TEA TABLE TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1212, 24 May 1895, Page 13

TEA TABLE TOPICS.

Wellington, May 21. Certainly a dance in a private house has its advantages over one given in a hall or public room, and when the dancing room is so large as the one at “ Inverloehy," the advantages are particularly marked. Mrs Ross’ dance last Wednesday was most successful, the floor being perfection, the music good, and the whole house given up to the guests for their enjoyment —such comfortable chairs and delightful little nooks and corners upstairs and downstairs and in the conservatory ! People could not fail to enjoy themselves with such surroundings. Mrs Ross received in a very handsome dark red brocade gown trained and trimmed with jet, her sister, Miss Glover, wore a pretty cream gown trimmed with cream embroidery and lace. Miss Ross looked well in white silk and' lace, and Miss E. Ross wore blapk velvet and pale blue chiffon. Among the guests I saw Miss Holmes in black figured silk and jet, Miss J. Seed in black, with coloured flowers. Mrs W. Ward, pretty heliotrope and white striped crepon, with deeper shade of velvet trimmiug. ’ Miss pmk silk andcrepop, with bpnches of violets;’ Miss Trimpellj heliotrope brocade trimmed with cream lace; Miss Pownall, pale blue silk trimmed with velvet of a much darkey shade; Miss J. Reid, white silk: with chiffon frills ; Miss Thomson (Auckland), soft white gown with chiffon sleeves; Miss Barnet, handsome black gown trimmed with iridescent bead lace ; Miss Lloyd Williams, black velvet and cream chiffon frills; Miss E. Williams, pale green silk; Miss M. Gibson, very pretty gowp of white silk, with brown velvet and steel trimming; Miss A. Rose, soft green silk gown with gold spangle trimming; Miss N. Rose, white silk gown with cream lace and ribbon and brown fur. Among the gentlemen present I noticed Messrs Churfcon, Hume, Bligh, Mcßae, Ward, Coates, Tuekey, Holmes, Seed, Reid, Heywood, Rose, etc.

There is to be a dance to-night at Petone given by Lady Hector, Mrs Allen and other ladies. I hear of a great many people going out of town for it, and it should prove a very enjoyable affair. By the time a number of people have driven a few miles together in a brake, they generally have a good deal of fun and are ready to enjoy themselves immensely when they reach their destination,

Mesdames Gavin, Miles and Stafford are giving a dance on Thursday night at the Masonic Hall. I hear that it is to be “ juvenile" up to 10'30 o’clock, and “ grown-up" afterwards. The Misses Stafford and some friends are to give some skirt-dancing during the evening.

I am sure that averyone_is glad to welcome the Governoe and Lady Glasgow and their family back to Wellington. I hear that Lady Glasgow and Lady Augusta Boyle are the guests of Mr and Mrs T. C. Williams for a few days, and I am very glad to hear that Lady Augusta’s ankle is much better and it is possible that she will not heaven slightly lame.

I have been reading a most painful account of a (so-called) ladies’ football match, which took place on the grounds of the Crouch End Athletic Club in London. About 10,000 people were present, mostly men, a few women and a very few ladies. “ The last mentioned," says the account, “ must have suffered, for many of the comments, all audible, except to the incurably deaf, were of a horrifying character." It seems to have been a most laughable exhibition as well, and suitable nicknames were bestowed on tha pleyers by the crowd. Then they showed ridiculous ignorance of die game and asked the referee for ad vicein the calmest way, and after laughing until they were tired, most of the spectators left the ground, having had enough of the farce. What a pity it is that those girls cannot be restrained from making such laughingstocks of themselves* They can have no sense of.fitness and decency whatever. I am sure the torn, touzled, untidy, hot and dirty appearance of men after a foothill match is unattractive enough, and ic is most extraordih^ry 4 ’to me what can have induced any girls to want to be likewise. Ido hope none of our New Zealand girls will ever want to be so foolish I

A lady in Clapham has been “had up " for “brawling "in church. She persisted, in spite of remonstrance, in singing discordantly and responding at the top of her voice, and lam wondering what punishment was meted out to her. I expect a good many of us have suffered with pious bawlers at different times and churches ; there is the man who thinks he can sing bass, and buzzes and rumbles in a most sepulchral and inharmonious manner, ahd the out-of-tune tenor, who indulges in roulades and trills in the simplest hymns, which would be rather absurd in light opera. I don’t think' women, as a rule, offene much in this way, as they have too keen a sense of the ridiculous and are rather shy of letting their voices be heard ; the Clapham lady must bs one of the exceptions which prove the rule.

I hear that in the production of “ Ruddigore" we are to see something very specially good in the way of' dress. I am glad of this, as it always adds to the pleasure of an opera if it is well dressed and staged, and I hope particular attention will be given to the colours harmonising, and that greens, blues, purples and yellows will not all be “ on view" at once, as I have sometimes seen. The materials at command now are so beautiful that it should be an easy matter to arrange really lovely and artistic gowns. I was looking ac a charming yellow silk crepon gown to-day, with a wide panel of black jetted lace down the side, and ! longed to possess it, and have the bodice made in the bebe fashion, with bretelles of black jet insertion, and jet ospreys on each shoulder. There was also a blouse made of shot silk, pale green and deep pink, with a brocade pattern of geranium leaves, which took my fancy immensely, and a pale green feather boa hung near it matched to perfection —bub my pen runs away with me when I write about dress, and I get deeply interested. I hope I have plenty of sympathising friends among my readers ? I hear that Mrs Suter, wife of the late Bishop Suter, left Wellington last Thursday by the Mararoa for Sydney, on her way to England. Mrs Mules, wife of the present Bishop of Nelson, is in Wellington on a visit. Miss HunterBrown and the Misses Campbell (of Nelson) are the guests of Mrs Heaphy, Tinakori road. I suppose in a month’s time we shall have all the session people here, and gaieties will begin in real earnest, though we cannot complain of having had a bad time lately, at least such is the opinion of lone.