BREEZY BITS FROM SYDNEY CITY.

NZ Truth, Issue 96, 20 April 1907, Page 5

BREEZY BITS FROM SYDNEY CITY.

Feminine Fads, Frills, Follies, Feathers, Flowers and Furbelows.

(By "Merrie May.")

Our city has resumed its normal aspect, most of our country cousins having returned to their homes, only a few of the extra swell visitors remaining for St Vincent's ball on Wednesday evening, the Northcote grass-party on Thursda^, and similar top-crust festivities. ■'"'■'

Our Show was a record one m every sense. The spectators, lifee the dove that Noah •. let out of the Ark, could hardly find room for their feet, and crushed each other's corns unmercifully while gazing at the wonderful cobs grown by somehody's fertiliser ;■ and the gate proceeds panned out £■550 more than any former occasion.

The high jumping was about the most popular performance, and when the old 'grey horse Desmond broke his own recopdW. of pa^t .rVears and biiTiM/ 6 feet^M inches, the atmosphere was rent with' cheers. Woman further distinguished herself as an equestrienne $ityd raised the world's record for the Lady's High Jump. Mrs Elliot oh Desmond and Mrs Stace an Skylark jumped the bar at 6 feet 3 inches— the highest leap ever accomplished by women riders. Both ladies rode on ordinary sidesaddles, and . won a dbzenisior^so prizes between them. The astride seat may be safer and more oonlortable for the beau monde of Rotten Row, but the old-fashioned side-saddle is as comfortable as a rocking-chair to the Australian equestrienne

Pessimists, who tiad propbes4e4 that plague would destroy our jJast# festivities, turn our joy into mourning and our fair city into a deserted village, were 'very disappointed. Our City Fathers had cleaned up the infected areas and made war on -the rats and mice, and two-legged vermin as well, and the dread disease bad no terrors for us. Apollo shone in -all his splendor, and country folk and Staiie visitors of great social tonnage filled up out hotels and. basnhouse turrets and scoffed up everything like a .horde, of hungry caterpillars. Of course, they paid for their tucker, tout it w^s a "foul blot on the city to see a hundred or so persons m a, scrum outside a shilling restaurant, and' watoh the battle when ; the door opened to admit about ten of the most valiant.. Truth forbids me to say the most i^ilanV for nnngry woman fared very badly m the melee —man hasn't ,any time for woman when he has a gnawing vacuum beneath his waistcoat. If a man doesn't love his wife before dinner, how can he be expected! to be chivalrous to stray, strange damozels' under like circumstances ? Tie raid of the Israelites on the manna, before they knew the Ix>rd intended to rain down a fresh supply, piping hot, every morning, was a -tame circumstance m comparison. , .

Our four days' ...raping^. was just a carnival of horses and clothes. The accumulation of Vice-Regals, Federal politicians* High Court Judges, and inter-State visitors made for so much show and glitter amd blaze that 'one longed for motor goggles* Each day seemed set apart for a fierce competitive dazzle. Lady Nortocote and Miss Ohanuios Pole graced the ViceRegal pen m summery obifions and silks, and many feathers and sparkling jeVels. Between the races they walked about the lawn escorted by his Ex. and suite of five m very swell rig and silk tiles, and now and tfoen they graciously acknowledged a bow from one or other of the pushing motley who bobbed across the ViceRegal track.

All our dress-designers and frockbuiMers strutted at the races m gorgeous raiment and much •tftoaiebone, and exhibited the latest style of figure! It is very stiff m the spinal column, very big about the bustle and hips, the pantry is packed away m the bust somewhere, and the waist is from IS to 20 inch. 1 I'm positive •the Creator didn't know His business when he made Women with ribs and livers and stomachs, for the -new style of woman is* just bust and legs.

Our tram servjoe was only just, equal tp the demand^ upon it.' Some of the old steam affairs* were put into active service on the Randwick line, and ias Florrie went to make her fortune by tacking gee-gees whioh wouldn't go, she remembered that "When ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." For old steam Billy puffed away amd the soo-t descended on the, just and unjust alike,' while some country johnnies evidently under the impression that it was an electric, tram, we're paying high compliments to the tramway people. "These trams are all right," quoth one ; "they run so easily and so Quickly— so different from those steam trams we used to have." "They are Al," said the other ; "I always did believe m electricity." Just then Puffiing Billy pjave a shriek and a snort, and the smoke and soot-fell oh. us like the dew of Thermon. Flo.rrie pointed out the window at Billy puffing away for 1 ali he was worth. Then tire bush lawyers and electricians gaped, arid ejaculated, 'fWell, I'm damned," at the same second, and subsided for the rest of the journey.

Tfee punting pettiooats round their, pet bookie is a continual side-show. He should be called "The Darling of the Goddesses,"' so persistent and clinging are the panting shes.

A heathen Chinee joined the throng on Saturday. He had a most innocent expression, and backed m with his card when he was winner or not;. "No goad, John,'' quoth Jack of the Bag. "Why no good?" pleaded John. "No time now," quoth Jack of the Bag. Then' several women, evidently accustomed to talking pigeon-English to the cabagee and "lettucee Mongolian, explained to John, vigorously, "No good, no good, John ; you catcher, wrong horse." John's open and guileless countenance clouded ' ominously ; then he looked vwth an insinuating smile and goo-goo eyes at ft mucWbefTilled woman, and siroper-

ed, "You telle me good one nexti time, Missie," and established himself at her elbow as her chief aideShe gasped with horror, and, gathered up her dignity with one hand 1 and her frillies with the other, fled to the grandstand as though the alien* had the small-pox. But why do white women tolerate .the insinuating horrors and bring insults upon themselves. Chinamen know better than to inflict their nasty presence on a crowd of white men— men don't call him John m a brotherly fashion and frivol with him.

Julius the adorable made his debut as "Raffles" at the Theatre Royal on Saturday niplvt. The Northcotes, accompanied by Miss Chandos Pole and suite, and a.greaj; army of the very nicest m swell and diaphanous raiment, welcomed him as the gentleman thief with the, taint m his bloodJulius m evening clothes or a blazer coat and ordinary bifurcated garments, is very different from Julius Napoleon or Julius Marcus Suiperbus of the lovely legs and golden topotg,. But foe played "Raffles" the braVe.and brainy thief splendidly, m spite of his : very unconvincing style of lovemaking, and he ornitted_^ll reference** ifi^fe^ufie'^^aiTO^versio^was

responsible for his burglarious proclivities. It*s not nice to have oun birth-stains heaved at us /at a theatre, >

Marion Grey is a .very picturesque new lady— very . tall, slight, and ethereal, not to say boney. $he , acted Gwen, the . head-over-ears-in-love young woman, very cleverly and naturally—no heroics or barnstorming about Marion. I'd like to see her m a better part and a better play. Her first dress was a beautiful ingenue affair, two superb lace flounces over pink silk and bodice to match, and a pink bebe-rqse wreath ; round her brown hair. Her last dress was cream crepe-de-chine, with additions of lace and the eyes of peacock's tail feathers intermingled. '

Elbert Orton, who was the naughty grass-widow of the drama, looked well m green and gold m the first act, and brown chiffon velvet showing her shoulder-blades to the waist m the third. She makes rather a goad "villainess" of the cool-concen-trated-hatred order, and. her. acting was rathejr a surprise. So was her very decided American twane. A woman with a jaw like Elbert is. thrown away m girly-giriy flabby roles— she is more at ease breaking up other people's plans and thirsting for revenge with a capital R.

The .Williamson' maftiw~sm€nt intend forming another musical comedy company at ttte close o£the "Mother Goose" season. .New English comedians have been imported, but the starettes and chorus' will be Australian. As "Mother Goose" is layin-" golden eggs of huge proportions at Her Majesty's, the bird will remain there for many weeks lender.

The Brpugh-Flemmina: Company is playing "Dr. Wake's Patient" for six niphfcs. "Peter's Mother" is m '.preparation. < ■ •■

Wirths have added a unique and sensational turn to their miriity zoo., menagerie, and. circus— Maori Hakas and > Maori war dances, by real Maori warriors led by Prince. Tawhiao, son of the famous fcing Tawfaiap. What price royalty and the divine right of Kings m this city when Princes dance m a coat: of paint and a strip of calico for bur edification ?

Our Show critics must he paid by. (be year to write pleasant things, and pleasant flattering things only, about the people who advertise their shows m the newspapers. Put do <■ - you not think the general public should be cons-rtered a' little now and then? Why shoi'ld mediocre-^v&r-v mediocre— shows be boomed as marvellous, to the 'disgust of . people who pay for admission ? Because the press critic is a deadhead, must he bartei? his soul away, as well as his reputation as a person of intelligence, m return for his free seat ?

It was the booming of Jessie M c- fllachlan, the Scottish songstress, that occasioned this outbreak. To read the reports o f Jessie's concerts ono woujd imagine she was, a , Melba, or at leasjb a Dolores— a highly-finished artiste whom t was a pleasure and a privilege to/ listen to. One really: thought it" was kind of Jessie to come here and sing for us. But, oh ! what a difference when one ar- < rived at tn& concert and sat out the evening waiting for the great melodies and the tumultuous applause.

To be truthful, Jessie's voice is not what it .used to be. . She has lost her power, and sing-s with great effort, and you can see that it hurts her by the weird faces she makesShe has dropped liar serio-comic style, which, by the way, suited her, and has adopted a melo-tragic for such songs as "Auld Robin Gray"* and the "Last Rose of Summer." When she sang fortissimo that "AuM Robin Gray was gude mon to her," I felt sorry for Robin, though I liardlv dared fo breathe for fear sfe wou-ld burst her Tiodjce stitches as as she rose out of the top of it. Jessie is ( very solid— riot to say beefy— and , her concerts arc of the cheap and popular order, and should be priced accordingly. Why she shou'd \.<i boomed as a' prim. 1 doma ;<i tin's stage of her existence pmv-^.-s my con. 1 prehension.

Our politicians are getting reaiy for the fray. Premier C a mrt,hers annouinees that the coalition is assured, ar.4 that the Carruthersites uad Woddallites, assisted by the great Y«s-No of the Federal Opposition, will make war against the common enemy— the Socialist Party. So the old ' scarecrow is to be resurrected for tfee State elections.