TABLE TALK,

Otago Witness, Issue 2336, 8 December 1898, Page 43

TABLE TALK,

Monday Afternoon.

On Tuesday afternoon Mrs Oliver gave a delightful "At home" in the Choral Hall, which is at present being used as an art gallory, and so makes a capital reception room. vSeidom, indeed, is it in Dunedin that friends can meet and be entei*tained in a room hung round with so many beautiful works of art. This pleasant gathering also gave to all who -were fortunate enough to be present on Tuesday afternoon an opportunity of inspecting the pictures at their leisure in. the daylight. The weather was all that could be desired and so the ladies were all glad to take advantage of the opportunity to wear their smart spring toilettes. The afternoon proved a most enjoyable one, the kind attentions' of Ihe host and hostess adding considerably tc its success. A large nuinbei of guests were piesent, probably over 100, during the afternoon. The visitors on arrival were welcomed by Mrs Oliver at the door and presented with a dainty programme of the music that was to be given. Mr Robertshaw's siring band gave several delightful performances. There was a cornet solo, four vocal quartets, sung by male voices, and several vocal solos sung by members of the quartet club. Tho adjoining room, which is hung with pictures of the late Mr Hodgkins, was used as a tea room, and the table looked charming, decorated with large silver bowls filled with scarlet poppies and marguerites and loaded with cakes of all kinds. About the hall, too, wero little tables, on which were placed dishes of delicious bons-bons. Amongst the guests present were Mrs A. W. Morris, the Misses Morris, Mr and Mrs James Mills, Miss F. Mills, Mr and Mrs Michie. Mrs Tower, Mrs Butterworth, Miss Gibson, tho Misses Neill, Mrs and the Misses Rattray, Mrs C. Rattray, Mrs John Roberts, JUisa Lulu Roberts, Mrs Stephenson, Mrs Edmond, Miss Menlove (Windsor Park), lUiss Macdonald (Sydney), Mrs Colquhoun, Miss MacMillan (London), Mrs and the blisses Turton, Mr and Mrs H. Turton, Mr Theomin, Mrs and Miss llacassey, Air and G. L. Denniston, Misa Denniston, the Misses Ramsay, Mrs George M'Lean, Miss a.v M'Lean, Mrs and Miss Holmes, Miss Williams, Mrs Galloway, Dr and Mrs Shand, the Misses Shand, Mrs and Miss Cutten, Mrs Cstrgill, the Misses Cargill, Mrs Bnd Miss Graham, Mr and Miss Scobie Mackenzie, Mr and Mrs MacLarenj Mrs Ritchie, Miss Haearitt. Mrs Todd,

Mrs MacNeil, Miss Allan, the Misses Bartleman, Mrs Adam, Miss Mackellar, Mrs Goldsworth, Mrs Davis, Mrs W. Maitland, Miss Muriel Maitland, the Misses Wright, Mrs ( W. H. Reynolds, the jiiisses Reynolds, Mrs I Macgregor, Mr and Miss Macgregor, Mrs ' Hosking, Mrs Woodhouse, Mr and Mrs Mcl- ! land, Mrs W. G-. Neill, the Misses Neill, ! Ajchdeacon and Mrs Robinson, Miss Robin-

, son, Mrs Carew, Mi and Mrs James Law. ' the Misses Law, Mrs Greenwood, Mrs and ' Miss Ulrich, Mrs Philip Russell, Mr and

Mrs A. H. Maclean, Miss Maclean, Miss

Lily Wilson, Mrs Bkeat, Miss Dennison ' (Oamaru), Mr and Mrs A. A. Finch, Mrs , Scott, Mrs and the Misses Batchelor, Miss ' E Gilkison, Mrs Perston, Mr and Mrs Chap- . man, Airs J. R. Jones, and Mrs and the i Misses Sise. Mrs Oliver wore a stylish gown of yellow 1 spotted tussore silk, the bodice trimmed with 1 revers of brocade of the same colour and deep cream lace lapols, large black velvet feathered hat ; Mrs Mills looked extremely well in a dress of pale silver grey striped crepon. the bodice relieved with a vest of white chiffon and trimmed with bands of

' buter-colourcd lace insertion, yellow chip ; straw hat trimmed with white chiffon and

roses ; Mrs Tower wore a soft black silk gown, the bodice covered with a multitude ; of tucks and large black picture hat trimmed j with white chiffon ; Mrs Butterworth, * cieam lustre skirt, white muslin bodice and

long emerald green silk sash, Leghorn straw hat trimmed with black chiffon and cream roses ; Mrs Michie, white embroidered muslin gown, made over a pale eau de nil foundation, large Leghorn straw hat trimmed with black velvet and tea roses ; Miss Gibson,

blue tweed tailor-made skirt and coat, : bi aided with black, blue vest trimmed with bands of jewelled trimming, and green straw Lat ; Miss Williams, purple flowered muslin dress ; Mr,s G. M'Lean, handsome black \ silk gown and dainty grey feather boa ; Miss : X M'Lean, gobelin blue cashmere dress : •« ith vest of shrimp-coloured silk outlined ;■ with passementerie and trimmed with chif- : fon ; Mrs Stephenson, handsome gown of ! black moire, white chip straw bonnet trim- ■ mcd with black chiffon and touches of pink ; , Miss Menlove, fawn cloth coat and skirt I and pink chiffon vest, sailor hat ; Miss Lulu j Roberts, a lovely and most becoming dress i of pink Indian muslin made over a rose pink silk foundation and both skirt and bodice trimmed with rows of dainty Valenciennes insertion and lace, white straw hat trimmed ; with bunches of pink roses ; Miss Macassey, ;' a dainty white muslin blouse and pique skirt, ', pink straw hat trimmed with natural tinted ' feathers ; Miss F. Mills, blue .and green \ crepon and silk costume ; Miss G. Rattray, ) a becoming white nmsiin frock, bright pink ; straw hat with crown of satin ; Miss Ram- » say. white muslin dress and black necktie ' and belt, sailor hat : Miss Denniston, a fawn ': skirt and jacket and white straw hat ; Miss ; Maitland, pale grey lustre dress, the tucked , ! bodice opening over a vest of white satin I and lace, white chip straw hat trimmed with } yellow buttercups ; Miss 0. Turton, white i muslin dress and blue ribbons ; Miss Robin- ' son, purple checked silk bodice and purple • cloth skirt, toque hat to match ; Aiiss Neill, } black silk foulard with a white scroll pattern \ running over it, the bodice trimmed with a : vest and revers of white silk ; Miss E. Neill, 5 smart checked white a)id green canvas cloth • frock, cornflower blue hat ; Miss Reynolds, \ costume of transparent black crepon made

; with an underskirt of blue silk and trimmed ': Avith revers, etc., of blue silk, black velvet ' pictiu'e hat ; Miss Vida Reynolds, navy { blue braided serge costume and stylish hat |of cornflower blue ; Mrs Hosking, a stylish

■ gown of black crepon striped with purple ; ' Miss Morris, fawn cloth skirt and jacket ; ( Miss Wright, green tailor-made braided skirt '. and jacket, white vest and hat ; Miss Q. ', Wright, fawn tailor-made costume ; Miss ' R. Neill, stylish violet cloth dress the bodice j made with a tucked yoke and front of pale ' pink silk, green straw hat trimmed with j violets ; the xuisses Sise both wore pretty I white muslin dresses and picture hats ; Mrs j Finch, stylish purple-blue cloth costume , braided with black, picture hat of black velvet ; Miss Sheela Mackenzie, a pretty frock ! of white silk with yoke of pale pink and ! white chiffon sash, large white hat ; Miss 1 MacMillan, navy blue foulard, the jacket 1 faced back with checked silk, scarlet hat I trimmed with poppies.

' The marriage of Miss Amy Grace Burton, ' eldest daughter of Mi* Thomas Burton, to Mr R Clinton Hughes, solicitor, New Plymouth, took place at the residence of the bride's parents, Alva street, on Thursday, the Ist inst. The wedding service was conducted by the Rev. Dr Waddell. The bride, who looked charming in .i _<mwi of white ivory silk, trimm.d wifh elation <iud orange blossoms-, was given <v-^y l^ hcv father. Misses Mabel ami tda Bui ton, &isters of the bride. acLc) .} bndesruaid^.

and wore prettily-made gowns of cream silk trimmed with lace. Mr E. R. Burton acted as best man. After the ceremony afternoon tea was handed round, and tho usual toasts were proposed and responded to. Mr A. Sligo, M.H.R., proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom, and Mr Hughes replied. Mr Geo. Fenwick proposed "The Bride's Parents/ and which was responded to by Mr Burton. Mrs Burton, mother of the bride, wore a handsomo dress of black silk, trimmed with pink and white chiifon ; Miss Ada Burton, a frock of grey trimmed \v ith white lace ; and Miss Ida Burton, cream llama with lace trimmings. The bride and bridegroom left during the afternoon by the southern train en route for the Lakes, where they are spending their honeymoon. Amongst the guests I noticed Mrs Hosking' in a black silk grenadine over heliotrope silk, and green and heliotrope hat ; Mrs Sievwright, handsome gown of black silk trimmed with lace, black bonnet with pink roses ; Mrs George Fenwick, a handsome dress of black duchesse satin with bead trimmings, pretty bonnet of heliotrope and white tulle; Mrs Maris Clark, black silk and mantle of black and pale blue; Mrs George Mondy, handsome green striped grenadine, large black hat trimmed with green and violet; Mrs W. Fenwick, black silk tastefully trimmed with jet and black lace, black toque with white feathers ; Mrs Nixon, fawn coat and skirt ; Miss Acidic Evans, white spotted muslin ; Miss Eva Evans, white muslin worn over green silk, white and green hat to match ; Miss Clark, white muslin with trimmings of pink; Miss Young, a pretty gown of blue bengaline trimmed with black chiffon ; Miss Paterson, grey with trimmings of silk and chiffon, grey hat with, feathers ; Mrs Sligo, black silk with passementerie trimmings ; Mrs Hooper, black velvet, with trimmings of prune silk. Among the genflemen present were Messrs Geo. Fenwick, Sievwright, Sligo, Hosking, W. Fenwick, Nixon, R. M. Clark, Young, Patterson, Hooper, J. Scott, Paterson, etc. The presents were numerous and costly, amongst them being three cases of fruit and fish knives from Mr E. R. Burton ; silver tea urn, silver mounted oak tray, silver mounted snake skin purse from Mr Burton ; wold necklet set in diamonds from Mrs Burton ; gold and pearl bracelet, Mr and Mrs Sievwright ; silver mounted brush and comb, Mr and Mrs Hosking ; case of silver knife rests and serviette rin^s, Mr and Mrs Sligo ; salad bowl, Mr and Mrs Nixon ; silver entree dishes, Mr and Mrs R. M. Clark; breakfast set, Mr and Mrs Young ; silver cake tray, Mr A. Mouat ; silver fish slices, Mr and Mrs Nirmno ; salad bowl, Mr and Mrs Paterson ; serviette rin^s, Mr J. Scott ; gold mounted Russian leather travelling bag, Mr Aikman ; afternoon tea urn, Mr and Mrs Fenwick ; afternoon tea spoons, Mr Melvin ; and afternoon tea spoons, Mr and Mrs Dale ; also beautiful work of every variety and description from the bride's lady friends ond relations.

Mr Kempthorne, accompanied by his two daughters and Miss Robinson, left last week for a tour up north.

Mr and Mrs Sargood returned last week by the s.s. Tarawera, after a visit to Auckland, etc.

Miss Nora Gilkison also returned by the Tarawera from Sydney.

Miss Connie Reid, daughter of Mr John Reid, of Elderslic, is to be married on the 21st inst to Mr Arthur Gillies, son of the late Mr Robert Gillies. Quite a number of invitations have been issued to their old friends in Dunedin to be present at the ceremony.

Mr, Mrs, and Miss Chisholm left Invercargill for Christchurch by Friday's express, there being quite a large gathering of friends at the station to see them off.

Miss Caddan left Invercargill on Saturday last en route for Home.

Mr H. Whittingham left by the Tarawera last week. It is understood thut through the death of a relative he has come into a handsome fortune.

Mr Rigg (8.N.Z.) has leased Hollywood, the pretty residence of Mrs Quinn, who leaves shortly on a visit to the old country.

Mr A. F. Hawke returned home last Monday after a most enjoyable trip to Sydney.

Mrs Colin Mac Gibbon is at present staying with Airs H. Hawson, Invercargill.

Mrs Sleigh left Invercargill by Saturday's express.

Great disappointment was felt in Invercargill last week when it became known the Pollards were not coming south. Their visit was being eagerly looked for. and people had to console themselves with the knowledge that they would have all the more money to spend during the coming holidays ; As an eminent writer has aptly put it : "We are easily consoled because we are easily afflicted."

At a certain Invercargill suburban tennis court there are several coining aspirants for championship honours at the next tennis tournament. A well-known medico and a no less well-known rotund parson are in active training every Wednesday afternoon under the able coaching of a leading public man, who, in a variety of ways nevr-r found in any training book, exercises every muscle of their bodies. They are rapidly coming down to their fighting weight.

It says much for the finer feelings of the Invcrca'rgill public that such a large audienco gathered on Friday evening to hear a performance of "The Messiah," despite the strong counter attraction of a circus. The theatre was crammed in every part. Tt must have been very flattering to conductor and performers alike to see their efforts so well rewarded. We bear the name of being a musical community, and on this occasion the reputation was certainly lived up to. The oratorio was a great musical succeas

from start to finish, everything going smoothly. The chorus singing was a feature of the performance — no s>haky leads, wmlsfc the attack and release could not have been better. Every motion of the conductor seemed to have its effect on the choir, so completely were they under control. Their best efforts were "He trusted in God" (the variations in tempo being given with marked effect) ; " Worthy is the Lamb," and the noble Amen Chorus. The Hallelujah Chorus was magnificently sung. As the orchestra played the four majestic opening bars the vast audience rose from their seats, the scene being very impressive. The soloists were Mesdames Ross, Blue, Macdonald, Misses Royds, Robinson, an.l Smith, Messrs Eager and Taylor. Mrs Ross was thoroughly at home in the florid music of " Rejoice greatly." She also sang all the soprano recitatives excellently. Mrs Blue added yet another to her list of triumphs by her singing of " I know that my Redeemer liveth." Mrs Macdonald gare a most devotional rendering of that wonderfully pathetic air "Ec was despised." Whilst she was singing the silence was such a pin could have been heard to drop in the audience. Miss Royds sang "He shall feed His flock" most artistically, every note of her full rich voice telling. Miss Robinson was rather over-weighted in the heavy solo " 0 thou that tellest " ; Miss Smith was only fairly successful with "How beautiful are the feet," the range being seemingly too high. Mr Eager sang all the tenor solos, displaying a fine voice, which only needs more training. This was shown in his rendering of "Comfort ye" and the Passion music. Mr Eagar was most successful in " Every valley," the difficult runs being taken with Teat facility. Mr Taylor's singing was the feature of the evening. His magnificent singing of " Why do the nations " roused the audience to a great pitch of enthusiasm, and he was recalled. Every note in his runs was as clear as a bell. The same may be said of "The trumpet shall sound," to 'which Mr Glennie played the fine trumpet obligato without a flaw, the top C's on the instrument ringing through the 'theatre. Too much praise cannot be given to the orchestra for their fine work during the evening. In accompanying the solos they were never obtrusive, but always supporting the voice. In the solos " He was despised " and " I know that my Redeemer liveth " their playing was exquisite. Mr Gray deserves the heartiest congratulations. 'He has worked wonders witn the forces under his control in a remarkably short time.