THE SOCIAL ROUND

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 882, 7 December 1916, Page 4

THE SOCIAL ROUND

Miss C. \V. Christie is at present in Christchureh.

Mr Edward Branscombe, the promoter of the "Dandies" companies, was married to Miss Clarke in Sydney last week. The bride is well known in the nursing profession. Mrs R. H. Rhodes returned to Bluecliffs to-day, a f tor a brief visit to town. Mrs Millton (Birch Hill) is at present in Christchureh. Mrs Charles Reid, of this city, is visiting her parents, Mr and Mrs Sise, Dunedin.

Mrs F. Morrison (South Canterbury) and Miss Morrison are the guests of Mrs J. A. Sutton (Oamnru). Mrs and Miss Ulrich have returned to Dunedin from a visit to Timaru. Mr Roland William St. Clair, formerly Vice-Consul for Norway at Auckland, was married on September 25 at All Saints' Church, Winnipeg, to Miss Mildred Helen Chamberlain, daughter of the late Rev. Henry Hart Chamberlain, of England. Mrs Mary Tregear (mother of Mr Edward Tregear, 1.5.0., of Wellington) died in Auckland on Sunday, aged 92. The deceased lady was the widow of the late Mr William James Tregear, R.N., a captain in the P. and 0. Company's service, who died on his ship in the Indian Ocean in August, 1859. She arrived in Auckland in 186: i, and remained there until her death. The surviving members of the family are Mr Edward Tregear, Miss Tregear (who is now superannuated after many years' service in the Education Department), and Mrs H. C. Morrison, widow of the late Major Marrison, of the New Zealand Permanent Artillery. Since her husband's death. 57 years ago, there has been on death among any of her children or numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A Press Association eablegrai . from London records the death of the Grand Duchess of Mockleuburg-Strelitz, granddaughter of George II r.

There was a large attendance at the opening performance of '' lolantlie," staged in Ashburton by the Amateur Operatic Society, last night. The audience, also, was very responsive, and would have had a "double helping" of most of the items, if they had been allowed their own way. At the conclusion, lovely flowers were handed up to the ladies taking the principal parts. During the interval in the performance, little girls, appropriately dressed as fairies, sold sweets amongst the audience, in further augumentation of the Eed Cross Fund. Amongst those present were noticed I)r and Mrs Lyon, Mr and Mrs Bodington, Mr and Mrs Crisp, Mrs and the Misses Orbcll, Mrs Lill and the Misses Lill, Mr and Mrs Smith, Mr and Miss Cowan, Messrs Compton, Evans, and verv many others.

TWO NOTABLE ENGLISH GIRLS.

LADY DIANA MANNERS AND MISS ELIZABETH ASQUITH.

[Lady Diana Manners and Miss Elizabeth Asquith are the two most prominent jrirls in English society to day. In an article in the current number of "Pearson's" Jessie E. Dunbar tells some interesting facts about the personality of each.]

The Duchess of Rutland, then the Marchioness of Granby, and Mrs Asquith, then Miss Margot Tennant, were friends a generation ago, and two of the most talked of women in society. History repeats itself. To-day their daughters, Lady Diana Manners and Miss Elizabeth Asquith, are friends whose doings provoke a wider interest than those of any other society girls. Both are beautiful, but in quite different ways, the one being fair-haired and blue-eyed, the other dark-haired and brown-eyed —wonderful foils for each other, as- many people have remarked. In temperament, too, they are widely different.

Lady Diana, for all her ultra-modern outlook, is by no moans irresponsible. It is true she is unconventional, but only in things which <lo not matter. For the rest, she is an aristocrat to the tips of her white, expressive hands, and parvenus and climbers get no quarter from her. Like her mother, the' JJueliess of Rutland, she is an artist and sketches well. She speaks several languages, is expert in needle-craft, knows a deal about antiques, is a good sportswoman, and acts cleverly in amateur theatricals. For all she gets so much publicity, Lady Diana does not, as might be imagined, court it. There are daughters and wives of dukes who frequent restaurants and hotels where the well-to-do Bohemians foregather, sure that their doings will bo chronicled in the press. But it is rarely, if '-ver, that one finds Lady Diana, amongst, these crowds of notoriety-loving people, or even in the park. When she does appear in public, however, as a charming girl, the daughter of a famous ducal house, she is an arresting and romantic figure, whether in London or Venice, where her fairness is regarded as little short of marvellous.

Lady Diana when a. small girl was very pretty and much adored. At an early age she could sketch quite well. So used was she to encountering celebrities that she entertained no fear and little reverence for them. It is recounted that on one occasion a famous artist, who was on a visit to Belvoir Castle, was introduced as "Mr So-and-So, the famous artist," "You draw?" she asked. "Yes,"' answered the great man, with modest mein.

"Oil, so rlo I," answered the little curly-haired girl, solemnly. I believe that the first person in society to adopt black as a furnishing colour was Lady Diana, for her pale skin and ashen-fair hair never show to greater advantage than when she wears j black, or lias a black back-ground. Her < moods ~re many, and after impressing one as a regal little lady, in a black velvet gown copied from the portrait of an ancestress, she bewilders one by assuming a (Quaker-like toilet of palest grey, and a demure expression to match, ami before one has recovered from the surprise she is a snow-maiden with a mysterious look, clad in ermine with never a tail to roar its purity, Lady Diana designs all her own

clothes, and gives many of her friend the benefit, of her "dress'' knowledge.

Miss Elizabeth Asquith is still the Prime Minister's little daughter in spite of her 10 years, for she is slight and small, a Titania in stature. She is, however, bigger than most people intellectually. To range among and read the best books in itself is "an education. Miss Asquith has read practically everything of note that has written both in English and French. She is an omnivorous reader, and in especial loves the French poets. She shows a talent for writing which may develop, for she is very young still, but, even so, her achievements up to the present have been notable for so young a girl. 1 like best to hear her speak, which she does excellently well. Here lies hei greatest gift, I think. It developed early, and at the age of 16 she addressed a political meeting with an audience of 400 people. Her notes were made in the schoolroom, and she spoke for about an hour, quietly, but with good effect, making every point tell. Fortunately, she is not self-conscious, therefore her mind is free to devote itself to the subject under discussion. At Downing Street in her "den," which is a charming room with grey walls, purple and gold and black furnishings, and quantities of flowers, this clever girl is seen at her best, and makes a delightful "hostess.

It is not many girls of 19 who could administer the affairs of a large society. Miss Asquith does, and capably. She is chairman of the Arts Society Fund, and in order to gain funds has evolved many an original notion for entertainments. One recalls her meeting when poets read their works, and there is also the Sargent Exhibition at the Grafton Galleries, the idea of which originated in her busy brain. The list of attainments I have made here may give the impression of an intellectual and not particularly magnetic personality. If so, I shall be doing Miss Asquith an injustice, unless I add that though her expression is often serious —with a small pale face, raven-black hair, and big dark eyes—she has charm, natural gaiety, roguishness, one has only to see her coax to know that, anil a touch of impatience. Miss Elizabeth Asquith resembles her mother in many ways, and has her impulses. The other day, at the opening of the Sargent Exhibition, it was Mrs Asquith Mho told Queen Alexandra that Mr J. J. Shannon, who lias lately had an accident, seemed tired and in pain. Queen Alexandra, with her customary tact, at onco asked him to be seated, and Mrs Asquith herself—seeing no attendant was near—went to fetch a chair for the artist, and Miss Asquith followed her mother to save her the trouble.

The same spirit spoke in her daughter at the Tennant-Granby wedding. She had been extremely ill for some months, and had been warned to be careful. The ; day was cold; the dresses of the brides- ; maids —she was a bridesmaid—were of tulle, and airy. I Mrs Asquith, like the careful mother ; she is, had arranged that, as the bridesj maids left the church, Elizabeth should I be enveloped in a shawl before getting ! into the carriage. It was done. Arriv- | ed at Gloueonner House, it was announced that photographs would be taken of J the bride and bridegroom and her maids. ! The girls came out of the back of the house and stood in (he tiny garden. It was chilly and grey. Lady Diana Manners shivered, and in an instant Elizabeth Asquith had offered her shawl. Happily another wrap was fetched, ! find the girl, whojwas only just recovering from a bad illness, persuaded to | keep hers. A generous thought and | action!