"THE LADIES COLUMN NOTES BY THE DUCHESS"

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 41, 25 June 1881, Page 452

"THE LADIES COLUMN NOTES BY THE DUCHESS"

— Scarcely forty people were present at the Auckland Skating Club on the loth inst. Will the fair and the brave rush back in crowds and shoals when the Flying Squadron looms in the waters of the Waitemata ? If so, I recommend to the consideration of the committee a large increase in the price of visitors' tickets. The only noticeable dress was that of Miss Jones, from the South. She wore a fawn-coloured bieye, trimmed with fur to match. Her muff", made of the same material as her dress, was trimmed with fawn-coloured fur ; hat to match, lined with cardinal. N.B. — The corridors are open again for skaters ! ! — Beauties may take a lesson from the fate of the Princess Dolgorouki. She was a lovely young girl, sprung from one of the highest Russian families and placed at the Imperial school near St. Petersburgh, where the Czar in his capacity of Father of the institution visited it and saw her. It was the great misfortune of her life that the Czar loved her better than anything else in the Avorld, and that she loved him madly in return. We must not judge them by our notions of 'morale. The woman who attracted the notice, and became the morganatic bride of the Czar, would be more reverenced in Russia than any woman in the world. The most marked figure in St. Petersburgh was the "Grand Duchess" {as she was always called by the servants of the Palace), with her tall svelte figure, her dreamy, dark eyes, and her beautiful pale face, driving along the Nevski Prospect in her perfectly appointed sleigh, wrapped in magnificent sables. Sitting erect beside her were two large dogs given her by the Czar — her mute but faithful guardians. Unlike most royal favourites, she had few enemies, and her influence was always on the side of humanity. Her devotion to her Imperial lover was extreme. She often perilled her life following him in disguise as he would walk alone from the Winter Palace, and it is said that she has more than once turned aside the assassin's dagger. The Princess was refused the last melancholy pleasure of closing the eyes of her husband ; ordered to leave St. Petersburgh in five hours, and parted from her children, who are wards of the crown. A wanderer on the face of the earth, deprived of all she loved, behold the fate of the most powerful and the most beautiful woman in Europe ! — Mrs Judd's paper was the feature of the evening at the Diocesan Conference of Sundayschool teachers, held on the 17th inst. She particularly dwelt on the necessity of making Sunday-schools attractive, and of teachers making themselves beloved by their scholars ; and to do this the only way was to take the deepest interest in all their concerns, worldly as well as spiritual — to be their friend, to to whom they might look up and go for comfort or advice, as to an elder brother or sister. School-rooms should be decorated with pictures, wall-cards, texts emblazoned, pots of ferns and flowers, &c. Altogether it was a most judicious* and excellent paper, and we women may he proud of it. Rather a laugh*

able incident occurred. Bishop CoAvie Avas just commencing his speech, when two large dogs got up and walked majestically up and down St. Matthew's school-room, sniffing an inspection of the audience, and creating so much disturbance that his Lordship, after some hesitation, said that he would be much obliged if the owner of the dogs would take them out of the room ; whereupon a tall young woman in an ulster rose, and with difficulty persuaded the dogs to retire. She shut the door carefully upon them, but they remained outside barking, and scratching, and whining, and formed a sort of chorus and accompaniment between the pauses of the speakers. The canine species seem to have imbibed of late years a natural love for the church and church matters, and to be fast superseding the human species in that direction. Can it be possible that they are the " coming race ?'' • — Let us indulge in a little laugh at the expense of the men. Perhaps, dear ladies, you read the "Duchess's " notes on Herr Bandmann and Miss Beaudet, and also the editor's note appended, about its being a lady's opinion, and therefore to betaken " w&h a grain of salt," Well, I have not myself the honor of an acquaintance with the Heir, and so I copied the aboA r e from a letter of a gentleman (a friend of mine), a lawyer and a JUDGE ! So many scandalous stories had been prevalent in Auckland about the pair that I thought I Avould let the world know the truth. Ah, my dear Mr Editor, take the poor " Duchess " another time without a grain of salt. [This is A r ery rough! — Ed. Obs], A Baltimore paper has discovered beauty to be an affair of diet. Ohio girls, it says, eat pork and sauerkraut, Massachusetts girls eat codfish balls, Virginia girls eat bacon and greens, the Gulf States girls eat gumbo, New Hampshire girls eat pic and doughnuts, and Kentucky girls eat blue grass beef, and yet all these are prettier than the girls of Europe. But the Baltimore girl eats oysters, terrapin, canvasback duck, bay mackerel, and soft shell crabs, and she is the prettiest of all. It would be useful if our professional beauties were to print below their photographs the food on which they have been raised.

— The North Shore "At Home," on Thursday the 16th inst., was numerously attended. Miss Quick, who was decidedly the Lelle, looked very nice in a handkerchief costume. Miss Burnet wore a brown velveteen, with cream roses, George Holmes distinguished himself as usual, and was the cynosure of all eyes for the elegant and unaffected style of his dancing. — The Cinderella dance at the Albert Hall, Mount Albert, on Thursday 16th inst., was a pronounced success. The hall is not large, but the ladies and gentleman who compose the committee arrange matters so carefully that everyone goes home pleased. The supper was very far beyond the ordinary ball supper. There was a large influx of visitors from the town and suburbs, and I heard young ladies exclaiming, " They had never enjoyed a dance so much." Mrs Waterhouse had a dress of pale blue muslin trimmed with white lace. Mrs E. Lewis, grey and blue silk. Mrs Stone, black grenadine. Mrs C. S. George, plum coloured, cashmere trimmed with velvet to match. Mrs Stevenson, black silk. Miss Lewis, black velvet trimmed Avith pink silk. Miss Orchard, while muslin trimmed with pink. Miss Kelly, black silk. Miss Hughes in black grenadine, with silver ornaments, looked remarkably well. Miss E. Hughes, maize tarletan trimmed with crimson satin. Miss Baker, black grenadine trimmed Avith crimson and silver flowers. There were two two young ladies present whose names I could not discover : one Avore a black grenadine skirt, and black satin basque bodice ; the other, black A r elvet trimmed Avith black satin, blue cord and tassel. They Avere pretty girls, and both looked avcll. There Avere about sixty people present. — The Ponsonby bread-and-butter dance, on Friday 17th inst., was remarkable for a seiies of free fights. First of all, Mr G., the famous Samoan trader, Avas set upon by the brothers of of a certain young lady Avhom he had asked to dance, and told that he had better not ; there Avere also anxious enquiries made for his Avife. Whereupon, the redoubtable lady-killer thought it best to retire. Secondly, Mr"G., from a certain office in Shortland-street, made his appearance and Avas greeted Avith such flattering Avelcomes and such stage whisperings, that, without claiming a single dance, he retrerted into the lobby and smoked the calumet — Avas it of peace ? (Tiny Avas annoyed). Thirdly, a host of infants of the male aex, ranging from twelve to sixteen years of age, blocked the doorways, discussing loudly the merits of the dancers, calling the young ladies present by their Christian names, and otherwise distinguishing themselves. These little co7itre-temps, howeA r er, did not seem to affect the spirits of the principal performers, who danced away merrily ; and fat and jolly Avas the gay caA^alier who acted as Father of that happy family !

— New basques are finished in leaf points around the edge. — A belt and bag made of the dress material are seen on the new costumes. — The new striped wools are called Algerienne cloth, and make very stylish dresses. — Foulards with figures in gay colours are xised for polonaises to be worn with black velvet skirts.