WAYS OF WOMEN

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1851, 28 August 1907, Page 42

WAYS OF WOMEN

(By "Erie.”)

TABLE T£LK.

In any department ! of life it' is bad policy tohavea feast or a famine in etreaKei - - Just-now we are socially in the midst -of a feast of gaiety—after a week or two of great spared ; On -\'Monday afternoon Indy' Ward gave &- very bright pleasant tea, chiefly for the wives and daughters of Parliamentarians; The rooms looked very inviting after the damp dullness of the Out door atmosphere. Graceful palms and quantities of “spring flowers were in evidence everywhere with the prettiest effect. Lady Ward’s courteous graceful tfelcome quickly set her guests at ease, /though the majority of them were sfran- : gers to each other. McLiauchlan’s band played' in the billiard-room. . Tea was laid in the dining-room, which opens from*-the- drawing-room; . The centrepel©©, was of magnificent Venetian glass, lighted from the inside with small elec- • trie laahps, which threw .out the gorgeous colouring with a great effect. It is a novelty which Indy Ward brought from Venice last year, and is a greatly; admired, ornament. Vases of spring flowers prettily arranged were the other decoration s.' ■ MisS Ward sang several times. A clear contralto voice with rich full notes such as Miss Ward’s, is a most enviable possession. Mrs B. Wilson and Miss Feldwiclc also sang several times, and Mrs M. Boss gave an- amusing, recitation. Lady Ward was wearing one of her pretty . Paris gowns. It was of a very becoming-shade of turquoise blue taffetas. The skirt was quite full to the top, and had indescribable trimmings of frills, etc., which Parisian modistes always manage to make so unobstrnsively effective- The bodice was of Point d’Bsprit lace with wide bretelles and sleeves of blue taffetas. Lady Ward wore - amongst other diamonds the splendid star which was presented to her on the occasion of her christening the new steamer Maori, at Dumbarton. Miss Ward wore- an extremely pretty ~ and rather unusual-looking gown of grey nine® de soie. It was made with a corslet bodice eut in Vandykes, meeting a deep yoke of cream Point de Flanders lace. Lines of narrow black velvet were introduced into this altogether pretty eostiupe with excellent effect. Amongst the ladies present were, Mrs Findlay, Mrs 'Fowfds (Auckland), Mrs Logghnan. Mrs C. M. Luke. Mrs Feldwick. Mis? 6. Jo-s-e-s. Mr© T. K. Macdonald. Mrs F. Dver. Mrs Geo. and' Miss McLean. Ladv Steward, Mrs Guinness, Mrs Hordes, Mrs Tzard. Mr© Laureneon, Mrs and MSau Butherford. Mrs Sidey, Mrs Stallworthv. Miss Stevens, Mrs Knox Gilmer, Mrs Tanner, Mrs R. McKenzie, Mrs Barclav, Mrs Kidd, Miss MacDonald. Miss Thomson, the Miees Feldiviok, Mrs Arnold, Mrs Barber. Mrs Hogg- Mrs Remington, Mrs Luxford. the Mfees: Hall-Jones, Miss Prouse and Miss Mary Jones were verv pleasant and : efficient assistants to Miss Ward in .dispensing tea, ftc,. to the guests. ff Little Pat" was indefatigable in his attentions to- his mother’s friends, having Very large-hearted ideas of the duties of hospitality.

A particularly sad, case is that of Miss Lynm-Millsv an Australian artist who is fulfilling sdine concert engagements in New Plymouth and elsewhere.. While in New Plymouth she was thrown from a • carriage, and. one of her legs broken, two cofffoound fractures. She,.has been ' in the hospital since January and the results of the treatment have not been satisfactory. Many of our prominent musical people, who have the deepest sympathy with her, have organised a ■concert in the Town Hall, on 23rd inst., for her benefit at popular prices. .A large committee of are working hard to make it a financial, as well as a musical success, and there is no doubt but that great numbers of tickets will be bouerht by the benevolently inclined . public- bv -way of giving a mite towards this praiseworthy object. It is proposed to help Miss 'Lynn-Mills to return to Australia, where she has friends.: }f ■ - Lady Plunbetand Hon. Kathleen Plunket have ' returned from their prolonged trip Home. - They have brought a visi- ■ tor with them-from -Fifi. Miss Chalmers, the niece of the Governor. ' ■ .: ► Mts Wad Tis is leaving for England in : ' October for the benefit of her health. The Bishop of Wellington will not go till February, - when he will attend the Lambeth Conference. Mrs Hector Roßerton has come from Africa with .her* little son. to visit her parents, Mr and Mrs H. D, Bell. Mrs Firth (the College) has issued invitations for a youn" neop’e’s dance in the'Sltdilty Street Hall on' Thursday, 27th \inst. " The members of tlm Garrison Officers’ Club have issued invitations for an At Home in the Masonic Hall on Wedhes- . day, 28th. The-first- part oM-he evening will be musical, and dancing at ten o’clock. The Levin Orphanage is one of the many beneficent institution!? which is steadily doing a lot of useful' though unohstrusive philanthropic work in our midst, in enring. for and tenrhing the destitute orphans of Protestant, birth. An entertainment is being arranged by the President (Mi*sr Greenwood) and a committee-ladios For tlie 27th, in the Concert Hrm, to heln the funds, which need Some such heln sadlv. Amongst the friends who are supplying the items of amusement are Miss Bbrfase with a ' gay little- hand of pupils. Mr® Derby 'and some pupd.? will give /• on exhibition of physical drill. Misses Van Staveren . will- r ' ,, o’ ’df> the mnskArnold, .and Prbctor will recite :Mr j. Carr'is the-lion. sec. of the entertainment committee, and we feel sure there will be a large audience of townspeople rte sympathise with this most humane object.

Canon Richards (Laurence)- and Mrs Richards are' visiting-in town.

. Colonel and Mrs Collins gave a very pleasant dance for their daughterEvelyn’s young friends m the Goring Street Hall? on Wednesday evening. Fleming supplied the best of good dance music. Mr. Mabin, Mrs Putnam, and several other friends played capital extras. Supper was provided in the long ante-room. The table looked spring-like and pretty with its decorations of vases filled ;\vith quantities of bulbs and camellias. The hall (which possesses by far the best floor for dancing in Wellington) was gay with many flags arranged round the walls., giving them la very bright appearance. The stage was prettily and most comfortably furnished with screens and easy chairs, etc., and was a pleasant retreat for the chaperons to watch the dancing. Colonel and Mrs Colliiis received their guests at the door of the hall. Mrs Collins was wearing a handsomely fitted lace gown over crimson silk and a large brocaded opera coat. Miss Collins had a very pretty pale blue silk gown with cream Point d’Esprit lace, and red roses. Miss Evelyn Collins wore a pretty white embroidered India muslin frock and blue sash. Miss Collins (Colonel Colliiis sister) wore a handsome black voile gown and pale blue de so-ie scarf. Amongst some of the guests were Captain Henderson and Misses Henderson, Mr and Mrs Mabin, Mr and Mrs Corrigan, Mrs Putnam, Misses Doughty, Meek, Veitch, Sheriff, Henrys, Hobday, Wardrop, Stewart, Wright, Reid, Holmes, Crawford, Blundell, Meadoworoft, Reading, Lane, Dim-ant, Knox, Snowball, McGowan, Henderson, Nelson, Carroll, Batkin, Pollock. Amongst the men were Messrs Paterson, Ward, Stout , Samuel, Laing, Ronayne, Henderson, Hjorring, Elliott, Bridge, Paul Wilberfoss, Pownall, Shirtcliffe," Brewer, Beamish, Crawford, and many others. .

Dr. and Mrs Napier McLean are giving a ball in their house, Grant Road.

The Hutt ladies and the Hockey Club are both giving dances this week. ’■ The Heretaungias had their annual dance on Wednesday evening in . the Druid’s Hall. It was nicely decorated and they danced to? the music of Miss Hawthorne’s string band. The Opera Company are having wonderfully large audiences. On Wednesday evening "Lohengrin” was very elaborately staged. The dresses were extremely handsome. Miss Anderson as Elsa of 'Brabant, wore several most picturesque -dr-esses.' In the second act her ivory satin frock was embroidered in very mass've design of palest pink and gold. Her court tram was a marvellous effect of ivory silk bordered in a large conventional design of old gold and black. Her diadem of pearls would have been excessively trying to any but a pretty face. Karl Studemond as Lohengrin wore some beautiful robes, particularly a very pale blue brocaded satin suit with ample cloak of the same. He wore a beautiful chain with largo Malachite squares set in frosted silver. The people who were conversant with the music and knew the story of the legend were greatly gratified, and were very enthusiastic in their admiration. To the poor ignoramuses who only hear a .succession Of uninteresting sounds in Wagner’s music and to whom the story was a mystery, the German’s words were trying to a degree.

The Licensed. Victuallers held their annual ball on Wednesday evening in the Town Hall. . It was profusely decorated very much on the line© of the Race Ball. King’© Band played very excellently. There was a most elaborate champagne ©upper beautifully laid and served by ■ Mawson. The tables had quantities of Spring flowers and Wattle. Amongst the guests were Lady Ward, wearing a lovely dove-coloured silk with Guipure lace, and diamond ornaments. Mrs Izard had a cardinal gown. Mr© Cohen wore a very handsome black brocaded satin and soft cream lace. Mrs J. Dwyer iyore a lorquoise blue taffetas. Mrs Aldridge had a handsome striped silk costume, Mrs C. Beauchamp had a lovely gown of cream brocade and embroidery. -Mrs Maher’s gown was of brocaded silk and Maltese lace. Miss Maher wore white silk trimmed with pale peacock green velvet. Mis© Slattery wore a light blue taffetas and Point d’Esprit lace. Mrs Quinn had a handsome black brocaded silk with black lace. Miss O’Brien wore a pale green taffeta; Miss Wayland had a Pompadour chine silk gown of Empire make. Mr© (Dr.) Gilmer had a bdautir ful blue satin gown with cream lace. Miss McArdle wore a pretty gown of white brocaded, silk. Mies Woodhouse chine ©ilk gown. Mrs Gow had a pale grey glace silk. Miss Gow wore a crushed strawberry silk gown with cream lace. Mrs C. Zachariah had a black gown with blue velvet. Mrs Wills wore black silk and glace.