SOCIAL IN ASHLEY’S HALL.

Southern Cross, Volume 7, Issue 26, 8 October 1898, Page 11

SOCIAL IN ASHLEY’S HALL.

(Contributed.) One of the most successful and enjoyable of this season’s social functions was given by the Invercargill Literary and Debating Society in Ashley’s Hall on September 29th. The society is well-known, not only for its literary attainments, but also for the excellent entertainment it has

provided from time to time for its friends; bat in the opinion of not & few, the dance given at the close of this session surpassed any of its predecessors. It went without a hitch from first to last, nothing was lacking—capital music, a floor in good condition for dancing and not overcrowded with dancers, a dainty and bountiful supper and a minute attention to all the little details which have so much to do with making an evening thoroughly enjoyable. In fact the committee, with Mr T. Bleakly (President of the Society) as host, was indefatigable in its efforts to ensure the enjoyment of all. The evening was devoted entirely to dancing, with the exception of two pleasant breaks in the programme, the one being a song by Miss Mcßobie and the other a recitation by Mr J. Webb. On entering the hall one noticed that nearly all the ladies wore either white or cream. There were, however, sufficient exceptions to prove the rule and give a tinge of colour to the predominating white of the ladies, and the black evening dress of the gentlemen. Miss B. Howes wore a very pretty frock of white silk, trimmed with white chiffon; Miss Thomson, pink nun’s cloth trimmed with bunches of violets; Miss M. Thomson, cream ; Mrs W. McCarthy, black ; Miss M. Nimmo, cream fancy serge trimmed with white chiffon; Miss Campbell, cream frock trimmed with pink velvet and beaver; Miss Johnstone, green velvet, the bodice prettily trimmed with pale blue silk; Miss Paisley, pink ; Miss Galbraith, heliotrope-coloured satin gown ; the Misses Gumming, white ; Miss Speirs, apricot-coloured silk. Among the gentlemen present were Messrs W. A. Ott, J. Brown, J. Carswell, Farnie, Thomson, Pratt, Bent, Gilkison, McGibbon, Nimmo and McCarthy. The last dance on the programme was finished shortly before two o’clock, when the singing of ‘ Auld Lang Syne ’ brought a delightful evening to a close.