TEA TABLE TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 15

TEA TABLE TOPICS.

Wi:i,u.\'i:ton', June 1

The great event of hist week was tho wedding of Miss Maude Grace, daughter of Dr Grace, and Mr lan Duncan, eldest son of Mr John Duncan, of Uplands, To Aro. Tho ceremony took place at St. Mary's Cathedral last Wednesday, the officiating priest being tho Rev Father Dawson. Fortunately, tho weathev was perfect, tho usual wind, which is not a beautifier to a light and elegant toilette, being absent. I have seldom seen a more handsomely-attired wedding, tho bride and bridesmaids being particularly tastefully dressed.

Miss Grace looked extremely well in a handsome ivory white silk gown, with a gathered chiffon yoke and panel, the bodico being made with crossway folds of silk, and vory moderate - sized sleeves ; the skirt with a short train and a very widecut skirt. Sho also woro a lovely embroidered veil, and carried a spray bouquet of roses and white heath. Tho bridesmaids were Miss A. Grace, Miss Russell, Miss Pearl Graco and Miss Ella Johnston. The two former looked vary pretty in cream chino silk with narrow satin stripes of pale willow green, and tho two latter woro similar silk gowns only with pink stripes instead of green.

They all had frilled cream chiffon fichus and soft white tullo voils with white ostrieli plumes fastening them on to their heads. Those voils woro exceedingly liecoming, and I wonder more brides do not choose thorn instead of tho usual heavy velvet hats which have been worn so much at weddings lately. Tho bridesmaids also carried pretty sprays of Czar violets made up with loops and ends of white satin ribbon. The bridegroom was attended by his brother, Mr Kenneth Duncan, as best man, and his prosents to tho bridesmaids wero those very pretty and useful little gun-metal watches. Tho bridesmaids gavo the bride a lovely framed picture as a wedding present.

After the wedding ceremony, Drand Mrs Grace held a reception at their residence in Hawkestono street, when a very largo number of guests wero present. Tho house was beautifully decorated with flowers, and Mr and Mrs lan Duncan recoived tho congratulations of their friends standing under a beautiful bell made of white flowers. Tho "breakfast" table was also most tastefully decorated with white chrysanthemums. Captain liussell proposed tho health of tho brido, and Miss Alico Graco, tho chief bridesmaid, got tho wedding ring out of tho cako.

Among the many handsome dresses I noticed Mrs Grace, mother of tho bride, in a lovely black velvet gown, trained, and trimmed with white silk and jot, her bonnet trimmed with groan shot Trilby ribbon, and a green and blue aigrette, and sho carried a pretty bouquet of roses and pink heath ; Mrs Duncan, mother of the bridegroom, looked very nico in handsome moiro silk with rovers of cream and gold brocade and a yoke and folded cuffs of mauvo chiffon, and a black jetted bonnet with bunchos of violets, and sho also carried a lovely bouquet of violets; Mrs W. Johnston woro an extremely stylish black silk gown with a folded vest of cream silk veiled with jetted lace, panel and flounce of cream silk covered with black lace and jet ornaments, black bonnet trimmed with jet and rosettes of pink Trilby ribbon; Mrs C. Johnston looked well in a black velvet gown trimmed with jet and otter, bonnet of shot straw with greenish ribbon, fur and violets; Mrs Sydney Johnston woro I

a most lovely gown of cerise brocade, with a white corded silk vest and folded collar, toque to match >vith paste bucklos and cream aigrette; Mrs Baldwin, cream silk bodice striped with gold and trimmed with shaded pink and mauvo velvet, black skirt and toque trimmed with velvet to match, and black ostrich tips; Mrs liussell, handsome gown of black striped velvet and satin, black bonnet with canary coloured crepe and ostrich feathers, bouquet of yellowchrysanthemums; Miss Duncan, becoming dove-grey silk gown trimmed with pink, velvet toque to match, with ecru guipure and aigrette; Miss Newman, lovely pink silk blouse, black skirt and pink toque; Mrs H. D. Pell, very handsome grey satin brocaded with pink, the vest being of embroidered white satin, toque to match ; Mrs Worry, very stylish gown of black embroidered cloth, with collars and rovers of black velvet with eciu guipure applique and folds of pink crepe, black bonnet trimmed with shot-gold and green velvet, Parma violets and black ostrich tips, bouquets of pink roses and autumn loaves; Mrs Rhodes, handsome black silk gown, with Bolero jacket and long tabs of guipuro lace, bonnet to match; Mrs Menzies, black with brocaded cloak ; Mrs Firth, black fluted crepon gowti, with becoming velvet picture hat; Mrs Collins, black cloth gown trimmed with scarlet and a pretty bonnet to match ; Mrs Mackenzie, crimson silk dress trimmed with jet, black toque trimmed to match ; Mrs Fox, darkblue costume trimmed with black ; Mrs Waldegrave, striped black-and-white silk crepe costume and petunia-coloured toque ; Miss Hilda Johnston looked well in a very pretty white silk gown trimmed with green velvet and a large black velvet hat; with ostrich tips; Miss S. Johnston, a cream silk gown, and a black picture hat with large bunches of violets at the back: .Miss Turnbull, handsome purple cloth gown, trimmed with ecru guipuro and jewelled passementerie, purple velvet " beefeater " hat, with pale blue velvet and

black and white feathers; Miss Menzies, dark blue cloth coat and skirt, cream embroidered vest, black hat with feathers and cream chrysanthemums; Miss Izard, shot silk blouse, with brownish velvet collar and trimming, black skirt, and picture hat; Miss Friend, stylish cornllower-bluo gown, with black satiu ribbons, black hat; the Misses Rose, black crepon gowns with green silk collars and bows, black hats with black and white lisse trimming, black feathers and tei ra cotta flowers; Miss O'Connor, dark blue sergo costume with cream silk yoke, and cull's with rows of narrow black Russian braid, skirt to match, and black hat with striped black and white ribbons; the Misses Williams, pretty cream dresses and hats to match ; Miss Scully, navy blue coat and skirt, black hat with coque feathers and velvet ribbon.

Others present were the Count and Countess Jouffray DWbbans, and Mesdames A. Pearco, if. D. Crawford, Izard, Lady Hector and Miss Hector, Lady Douglas, Mesdames Brandon, Williams, Pynsont, li. tiering, Barron, Gore, Rawson, Anson, Fell, T. Rose, Harding, Leckie, Tolhurst, 1). T. Stuart, O'Connor, Maxwell, Friend, Ferguson, Adams, &c., and Misses Cooper, Gore, Holmes, Folhurst, Moorhouse, Inglis, Medley and many others. Drs Collins, Ewart, Anson, Martin, Messrs Tolhurst, Worry, M. Chapman, A. Cooper, Jackson, Tripp, liolleston, and a large number of others. Tho honeymoon is to be spent in Wanganui, and tho bride's travelling gown was of green silk, and sho wore a must becoming hat to match.

Mrs Adams gave a very pleasant afternoon tea on Friday in honour of Mrs Gerald Tolhurst. Among tho guests wero Mrs Tolhurst, Mrs Ferguson, Mrs Leckie, Mrs Watson, Mrs 11. MeKonzie, Mrs Logan, Mrs Worry, and the Misses Moorhouse, Studholme, &.C. Mrs Dean played and sang and a very nico afternoon was spent.

Lady Douglas also gavo a nice tea on Friday afternoon, her daughter and Miss Blanche Douglas and the Misses Edwin assisting her to entertain. Among those present were Mrs Douglas, in navy blue with a black bonnet; Mrs W. S. Reid, black gown brocaded with maroon, jetted bonnet with maroon flowers; Mrs McTavish, black silk gown and pretly black and cream bonnet; Mrs Courtney, black silk with mauve chiffon, black bonnet with violet.,: Mrs Moliuoaux, black silk gown trimmed with jet and lace, pretty bonnet with pink roses; Mrs Buddie, dark cloth dress with shaded velvet rovers and collar; Miss Seddon, navy blue coat and skirt, tabac brown waistcoat and black hat; Miss L. Seddon, black cloth gown trimmed with silk and large smoked pearl buttons, black hat with striped ribbon and ostrieli feathers: also, Mesdames Harding, Butts, Samuel, Quick, J. Wilson and Waldegrave, and Misses Quick, Tuckoy, liaise, Roso and others. Lady Douglas wore a handsome black silk dress, and Miss B. Douglas a pretty fawn cloth gown with a dee]) lace collar of ecru guipure, and a black hat and feathers. There was some nice music, and some of tho guests indulged in tho exciting race-game of "Ascot."

Mrs Gibson had a very jolly Euchro Party on Friday night, with music afterwards. The lucky prize-winners wero Mrs C. P. Knight and Mr Clementson and Miss A. Campbell and Mr F. Didsbury. Miss Gibson woro a pretty dark green velvet bodico trimmed with palo green chiffon frills and a dark skirt; Miss B. Gibson, palo pink flowered delaine blouse trimmed with cream lace and a black crepon skirt; Miss Bertha Gibson wore a cream muslin gown and pink flowered ribbon sash; Miss Tuckey, pink crepon and ecru lace; Miss Simpson, stylish cream ottoman silk bodice, with sleeves and trimming of striped silk not, black velvet skirt; Miss Tripe, protty cream flowered French crepe blouso and black skirt; Miss M. MacGregor, dark Nilo green velvet bodice and skirt with sleeves of a paler

shade, and pink carnations ; Miss Reid, very pretty pink brocaded silk evening blouse and black skirt; Miss Guisow, pale green evening dress ; Miss Stafford, cream silk blouso and black velvet skirt; Miss Wilson, pink veiling evening blouse, trimmed with silver braid and black skirt; Miss J. Seed, black velvet gown, trimmed with cream chiffon and holly berries; Miss M. Seed, cream dress with black velvet bands and rosettes; Miss Griffiths, pretty pink evening blouse; Miss J. Griffiths, lemon-col-oured evening dress ; Miss Young, pretty cream silk dress; Miss A. Campbell, cream veiling ; Miss C. P. Knight, cream muslin with brown silk bauds and bows. Among' the gentlemen were : Dr. Young, Messrs 0. P. Knight, H. Seed, W. Reid, A. and and T. Young, Gill, Cox, Tripe, Kcmbor, etc.

The Bishop and Sirs Wallis are back in Wellington, and I am glad to hoar that the Bishop's health has improved.

Miss Studholme is staying with Mrs Adams at present.

I hear a delightful rumour that there is to tie a ball at Government house about the 20th of this month. There will bo great excitement amongst the girls, as the ball materials are even lovelier than over this year, and it is a real pleasure to have an excuse to buy some of them. I hear there is to be a little change of style this year, the sleeves not being made so enormously large, and tho skirts wider than ever, and well stiffened with horsehair or fibro chamois. A pretty fashion is to have the sleeves caught up with bunches of flowers of a contrasting shade to the dress. .

The Governor and Lady Glasgow are expected back hero next Saturday. They aro coming overland from Auckland, and the rest of the family come by the Hinemoa. Lady Dorothy Doyle is staying with Mrs T. C. Williams at present.

Miss J fey wood was a passenger by tho Gothic and arrived hero on Sunday after a visit to England of nearly eighteen months.

Miss Tripe has returned to town after a long visit to tho country.

Miss T. Young is giving two afternoon teas this week, one on and one on Thursday. *

Mrs Griffiths has gone to live at Island Pay for some time, with her family, and has let her residence in Willis street to Dr Hosier, who has lately come here.

Mrs Hales has another musical evening on Thursday.

Apropos of tho much-discussed Chinese question I must say that one has to listen to a highly-educated Chinaman such as Mr Cheong to realise how much patriotism and genuine love for their country there is in these Asiat'cs. As a rule, we are apt to think of them as so entirely different from ourselves that it was quite a revelation to hear this highly-refined man speaking in terms of respect and approval of Prince Tsing, and with strong disapproval of some other politician of the time, exactly as we should speak of Lord Salisbury or Michael Davitfc. Their daily life and round of interests are in many respects wonderfully like our own, and one felt how human nature is akin all tho world over. The bad specimens of the Chinese race who have come to us are no more representative than some of tho worst of the English from Seven Dials or Whitcchapol are representative Londoners. It scorns scarcely fair to carry on such a crusade as some of our fellow-colonists wish to against all tho Chinamen because some of their number aro as undesirable emigrants as some of the lowest London or Dublmpopulation who have coino out here and settled without hindrance. Possibly if their life and habits were investigated we should want to put a tax on them also. The rea.-.oii why I am in favour of putting a tax ou the Chinese is because they can live on so much less than our countrymen that they undersell them in many branches and increase tho poverty and distress in our towns. But at the same time J appreciate their wonderful industry, and consider them an intelligent people, that it is a pity we do not take moro trouble to Christianise them while they are with up. lONK.