SOCIETY

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 14, 18 December 1880, Page 124

SOCIETY

— Mr. S. A. Beardsley lias gone South. — Mies Williamson, who has been so seriously ill, is, I am glad to hear, a little better. — Mr. Buller, manager of the Bank of New Zealand at New Plymouth, is at present in Auckland on a visit. — I am glad to hear that Mrs. James Buckland and Miss Kate Buckland are recovering rapidly from the effects of their carriage accident. — It is rumoured that a family residing at the North Shore have had a fortune of £140,000 left to them. As the proverb says, "It is better to be born lucky than rich." — The first of the engaged "octette" at St. James's entered the bonds of holy wedlock on Tuesday last. Henceforth Miss G. will be known as Mrs. — Mrs. P. appeared at Church on Sunday last, with white epaulettes upon her black velveteen dress. She was the feature of the service. — As the Queen is to open the new monument in the place of Temple Bar, the present Lord Mayor of London (Mr. McArthur) will certainly be knighted. What joy for the "nephew of mine uncle." — Mr. and Mrs. Saml. Jackson entertained over 100 children at the Remuera Hall one day last week. The party was, of course, a great success, and gave much pleasure to the little folks. — Since her return from Melbourne, Mrs. E. lias been seen in Queen-street, wearing a winecoloured silk dress, trimmed with old gold damasse. Her bonnet is of silk, of the same colour as her dress, with old gold feathers. — The new Masonic Hall, which has been erected at Whangarei for the Star of the North Lodge, mil be consecrated in due form on Thursday, January 6th a number of the District Grand Lodge officers and others going to Whangarei for the occasion. — Mrs. Hampsen, the lady evangelist, has plucked no less than thirty Free Methodist and twenty-seven Pakurangian brands from the "burning. Her success is greater than the combined efforts of Dr. Somerville, Rev. A. W. Webb, and the Wesleyans. — Some gentlemen, chiefly of the legal fraternity, propose to make a trip to the Great Barrier during the Christmas holidays, and there amuse them selves for about a week in fishing for wapuka, and indulging in other innocent sport of a similar character. — The teetotallers have resolved to " purge' the Board of Education of moderate drinkers and those connected with the liquor traffic, by endeavouring at all future elections to iirocure the return of pledged total abstainers. They have won their first victory in the election of Mi". David Goldie. . — The pernicious ten per cent, system is apparently infecting all classes. Even the Presbyterian Widows and Orphans' Fund suffers from it, and the reverend agent who rolls in luxury on £720 a year, derives £140 of his salary at the expense of the widowed and fatherless. — I am sorry to hear that Mrs. Gillies lias not wholly recovered from the illness from which she suffered when in Melbourne. I trust, however, that rest and quiet will be the means of restoring her speedily to perfect health, so that she may be enabled to resume her place in society. — The Saturday Afternoon Recreation Club has been formed, and the first excursion takes -.place to-morrow (Saturday.) Archery, croquet, rounders, French tig and a pleasant tea at the gardens, form the programme. The membership is limited to twenty of the male sex — a wise provision, and the resolute secretary may be safely trusted to see that it is not infringed. — The reigning belle of the birthday party referred to elsewhere, was undoubtedly Miss M., the charming vocalist. She was attired in a pretty dress of pink, trimmed with black. Miss W. wore a tasteful dress of cream, trimmed with cardinal, and along with several other costumes equally attractive and chaste, it received considerable notice. — The Baptists talk about purchasing the St. Mark's, Remuera, organ. A new organ is beingprocured for the latter place, and the Baptists, ever on the look out for a bargain, think of taking the old one, which is to be sold very cheap, and getting rid of the wretched instrument which has done service at Zion chapel for so long. — Some young ladies have an extraordinary habit of swinging their umbrellas when oiit walking. Poor Mr. W. Avas a victim to this horrible custom. Walking along Queen-street in rather a hurry he came right up against the butt end of a log-oak gingham which did for his wind entirely, in fact he has'nt got his breath properly yet. — The Morning Post, and other English society papers, announce the marriage at Childwall Church, near Liverpool, of Mr. William F. Moore, son of Canon and Lady Elizabeth Moore, to Alice, eldest daughter of Mr. P. H. Rathbone, of Green Bank, Liverpool. The bridegroom, who is a nephew of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, has some relatives living in the South Island. — The fine weather has brought forth many elegant costumes, but it would be difficult to find one more becoming than that worn by a certain church-going young lady, who is noted for her powers of conversation. It is of fawncoloured satin cloth, trimmed with winecoloured silk, on the basque bodice style, with narrow kiltings at foot, broad band of silk and pleated sash. The bodice has a gaged front of silk, with fawn collar and lappets at back.

— A lady, who was a recognised belle when she lived in Dunedin, is now residing in our midst and astonishes everyone by the elegance and good taste of her toilets. I noticed her the other day in an old gold costume Avith black jersey bodice. It is made Avith a deep kilting around the skirt, pleated sash and puffed at back, the puffs coming from under the bodice. The hat Avorn Avas a black chip, ornamented Avith cream and feathers of old gold. — Mr. R. A. Proctor is rather hard on the orthodox diurnal creationists. In a letter to the Otago Witness, he says that if the six days theory be correct, the "crust of the earth Avas specially framed to deceive us, and man's reason specially given to lead him astray." But this "if seriously urged would be so hideous a blasphemy that Aye must, in charity, credit those persons (avlio advocate it) Avith mental Aveakness nearly approaching to idiocy !" — Miss Maggie Macffarlane, younger daughter of Mr. Thomas Macn'arlane, of Carleton Gore Road, is to he married very early next year, to Mr. David Mills, manager of the Wellington branch of the Union Steamship Co. Mr. Mills is a son of Mr. William Mills, formerly Collector of Customs at this port, and brother oi Mr. John Mills, now an officer in H.M.s Customs. The marriage will take place immediately after the arrival of Mrs. G. S. Graham, who is bringing out the bride's trousseau from London. — It has been decided to found a University in Liverpool, and the folloAving gigantic donations swell the subscription list, which already amounts to nearly £100,000. Lord Derby, £10,000 ; Mrs. Grant, £10,000 ; the Roger Lyon Jones Trust, £10,000 ; W., S. G., and P.* H. Rathbone, £10,000; Balfour, Williamson and Co., £2000; D. Jardine, £1000; L. Smith, £1000 ; Harrison Bros., £3000 ; Ross T. Smyth and Co., £2000; R. It. Rathbone, £1000;' J. Bingham, £1000 ; W. Litherland, £1000 ; A. P. Lonsdale, £1000; J. Dixon, £1000. Besides these, I notice nearly 30 subscriptions for £500. — The various School Committees seem unanimous in their deteimination to have no parsons on the Board of Education. I notice that, at the recent election of a member, Mr. \

Goldie was at the head of the poll, having 6S votes, while the Rev. W. E. Mulgan brought the rear with two. Mr. Mulgan is a most excellent gentleman, of undoubted ability and very well educated, but he is a parson, and the School Committees will not jeopardise the Secular Educational system by giving a parson a seat at the Board. — The Auckland Total Abstinence Society have been making strenuoxis efforts to prevail on Dr. Wallis to publicly defend the principle of compensation to publicans which he advocated in Parliament. The wary old doctor doesn't see it, and as the society is anxious for another public discussion with some one, they are thinking of sending another challenge to St. James's Class, imposing as a condition that the speakers elected by that association shall be bonafide believers in the cause they advocate. — To the Editor : Sir, — Under the novi de plume, of a "Lady who knows," a malicious untruth is sought to be disseminated in a paragraph in your last issue relative to complimentary circus tickets. I doubt the real writer being a lady ! No lady would pen such paltry insinuations. Six complimentary tickets were sent without the slightest intimation that they were for other than the person sent to, and your informant "could not" know to the contrary. Of these the person used " one" himself, and gave the remainder away, some to the clerks in the office, and some to others. Tickets were promised for the other employees, but were not sent.— l am, &c, "One who knows- the TRUTH." (V\ , A — The party given by Mr. Leonard H: Bond last Friday, in celebration of his 21st birthday, proved very agreeable. The host made sundry speeches at intervals throughout the evening, while singing and dancing formed the staple of the enjoyment. There was also a capitally acted charade, although its connection with the selected word (Samson) was exceedingly remote. The tableau, representing Sir Arthur Gordon taking an affecting leave of the magnates of Fiji, was as cleverly designed as it was successfully pourtrayed. The company dispersed at two o'clock, after an interchange of good wishes with the host and hostess (Mrs. Lovett.)

— Amongst the guests at Mrs. Sam Jackson's party was a little Miss about 6 years old, who, when asked to dance by another child, said, "No, you're too old-fashioned. I have always been taught to waltz in the purest Parisian style. " — Captain and Mrs. H. F. Anderson gave a "juvenile" party at their residence, Manakau Road, ParncJl, on the evening of Thursday week. About a hundred and thirty guests were present, and, although it was nominally a "juvenile" party, a large number of the gentlemen had the down of manhood on their chins, and many of the ladies had passed the age of " sweet seventeen." In order to supplement the accommodation of the house, a large marquee had been erected in the grounds, and, as it was illuminated with Chinese lanterns, the handsome dresses of the ladies and the pretty costumes of the little ones made up a pretty and effective tout ensemble. Mrs. Anderson gave her guests a true Highland welcome, while the " gallant captain" made everyone feel at home. "Both music and dancing were of the best, and all who were lucky enough to be present, enjoyed themselves immensely. • — The Roman Catholic young ladies have been puzzling their pretty heads in devising new methods of beguiling unwary and innocent young men to their forthcoming bazaar. Here is an extract from an English paper which may be^ of some use to them. "At one bazaar, princesses and fashionable beauties extorted half guineas from foolish gentlemen, in return for a rosebud or a glass of sherry. At another a lady handed round her baby to be kissed by the mob — sixpence a kiss. In America, however, they improve on this. At one religious bazaar out west all the girls were put up to auction, and their company for the whole evening fell to the highest bidders, who were allowed to kiss them as often as they pleased." Of course, we have no "princesses" or "professional beauties," and personally, I don't see much attraction in what Tom Hood calls, "flabby dabby babbies," but I commend the American idea to the fair Catholics for their serious consideration.

— A charming fashion is about to be introduced by the belles of Remuera, which, from its very novelty alone, will, I believe, be an immense success. During the coming season, each belle will choose her beau for the ball by sending him a card with "White and Pink Rosebuds," "Blue and Primrose Forget-me-nots," "Black and Crimson Poppies," inscribed thereon. Now to the uninitiated this would seem queer, but the OBSERVER who knows everything, takes pleasure in elucidating the mystery thus : The young lady intends to wear the colours she describes, and wishes her chosen gallant to wear a bo it to it mere of the flowers named as being her own qarniturc. This will be a certain tie between them for the evening the card mentions. He will have the privilege of escort duty, the first quadrille, waltz, and the mazurka. "What an opportunity for some of the impecunious youths of the period to cultivate the daughters of that gilded locale — Remuera. — The following impromptu lines were written, by a lady in Auckland, the other day at a "game of poetry." This amusement is very fashionable now in the old country. A subject is given, and a quarter of an hour allowed to competitors. A committee of three are appointed as judges, who award > some elegant trifle to the best writer. On this occasion the subject was a love lyric of eight lines, containing a proposal of marriage and refusal, the eight lines to contain the words, "name," "night," "no," "nothing." " Name, name the day," in accents mild, Implored he on his knees, : t " Then night will vanish, day will dawn For me, my love, for me !" Away she turned her haughty brow, "No, no, it cannot be And nothing you can say or do Will change my tune," said she. — A recent scandal in high life would, says an English correspondent, furnish Miss Braddon with sufficient data for the first two volumes of a novel. A noble Earl (name not yet made public, though pretty well known in private circles) betrayed a strong affection for a certain : ,young widow, whose husband "joined the majority" in Afghanistanlastyear. Snestayedat

the Earl's family seat much .and often, and reciprocated (to all appearances) the tender passion. He loaded her with diamonds and other presents, and all the world thought th em engaged. It has just "been discovered, however, that there is a most painful and insurmountable obstacle to their marriage, in the shape of a gallant Colonel, to whom the fair widow has for some time past been secretly married, and who has not been too proud to trade upon and profit by the deception practised by his wife. Of course, in the possession of such a man, the Earl's diamonds and other gages d 1 amour are irrevocably lost, for the iii vocation of the strong arm of the law in that behalf would give the affair to the public in all its nakedness. —An unusually interesting marriage will very shortly take place at Onehunga, where it is exciting no small amount of interest. The intending bridegroom lias long been blessed with silvery locks, and only lately he lost the partner of his joys and sorrows. He immediately looked about in search of a lady to soothe his declining years, and he has been so successful that the date of the marriage has already been fixed. The most interesting part of the affair is that the united ages of the loving couple amount to nearly 150 years. — There was great excitement among the juvenile world of Ponsonby last Tuesday. Children might have been seen going about hugging tickets inscribed with numbers, losing them, and therefore breaking forth into shrieks, of woe, finding them again, and immediately beaming forth serene and hajipy. The climax of their joy was attained at 8 p.m., when they stood around the artistically trained tree, turfed and sodded to make it appear a living reality, and began to receive their presents. A dense crowd thronged the school house. All Ponsonby stood in the breach — not to a man, but certainly to a woman. The charming Three were there. Visitors from town were there. Mrs. Whitaker and the Misses Whitaker, who had kindly sent presents for the tree, came out and swelled the ranks of the purchasers. Mr. Evans was as usual indefatigable, Mr. Macindo, übiquitous. The superintendent and the teachers were busy as bees, the children sang like nightingales, and alll "went merry as a Christmas tree." A very tangible proof of success is the addition of £13 to the funds of the Sunday-school as entrance money and for things sold.