BALL AT HUNTLY.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 344, 11 July 1885, Page 22

BALL AT HUNTLY.

A very enjoyable dance took place in the Huntly Public Hall on Friday, the 27th ult. The attendance, owing doubtless to the inclemency of the weather, was not so large as was anticipated. However, the hall was well filled. The musical arrangements were entrusted to Professor Turner, who succeeded in giving his patrons every satisfaction. Mrs Hammond supplied the refreshments in her usual excellent style. The best dressed ladies present were: Mrs Patterson, the Misses Hammond, Miss McLeod, Miss Cummings, Miss Heatherington, Miss Finlayson, Miss Sampson, and the Misses Walsh.

The second monthly tea and entertainment was held at the Old Peoples Eef uge on Saturday last, much to the enjoyment of the inmates, who were fifty-two in number. After tea a very pleasant evening was spent in singing several songs, duetts, and choruses, which were beautifully rendered. Miss "Willis presided at the harmonium. The committee desire to return their thanks to Mr and Mrs Walters for their kind assistance. The marriage of Mr W. Probine with Miss S. Coleman, of Newton, took place, at the residence of the bridegroom's father, Ponsonby, on Monday week last, the Eev. E. Bavin tying the connubial knot. The biother of the bride gave her away, and the bridesmaids were Miss Stoke, who wore a pretty dress of green nun's veiling, with lace and satin trimmings, and silver jewellery, and Miss Hill, who looked very nice in a wine-colored cashmere, real lace trimmings, and silver jewellery. The bride wore a maroon velvet dress, with satin and lace to match ; white French veil, wreath of orange blossoms, gold jewellery, and looked very, charming. About 40 people sat down

to the wedding breakfast, after which games appropriate for the occasion were introduced, interspersed with songs by the visitors, the best of which was a duet by Messrs E. Probine and J. Fletcher. Many were the presents received, with the usual compliments. After giving the happy couple a good, hearty shake of the hand, and wishing them a pleasant future, the visitors departed for their homes, evidently well pleased with the evening's amusement. A most enjoyable social gathering was held at Tuakau on Monday evening the 29th ult. Dancing commenced early and was kept up until 4 a.m. Miss Boyle was acknowledged to be the belle. The London World says : — ' The proRussian sentiments of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are well known, for they have been expressed with a somewhat imprudent plainness. If war should eventuate after all, the Duke and Duchess will break up their establishments in this country, as they intend to go to Germany. Another fashionable craze in Paris, according- to the London World, rivalling the craze for amateur theatricals, is tableaux vivants. In order not to be outdone by the actresses and ladies of the ballet, chatelaines and bourgeoisie alike take advantage of plastic poses to reveal beauties that the most prodigious decolletage still conceals. This one chooses the pose of Phsodra in Cabanel's famous picture in order to displaj la linge de la hanclie, which is lost now-a-days under the full drapery of pansies. Another chooses Esmeralda because it enables her to show her legs ; another chooses Henri Regnault's Salone for the sake of showing her bare ankles and setting off her eyes with a thick black wig that covers her whole forehead ; another fresh from the convent, represents Greuze's ' Ouch Cassee,' for the sake of the provoking cut of the corsage. We have accounts of a fashionable Avedding at home, in which some of the family of Lord Carington, the Governor of New South Wales, took part. A very smart wedding took place at the Chapel Eoyal, Savoy, when Colonel Alan Gardner, brother of the Countess of Onslow, was married to Miss Nora Beatrice Blyth, eldest daughter of James Blyth, of Woodhouse, Stanstead. The wedding party arrived about a quarter to three, and the service, which was conimendably short, was a choral one. A number of beauties were present, though none of them officiated as bridesmaids, the bride's six attendants ranging from the age iof ten to five. A prettier bunch of bridesmaids have never been seen, the diminutive damsels (Lady Gwendolen Onslow, Hon. Majorie Carington, Hon. Alexandra Carington, and the three Misses Blyth) looking charming in frocks of white lace, with amber sashes, and ribbons to their mobcaps, and big bouquets of dark red and yellow roses. The bride had a chic gown of white brocade, the train being square in cut, quite untrimmed, and of an inordinate length, the petticoat being covered in flounces of thick white lace, looped up with small bunches of orange blossoms. Wisely discarding the unbecoming wreath of staring white flowers, Miss Blyth had her tulle veil fastened by diamond crescents, and also wore a plainly set diamond necklace. There was quite a show of spring fashions among the guests, many ladies appearing in some form of ' shell ' or zouave jacket.