"THE DUCHESS"

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 50, 27 August 1881, Page 582

"THE DUCHESS"

— The engagement is announced of Miss Una Lawford, eldest daughter of John Lawford, Esq., Manager of the Bank of Australasia, to Mr Deniston. . j —It appears that Prince Albert Victor was not quite insensible to feminine charms. The "biggest of big bouquets, properly initialed, was sent every day to a well known Melbourne lady. — " Oh, Liberty, how many crimes are committed in thy name," said Madame Roland on the steps of the Guillotine, about a hundred years ago. The Christchurch Editor endorsed this sentiment on his own person a little better than a week since. — Marcus Clarke, the clever young Australian writer, is just dead in Sydney of congestion of the lungs. He was only 34 years of age. Those who have read that wonderful book, "His Natural Life," may form some idea of his great mental calibre. He had no equal on this side of the Equator as a writer of fiction. — Miss Lance, eldest daughter of the wellknown sporting man, was lately married to Mr Allan Scott, a partner in the Christchurch firm of Harper and Co. The bride wore an elegant dress of ivory satin, embroidered with pearls, a wreath of orange blossom, and a long tulle veil. She was followed by nine bridesmaids, wearing dresses of pale pink cashmere and ruby velvet, with hats to match. They all carried bouquets. —Fans have taken the place of albums. It is now on their fans that lacHes of fashion collect their souvenirs, sketches, and autographs, instead of in their albums. We see these fans charmingly ornamented with sketches from artists, verses from poets, and autographs from celebrated men. This is quite the prettiest fancy that has eventuated for a long time. Imagine a fan with a sketch by Alma Tadema, a poem "by Tennyson, and Lord Beaconsfield's autograph ! — Died of inanition, on Wednesday the 2Jftli instant, the Auckland Skating Club. — There •were precisely twenty-eight persons present at the skating rink at the Choral Hall on Wednesday the 17th instant, ami, out of these, eight only Avere skating. The announcement was made that the services of the band would "be dispensed with in future, no funds being available. Now, as a thinly attended rink without music is about the most dreary way_ of spending an evening I know, I should imagine we may say good-bye to the Auckland Skating Club. Even Mrs Clark's genius has failed to keep it alive. Vale ! —Straw bonnets and hats are the first sign in the feminine toilettes, that winter lias disappeared. This year straws Avill be of all colours to match the dress. The new poke will be much worn, but we shall have bonnets of all colours and many shapes. Dress bonnets will be trimmed with birds of Paradise. Most of the spring "bonnets are fresh, pretty, and distingue. One can please one's taste with the small Parisian capote, or the large Spanish sombrero. A charming capote can be made with gilt straw, turned, up brim, fclined with velvet. A large bow of old gold brocheia placed on the top, from which come two long shaded feathers, gilt and old gold. Another pretty bonnet is of silk shaded from {deepest crimson to pink, adorned with roses of both colours, and ribbon strings shaded to match. I was also much pleased with a, bonnet of tulle ombre bronze to pale pale yellow, adorned with glittering steel fringe and one large yellow rose, with bronzed leaves. The rage for everything that is shaded or ombre increases, and satins, silks, velvets, ribbons, tulle, in fact, every material must now be ombre. Old-fashioned leghorn hats,- with straight flapping brims, will also be in vogue. ' Rough and fancy straws, trimmed with net, or India muslin, and bunches of spring flowers, will be Avorn Avith simple costumes of sateens and cambrics. Sateens Avill be largely used, so will light tAveeds and cashmeres. The skirts will be more bouffant so as to support the basque. The corsages will be pleated and crossed like those of half a century ago. Young girls Avill Avear round Avaists Avith sashes broad enough to cover the entire front of the waist, and which Avill be tied behind Avith very short ends. White lace -will be more than ever used to trim spring and summer toilettes. Large Japanese parasols, and shaded parasols Avill be used. — Perhaps some of my readers might like to know the true story of a presentation of Court. The folloAving is from the pen of a young lady : *' Imagine the momentous question of toilette settled, the Aveary Avaiting in the carriage over, and the Palace reached. We formed part of a well-dressed mob, Avaiting for the signal to "moA r e on." At last it came, We were all getting tired, so Aye began to push just like a common mob. Mamma and I got on very well, "because she is tall and I have sharp elboAvs ; but one lady sat doAvn, and then another collapsed into her lap, nor did she move until the human cushion remarked plaintively : "Please get up ; I did not come here to nurse you," upon Avhich Aye all tittered. Then Aye began to push and shove harder than ever. The pin of my A r eil came oxit, and my bracelet fell oft". Oh ■ the scramble to find it ! Then a lady fainted, and Avas hustled off by some of the officials into another room. At last avc Avere close. One by one Aye uncurled our tails, and the trains Avere spread out "behind us. I saAV a gorgeous official who took my card "to be presented." An ocean of black plumes, and rustling robes, and sparkle of diamonds, half blinded me. I made a profound curtsey and struggled to kiss the Queen's hand, or she kissed mine ; I really can't tell Which. Another curtsey, a kind of dim murmur like the sea all round me, when suddenly my train Avas thrown unceremoniously over my arm and I Avas almost pushed out. It Avas over. In that brief moment 1 had received my "brevet rank of young lady at the Queen's hands and had inhaled the atmosphere of royalty. It Avas very aAvful, and I Avas glad to stand still and smooth my ruffled plumes. Mamma said

up. He has letters to Avrite, investigations to hold, questions to answer, and in most cases the charge, AA r hatever it may be, falls to the ground. This may happen once or twice a Aveek. Thiuk of the worry, and Avear and tear of mind and temper this must cause to a teacher. Now, lately, in City East, Mr Worthington Avas arraigned on several charges by the public Press, which Avere all mostly false, having only a substratum of truth. Some girls, lam sorry to say are obliged to be caned, and very properly assistant teachers are not alloAved to use the stick, so it falls upon the^ headmaster, who. never canes a girl willingly, only on compulsion. A man avlio has under his supervision over a thousand boys and girls, and Avho must necessarily, to do his duty, be tolerably sharp and stern, and have, so to speak, eyes in the back of his head, Avould be something superhuman if he possessed an angelic temper. If he is a right-minded man, Avellprincipled, earnest to his Avork, straightforward, anxious to do right, even if sometimes failing, Aye have almost more than Aye have any right to expect, and Aye have all this in Mr "Worthington. Now, Avith regard to assistant teachers. Most of these are young women, some of them young ladies, and the same strain of body and mind is laid upon them. They never sit doAvn during school hours because they cannot do their duty to their enormous classes (some have over a hundred children) if they do sit doAvn. They have very of tento get up their viva voce lessons before school in the morning ; they have to endure all kinds of weather, all kinds of impertinances from parents ; to study at night ; to be always good tempered and cheerful Avith their classes ; to please the headmaster by pulling through the standards to please the inspector, Avhose vieAvs are sometimes diametrically opposite j to please

I had got through it very Avell. One shoe was half off", my dress torn, my hair untidy, my flowers crushed, my veil unpinned, my arms scratched, and I almost felt I had deserved the Victoria Cross. But the exit Avas even Avorse than the entree. "We sat slm r ering on the marble steps Avaiting for our carriage for two long hours. Men Avere calling excitedly for their Avives carriages ; women looked pale, cross, and tired ; old doAvagers grumbled incessantly. Then mamma began to scold, and I had a mauvais qvart d'heur. I saw some lovely dresses on ugly people, and beautiful jewels on haggard old ones, and I think that beauty unadorned is not adorned the most. We got home about 6 o'clock. Mamma had tea and fell asleep, and I made up my mind that a good galop out hunting Avas Avorth ten drawing rooms ; but then I am only a girl, and don't count for anything."

—You take up scarcely any paper m Auckland, be it Herald, or Star, or Observer, without seeing some unpleasant or condemnatory allusion to school teachers. The public, the boards, the committees have their innings, and the poor teachers, enforced to keep utter silence, bear the blows, and catch, if they can, the ball. As lam not a public school teacher, and yet happen to knoAV a good deal about public schools, I am going to give my. opinion on this matter. In the first place, headmasters have to please, not two masters only, Avhich the Bible declares to be impossible, but three. They must satisfy the the central board, their oavii committee, and the general public—consisting of the fathers and mothers of the children. Any child can go home and make a complaint— Avhether true or false, matters not ; the parents of this child go to the committee and make out a case. Then the teacher is had

the master of the training college, and yet if one of these unfortunates stays away for a Aveek with a severe cold, the committee, with shocking bad taste, pass all sorts of disagreeable and unkind remarks thereupon, and, some time ago, even went so far as to propose that every teacher staying away should be at once examined by a doctor appointed by the board, but to be paid by them ; a decree which, if carried out, would soon have cleared the schools of all respectable young women. Such is the case from the teachers point of view. May it only make parents and committee men a little more charitable, Bo to tlieir faults a little Wind, And to their virtues ever kind.