Women folk

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12284, 5 April 1918, Page 7

Women folk

By -STELLA."

Aliss Loulio Bean has returned to town from Lakeside. Air and Airs Robert Arlow (Wellington) are in town. Dr and Airs Al’Kellar (Dunedin) are spending a few days in Christchurch. Air and Airs A. P. Smith (Ashburton) arc in town. Air and Airs F. S. Burson (Trenthani) are visiting Christchurch. Gabled advice has Been received to the effect that Aliss Janet Ogle has reached England. The Alisses Bain, Rastriok Street, have'returned from a. visit to South Canterbury. Air and Airs AV. Revell (Timaru), who have been visiting the West Coast, left to-day for the south. Airs W. Alncfarlane and Aliss Alacfarlane (Kniwarra) are in Christchurch for a few days. Aliss Ella Helmore is staying with her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool in Wellington, and later on will he the guest of Airs Turnbull, Hobson Street. ■ Airs W. Germain (Sydney), Air and Airs A., AI. Seller (Straits Settlement) and_ Air and Airs W. R. Rathoon (United- States) are amongst oversea visitors to Christchurch, staying at AVarner’s. Under the auspices of the Social Hygiene Society on Monday evening Dr Petit has promised to deliver in ■the YIALO.A. hall a. lecture on “ Education,” which should appeal to every woman, particularly mothers of sons in their adolescence. Airs Holland and members of the Lady Liverpool depot staff will bo hostesses at the Art Gallery this evening, and the proceeds will be handed to the Red, Qross Fund. Airs H. R. Smith’s Pom -Pom Party will give one of their bright, miscellaneous musical programmes. Tire members of the Returned Soldiers’ Association have generously decided to devote the money from the annual street collection permitted to them for their own needs towards the Lady Liverpool Fund and the Salvation Army Fund, recognising the necessity of sending comforts to their comrades at the front. A flower stall, in charge of Airs Richard Anderson and Airs Carey, assisted by a number of young girls, did good business, the proceeds to be devoted to tire returned soldiers’ appeal. '■ On Tuesday a most enjoyable ladies’ progressive tennis afternoon was arranged by Airs J. C. Lord, and played on the Avonside tennis courts. Afternoon tea was served during the afternoon. The prizes were won by Aliss Evelyn Goodman and Aliss D. Allard. Those playing were Airs J. C. Lord, Airs G. L. Berry, Airs D. Donald, ADss Goodman, Aliss M’Dougall, Aliss Dorman, Miss Gil landers, Aliss AI. Ward Aliss AI, Cuthbert, Aliss Stella Alurray Aliss Evelyn Goodman, Aliss A Allard’ Miss D. Allard Aliss Tayler, Miss mughey and Aliss Gray. At the Art Gallery. Another of the series of concerts in connection with the Art Society’s exhibition was held in the Art Gallery last night. Considering that the pro- j ceeds from this entertainment are to be i devoted to the Red Cross Fund, the I attendance was disappointingly small. ! An excellent programme of vocal and I instrumental items _ was given, and a i very enjoyable evening was spent. The ! programme was arranged by Mr Eric S. * Bell, under whose loadershio the Christchurch Salon Orchestra played the fol- ■ lowing selectionsAlerchant of Ye- ! nice Suite” (Bucalossi), “ Petite i Suite de Concert” (Coleridge-Tavlor) ! ‘'Pirouette" (Hermann Finck) ‘ and ‘Legend of the Sea” (Goehl). Air Herbert Bloy, banjo soloist, played Rossini’s “William Tell” overture.: Ihe musical comedy numbers, “ Lady 1 of a Thousand Charms,” and “Alade- I moisello Pirouette,” and several other mii? it 1 songs Ivere slln S By Airs I AI Kellar. and a recitation by Air H, I AI’.D. Vincent completed the enter- ! tainment- Airs Vernon and the ladies i receiving table at the | Red Cross Depot, made the arrange- j ments for the supper. I

“Stella" i MI 6 o glad ttf receive Hews 6f interest and value to Woman for publication or reference in this ooktnm.

WEDDINGS, Sinclair— Neill. A quiet wedding was solemnised yesterday at St Alary’s Church. Addingion, the Rev Canon Bean officiating. The contracting parti.es wore Air Olrig Sinclair, older son of Air W. Sinclair, of Christchurch, and Aliss Ruby Gladys Neill, only daughter of Airs A. Neill and the late Air Robert Neill, of Christchurch. Air Robert Nixon was the best man. The bride, who was given away by her brother. Air John. Neill, wore a becoming cream costume and a black panne velvet lint trimmed with blue_ribbon. After the ceremony a-re-ception was held at the residence of the bride’s mother, Montreal Street. ■Rater Air and Airs Sinclair left by the express for the south. The bride’s mother wore a stylish tailored college grey cloth costume with a black fox fur and a pretty black crepe de. chine bat with ospreys. The bridegroom's mother wore a grey costume with a purple velvet hat. Others present at the wedding included Air AV. Sinclair, Air and Airs G. Farris. Air and Airs John Sinclair, Aliss Slenzies, Air lan Sinclair, Alisses Sinclair, Air and Mrs Al’Lean. Mr and Airs and Alisses .Al’Alnrray, Aliss 1. AI. Cartmill, Mr A. Jones, Air R. Nixon, the Rev Canon and Airs Bean, Airs F. F. Steel. Airs P. Brighiling, Airs A. Miles, Air and Airs B. Forbes, and Air John Neill. I Wilsorv—Angus, ' Knox Church was the scene of a very _ pretty wedding on Saturday morning, when Aliss Edna Angus, elder daughter of Air AI. Angus, of Christchurch, was married’ to Air J. G. Wilson, younger son of Air R. F. Wilson, of Brisbane, Queensland. Or Erwin officiated. The bride, who was given away_ by her father, looked very becoming in a charming frock of white chiffon taffeta, with touches of pale pink georgette, and a beautiful veil with lily of the valley. She carried a bouquet of hothouse flowers and maidenhair fern. She was attended by Aliss Dorothy Page, who wore a pretty chess of pale pink chiffon taffeta and black hat. and carried a beautiful bouquet of pale pink flowers, with autumn tints. Aliss Ira Angus, sister of the bride, wore white crepe do chine, and carried a bouquet of cream roses. The bridegroom was attended by Private Guy Farrell as best man. 'An Airman’s Love Letters. The air. which has provided so much that is sensational in warfare, has now, not surprisingly perhaps, provided a literary sensation. Already some of our airmen have recorded fragmentaril.y in verse their impressions of the ecstasy of flight, of the earth as seen from the sky, and of bomb-dropping on towns, but it has remained for the anthers of “An i Airman’s Wife’ - to provide us with a calm, deliberate, impersonal record of the pilot’s work at the front day by day—his patrols over the enemy lines on the hunt for “Funs,” his encounters with them at altitudes which make one dizzy merely to think about, his development of new tricks—“stunts” of all sorts, “spins” for thousands of feet. “Immclmann turns” and other mysterious devices—to outwit the enemy. Though the book is published anonymously, it is betraying no secret, we believe, to state that the letters were written to Ills wife by Captain William Bond, ARC., formerly a member of the literary staff of the Continental “Daily Alail,” who was killed while flying on the. western front. The most interesting thing about the letters is the detached, purely professional way in which they relate the putting out of action of a follow-artist and the death or disappearance of a flight companion. Here is a typical extract crystallising both events: — “This morning just before wo got

to tlio lines there was a big scrap in which our “ tripohounds as the facetious call tho triplanes—got two Huns and our two-seaters got one, but two of ours were missing.” There is no elation over the bringing down of an adversary; merely tho proper pride of the artist in work well done. Due praise is given to the opponent for his “ stunts ” and subterfuges. Indeed, tho story is told of one of our men, a celebrated “Air Hog” (a pilot with a craving for a record “hag” of Huns), who found himself in the air in a light “against some Boche stunt pilots, and had to stop the fight to watch them stunting.” Every day our young airman wrote to his young wife in England—short letters, which, -while being model records of his day's wqrk in the air, are no less perfect as love letters. Always he ends with a message of devotion which is entirely convincing:— “Darling Wife,—l have so many sweet souvenirs of you in my mind. I am loving you just all the time. Again “A strain! My darling, even if it wore . ; . but it is a delight. It is wonderful to feel that I am making someone happy, because I was afraid f might never be able to do that. It is lovely to know' I can—and yet it is so little I do-”

No less interesting are the comments of the young wife, who passionately adores him, on the various lottors. Indeed,' it is easy to imagine that for some people these, in their frank-even intimate—analysis of her emotions will provide the chief interest in the book. Certainly nothing that has appeared for a long time gives anything like an equal impression of young love at its flood tide of emotion. Possibly the airman, as ho is the super-sports-man, may also be the super-lover. Always fear is with the wife, and inevitably there comes the day when his letters fail to arrive. Her airman is missing. For a time she hones against hope, and at length the news of his death is confirmed. But she ends on a. note of hope: “You are God now. for your human body has released your spirit that is one with the great. Spirit of Love.” And his voice, answers: “ Let your love, your happy love, reveal that we who are dead are livitnig! with you all, all the while. - . • Just carry on. . . . We’ll see yon through.” —L.R.M., in the “Daily Alail.”