FEMININE FANCIES.

NZ Truth, Issue 170, 19 September 1908, Page 4

FEMININE FANCIES.

That a prophetess is without honor m her own country was well proved by the two concerts given here last week by Miss Ainsley. Those who did hear her were most enthusiastic, an,d, like so many "Oliver Twists," clamored for more— and got it. She has a magnificent voice, full, deep, and rich, but lacking a little warmth m some of her numbers, but that will come m time. In listening tc her, one can hear Melba all the time ; there is the same grand frontal production and the clear enunciation, whilst her platform manner is an. exact reproduction of the great diva's, which is simple, charming and-^artistic. On her return to. Fogland she will continue with her studies for grand opera, m which she hopes to fulfil her patronesses opinions.

.The youthful Edisons belonging to the South Edinboro of "God's /Own Country," who have invented a system of wireless telegraphy, have .; won the kudos of, being the first to instal and operate the ;first wireless land plant m the Dominion. The boys are only 16, 17, and and 17 years of age, and began their work when they were 14, 15, and 15— an age when most boys are deep m cricket and football. . If . they go on m the way they have started we may ,prepare ourselves to hear of further wonders m the next few years.

"The Fatal Wedding" was produced to a x full house on Saturday night.; It is the usual hellowdrama, with a little, vaudeville' m the' shape of the Tin Can band thrown m. Miss Beatrice ' Hollo- • way* as the persecuted and virtuous heroine, works - well and conscientiously, but as soon as she gets hack to her native petticoats, ' she starts to murder the King s English. As a. hoy she is natural and unaffected, hut when she comes back into her native element she is un-. natural and effected. F'instance Dick becomes "Deick," and will "weel," it reminds one of the nobodies of society who have a mistaken idea -that by slaughtering, the . language they impress you with -the idea that they are somebodies.: Miss, Holloway has a pretty, ladylike appearance and should be above such foolishness, .which is tie- death blow to any . actress who would rise m fame. 'Miss Gresham, as the adventuress, looks well-iin the part, .but has no grip of the character she is pourtraying.. She lacks force and feeling, and , says her lines m a parrot-like fashion, so quickly that ;ren-^ ders some parts of them indistinguishable. The Irish domestic was a wellconceived and well sustained part. Mr Stanford, as the old . gentleman with a soft spot m his heart. for the children) was a splendid piece of acting, well thought out and evenW /worked from start to finish. Mr Carey -had little to ido as O'Reilly, but he did -the little well. '. Mr Couo-hlan as Toto .worked with a will and energy that captured his audience's heart as well ■as the Irish Venus. .Mr Leicester's Howard Wilson was a very poor performance, , granted that -the character is a weak maudlin one, still,, as such, characters -have.'to he m melodrama, the artist should striyeto lift the part, not ;be dragged down hy it. The children . m the ■. Tin Can Band give some of their elders a, lesson, for they work well, and give their lines with point and emphasis. The child actor works well or ill, as the case may be, but .they are never to be found guilty; ot walking through, their parts. Little Queenie Williams,* as Jessie, is all the author meant that pert little minx to be, ; . but although Queenie is, a clever little giri, if she was. to .give half -a much back chat m private as she does m public, we hope her mother^ would 'spank •herl . ;■ ■' ' ■ ■ ■

Passing along Lambton-quay on Tuesday afternoon, present scribe was attracted by a great display- of flags at Nathan's buildings, and thought the firm was taking, advantage of the Mayor's invitation to decorate the city for Dominion Day, and was having a dress rehearsal, for • the flags were being continually shifted from one. post to another... But, on enq'uir3', it turned out that such was not the case ; the flags were flying m honor of the butter monarch's marriage with' Miss Elsie Josephs, of motor car fame. Three out of the four flag poles were occupied, cne had the Engiisii,. another- the Irish, whilst from the third floated the lion rampant on a butter-colored background. The fourth, m its nudity, seemed reminiscent of that once popular comic sopg, "Every. -Nation had a Flag- but the Yid." In ( my 'mind's eye I clothed that poor, naked pole ' with a chaste design not unknown to both ancient and modern history-M;hree buttercolored balls on a black background.- .

The very latest is an ugly story m connection with one of the members of one of the visiting hockey teams. Said lady patronised a well-known private hotel m the city. The proprietor, who had. his suspicions, on going his usual 1 round of inspection after the boarders had all retired to rest, saw a light m the lady's room, and requested that it rshould be put out. Receiving no , reply and no compliance with his request, he assumed that something might he wrong, so opened the door and looked m. And he was right m his conjecture. Therewas—in the shape of a male visitor with the, liockey lady m a room that was billed for one. Needless to say, the lady had to find fresh lodgings the next day.

A ladies' representative hockey match will : be played this afternoon at Wellington. The contestants are to be the local representative team and a Wanganui representative eleven. It should be a great game, as both Associations are •placing strong teams m the field.

There. is a general rush how on for the 'headgear described as Vivandierc, and it is quite amusing to see now all anid sundry ,have adopted it, 'from the girl cf fifteen to the woman of fifty. They never for an instant seairi to reflect as to whether the hat suits or nPt. It is the fashion, and, of course, they must 'oe fashionable^ so, m ' order to be fashionable, some of ; them make themselves hideous. Whilst shopping' at one of our largest drapery stores ! the other day, T ! Witnessed the "following little episode : A customer who was scmewhat over forty and greatly inclined to " embonpoint, was intent on purchasing a hat. She ■had selected one of the latest craze and was looking doubtful and undecided. All of a sudden she was seized by a brilliant idea, and, turning to the assistant who was attending toher, >he said, "'You try it on." The assistant was a handsome girl soniew-here m the twenties and the hat suited her well. That seemed to decide any doubts Ihe lady might have had, she purchased the hat and left the establishment looking as if she were pleased with the world m general and herself m particular.' I could not resist asking the head of the department, with whpm I was speakins-, and who had also been a witness to the little scene, if this sort of thing often occurred. "Oh, yes," she said, "it occurs so frequently that we have ceased to' he amused byit."

Mrs Waldo Lib thorp, a wealthy Englishwoman who has recently died leaving £100,000 bequeathed to charities, £4000 is to he invested and 'the income used each year as marriage portions to two deserving" poor girls residing near Steaford, Lincolnshire, at the time of their marriage. The girls are to be chosen l by the Mayor and the member 'of ParJinment tor the time being, and the sole desire of the giver is that two young girls may each year be thereby made very happy.

Mr Wilford has earned the gratitude c.f many parents for having made the stand he has in -regard to the desirableness of an uniformity m the sclicol nooks. It is a matter that one would think needed no seefand consideration from ;my practical person. But now that Mr \))Hord

has beccme a champion of the cause we have every hope of seeing it carried to a successful issue.

St. Martin's fountain, that used to he at the corner of Featherstone-str<jet for the use of the prohibitionist, has been removed to Oriental Bay, although the only real prohibitionist ever known to slake his thirst there was Togo, "Truth's" dog, who will, no doubt, feel the loss more keenly than anyone else.

Mr. Charles Saunders, the eminent English tenor singer, at the concert given by the Choral Society at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening, roused his audience to great enthusiasm, and they recalled him again and again. He has quite recovered from his late indisposition, and, if anything, his superb voice seemed better and stronger even- than the last time we heard him. His wife, Miss Clara Robson, is a fine contralto, and sings with great expression, and feeling. She, too, was well received and applauded.