WAIKATO WHISPERINGS

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 38, 4 June 1881, Page 414

WAIKATO WHISPERINGS

THE CALICO BALL,

— According to promise, I intend giving you a full and reliable account of the great Calico Ball which took place on the anniversary of Her Majesty's Birthday, Tuesday evening last. Indeed in a measure the task is forced upon me. There is little else to note except it be the extreme quietude of matters social and political. The sole subject of conversation among the uninvited, no less than the more favoured few, has been the Calico Ball. Since the event I certainly have heard the inquiry, " Have you seen the comet ?" but these are the only topics at present discoverable. Contrary to expectation, on the Queen's Birthday the weather was fine, and as this was the only condition which on Tuesday morning remained unfulfilled — the stewards having exerted themselves to the utmost in regard to all matters which came within their province — there was a full attendance of guests at the fine hall of the Oddfellows. Those in authority had wisely abstained from the use of evergreens in the decorations, but it is a pity that in the selection of bunting such dirty rngs as many of the streamers were fell to their lot. There was, it must be confessed, a very shabby, threadbare look about the adornment of the room, which contrasted too strongly with the brilliant display of the costumes worn by the dancers. Bi\t what is of much more importance than all this, the music supplied by Messrs McComish, Clough and Triphook was delightful, while the floor shone as a mirror. There never was such a glorious night's entertainment in the Waikato before, and never, I think, did dancers enter with more spirit into their business. At a quarter-past four on "Wednesday rooming, when the last dance commenced, scarce a score had desisted, while the remaining hundred pranced with even more lightness of foot than they had exhibited six hours before. The gallant old Colonel stuck to his post of master of the revels (there was little ceremony) to the last, and offered a brave example to the younger folk. It is a matter of no little difficulty to criticise the dresses, which were so many and so various, and of which most were becoming to the wearers. Of those dresses which, apart from any intrinsic value, gave most pleasure to the beholder, I should give the first place to that of one of your Auckland ladies — Mrs Banks, who appeared as " Nancy Lee." Mrs Richard Laishley sustained the character of Maritana, dressed after the model of Madame Simonsen, but looking infinitely better than that lady. The Misses Grey (Av.ckland ladies) were becomingly costumed respectively as a Swiss peasant and jockey, the latter with cap, whip and spurs complete. It may have been slightly fast, but it was uncomnaonly jolly. There was another Auckland young lady— Miss Ring— who made a dainty little Queen Mab, with a delicate pearly crown and wings of the airiest gossamer. Mrs Macgregor Hay was imposing in the fine feathers of a Byzantine Princess, and Mrs J. B. Whyte was a stately Persian lady of fashion. Mrs William Hunt was an ideal Grace Darling— one of the most complete characters in the hall. Next to her in the same class I am inclined to place two ladies who, without parade, dressed in singular good taste — Mrs C. C. Wood and Miss Nelly Hall (Thames). Both were attired as hospital nurses, the former calling herself a Geneva nurse and the latter a Red Cross sister. Of other and gaudier styles there were plenty. To quote Artenius Ward — "Some was pretty, and some was plain, Some was young, and some was on the wane." The plain ones and the rest I will leave out, believing it to be better to omit than to offend. But the pretty ones included the Gipsey of Miss Ewen, the charming Greek girl of Miss Laura Barugh, the genuine Helen McGregor of Miss Jessie Bell, the Marie Antoinette of Mrs Watts and Miss Swarbrick, and many others who will pardon my neglect in not blazoning their charms. The sterner portion of the merry-makers were not far behind in the elegance and suitability of their costumes. In some instances it must be confessed that the dresses were little better than make-shift s, but what would not pass muster on such a happy occasion ? If sliiney malice and envy "were stifled, where was there room for carping criticism?

There were no best dresses, as many looked well ; and no worst, because tliere could not possibly be any choice between the half-dozen who looked ill. But there were a great many which were gorgeously grand and delightfully easy to loose. The M.C. was a perfect blaze of light in stars and orders descended to him from his gallant and illustrious father. Mr. J. B. Why te was a Gentleman of the Nineteenth Century in evening dress, but his brother, going back to olden days, came with a forked tail and horns. Another gentleman also adopted the conventional form of the " old party," and made even a better devil than Mr Whyte, who will not quarrel with me for saying so. It is good to have variety, no doubt ; but some people should draw the line at being a Chinaman. It don't suit everybody. Willie Tonks was a gallant and courtly Black Prince, and Mr Swarbrick wore a perfect costume belonging to the thirteenth century. Mr J. Wood as a Hindoo gentleman was one of the best of the male characters, though the nut-brown dye -would come off . Mr John Runciinan and Mr Sydney Smith in the respective Elizabethan characters of Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake were excellently costumed and equipped. The dress of the last-named was specially admired. Mr T. Bell looked the perfection of a naval officer, and Mr Moor the very prince of Ralph Rackstraws. Mr William Cumming created quite a furore in his character of Bluebeard; the get-up, even to the application of washing-blue to his flowing beard, was realistic in the extreme. Mr Thomas Jolly ostensibly represented " a moorish horsetamer," but although he failed somewhat in this he would have stood for a Spanish nrale-driver. There was one among the gentlemen the elegance of whose dress and carriage I ought not to overlook. No one was more at home in his togs, or appeared to greater advantage than dear Prank. Poor Captain Corcoran was unable to come through indisposition, but his gallant crew turned \vp in force, and looked the jolly lot of fellows which British seamen get the credit for being. Those who assumed naval costume notinentioned were Messrs J. Moses, T. Walnutt, and H. Warner. Our two dear "Cousins" looked unusually fierce — the elder as the cloaked Vasgo de Gania, and sweet Willie in the regimentals of a lieutenant of Cavalry. Mr Bob Seddon brought a large quantity of Hobart Pasha, and did his best to look the grave Anglo-Turk, with moderate success. The Cambridge gentlemen made a sufficient show with the Vallender as a Greek (not the slave style), Mr Richardson as a Zouave, Mr H. Reynolds as a jockey, and H.E. as " Kilinarnock." The supper was an immense success ; nothing better could have been turned out by Spiers and Pond, or Gunter in his best days, than was provided by Mr Trewheellar. Talking about the supper, people who took single tickets ought to have remembered that they did not include the whole family. Tim Flynn was an admirable impersonation, but the pipe was really a trifle too strong. The youthful and killing shoiild have discarded the moustache and shown his face. The devil, it would really appear, is not so black as the story-books have painted him. But then there are such things as blue devils. The sweetest little woman in Hamilton was not at the ball at all, but there were two sweet little things who went uninvited, and created a considerable flutter in the ranks of the grande clnmcs in answer to whose shocked inquiries it came out that the dear " creechahs " had in the most winning manner possible inveigled one of the ticket-sellers into the belief that they had received the politest of notes from the secretary, desiring their presence, which turned out to be — oh ! how naughty — a lib.