LADIES’ TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1424, 15 June 1899, Page 19

LADIES’ TOPICS.

(BY “ ERIE:”) (

The winter gaities have begun in good earnest, and the list this week is a full one. Many others are looming. The dance given by the Tennis Club passed off very successfully last Thursday evening at the Sydnejfstregt Schoolrooom. The room was prettily decorated with flags and greenery, with tennis nets and racquets arranged over the stage, which was comfortably furnished as a drawing-rooui. The floor was in excellent order, and Minifie’s band played capital music, and good extras were played by Miss 0. Gore and Mr Kirkoy. Mrs Simpson wore handsome black brocade finished with jet and lace; Mrs Fulton, cream brocade, trained and trimmed with lace; Mrs J. Blundell, black silk, with jet and cream lace; Mrs Reid, black silk, with pink silk and jewelled trimming; Mrs Stafford, black brocade and lace; Mrs Fitchett, pretty green brocade with pink brocade panels and trimming; Mrs Palmer, black and cream lace; Mrs Barron, black silk and cream lace; Mrs Clay, green satin and jewelled trimming; Mrs T. Young, black satin and jewelled trimming; Miss Tolhurst, cream sillc and lace; Miss MacGregor, black satin and chiffon; Miss Sprott, cream silk aim pearl trimming; Miss Willis (Cambridge), white silk with terracotta chrysanthemums, lier sister was in white.

# s£■ •£ 4f Among the debutants were the Misses Morshead, in cream silk dresses prettily trimmed with striped gauze; Miss E. Stafford, pretty white silk gown veiled with pompom net and trimmed with satin ribbon; 'Miss 11. Hickson, cream silk and lace; Miss B. Greenfield, white silk finished with chiffon and ribbon; Miss R. Richardson, cream silk finished with satin ribbon and lace; Miss Stafford wore a very pretty gown of yellow satin trimmed with embroidered true-lover’s knots **» * ‘ *

Miss Simpson wore a very handsome black brocade dress finished with silver knots and pink velvet; Miss M. Simpson, pink silk, the bodiec being trimmed with black ribbon velvet, and the skirt veiled with net edged with the same; Miss Chatfield, white brocade finished with yellow velvet; her sister, in cream satin with net, and lilies of the valley; Miss G. Reid, black satin and chiffon; Miss M. Fisher, white figured silk; Miss Scully, pink glace silk trimmed with pearls; Miss Harcourt cream silk and gold edging; Miss Cox’ green silk and lace; Miss K. Blundell pretty blue silk and chiffon; Miss ShirleyBaker (Auckland), pale green silk with pink net; Miss Connell, white Bilk and

lace; Miss G. 'Martin, whife silk xvith chiffon and r pearl edging; Miss S. Wilsonj cream corded silk and lace.

Others present were—Mrs Holmes, Chatfield, Gilrtith, Tegetmeier, and Misses Barron, Gore, Blundell, "Davy, Macintosh, etc.

. Mr Broad'mpde a very efficient secretary, and there were several officers from H.M.S. Ringdove and R.M.S. Rir.vutaka, also Messrs Fulton, Simpson, Harcourt, Betnune, Bonar, Blundell, J. Mason, Didsbury, and many ethers. * * * * *

Mrs Sprott gave a delightful little "At Home" on Wednesday evening, at her temporary residence,' Tinakori road.

* * * * *1 . Mrs Sprott received in a handsome black silkdress trimmed with black and white strfped silk. Miss Sprott wore a charming white silk trimmed with pearl passementerie. Lady Douglas had a handsome black t silk dress. Miss M. Douglas wore a pretty gown of yellow with wreaths of violets. Miss Margott wore a red satin gown veiled with black lace. Miss Bourne (England) wore a handsome yellow gown. * •* * *

Miss Edwin had a pretty white dress trimmed with violets; Miss I. Edwin wore a very pretty yellow dress; Miss Wallis (Cambridge) had a handsome white gown trimme- w— old gold chrysanthemums; Miss E. Wallis wore a handsome white dres3; Miss Fancourt was dressed in white; Miss M. Fancourt had a pretty amber ■gown; uiiss Izard wore a handsome pink brocade; Miss Stowe wore a pretty cream dress.

j * * * * * Miss. Duncan bad a beautiful gown of white silk with chine flower? : Mrs 1. Young wore a black satin gown; Miss Tolhurst had a pretty white silk dress: Miss Gore had a very becoming, dress of pale yellow; Miss O, Gore wove a pretty white "dress trimmed with blue * * Sr 5 *

Miss Johnston wore a very pretty red silk dress trimmed with chiffon.

Amongst the debutantes were Miss G. Martin, who wore a lovely white silk dress; Miss J. Barker, who had a pretty white satin dress with ti’immings of bebe ribbons, etc. * * # » *

Mies D. Quick also wore a very handsome white silk dress; Miss Barclay wore a pretty black dress with white trimmings .and ostrich tips. Amongst the gentlemen present were—Rev F. G. Masters, Sir Kenneth Douglas, and Messrs H. Johnston, H. Stowe, M. Tolhurst, T. Young, F. Didsbury, F. Harcourt, A. \_-oopev, H. Tuekey, Higginson, K. Duncan, Chaytor. Cachmeille (2), C. Gore, F. Barclay, J. Mason, B. Goring, NeWcombe and Payton. * -v $ ■»

King’s band supplied capital music. Every arrangement for the enjoyment of their guests had been most carefully made by Mr and Mrs Sprott, and it was altogether a most delightful evening.

* * * "■ aMrs lan Duncan gave a most eharmmg afternoon tea on Wednesday at her residence in Abel Smith street. Mrs Duncan received in a very pretty gown of myrtle silk shot with amber and with handsome .cream front. Amongst *he guests were Mrs Baldwin, Mrs Turnbull, Mrs H. D. ? Crawford, Mrs Tuekey, Mrs Watson, Mrs Butt, Mrs McGrath, Miss I amhert, Miss O’Connor (2), and others. * * * s* *

Mr and Mrs Moorhouse entertained the seamen at a tea in the Dresden Rooms on Thursday. w # # * * Mr Morgan Grace left by the ’Frisco boat on Saturday for a long stay in England. Miss Bourne (England) is the guest of Rev T. 11. and Mrs Sprott. * # * * »

. The Misses Wallis (daughters of the Rev w.-Wallis, Vicar of Cambridge, Auckland) are the guests of Mrs Didsbury, The Terrace. ■ ■•-t- ■

Mrs Riddiford, with her son and daughter, have gone for a long trip to Australia.

-' Mrs A. de B Brandon is staying in Sydney for her health. She is accompanied by her daughter.

* * * # # .The Orchestral. Society scored a big suctheir'concert. It was a trial to feel that all the items were being done for the first' time here. So much of the appreciation and enjoyment comes to one by degrees as one gets to know' the pieces, and are ready to look out for specially titbits. fix.'-;. * . : • *. * . * *

, However strange the audience felt to the -rHhsicy’it was introduced to them so nicely that we soon enjoyed our new acquaintances and hope to know more of them. . * * ■> •» -.t

All that was possible Mr Maughan Barnett had achieved with the material at his disposal by very careful training and rehearsings, and most of the listeners enjoyed the result very much. • I ** # * *

The music of the " Flying Dutchman ’’ will always remain rather a chaotic mystery to the ordinary mortal. To the student who is deeply learned doubtless it is, as we are frequently assured, full of deep and subtle loveliness. There will, however, always he a lot of ignoramuses, and to them the bewildering tangle of sounds will always he more pain . than pleasure. I * * * * *

Mendelssohn’s "War March of the /Priests,” ■on the ether hand, was so in- ■ spiriting and bright—we hope it was well done, because we (the uninitiated) enjoyed it so very much. * * w * # •

The short, nleasant, and harmonious hit with a " nutchacker” name also came down to the comprehension of the masses, and we were sorry there was not more of it. ■**-** *

Handel’s " Largo/’ arranged for the harp and- violin (being an old favourite), and '(rhoht'Byfiipathetically rendered by both players, was the gem- of the evening to many. “Mrs Revell’s pleasant voice # did justice to both her songs, "The Linden Tree” and "A May. Morning/ ; ■* * * * *

Amongst the audience were Mr and Mrs * Sprott— Mr, and Miss Qore;'Misses? O’Cbn"nor, Mrs' Rhodes, Mrs W. Nathan, Mrs

D. T. Stuart, Mrs Hislop, Mrs Harrison, Airs Young, Mr and Mrs T. F. Martin, Airs Riley, Misses Wax-burton, Pownall, Ross, .-Reid,; Hislop, Robieson, Willis, Barber, Mr? and, Miss Harcourt, Sir K. Douglas, Rev T Sprott, Alessrs Mills, T. Cooper, Jackson, Harcourt, Hartmann, Stuait, and many>others.

*?- • . * Judging from the large audience in the Opera' HMisa on : Wednesday evening, our Air Lxxcas, has come to stay. His finished elocution and easy, clear utterance made perfectly-ideal recitations, and each of his items were listened to breathlessly, and received with very heai-ty applause. * * * *. *

Naturally an entertainment fo this kind has to be supplemented, and Mr Lucas ivas most happy in his selection of assistants. Aliss Vartha played most careful and watchful accompaniments very sympathetically to all the songs, also a brilliant piece of execution in an arx-angement of " Swanee River’’ with amazing and lightning-like variations. * *> * * *

Aliss Hickling’s sweet, well-trained voice gave much pleasure, and she had to return several times to bow instead of giving the greatly-desired encores- She sings so easily, and pronounces her words- so distinctly that, in addition to her sweet notes, she is already a great favourite withe her audiences. * * m * *

Mr Alozar and Mr Pope were in excellent voice, and also had to answer to encores.

"The Wanganui Yeoman ” made the third part of this very, liberal entertainment.

It’s quite impossible to criticise this unique production.

The audience simply laughed helplessly from beginning to end. It all seemed entirely " promiscus like ” and absolutely apropos of nothing. ##’ * # *

So far as retrospection gose, we don’t believe we were intended to laugh consumedly, but the amazing geixeral " mix ’’ of the scenes made them excessively funnv. * * * « V

We shall look for the succeeding scenes of this drama, the first of which was so very mirth-provoking.

* * * * * Mr Minifie’s hand played some lovely German waltzes, etc., during the intervals with much softness and precision, yet in so spirited a manner that the music got into the toes of the “pit," and they kept a rhythmical accompaniment. # #

Aliss Maggie Mooore’s entertainment was extremely amusing, and both pieces wer'e beautifully dressed. Aliss Madge Corcoran as Nelly Fx-eewill wore a lovely gown of rich blue brocade with a jewelled front and painted flowers. All* Roberts as David Garrick had a costume of the period (a little over a hundred years ago) of lovely pink satin with white waistcoat, etc., a lace raffles and diamond buttons. **»••**

Aliss Moore and Mr Roberts as a Chinese boy and gix*l were excellently got up, and were mest amusing. Their imitation of the Chinese lingo was so good that they must have studied very observantly from life. Miss Moore's singing was also very good, and her " Irish Farmyard ’’ was received with great applause. There were capital audiences each evening. * * » * *

In a private letter from Rome xve hear that "Patti”. (Baroness Cederstorm) and her husband ai-e staying there in most luxurious and magnificent surroundings. On dit, the Baron was a needy masseur—and his present situation is a gx-and bit of hick for him. Patti has made a very generous settlement upon .him, so his wealth will 'he his even '- if " incompatibility ’’ P or any other matrimonial difficulty ai-ises. He is a little more than half his wife’s age. * * * *•' *

The world is naturally a trifle curious ns to how this third " ventur ” of the great Diva will eventuate.

Some Neiv Zealanders in writing from Genoa, ai-e very funny. The Campo Santo struck them "all of a heap.” Instead of the sculptured "dear departed” being the centre of the scene, the friends aixd relations (all in pure white marble) are fully and conspicuously represented.' The ladies in the latest Paris garments, and even the lace frills of their, dainty petticoats fai.thfully reproduced. . The mourning men relations all. in unexceptionable "hell-toppers” and frock coats, etc., also -n white marble. If the old school sculptors erred in the matter of t6o little clothing for their " forms divine” their modern representatives have gone very much to the other extreme. These groups in the Campo Santo must vbrge vei’y close to the ridiculous, and it is small wonder that our simple New Zealand girls were honest enough to say they were more amused than impressed. Wc thought the Green Park Cemetery, New York, was the only place where such curious ex—bitions were to be found. We are quite sorry and disappointed that the good old city of Genoa has succumbed to such modern vandalism.