TEA TABLE TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1316, 20 May 1897, Page 15

TEA TABLE TOPICS.

"Wellington, May 18. I suppose the Queen's Birthday rejoicings will bo very small this year, and that all excitement will be postponed until the Record Reign celebrations will eventuate. Then, oh 1 then I hope there will be some occasions when we can wear our pretty evening gowns, which most of us selected early in the season, as usual, and have only looked at with longing eyes as they lie daintily arranged in their card-board boxes, fresh from the hands of the dressmakers. It is the more tantalising because the fashions are prettier than ever this season, sleeves aro extremely moderate in size, transparent rucked ones beins specially stylish; spangles and sequins, both so very becoming, are more used thon ever, so it is the more trying that we are to have so little opportunity to wear our " prettinesses."

This week has not been remarkable for anything more than the return of a good, old - fashioned, , intensely disagreeable " Wellington wind." We have had such a pleasant autumn so far that we feel we ought not to grumble at the return of our old enemies " the northerly hurricane " or "the southerly buster." What annoys me particularly is that either of them are so very unbecoming. The southerly tints one's cheeks purple, and one's poor little nose scarlet; and the northerly blows the skirts about till it is nearly impossible to walk, and reduces a neatly curled fringe to straggly spikes of the most untidy description, and either wind is clever at tilting the most carefully pinned hat on one side at an unbecomingly rakish angle. Altogether we are afraid to glance at a mirror in a drawing-room, or in one of the town tea rooms, for fear all the spirit will be taken out of us by the fright we may behold reflected there. My advice to those rash enough to venture out in the present wind is to "tidy up" first, and wait till your nose gets warm, and then glance in the mirror. I never hanker after divided skirts save in such weather as we are enduring at present, and then I wonder why we should be plagued with a multiplicity of skirts which make walking a hot and tiring struggle. I should like all other women to start rationals on windy days, so that the rest of the world might get used to them—including small boys and larrikins —and then I could go out comfortably, after the ice had been broken by others more courageous than myself.

Madame Cope gave a very successful concert last Wednesday, when the Exchange Hall was well filled with an appreciative .audience. Madame wore a very pretty steel gray satin gown, trimmed with black sequined lace and scarlet flowers, the bodice veiled with wide netting of black. In one of the operatic scenes she wore a lovely -white silk gown finished with lace and cream and scarlet feathers; in another she appeared as a peasant in a red gown, the short skirt edged with black velvet, and a coquettish little red cap and a muslin bodice and apron. Miss Hall wore a smart Vivandiere's costume, with a dark blue coat with white " frogs," and a vest of scarlet and white, skirt of scarlet, and black and scarlet three-cornered hat. Little Miss Cope wore a pretty pale blue page's dress, and in the same scene Miss Hall wore a Spanish dress of yellow silk, and a black lace mantilla and high comb. The chorus ladies looked most picturesque in white

evening gowns with long scarlet sashes tied in bows on the shoulders. Mrs lianna gave a very successful euchre party at her residence in Claretnont terrace on Saturday evening. It was given as a farewell to Miss Cotter, of Auckland, who has been staying with Mrs Hanna for a few weeks. The prizes were won by Miss B. Logan and Mr Smith, and by Miss Pickering and Mr T. Tripe. Mrs Hanna received in a very handsome black silk gown, the bodice ornamented with lace and jet sprays ; Miss Cotter wore a pretty pale pink veiling gown with deep cream guipure lace; Mrs Campbell wore a pretty black and cream evening gown; Miss Gore looked well in black, with a cream laca berthe ; Miss Rose, a bright shade of blue silk, with shaded chiffon frills ; Miss Coleridge, pale pink silk and lace; Miss I. Coleridge, white veiling and lace ; Miss A. Rose, yellow and black; Miss Ross, grey-blue silk blouse with lace trimming, and black silk skirt ; Misses Lingard, white gowns with scarlet trimmings; Miss Tripe, stylish black and pink gown, with Pierrette frills of black lined with pink at the shoulders ; also Misses Tolhurst, Logan, Tuckey, Barclay and others, and Messrs Rose, Barclay, Marchbanks, Gore, Tripe, McRae, Coleridge, Reeney, Tolhurst, &c, &c.

I hear that the entertainment organised by Lady Douglas for the llawke's Bay Relief Fund has been postponed till the 31st, as it is impossible to get the Opera House any evening before then.

The engagement of Mr John Acland to Miss Mary St. Hill, of Hawke's Bay, is announced.

I have just been reading of an altogether delightful Court gown made for a beautiful young Irish lady. The fiock was of pale green satin, the , train of velvet of a darker shade, lined with pale rose pink satin, edged all round with black feathers. Down the front of the skirt are trails of pink roses, fastened with bows of green velvet ribbon, and a thick rucking of green tulle is round the hem. An embroidery of paste and emerald ornaments the velvet corselet, and shoulder straps, which are finished with frills of mousselines on both sides. How much we should enjoy seeing such artistic (and expensive) gowns in Wellington.

It is said that Wellington ladies dress more quietly, plainly and inexpensively than those of any other place in New Zealand. Also that they are gradually but surely' giving up going to the races, and the few who do appear wear the very quietest gowns, and that the gay butterfly effects which adorn the Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland racecourses are never seen here. Can it be that the almost universal cycling and golfing, which necessitate the very plainest dress, are so absorbing that we are losmg our taste for pretty gowns ? I cannot think of any other explanation, unless it is simply a matter of fashion, and in a short time we shall tire of being " moths," and bloom out as" the brightest of butterflies.

Mrs Knox, of the National Bank, is giving azi afternoon tea next Friday.

The Misses Halse have issued invitations for a Euchre Party next Friday evening.

Miss Dsnniston (Christchurch) has been staying with Mrs MacGregor.

A number of people have gone to -Island. Bay to stay in somo of the pretty little cottages there for the holidays. Among others, Mrs R. Parker and her family, the Misses Douglas, and others. lOXE.

I On Sunday Mr Morrison, of the Harbour : Board staff, found a carrier pigeon lying dead I on the balcony of the watch tower at the end of the Queen's Wharf. The bird was just dead. Round its leg- was a gold ring bearing the words New Zealand, 1896-7, and the number S 3, the latter number being in black letters. There Avas no indication of where the bird had come from, but it is supposed to have been released by Fairchild, of the Tutanekai, at present on the East Coast. Visiting cards tastefully printed at 5s per hundred, post free at the New Zealand Mail office. tKA. new church is about to be built at Ashurst for the Church of England denomination, and will be of very tasteful appearance, with belfry. A large donation towards the work has been received from Miss Ashurst, of Kent. The plans for the church are being prepared by Messrs Clere, FitzGerald and Richmond. Ladies in the country requiring reliable Knitting Yarns, Art Needlework or Novelties for Birthday or Wedding Presents, will find Pringle's, Wellington, thoroughly satisfactory. "Direct imports, keen buying, thorough ksovlf dge all com bine in the customers' fa vow* i