady dressed in deepest mourning, kneeling in long, silent prayer before one of the side altars. When a: last she rose, she looked about her in search of something ■which she missed, and thtn walked s'owiy away, supporting herself by tha wall, towards the entrance. The stranger politely offered his arm, which was gratefuly accepted, the lady meanwhile ei!.uii'.a;ng that one of the beggars must have taken h=r silver-haadtd walkingstick away, without which she was " very helpless.' . Outside the church two liveried footmen were waiting ; the stranger on retiring offered nis addmsj card (alae, ;or cruel Nemesis, he was a German from Berlin !), glancing at which the lady was sec:: to shudder slightly and then return the civility by whispering, "Empress Eugenie, and — homeless." One of the funniest recent incidents in tie House of Commons last (reek was Mr. 0. Morgan (a metropolitan member), in the course of a debate, addressing an audience of one. Thia ludicrous spectacle was presented immediately after the br:ef adjournment in the middle el the evening. When Mr. Speaker called np",n Mr. Morgan, who had possession of the flior, a solitary member had strayed ii.tr :.-e ho;;3<", actl upon the desert of vai:»:.t \.-::.c;.<.?. all round him Mr. Morgan wast';! i... ei'/fj , nee and much fervent gesture, The situulioa would have dii-'conr: i h'jm". i.i'.-n, Lu: Mr. Morgan survived until the Cnamber gradually tilled, The latest neves in Paris is that the great ladies of Kngland (the names of duchesses and marchionesses are p;iveu) are heading a revolt for the emancipation of women, anil making exciting speeches at large meetings in the provinces. Suppose men were to revolt and emancipate themselves from women '{ Whoso ■would the game be then? A lady who was present at a Drawingrnom held lately in Dublin Castle aays that tho impression Lord Aberdten made upon her •was "that of a alight, dark, nervous, expressionless man, over whom the Countess has many advantages, including those of years and height." It is believed, however, that both will attain to popularity in a little while. The pr«snnce, too, of " Viceregal" children within the walls of the massive, gloomy oldcastleshculd be in itself a pleasing variety in the Irish Court, as for more than a quarter of a century past, no little children have awoke the echoes of that stately building with the music of their fresh young voices. The famous Lord Carlisle, who reigned for such a lengthened period in Dublin Castle, lived and died a bachelor ; and since then the succeeding Viceroys have cither been childless or blessed in the possession of full-grown sons and daughters. Tho performance of Palestrioa'a Requiem Mas» at the oratory at Brompton for the repose of the soul of tho lata Ducheea Dowager of Norfolk was an extremely imposing and, in some respects, touching function. The sinking was done by the usual j oratory choir, placed unseen in the organ chamber. Upwards of two hundred priests, wearing, by request, their cat socks and tottas, took part in the ceremony, all of them at the usual places holding lighted candles. There i were also three Bishops to tiiko part and | several Monsigr.ori, among them Dr. Patter- I son and Dr. Talbot, the portly figure of tho latter being especially conspicuous. The front row of seats on the left hand aide of the aisle was occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, Lord and Lady Imur.d Talbot, and young Mr. Scott, of Abbotaford. In close neiehbourhood to these wore Lord Bury, lord Ralph Kerr, and, it may be said, tho flower of the English Roman Catholic nobility and gentry. The music was magnificent, The spectacle was gorgeous in right of the glowing vestments of the Cardinals and other clergy, the burning tapers and candles, the swinging censers, and the frequent move, ments and processions of the functionaries. Groups of S:3ter3 of Charity, the brethren of the various clerical orders, Carmelites, Franciscans, Benedictines, and others, were abundant. But it would be idle to pretend that, outside the "inner circle' , of mourners, the principal interest in the ceremony did not centre in the presence of the two groat Cardinals, of whose allegiance the Roman Church has robbed her Anglican sister. Both took part in tbo service, superbly vested. Dr. Newman took his share in the benediction, walking twice round the catafalque, throwing holy water the first time pad incensing the pall the second.