A LADY’S LETTER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19393, 25 August 1925, Page 2

A LADY’S LETTER

TOPICAL BUDGET FROM LONDON

EXHIBITIONS, PLAYS, FASHIONS AND FANCIES

[Special to “Chronicle.”—All Rights Reserved.]

CHELSEA, June 27. After a fortnight of “heat wave'’ the weather has veered to the other extreme, land rain fell on Midsummer Day—last Wednesday. Ji was the end of a 24 days’ drought, and was naturally welcomed by the farmers, but proved most annoying, to the various sports, especially the tennis at Wimbledon. Besides the rain it became bitterly cold. Summer frocks gave place to costumes and furs, men wore overcoats, and there were fires in many of the London topics. From a temperature of SO deg. the figure gradually fell till Itast Monday the temperature was 57 deg., and there or thereabouts it has continued through this week, dispelling all memories of the “heat wave.'’ HORSEMEN IMPROVING The King and Queen opened the International Horse Show last week, which is attracting great crowds and hus brought some very fine foreign horsemen and horses to London. The fact that an English officer has won. for only the second time since 1911. the King George V Gold <’up for jumping and that his two nearest rivals were also English officers is cheering the hearts of English horsemen, and it is freely admitted that English horses and their riders have vastly improved dur ing the recent years. PRESENTED AT COURT The last two Courts of tho season were held at Buckingham Palace on Thursday and Friday evenings, when their Majesties received the curly from a very large number of debut antes. The second courts are always more of a “rosebud” affair than the first, since the earlier evenings are largely diplomatic. Eady Barker, wife of Sir Herbert Barker, the famous bonesetter, was presented on Thurs day evening, by Mrs Theodore MiKenna. a daughter of the late Sir Mor rell McKenzie. the famous surgeon.

1 NEEDLEWORK EXHIBITION r lhc Duchess of Wellington has I gathered a really tine collection of Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Queen Anne needlework for the exhibition, I which opened last Tuesday at the | Royal School of Needlework in South Kensington. The proceeds of this en- | deavour will go towards pensions for i workers no longer able to do fine | needlework. Among the most inter jesting exhibits, lent by Lord Hereford, i are a beautifully worked bodice worn i be Oticen Elizabeth done in petit point jin silver thread, with Tudor roses and joiher designs in gold and silk, and a (pair of her shoes in white tind gold .with heels about 3 inches high. The Duchess of Wellington has lent many l things, including a screen worked by (Ome,) Anne and given by her to Mr : Richard Hill, an ambassador, in 170.”>. i I.adv Strathmore, the Duchess of • York’s mother, has sent some samples I of work from Ghamis Castle, among i ihmii a piece of embroidery from the : ,bed of Patrick Lord Kinghorne, dated j HifiO, and in which King James of | Scotland slept in 1716. Lady Limcr--1 irk has lent some bed hangings for- : mcrly belonging to Archbishop Sharp ‘of St. Andrews, and there are some very fine Elizabethan hangings. A most interesting exhibition. BRIGHTER LIFE There is a determined effort being mado on the part of various bodies to brighten the life of the working people | of England. A folk dance association j descended on Hyde Park some short i time ago and “ brightened ’ ’ it by dan- : ving on the grass there in large numbers. and last Saturday afternoon and evening Mr Gibson Young, the organiser of the community singing, made thousands of people sing in this grand old park. With the help of a mixed choir the singing was started off with j M-a songs and sailor chanties, but it was a hard task to get the crowds to join in. and before, it was finished Mr

tackled it in his shirt sleeves. In tho evening he was much more successful and thousands joined w’hole-helartedly in the round “Three Blind Alice” and “John Brown’s Body.” Organised mass singing is being encouraged all through Ihe country, and in many of the factories where “sing-songs” arc encouraged in the lunch hour the effect is said to be really beneficial. In the East End of London several big works soon are to combine in community singing and public performances are to be given. AN AGGRIEVED ARTIST There was a. display of what is usually called “temperament” at the Palladium Theatre last week when Nattover, the Russian dancer, slapped tho face of Toots Pounds, one of the principal artists in the revue. There are iwn side-; to Ihc story as is usii'al in all little skirmishes of “temperament,” whether in or out of theatres, and Nattover, who is a. tiny vivacious little soul complains that the “Pounds girls have been very troublesome” all through. She claims they wanted her scones cut, then they objected to her dresses and wanted them changed, but j Nattovnr protested ami things wore left. Latterly tho Pounds sisters have I complained that Natt.ovcr worried them I by doing exorcises on the side of the » stage 'luring their song and dance “turns.” Last Wednesday tho crisis was reached, when Nattover says she 1 was pushed by Toots and retorted by ■ smacking Toots on tho face. Lorna says that they lare affraid of Nattover — j that her sister is in bod with the neri voiis stffain of it all, and has the doctor ! visiting her twice a day. She further i says Nattover kicked Toots, and claims that it is all very unjust, as they wore very kind to the Russian when she arrived last year. However the end of it is that Nattover has left the cast of i“Sky High." Toots is in bed from the i“dreadful strain.” and Lorna meets I the interviewers. ' SEYMOUR HICKS RETURNS 1 Seymour Hicks, fresh from his triumphant tour of Australasia, opened in ia. new play at St. Jarnos Theatre Past Saturday, md was given a. wonderful 'reception as the curtain rose aa t showed Mr Hicks lolling on a settee. The plav is “Tho Tafoguardsman,” a transjlation from the Hungarian comedy by i Franz Molnar. The story concerns the nfatrimonal complications of a. jealous actor who suspects that his wife has ■ ceased to love him. So he dons tho 'elaborate make-up of a foreign officer jin th' 1 “ Guards" and proceeds to make llove to his wife. She very willingly falls into his arms, and when ho reveals his identity smilingly assures him that she had seen through his clisj guise from the first. .Madge Tithor,ugo is the wife, and the show had a

I very successful opening, although there | were some boos and hisses from the r gallery at the end, but nobody seemed I | to know what the outburst of disapI ' proval whs for. POPULAR REVIVAL | Although only two years since “The [Beggar’s Opera” finished after a run I of 1463 performances at the Lyric [Theatre, Hammersmith, it was revived last Tuesday for a six weeks’ season, Hand was rapturously received. The [admirable stage settings and costumes [designed by the late Lovat Fraser remain the same, and the piece seemed even more delectable than ever. The cast is very largely that of the original production, but one notable change is Airs Peachum, originally played by Elsie French, it is now in the hands of Sara Allgood who makes a complete triumph in the role. ANOTHER NEW PLAY On Wednesday evening Godfrey Tearle opened in h new play at 1 he Queen’s, “Saloiny Fans,” a story of the Californian gold rush of 1860. He is supported by a fine company, including Dorothy Seaeombe, well known in Australia and New Zealand, who plays the title role. DAME CLARA BUTT Dame Clara Butt and her husband, Kennerley Rumford, gave a silver wedding concert at the Albert Hall last Wednesday, when their admirers were in great numbers and gave both artists a wonderful reception. The two famous singers were married on June 26, 1900. They are now tibout to start on an Australian and New Zealand tour. The presentation of flowers to Dame Clara on Wednesday was a show in itself, and her singing wtis as great a .joy as over, with the lower notes of such vast and easy power, and her complete control and mastery over her voice. ASCOT’S FINALE A wonderful Ascot is over and Fas been followed by an equally wonderful week for the dress world, for the last two courts of the seasen have been held. On the more commonplace side there has been the budding interest of the sales, for the summer sales are ’ just starting, and there is a good deal of activity in the shops. The final of the brilliant Ascot, and , one might almost Call it the top note of the week’s gaiety, was last Sunday, , which is known as Ascot Sunday, and when all who do the thing thoroughly spend the day on the glorious grey old Thames. The weather held good, and never has there been la more brilliant and colourful carnival of pleasure than this year’s Ascot Sunday. The use of the floral and printed fabrics has caught on amazingly, and the river has never looked gayer or brighter. Large colourful hats, fascinating coloured sunshades, many of them the favourite Japanese stylo that is alwtays so popular on the river, and the amazingly gay cushions in punts and boats made a wonderful scene set in the midst of the sombre green fcnd the grey of the sleepy thread of the Thames. Summer cretonnes arc lovelier than usual this season, many of the designs are veritable flower gardens, clusters of pink summery hollyhocks on a cream ground, blue and pink delphiniums hgainst black, mhuve, and grey and pale pink hydrangeas on cream or black are so naturally posed that they might be all ■agrowing. Egyptian looking necklaces made up of long tubular beads in coral, tortoiseshell, amethyst and jade are being worn in place of the choker. Quaint pendants with carrings and expanding bracelets to mtitch arc other novelties shown among these new baroque jewellery designs. The slave bangle is being replaced by a narrow ribbon of waterwave silk tied in a bow or finished with a tiny rosette and worn on the upper part of the hrm. generally in black though sometimes, especially for evening wear the colour is chosen to match or in a definite con- | trast to the frock. BALLROOM FROCKS Cotton has suddenly come into its I own in the fashion world, and is even I appearing in the most fashionable btillrooms. Organdie, which has a thousand charms, not the least of which is the combination of old world quaintness with the modern perfection of texture and colour is one of the most favoured of cotton materials. One of the most charming gowns of this new style was of the clear transparent organdie in cyclamen combined with silver tissue, the organdie was charmingly draped Over a long tissue underdress with a long silver and cycHamen rose poised at the side. Another cotton material that is coming into its own again is voile, particularly in the floral and patterned designs. A medley of colours can be introduced without a discordant note when voile is the basis. SECRETS FROM PARIS Wonderful models are being prepared with great secrecy in Paris for the Grund Prix week: notwithstanding the efforts which are being made to preserve their dressy secrets certain facts become more and more obvious. Handpainted fabrics and draped frocks will be prominent at the big Paris race meetings. So cleverly are some of these flimsy materials manipulated and caught up that only an expert can tell where the folds begin and end. The new band-painted crepe and silk muslins are beautiful beyond description. Specially prepared paints are used on transparent materials, so that the flowers and landscapes are themselves as transparent as the material. Many of these painted draperies are mounted over slips of silver or pale gold tissue, or over pleated chiffon which suplies yet another subtle tint for the colour scheme. One of the most prominent colours of the present season frocks so jcal-

ously guarded in the Paris saloons is a curious yellow green, and this is almost combined with silver tissues. This particular green is to be very pouular during the Grande Semlaino, and will be as popular as the new shade of puce pink. POT POURRI With English gardens all ablowing and blooming, recipes for pot pourri arc on every hand. It is the simplest and one of the sweetest things to make and indans a charming use for flowers that otherwise just “die.” All flowers [with a scent can be used, though perjhaps roses are the sweetest. It is zest |to gather them early in the morning land <4ioose a hot day for gathering. Pull the petals from the roses ami the | other flowers from their stalks. Put i them on a shallow tray in the sun or keep in a cardboard box to dry. Then to every pound of dried flowers add an ounce of cinnUmon finely ground, an ounce of powdered cloves, two ounces of powdered orris root and half an ounce of musk. Stir well together and place in a jar with a light fitting lid. A good toilet vinegar can be made with rose petals and lavender. Steep half a pound of dried damask rose petals and two ounces of dried lavender flowers in two pints of white vinegar and half la pint of rose water. The flowers should be steeped in the vinegar for ten days, then the liquid strained off and bottled. It is most refreshing in cases of fatigue or headache while a little added to the washing water softens and perfumes it. The stalks of lavender dried—then soaked in a saturated solution of saltpetre, form a very lovely species of incense. The stalks must remain seven days in the saltpetre and then be drained off and allowed to dry again. Take one stalk and apply a tiny sphrk to it and it will smoulder slowly giving off a de lightful perfume. A bundle thrown on the fire in the winter will fill a room with delicious scent.