UNKNOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 2151, 16 May 1895, Page 47

UNKNOW.

The cotillon baa a reputation. In America it is called the " German," while Jn Germany it bears ifca usual name. Some of the smartest balls in fcondon and the merrieflt In the country end w/jth It. It always takes fin hour, generally Iv^o ; and it Is not wi3e to start it till a few of fthe company have gone, giving ample room fat the rest to do it

justice. It has never become general, but has been select and ultra-fashionable, for it requires leisure for pro-arrangement, experience, a good leader, and a certain knowledge of the world. Moreover, on all the most successful cotillons a large sum of money has been expended in the way of presents. The ordinary figures have been described OV6r and over again, but in the present day, when new ideas are the great desideratum, novelties are required. From year to year also the old figures appear in a new guise, and are often so altered as to be hardly recognisable. There are cotillons and cotillons. Some figures are most poetically concelved,through others run a vein of humour. It is certainly the dance of flowers. An admirable idea is a trellis-work of roses with real yellow, pink, and damask blossoms, which are plucked by the gentlemen and presented to the ladies with whom they would dance. The store of roses is often so great that it takes a long time before they are all distributed ; meanwhile the air is laden with the odour of their tender blooms. Sometimes the wooden trellis- work is made to extend up across the room, but sometimes strong wooden frames are wheeled in on castors. Those who were fortunate enough to be present at a famous cotillon danced at Cannes some years or so ago are not likely to forget the pyramid of tuberoses and narcissus, 10ft high, which was a marked feature of the entertainment. A pretty figure may be arranged in this wise, with floral pyramids made movable on frameworks, carried into the room when required. Of course they must be of two kinds of flowers, and intended for distribution. The so-called York and Lancaster figure is confined to red and white roses, the adherents of both sides keeping quite distinct. The costermongei'fl cart may be varied in many ways. One of the most memorable ones was gilded, and wheeled into the room laden with canary birds ; but it has been made from time to time a most graceful means of distributing presents which are more amenable to reason than live birds, that flutter about the room to their own detriment. The graceful Spanish fan has originated a good figure. The gentleman dances alone, fan in band, till he selects a partner to dance with, and to whom hs presents the fan, the lady being expected to fan herself as they both dance. For the Pillar Pest, a red pillar box ia - brought in with a slightly larger apeiWre than the real ones have ; by this means the | numbered letters are drawn oat, and the corresponding numbers dance together; but many changes can be rung on this figure. Sometimes the outside of the envelope bears the effigy of a male or female bird or animal, | and the pair have to be discovered in order to dance together, and sometimes the envelopes bear clever witticisms. The scene is most lively and attractive when the dancers have to don some particular arfciole of attire, and few things are prettier than bright satin jockey caps for the ladies, who present a whip to the rejeoted swains with whom they do not dance, and who during, the progress of a wal(z are to apply it, which gives rise to much merriment, as a slight blow on silks or satins sounds loudly. Shepherdess hats and crooks make another pretty figure, especially where there is a bevy of fair woman, to whom they are eminently becoming. Another is theAdmiral'B Cap, the gentleman wearing epauletfe3. Yachting caps for ladies and gentlemen, In pairs bearing the somo name, or flying the same colours, make a good mode for 3c-loot-ing partners. The All-nations figure its good, srd takes much careful prepurf.t:on. The laches wear the natfonal headdresses, and the gentlemen cuvy the n;"'ouHl fi'i^B cf the several counlmi. Thc.-o who Uke pvit in tho dance, tiler the distribution o£ tbo flip and kcaddr-sscs, dauce nccordirg u> thuir nationality together, begitniing wifti the chain f\gme i U<e lancci'p, and then breaking oil iato a vralia. S^ort Ina \o contribute its quota to the amusing tVtici , arid the Racecourse is perhapß one o£ the most ambitious o£ tne newlyi introduced figures, and causes plenty of fun. I Hurdles, the umpire's box, and the winningpoßtare set up In the room, with a large paporcovered hoop by the goal, prepared in relays, to be replaced as soon as the competitors have cleared the hurdles, and jumped through them. The winner dances wilh the lady of his choice. Tho Tulip is a new rendering of the look-ing-glass figure, a glass being set in the centre of a fan surrounded by tulips. The gentlemen cornc up ia turns to admire it over the lady's should.T, and as she sees their reflection, she either wipes them out or i elects to dance with them. Tho Nut figure cm&Uts of large gold and oilvcr walnu's distiibuted among the company. Ibc lady sHoctß her partner by placiug her gold nut beade the gentleman's fiilver one, who in the second part of the figure iayd both in some lady's lap with Y?bom he desires to dance. In another, the gentlemen stand with La Grace sticks, end try to catch the wreaths of evergreens the ladies throw. • Skittles set up in the room, and played by three gentlemen, decides who shall be the favoured one to dance with the lady, and the skittles take the form of champagne bottles, which makes the figure the more amusing. Money, the root of all evil, and, be it remembered, the source of cemfort and deep content, plays its part of course in the cotillon. Two huge silk purses are handed about, containing every kid of imaginable counterfeit coin appertaining to all the countries in and out of Europe. Both ladies and gentlemen are requested to dip their hands in, but not in the same puree, and those who have drawn a similar class of money dance together. Very pretty aie the huge Fcales set up in the centre of the room, where the ladies weigh silver hearts and decide on their value according to their own showing, their choice of partners depending thereon. At an excellent cotillon at Dresden recently, the final figure consisted of a huge hen, brought in, seated in a big nest filled with elaborate egge, wonderfully ornamental and precious, for they each contained a present more or leis valuable. These the gentlemen distributed to the ladies as they

pleased, dancicg with the matron or maidon they distinguished by their choics. A maypole Bet up in the centre of the ropm is far prettier than th& old-fashioned reins. The gentlemen select the coloured ribbons they prefer, and then offer tho correspondicg ones to tho ladies with whom thay wish to dance round it, ending, of course, at last in a wallz, but many pretty evolutions may be gone through beforehand. Comical figures make a pleasing diversion, whether it be the donning of grotetqae heads, which, thrust through a curtain, are chosen by any lady who will •be bo graciously inclined, mostly without any idea as to whom they bßlong. The Boat race is another. Two toys boats are set in a decorated bath, and by means of magnets are brought round and round some half a dozen times, whoever comes in first being the fortunate winner of the fair lady's hand yro tern. ; or Grandmothers is equally amusing. Three gentlemen have to array themselves in largo, plain, flowered chintz skirts, and loose bodices tied round tho waist; a mob cap much befrilled, a largo apron, and spectacles. The two who are first dressed dance with the two ladies ; the third, being left out in the cold, has to dance round after them all, the three males keeping on their dress to the end of the dance. Another amusing figure is when the partners are decided by seeing which of two gentlemen can first either eat a sponge cake, or drink a tumbler of water with a spoon, or tie on a large apron. It is much the fashion to wind the dance np as follows : The ladies leave tho room by one door, the gentlemen by the other ; at the sound of a bell they return by the contrary doors, and dacca together, breaking up into lines sgaio, and in the course of the figure they make the complete tour of the house, kitchens and all.

(C 7* Description* of balls, &c, must l>e endorsed by either the Witness correspondeut for the district 01 bj the f ecrctarj to the kmll committee. Tho MS. of any correspondents -nho do not comply with this rule will be sent to the becrelaiy for endorsement prior to upbearing. — KMMi:i*INR. To ensure publication in the forthcoming issue, lettors should reach the Witness office if pouiblo <,n Saturday uigut, but on no account Inter that Monday night. HARVEST HOME BALL AT SOUTH HILLEND. Dear Kmmulinb,— A most successful harvest home ball took place in tho South Hillend Schoolhouse on the evening of May 3. The night was all that be desired, aud the roads being in fair condition, the attendance was good, the building being comiiletcly fillcl. The music was supplied by tbe Messrs Kelly, Kean, and Craigie, and Mr J. Plunkct acted ns fil.O. Amongst the many present I noticed Miss Watson (Oieti Plains) in a black laco dress with low neck and *hort sleeves ; Mi»a M. Watson (Oreti Plains), black laco dress ; Miss Kean, white bodice and black »kirt; Miss Kirkwoorl, white bodice and navy blue Mart ; Miss M. Kirkwood, pink bodice and black skirt ; Miss Kelly, grey costume trimmed with led velvet ; Miss K. Kelly, print dress ; Miss HazUtt, navy blue dress with white ve3t ; Mi«a L. HHzlett, dark green fl >wered delaine dress ; Misa Crowe, white bodice and brown skirt ; Miss O'Brien, black dress with pink fiont; Miss S. O'Brien, black dress ; Mifs Plunkot, navy blue trimmed wiihfigmed silk ; Mrs J. Ooster, Wack caJirnere dross with yellow flowers ; Mrs She^ard, pretty navy blue serge ; and Mrs Kelly, blank dress. Song 3 were sung at suitable intervals during tho evening by tlie Muses Watson and Messrs Alexander, Shepard, Saundeis, and Master J. KeaD. The committee are to be congratulated for the able manner in which the evening's cutertainnienfc wns carried out, everything going off without a hitch.— Bachelor. SOCIAL DANCE AX RATANUI, CATLINS. DearEmmeline,— A very enjoyable dance was held ia Mr Dewar's barn on Friday evi'niner, May 3. The music was supplied by Messrs Warnock and Draper, Mr James lTindlatcr acting as M.O. Songs were sung during the evening by Mrß Henderson and Mr T. Scott. Miss Taylor wore a very pretty dress of seal brown velvet trimmed with cream lace ; M'-. lewar looked well in a pale blue and f,i>\\ i'i^ with blue ribbons; Misses Mp^-v, ur m'-uji ''(>•' lces, dark green skirts ; Miss Fisi '.• .i, ;'!( ' i ' > blue aud pink, with f"\j\.ii L ■■ , A'i^ J'.. I'l '.dialer, dark dres3 t lim, i-d >•. v H o.c mi Lire ; ALirS S. Findlater, pale pink; Mhs A hn'ini-. M" > I 'Odiro, figured skirt, pink ii!)b >n ; Mus i'l.ip'T, white bodice trimmed \. uh blue, lil.vK. 'I lit aid übbons ; Mi« Cox, btn v ,u.\.-, vvitL \i- t ■'! w'lta silk; Miss Ber- *„..,, •! - cf ii;ti-, !i ;Lt-coloured material; ?ili-e:. vVhiir, hh> k evening dresses, with blue m!L 1 *o\ o- anil uuirning3 ; Miss Wilson (Roma\\k \), ■ \ i.'.^y skirt, cream blouse; Mi«s B. W'Uer t.iaineskirb, white bodice ; Mrsllarland, iLu I: ureis ; Mrs Henderson, black silk trimmed with black laco. — llata.