AUCKLAND BELLES-PAST AND PRESENT.

Observer, Volume II, Issue 40, 18 June 1881, Page 439

AUCKLAND BELLES-PAST AND PRESENT.

No. I.— A Belle of the Past.— Mrs Shera (Nee Miss Balneavis). There are several qualities required to make a belle. Beauty alone is not the one tiling needful. Many very good-looking girls arc quietly ignored at balls and parties, where others possessing at first sight . no greater attractions create a perfect furore. A certain portion of good looks is indeed necessary ; "but the sine qua non are fascination, style, chic, grace, and powers of conversation. These alone can render a woman so bewitching that she is constantly run after wherever she appears, and may fairly lay claim to the title 01 a belle. Such a one was, some ten or eleven years ago, the eldest daughter of Colonel Henry Colin Balneavis, once a captain in the sSth Regiment, who in his youth dearly loved horse racing, and in his mature age devoted himself to music. We miss his violin yet at the Choral Society's concerts. He, like many more of his compeers, fell in love with a handsome Maori woman,

and married her, proving, unlike his compeers, the most tender and devoted father. Jemima Balneavis was our representative half-caste, of whom we were duly proud. Carefully educated, a musician by hereditary descent, taught to ride by an experienced riding master, drilled, and trained to hold herself properly, she grew up in our midst without our exactly knowing that she was one of the belles of Auckland. Yet the lithe and supple grace of her slight, tall figure, as she swayed on horseback — or in the dance, the dusky softness of her large dark eyes, the clear olive of her skin, through Avhich the rose just showed, might have told us if we had cared to see. The men had said so for some time, but the leaders of society had refused to say so, when an event happened which settled the question at once and for ever. The Galatea brought the Duke of Edinburgh to Auckland. How well I remember the Prince's Ball, given by Lady Bo wen. at Government House ! All the young ladies from far and near, from city and suburb, from the country, and even from the remote bush, poured into town to be present on that momentous night. To dance with the Prince ! it was a romantic, an exciting idea ! And, horror of horrors ! saddest of gad. tales to relate ! on not one of the fairest of the fair did the Prince deign to bestow more than a passing glance ; lie danced his duty dance with Lady Bowen, looked on for awhile, and then—requested an introduction to Miss Balneavis! On her, his whole attention was absorbed ; to her his sweetest smiles were given ; and the leaders of society in Auckland woke up to the astounding fact that to the Duke of Edinburgh she was indeed a belle. How kind and tender the Prince was to her; how he went constantly to her father's house to practice music, of which they were all so fond ; and how — not one break of scandal mingled with the almost romantic affection — many residents of Auckland know well. I forbear to say any more; but one anecdote I will give— His Royal Highness had gone up to Mr Swainson's. Now that gentleman lias some very beautiful grapes, but at the time of the Prince's visit they were scarcely ripe. "I will save your Royal Highness a bunch," said Mr Swainson. " I shall not be here- then," said the Prince, with a sigh; "but, however, you give me a bunch," arid taking out a pocket-book, he pencilled on a slip of paper, "For dear Jim.," and fastened it on the finest bunch. Longafter the Duke had gone Miss Bal neavis got the bunch of grapes with the slip of paper fastened to it. Many sought for the prize which had seemed so precious to a Prince, and John Shera, then of the firm of McArthur, Shera and Co., won. Jim. Balneavis made a very charming bride, and I augured well for the future happiness of the pair when I saw the care and solicitude with which Mr Shera helped, her out of the carriage on the bridal morning. Now, some may laugh at this, and say "of course — only natural ;" but I have seen many brides helped out of many carriages, and I have noticed differences — have had my own thoughts "thereupon, and have generally proved a true prophet. They went to Europe for their marriage tour, and then returned to the place of her birth. Mrs Shera does not iioav possess the slenderness or grace of Miss Balneavis; but her friends say that the old fascination still remains, and also the old intellectual proclivities. At the close of the Duke of Edinburgh's last appearance in the Choral Hall, Dr Purchas, as the peroration of a rather injudicious speech, said he trusted we should see His Royal Highness again, and that he would take to himself a New Zealand bride, at which the Duke, who was up in the gallery, turned fiery red, and looked very angry. He knew that he must make a state marriage; that the greatest match in Europe, the only and petted daughter of the autocrat of all the Russia'!, was destined to call him lord. The Duchess is not handsome. I wonder if ever, "in the mists and shadows of sleep," the Duke sees visions of dark Southern eyes, of a supple, slender form, of re dundant ebon tresses, of unstudied

graces of attitude inherited from free chiefs of long descent, and recalls! or a moment in his dreams the dusky loveliness of J emima Bahieavis. Esmond.