ALICE'S LETTER TO HER READERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1961, 20 June 1889, Page 33

ALICE'S LETTER TO HER READERS.

All those who have the good of their fellow - creatures at heaift must' have both' sorrowed and rejoiced' at the outcome of the' meeting \ in connection with the sweating system— | sorrowed to find without doubt that' there j is oppression' and misery in out midst, and' rejoiced to know there are so many able and brave enough to fight the evil, in the face of j personal discomfort and trouble. " The Song ' of the Shirt " has never failed, when, recited <; to,an audienoe, to /arouse feelings ( of pity almost akin to 'tears* but the soft emotionthat; springs beneath a pictured wrong is'of 1 a spurious character if it fails, on the representation of aotual facts, to be aroused- 'and bring forth the fruit' of ' effort to eradicate the evil, and all honour is due to those men who are working so well in the cause of the oppressed. It has been said of> Mr •• Waddell that he is an enthusiast and dreamer. That may be so, but his enthusiasm and dreaming' is all for the good of' others, and the man who wishes to make any work a success must bring enthusiasm to it, whether it be in making a pair of shoes or reforming a nation. Some people's enthusiasm, ■ however, never gets past selfinterest. On that one point they are " all there," as the saying is. They take a broad and comprehensive view of the capital " I," and all ' the rest of the ■ alphabet is simply there to set that one letter into bolder relief. Mr Waddell, however, like a good general, says, " Come on," not " Goon," and, if he mortifies 'the flesh of other people, he; does' not- spare his own.> If he is a dreamer, his dreams are 1 all high dreams of other people's good, and inspired by his voice and hand many a one has climbed, if not to the heights he desires for them, at least out of the mud. But, work 1 as the men will to sweep away the shame of starvation wages paid to these poor women and girls, it will be of little avail if women will not lend themselves to the movement. I do not mean by public speaking'^-that is men's work, and in ' that department men can do the most good ; but by private aotion women can do what the men oannot'do so well— support in their purchasing the firms that treat their women the best, by relinquishing the abominable habit so many hundreds have of bargain hunting. lam not referring to that class 'of the community who, in their way,' are sweated also, and, poor things, have to face the question of trying to make £1 go as far as £3 but to the wives and daughters of those who are earning good wages, yet whojaegrudge to spend a fair portion of it to be paid again in wages to others. Every shop assistant in this and other town's knows them, and knows their name to be legion, and knows also that they are not so much among the ' very poor as among the class who are well nourished. They come into a shop, turn over the goods, grumble, haggle, quote the prices of other shops, and after putting the assistant to infinite trouble very likely go away without making a single purchase. If you watch the very poor, as a rale you will find a different principle at work. If they have the money they pay it gladly; if they have not they go away sorrowfully. To illustrate my meaning I will relate a little incident. One ■ day a lady friend was doing some shopping, and there came into the shop a poor woman, shabby and pale. She feebly sat down, and waited patiently, like one long accustomed to wait for any of this world's goods. While watching she kept fumbling with some money tied up in a piece of rag, counting it over— it was' so little — again and again. An assistant' came up to her— a gentleman, for he was as courteous 1o her as though she were the Queen— and asked what he could do for her. Not much, for she asked almost in a whisper for a few yards of unbleached calico,' the cheapest he had. He brought a poor calico. " Is that the cheapest 7" the poor thing asked anxipqply, It was. "It vt Tory cheap," she

replied, "but I have not money eriough." The lady standing 'near slipped a few'coins into her hand, when after a little confusion, and greatly to the assistant's surprise, who hadn't seen the sleight of hand trick, she said, " I'll have the 1 other— the better quality." This is what I wanted to show : that it is not always those who are very poor that prefer the cheapest goods, but often those who begrudge to part with the money. ■ The -Savage Olub gave their first ladies' evening on Monday, the 10th, at St. Matthew's schoolroom. Familiarity with these evenings does not breed contempt, for each successive ladies' night seems more delightful than the last. Of course, with the natural instinct of our sex, we admire any talent displayed by the sterner ccx when not a trace of sternness is visible! ' but, on the contrary, every effort is made for our entertainment. And on this occasion even the most fault-finding among" us must confess tnajtif we were not entertained the blame layj with ourselves and not 'with our enter- J tamers. To begin with, the room wa3 j artistically arranged, the walls draped' with pink" and white, and adorned with fans, j The floor carpeted, the seats most comfort- j ably arranged in sociable groups, and a bright fire leaping and sparkling in the grate, making the temperature of the room warm enongh for the ladies to dispense with their wraps without fear of catching cold. The programme was an excellent one, andi gave evidence that the Savages have made good progress in civilisation — poetry, art,, and music being amongst their accomplishments. When the curtain was drawn up we were slightly alarmed by seeing upon the stage 12 of the most ferocious-looking creatures it has ever. been my lot to spend an evening with — clad in blankets, Maori mats, mocassins, and other primitive apparel. Their skins were dusky, and their eyes deep set and flashing. In their hands they carried spears terrible to behold. We were reassured, however,, by these warriors making ns a low obeisance and singing : — 'Lflok'l Yes, bravesl' A sight entnmclng— Beauty's fair array ; > Blushing cheek and bright eye glancing, Let us hemage pay. Bow the feathered head, Droop the trusty spear— ' Thus our thanks are said To the ladies here. May they often, Pitying our savage plight, Seek to soften ' ' By their kind attendance here t Or many a ladies' night). ' ' Then Savage "Minihoh'o" (Mr Densem— onjy recognisable by his voice) stepped fotwatd and' mMd known to us in song that Dr. Belcher, the late president; before whom; ■they had trembled for* a year pas^ was "retiiM in^ frbm office. ' The terrible ge.ntlemanh'ere' appeared', and corroborated the' statement, Whereupon 1 Savage r "Higherwather" (Mr O. UmberS) sang a farewell to t"he great chief. Savage " Mmihbho," singing,- bids them" dry their tears, as the president only disappears to become the vice-president. After which" followed^ a" 'quartette "of rejoicing,, then « Tidwerwather " (Mr Young), from the' deepest depths of his bass, informed us in, a 's'olb that 'our hearts' should lighten with glee, as JDr Belcher still retains a seat on the ( cbtii : rh^ttee.. The new president (Professor Parker) now entered, and was hailed in song by^he full chorus of Savages, after which he thanked 'them for the honour in a nice speech, and unveiled the god of the Savag'eS.' •Then a terrible-looking ! man, " MuSamuffa" (Mr E. W. Horn), stepped forward and broke into song. The Savage god proved to. be a very handsome pic.ture, painted and pre jl 'sented to the Savage Olub by a lady. This lady, I have been led to believe, is Miss Wimperis; If this is incorrect, I shall be glad to • 'know. The words of the operetta -were composed by Mr D. Cargilland arranged to wellknown operatic airs by Mr J. Cargill, the secretary of the club. 1 Mr B. Towsey is t;o be complemented " upon his' Savage choir. The choruses were remarkably well sung, as also were the solos. Daring the evening Mr B. Towsey presided at the piano, for after freshments" there was a delightful little "concert. Mr A. A. Finch, played the violincello, Herr Otto Schweers and Mr 0. Barratt the violins, Mr O. ,Turtibull the cornet,' and Mr Eoberrshaw the double bass. Messrs Carrick Martin, Densem', Young, Umbers, and Jones sang some good songs. In recitatioiis'Mr'J.'Car- 1 gill was inimitably funny, creating roars of laiighter.' Mr Young was very good also. Th;e body 1 of the fyall looked as gay as a j flower garden, some very pretty dresses being | worn. The ladies will understand in a crowded room like that of Monday evening, j where the ladies keep their seats the whole time, that it is impossible to observe more' than the general "effect of the costumes. Gleaming arms and necks, tastefully arranged coiffures, soft feathers 1 and glowing flowers one can see in abundance, all going to make up a pretty picture, but to get a'close enough view of any 'particular costume to give the minute details isa harder matter ' than many whohare not tried it wouldbelrbTe, unless one makes a public pest of oneself by staring people out of countenance throngh opera glasses. Some mistakes are consequently almost sure to occur, and when they do the.afliicted one must take this into consideration. . She knows the minutiae of her own costume so well that it seems perhaps unpardonable clumsiness for another to v make a mistake in the description of it. This is why it is' much more satisfactory when the j ladies are kind enough to send in the description' of their own gowns, as is often 1 done in other cities. This is the reason, too, j why I often think it better to say •• Mrs A j looked charming in red and Mrs B in blue?' It leaves the reader freedom to painfe his own. mental picture, which he does according to his knowledge of the lady's face and 'figure and other individual characteristics. When we give a description of the sky we may say as Mrs Hemans did. " The deep blue glorious heavens," or try and tack on to it all the little cloud fringes and plastrons, but which conjure up the most delightful vision;? I have often thought that Besant and Rice give one a very pretty 1 idea of the appearance of their heroines. Madcap Violet is described as wearing a grey dress and hat with a touch of red about it; the author says nothing about the pleats of the. skirt or the puff of the drapery. Another heroine is described as wearing "a soft fleecy gown of pale blue silk with white lace falling from the neck and wrists."' A graceful vision presents itself, but accord-

ing to the recognised fashion I must proceed, however. Among the blaok gowns I was near enough to notice Mlbs Ashcroft's — the skirt draped with lace over amber satin, the 1 bodice touched with the same colour; Madame 1 Joubert also looked very nice in black silk grenadine, the bodice ornamented with gold; Miss Joubert wore a simple girlish frock of red nuns' veiling, with sash' and ribbons of red satin ; Miss Fodor, low neck dress of pink silk draped with white lace ; Mrs Twopeny's rich corded black silk looked very nice ; Mrs Belcher's gown was of orange silk, with long sweeping train, the front of pale 'green brocaded 'silk, deep collarette, white lace, and orange 1 flowers; Miss Stephenson wore blue silk, with white opera cloak ; Miss T. Stephenson, black net, with pretty pink plush opera cloak ; Miss K. Stephenson, white.f Among the yellows Mrs Henry Mackenzie's gown of straw-coloured satin was much admired. With this she wore a gold and orange shot silk opera cloak, edged with a deep niching of the silk. TheYe were> several pretty heliotropes. Among these 1 I noticed Mrs ' Chamberlain's of silk, made Directoire style, and Miss Marshall's of a paler shade. Among the dresses which came under - my notice particularly, Mrs Boss' was one of the loveliest. It was of a pearl grey or white silk, Directoire robe style, the dead white silk front beautifully embroidered with gold.. Mrs Martin wore a lovely pale blue silt Miss Eeynolds also was attired in pale blue silk, with opera cloak of gold and white stripes, edged with' deep ruching of gold. Miss Rachel Reynolds wore a charming gown of pink. Miss Petre was also gowned in pink liberty silk. Mrs Ogston wore a light' flowered silk, the background either of white or ;very light grey, the brocade of pink and red. Miss'E. Smith wore a charming pale green silk ; and Mrs Whitson 'looked remarkably, well in green plush relieved with gold. ' " ■ The Cripple Club, which you will remember is a private rinking club of ladies and gentlemen, are meeting again at the Palace Rink onJMonday and Thursday evenings from 5 to 16 p.m., with Messrs A.<G-. Fenwick and J. Gi> Marshall as hon. secretaries'. You will not forget the delightful evening that closed last season. This is- to be repeated this season at itsjclose, and is something to be looked forirairdto. ' ' At All Saints' tea meeting last week Bishop Nevill remonstrated with the ladies again on their follies of fashion. Some of them went so far, he said,- as to wear false hair; and I believe f^he ladies rather resented the lecture, <m a number of the gentle sex had been particularly painstaking over the tea, and felt - injured at getting a " wigging." ' The street dresses just now present very little variation in make— the Directoire style being universal; Among those I have noticed during the past week were the following: —Mrs DaWfeon, Very pretty, crimson^ check, handsomely made in Directoire' style; /Mrs G. Fenwick, navy blue Directoire cos- > cuine, embroidered ' with black braid ; Mrs • B. jO. Haggitt; navy blue serge, braided with military braid, pleated front, with stylish back ; Mrs Mundy, black Directoire costume, prettily embroidered in front. • l

WEDDING AT STRATfI-TAiBEI. ' Our usually quiet earner of the plain was enlivened Dnthe,4th ult. by the /uarriage of Mr T. Potter, pf 'Paiearoa Station, to' Miss B. Peatt, of Mount Gowrie, Deep Stream. The wedding took place at 2 o'clock, at 1 Springvale. the residence of the bridegroom's brother-iD-law, the Bey. A. B. Todd officiating. The bride looked lovely in a navy blue costume with old gold and blue trimmings. She wore a wreath 1 of white 'flowers, white glo^eß, and' silver ornaments. The bridesmaid (Miss Mitchell)' wore ■pale blue with cream lace overskirt and blue bowB ; I Mrs Balllngall (sister of the bride) wai attired ,in a fnicfe brown dress with trimming to match. Mrs ' Spratt and Mrs M'Hwdy (sisters of the bridegroom) were dressed in mauve meHno, trimmed with velvet to match- There were many other nla<3 dresses worn, but' space forbids th« mention of themi After the weeding the company tat down to a 'sumptuous repast provided by Mr§ Spratt. In the evening an enjpyable dance, interspersed with songs and games, was held, the party breaking up fct 11 o'clock.—' NILLIE.