CHIT CHAT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1156, 27 April 1894, Page 13

CHIT CHAT.

The Rev A. M. Bradbury, the wellknown clergyman, now curate of St. Augustine's Church, Napier, was married last week to Miss Mace of Kahaiuingi, Wairarapa. The wedding was a very quiet affair. The Rev W. E. Paige, of Masterton, was the officiating clergymau,

TTA curious contretemps in connection with a wedding is reported from Fielding. Last week Mr C. A. Wtightmau was to be married to Miss F. Pike of Awahuri, and the wedding had been arranged to take place in St. John's Church, but when the bridal party, with a number of friends, arrived at the church, judge the annoyance of all concerned when it was found that the ceremony could not be performed there in consequence of the Registrar having omitted to mention in the certificate the church at which the marriage was to t*ke place. This unfortunate mistake necessitated the adjournment of the party to the residence of the bride's parents, where the contracting parties were ultimately united and made happy. The Rev Junes Jones officiated. The bride, who looked very well in a pretty silver grey costume, was given away by her father.

On Wednesday week last, a wedding took place at St. Bridget's Church, Fielding, the Rev. Father Patterson, of Palmerston, officiating. The marriage was that of Miss Rose Teresa Cook, of Victoria, (a sister of Mrs Church, of the Kiwitea,) to Mr J. R. R. Varley of Suffolk, England. The bride who wore a French grey costume with orange blossoms and hat to match, had two bridesmaids, Misses Greenfield and Banks, both of whom wore very pretty costumes. Mr W. Banks, of the Kiwitea, acted as best man. After the ceremony the wedding breakfast was partaken of at Mr Church's house in the Kiwitea, and the young couple left for their new home at Apiti, after having received many hearty congratulations.

A very pretty wedding, writes an occasional correspondent from Greytown, took place last week at the Wesleyan Church here, when Miss Margaret Louisa Katharine Cotter, eldest daughter of the late Thomas Cotter, of Silverstreain, was married to Mr Robert Judd, son of Mr John Judd of Kuratiwhite Road. The bride looked very handsome .in nun'i veiling with silk embroidery and carried a very pretty bouquet of rosea. The bridesmaids were Miss Judd, and Misses Louisa aad Ethel Judd. The two former wore cream crepon with cream lace and pink silk hats to match, and the latter a pink crepon dress with pink lace and hat to match. The bride was given away by her brother, Mr Charles Cotter, Mr W. F. W. Wood officiating in the important capacity of best man. The Rev S. J. Gibson officiated. The happy pair have many friends throughout the district and I join with them in wishing Mr and Mrs Judd all possible prosperity and happiness.

jterhe Rev Joseph Hewson of Greytown was married on Friday week last at Nelson, to Miss May Gertrude Roberts, daughter of Mr F. Roberts, C.E., of Nelson.

The Masterton correspondent of the Greytown paper writes as follows : Mas. terton still keeps up its enviable reputation with regard to marriages, and the month of April will be kept in remembrance by many aspirants to the " better or worse " state of affairs. I am told that a bachelor's establishment in town, of six young fellows, has been ignominiously broken up, and at the end of the present month a solitaryjoneof the crowd will remain to mourn his loss. Two wore celebrated last week, and the other three are to follow in their footsteps as quickly as possible.

**Dv George Allan R.N., of H.M.S. Lizard, was married on April 11, in Sydney, to Miss Maclnnes, daughter of the late Mr John Maclnnos of that city. The marriage, which was celebrated in St Stephen's Church, Philip Street, took place at the somewhat curious hour of 6 p.m.

Mrs Thomas Spurgeon, wife of the wellknown Baptist clergyman, the Rev Thomas Spurgeon, has been residing in Auckland for some time past. Owing to the husband having now been permanently appointed ministerof the famous London Tabernacle, Mrs Spurgeon will proceed home by a direct steamer almost immediately to rejoin her husband.

That annoying and painful complaint the mumps has broken out at Wanganui, and several well-known adults as well as young children are amongst the sufferers.

*VOn Saturday week last a quiet little wedding took place at North, when MrO. Wakelin, of the Colonial Bank, Fielding, was married to Miss Ayers, of Palmerston North. Mr Mattheson, of the Colonial Bank, acted as best man, but there were no bridesmaids. Only most intimate friends were present at the ceremony.

According to the Wanganui Chronicle a local breach of promise case is likely to come before the Supreme Court at its next sitting.

A very sad affair Is reported from the Inanguahua district. A young lady resident in that distri 2t had a tooth drawn recently. Soon after the operation an absoess developed in the neck. Blood-

poisoning sot in and the unfortunate young lady soon succumbed.

Auckland a week or two ago Miss Hardic, eldest daughter of Mr J. Hardie, of Bomuera, was man*ied to Mr E. 11. Clayton, of Sydnoy, brother of Mrs Alfred Nathan. The Observer gives the following description of the bride's dress: —" The brido was given away by her father, and more a magnificent bridal gown of the richest ivory satin (Duchess) with court train from the shoulders, which was born© by two little boys who acted as pages. The skirt was finished at the foot with a a prettily draped flounce of lovely real lace, the bodice being also trimmed with the lace and finished with pearls and garlands of orange blossoms, wreath of orange blossoms, and tulle veil worn off the face and falling over the train, which must have been a number oi' yards long, She also carried a lovely bouquet. The bridal gown, I am told, was imported from England, and cost some hundreds of pounds.

The engagement is announced of Mr B. M. Wilson, of Wellington, Private Secretary to the Hon. Mr Cadrnan, and Misa Dot Parsons, of Wellington.

A wedding which will excite considerinterest will take place about the end of next month, when Miss McKenzie, daughter of the Hon. John McKenzie, Minister of Lands, will be married to Mr Cameron, of the well-known firm of Cameron and Christie.

Kaikoura Star reports what it terms •'A Jolly Wedding" at Kohai Church. The bridegroom was Mr John Howard and the bride Mrs Russell. The united ages of the happy couple amount to about 120 years and their joint family (both having been previously married) now numbers 23 souls.

quiet wedding took place at Feilding on Monday last at the residence of Mr W. Poole, Warwick street, when Mr F. W. Legg was married to Miss Kate Grantham.

An occasional correspondent writes from Uremii, near New Plymouth:—"Dear Aunt Ellen, — I notice you chronicle all the weddings you can hear of, but you don't seem to devote much attention to us Taranakians. We had a very lively wedding here last week when Miss Margaret Pigott, third daughter of the late Mr J, Pigott, was married to Mr D. Ballantine. The young lady and her -bridesmaids arrived at the church in Mr Jenkins' carriage, drawn by rose-decorated horses, and there were over 100 people at the church when the officiating clergyman, the Rev Mr Baker, arrived. Miss Walford played the " Wedding March," and everything went off well. The bride and bridesmaids wore very handsome dresses and all looked very pretty. After the wedding breakfast, which took place at the residence of the bride's mother, the happy pair were driven to their new home, which was formerly the residence of the late Mr G. Brown. Everybody wishes Mr and Mrs Ballantine every possible happiness. I hope you will print this in the Mail." [Certainly and shall be glad if more Taranaki readers would follow your excellent example and send in items of social news.—" Aunt Ellen."]

*A£)n the 10th instant, two well-known and popular Wanganui residents were united in the sacred bonds, etc., the marriage being that of Mr James L. Stevenson and Miss Helen Louisa Parkes, eldest daughter of Mr Fred Parkes, St John's Hill. Tho wedding, which was a very quiet one, took place at the residence of the bride's father, the Rev James Treadwell being the officiating minister.

The truth concerning the TennysonSmith divorce case has at last been made public, and it is now beyond doubt true that the Tonnyson-Smith, of temperance fame, was not concerned in ii. The Age recently contained a report of the case, from which we learn that Eva Smith, of Nicholson Street, Fitzroy, sought a divorce from her husband, Tennyson Launcelot Smith, of parts unknown, journalist. The parties wore married on August 11, 1880, in Sydney.. On June 13,1890, while they were residing at Hawthorne, he left her, and she had not seen him since. When last heard of he was at Valparaiso, South America. A decree nisi was granted. This settles the question as regards Tennyson. Smith, the lectuerer.

From a paragraph in London Truth it 1 would seem that English ladies are taking to the br—, no, the gaiters of the male sex. Mr Labouchere says:— Apropos de bottes —well, no; but next door thereunto: I cannot congratulate our " fair sisters " on the annexation of the gaiter. With all due deference I am of opinion that they do not require this detail of masculine attire; the spat is no ornament to a really pretty foot, whilst it undoubtedly accentuates the proportions of an abnormally larg6 specimen. And—much as I regret to have to call attention to it—the feminine capacity does not seem to have absorbed the correct assimilation of this manly form of decoration. In the matter of our shirts, ties, and collars the imitation of "ourgirls" is faultless, and the very sincerest form of flattery. But I have no hesitation in asserting that If anything could disgust our sex with " the neat, trim, and time-howoured gaiter," it would be the slovenly manner in which (as a rale) it is exhibited in public by tke ladies. Toget it" on" would seem to be

the height of their ambition, utterly regardless of wrinkles, and of writhing straps curling " upwards and outwards," like an untrimmed vine. Our ancestors had a school for the use of the fan; if this annexation is likely to be permanent, might I recommend the institution of a Bchool for " the correct exposition of the gaiter"?

Mr Grant Allen the novelist is also a philosopher in his own way and has recently been writing of " Utopia" or 11 The Ideal State." Of course everyone has his or her own ideas as to the future of women, but you may be interested in what Mr Allen writes on the subject. He nays:—" In such a state, most women would naturally desire to be mothers. Being healthy, strong, and free, they would wish totalise the utmost potentialities of their own organisms. And when they had done their duty as mothers, they would not care much, I imagine, for any further outlets for their superfluous energy. I don't doubt they would gratify to the full their artistic sensibilities and their thirst for knowledge. They would also perform their duties to the State as citizens, no less than the men. But having done these things, I fancy they would have done enough; the margin of their life would be devoted to dignified and cultivated leisure. They would leave to men the tilling of the soil, the building and navigation of marine or aerial ships, the working of mines and metals, the erection of houses, the construction of roads, railways, and communications, perhaps even the entire manufacturing work of the community. Medicine and the care of the sick might still be a charge to some; education to most; art, in one form or another, to almost all. But the hard work of the world might well be left to men, upon whom iit more naturally and fitly devolves. No hateful drudgery of * earning a livelihood.' Women might rest content with being free and beautiful, cultivated and artistic, good citizens to the State, the mothers and guardians of the coming generations. If any woman asks more than this, she is really asking less—for she is asking that a heavier burden should be cast on some or most of her sex, in order to relieve the minority of a duty which to well-organised women ought to be a privilege."

A Wellington gentleman, who has just returned from a trip to the States, was very much taken with the favourite American delicacy known as doughnuts. He got a recipe from a friend's wife and he has kindly sent it on to me. You might try it this winter, I fancy the children would take very kindly to doughnuts. Here is the recipe:—Rub two ounces of butter into one and a-half pounds of fine flour; add half a pound of sugar, half a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, and a little grated nutmeg. Thoroughly whisk two eggs, and gradually mix into them a small wineglassful of yeast, and as much of half a pint of milk as will make the flour into a soft dough. Cover up the dough and put it into a warm place to rise, and, when sufficiently risen, make it into balls, and throw them into a saucepan of boiling lard. When of a fine brown colour they are done, and should be laid before the fire on a sieve to dry. Be sure and drop the balls into lard when it is quite boiling, or the nuts will taste doughy.

She (sympathisingly): —" I feel so sorry for the poor tramcar conductors. It must be terrible for them to have to be on their feet all day long." He:—" Hump t They ain't. They're on the passengers' feet more'n hah" the time."

The age of a woman who has recently died in the City of London Infirmary, Bromley, was given as 106 years. Perhaps one of the most remarkable old dames of the present century was Phoebe Hessel, who died on December 12, 1821, aged 108 years. It is recorded on her tombstone in the old parish churchyard at Brighton that she was bom at Stepney in the year 1713. She served ifor many years at a private soldier iin the Fifth Regiment of Foot in different parts of Europe, and in the year 1745 fought under the cominand of the Duke of Cumberland at the Battle of Fontenoy, where she received a bayonet wound in her arm. Her long life, which commenced in the reign of Queen Anne, extended to that of King George IV., who for many years allowed her half a guinea a week. It is said that when his Majesty saw her and talked with her, he called her " a jolly old fellow."

One circumstance associated with the life of this remarkable old woman, says Mr Sala, is worth mentioning. She used to travel with fish and other commodities to the villages about Brighton, It was in one of these journeys that she obtained such information as led to the arrest and conviction of Booke and Howell for robbing the mail, a circumstance which made a considerable sensation at the close of the last century. Thev were gibbeted on the ■pot where the robbery was committed, and there is a singular story connected with the body of Booke. When the elements had caused the clothes and flesh to decay, his aged mother, night after night, in all weathers—and the more tempestuous the weather the more frequent the visits —made a pious pilgrimage to the lonely spot on the Downs, and it was noticed that on her return she always brought something away with her in her apron. Upon being watched it was discovered that the bones of the gibbeted man were the objects of her search, and as the wind and rain scattered them on the ground,

she conveyed the grizzly relics to her home, and in the dead silence of the night interred them in the hallowed enclosure of Old Shoreham churchyard. Was it this, I wonder, which suggested to Mr Clark Eussell the ghastly scene in " List, ye landsmen," where the woman is found on the sandhills at Deal caressing the dead body of her son, who has been hung in chains ?

An English fashion writer says that large fancy buttons are making their reappearance on draped skirts, tailor-built costumes, and out-door coats. The reign of full frills, collars, and pelerines on coats and bodices is gradually dying out; whilst the novel and pretty designs in sleeves now cropping up show that these are to play a still more important part in fashions. Some with drooping puffs have two stripes of ribbon, or velvet descending from beneath a bow at the top of sleeve down to a band of the same that goes round the arm below the puff. Others are made after the manner of a bishop's sleeves, with this difference, that it is banded and buttoned in the centre, with corresponding cuffs; whilst the more fanciful modes are made I with loose drooping oversleeves, draped and caught up towards the back of the arm with a bow or rosette. In fact, there is sufficient variety to please all tastes. Skirts are no longer banded, or trimmed midway up. Now most of the trimming is placed at the edge.

There is no costume more serviceable, or better adapted for braving the keen winds we are now experiencing than a closely fitting tailor-made gown of tweed, serge, or hopsack. A chestnut brown hopsack made in the latest style would become most figures. It has a plain bellfitting skirt, and a double-breasted bodice that is made rather long-waisted, and is fastened across with two rows of large buttons. Broad rovers forming a narrow turned-down collar behind, and two basques fitting well at waist, yefc with moderate distention at the edges, and large sleeves drooping towards the elbow, thence fitting to wrist, accompany the bodice. The small V portion at the throat may be filled in with a vest-plastron, made of the same material, or with pretty silk singlets. If the figure is inclined to be stout substitute, in place of the two basques round waist, a half tail frill commencing from one side, and going round the back to the other side.

Mrs Sala, in her husband's paper, Sala's Journal, alludes to a rumour that the Queen is particularly fond of rice puddings, and adds : Touching milky rice puddings, I remember being very much amused one evening when I was putting a little boy-viaiter to bed and hearing him repeat his evening prayers. My small guest, aged six, had just got as far as 11 Pray God make me a good boy," when his liking for milky rice puddings must have suddenly occurred to him, as with the utmost sincerity and earnestness he concluded his petition with, " And phase, dear God lei me have nice damp rice puddings every day for lunch, for tver and ever, Amen." I need hardly say that, as far as I am concerned, he had no occasion to complain of the dryness of his rice puddings every day for lunch while he stayed with us.

Visitor: "You have some fine scenery about your home, Mrs Cheepriche." Mrs Cheepriche (complacently): " Yes, we always get the best of "everything."

The marriage of Miss Constance Annie de Bathe Brandon, eldest daughter of the late Mr Eustace Brandon, of Wellington, to Mr Leonard C. Vaughan, of Marton, was solemnised at St. Paul's Church on Wednesday. The bride, who wore a handsome ivory silk dress, was attended by Misses C. Smith and M. Lambert, and was given away by her uncle, Mr A. de B. Brandon (Mayor of Wellington). Mr C. Schwabe acted as best man. The ceremony was performed by the Rev T. H. Sprott. At its conclusion the wedding breakfast took place at the residence of Mr Henry Howarth, great-uncle of the bride, and the newly-married couple then left for Paikakariki, en route for New Plymouth, where they intend spending the honeymoon.

While Miss Bessie Doyle was in the Waikato, passing through Hamilton, on her way to fulfil her evening engagement in Te Awaniutu, she was told that many of the patients had expressed keen regret at having been unable to hear her performances upon the violin. Upon hearing this Miss Doyle, who had just ridden from Ngaruawahia, hurriedly changed her riding habit, dispensed with her dinner, and, taking her violin, drove to the hospital and devoted the only hour she had in the town to a performance in the ward by the bedsides of the sufferers. The scene as she played there was touching.

Miss Wilton, of Marton, and Mrs Boss, of Turakina, have been delegated by the Women's Christian Temperance Union of Marton to represent them at the Temperance Convention at Palmerston, and the Rev D. Gordon and Messrs Nutt and McHardie the other temperance bodies of Marton. Sir Robert Stout is to be present at the meeting.

Visiting cards tastefully printed at 5s per hondrel, post free, at the New Zealand Mail office.

Ladies who are arranging for a dance should patronise the printing department of the Times. The price of 100 tastefully printed programme cards is 6s Cd, or, if you prefer them on fancy folding cards, the charge will be 12s 6d.