VANITY FAIR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 139, 15 June 1932, Page 2

VANITY FAIR

THE CEILIDH. Ceilidh (pronounced calep) is a Gaelic word which means "gossiping" or “gathering. e '^ ,s Were originallp held in the glens, or on the hillsides, in little houses where a few friends could meet round a peal fire and talk or sing together. Winds might blow and storms beat about the Walts, but songs and stories went on without interruption far into the night. Children would creep from their beds in the loft overhead, or from the box-bed in the corner of the kitchen, to to the legends and histories that thep in turn would repeat to their children, and to their childrens children, in pears to come. In towns, however, whence so manp of the Gaelic-speaking folk have now drifted, the ceilidh is held in a hall. There one night we went. A good Ip number of people Were alreadp sealed before a stage and presentip in marched a fine-looking piper who opened the proceedings with a stirring rng Iland air. Then poung men and girls sang with soft fresh voices old songs, some merrp,, some plain ive, some with the lilt of the dance in them, and some with the sound of the sea-~ iorram, or boat-songs, the latter are called. And, as the voices rose, one could picture the oars dipping m the waters, ana the rowers bending to the refrain. _ ■ Dances followed, reels, stralhspeps and sword dance, with fingers snapping, kilts swinging, a buckled shoon beating accompaniments to the music, on the boards of the stage. It was a spirited performance and every foot in the hall was lapping With the dancers before thep had finished. But the most important feature of the evening w a s the "Waulking-Song. A number of wo nit and girls, dressed in old fashioned blouses and skirts—the skirls looped up to show striped Petticoats and wearing little while mutches on their heads, brought in a length of homespun tweed which thep spread out on a table and proceeded to "waulk," Or shrink, after the manner of the Highlands dapples" (soapp water) Were thrown on it, each woman taking hold of an edge of the material and g it backward and forward on the table. Everp now and again the tweed was measured to see 'f‘ t a shrunk to the required dimensions. While this shrinking was being carried out, the women ’“"8 walking song in time to the rhpthm of their movements, a song full of fun sharing in the work and to the youths m crofters garb lounging tn the victnitp. One of these g too near received a liberal share of "sappies," while another Was sudden!* seizedand roledon thejable with the tweed. It was good to see the mirth all this provoked, especiallp among those of the audience U,i ° The programme ended. Our feet carried us, With the rest of the companp, out With the night air, but in fanep we were in the Outer Isles, drawing our creepie-stools to the open hearth and Its entng, £ the balms in the old box-bed, io the webs of fanep woven bp our elders.

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL Mrs. A. J. Crawford, Ingestre St., is visiting Wellington, Mrs. J. J. O’Reilly has returned from a holiday visit to Wellington. Mrs. L Duncan, “Ashdowne,” Wanganui East, is visiting Wellington. Mrs. G. J. Adams, Victoria Avenue, left on Monday for a visit of some weeks in Dunedin, where she will bo the guest of Mrs. Porteous. Mr. and Mrs. C. Clarke, of Hamilton, were visitors to Wanganui this week. • • • • • Miss M. Saunders, of Hastings, is the guest of Mrs. Russell Grace, * 4 Arles,” Wanganui East. Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Lowry, of Hawke’e Bay, returned by the Aorangi on Sunday from a visit to Canada. • <•••• Miss Cynthia Wilson, of Bulls, will "be a visitor here to-day to take part in the Wanganui Ladies’ Golf Club tournament. Mrs. Glenny and Mrs. Withers, of Patea, and Miss Handley, of Waverley, are visitors to Wanganui for the 44 open” day golf matches being held to-day, Mrs. G. W. Carr and Mrs. Percy Coleman are motoring through to Patea, where they will attend the wedding of Miss Jean Thorburn. Visitors from Marton who are motoring to Wanganui to-day to take part in the “open” day tournament being held by the Wanganui Ladies’ Golf Club, include Mrs. Harris, Miss Gaisford, Miss Crooke, Miss E. ISmith, and Miss Openshavr. Nurses’ Charges A suggestion that if nurses in private practice reduced their charges there would be less unemployment among members of the profession was made by Mr. Wm. Wallace, of Auckland, when speaking at the Hospital Boards’ Conference in Wellington on Saturday. Mr. Wallace said that many people were reluctant to engage nurses simply because they could not afford to pay four guineas a week. If the nurses were prepared to accept from say 30s to £2 a week, there would be less unemployment among their numbers. Similar views were expressed by other speakers. Card Party A card party under the auspices of the Victoria League will be held in the league rooms, St. Hill Street, tomorrow afternoon, in aid of the Home of Compassion. AIRING LINEN Linen should always be removed from a hot cupboard as soon as it is aired. It will turn yellow if left in a hot. place for long. The best cupboard is a dark, cool one, absolutely dry- That which comes from the laundry should always be put at the bottom of the pile to ensure evenness in wear, and there should bo a comnlete list, pinned on the cupboard door. Tf you hav% no hot-airing cupboard in which to place clothes when they return from the laundry, you can convert an ordinary cupboard into one by fitting inside the bottom of the cupboard a gas-heater. The gas can bo turned off when the cupboard is warm enough. * FOR SLIM ANKLES The simplest exercise will help you to attain lovely ankles. Ono is to stand on tip-toe, and then gradually and without tiring yourself, to walk across the room two or three times while still on tip-toe. This will strengthen the ankles so that they are not likely to get easily tired and swollen when it is necessary to walk or stand about for long at a stretch. Another exercise is to hold on to a bar or the end of a bed, and swing tho legs to and fro alternately. Mas sago is, of course, good for slimming and shaping the ankles. Another excellent idea is to splash tho legs and feet with very cold water Immediately after the bath. This tones up the circulation and also improves the skin tremendously.

WEDDINGS SINCLAIR-LOCKHART—FERGUSON The marriage took place on May 9, at the Scottish Church, Crown Court, Covent Gaiden, London, of Sir Graeme Sinclair-Lockhart, 12th Baronet of Murkle and Stevenson, eldest son of the late Sir Robert Sinclair-Lockhart, and Lady Sinclair-Lockhart, of Auckland, to Jeanne Hamilton Ferguson, only child of Mr. and Mrs. John Ferguson, of 22, Lochlevcn Road, Glasgow, writes a London correspondent. The Rev. J. Moffett officiated at the ceremony. Sir Graeme succeeded to the title in 1918 on the death of bis father. He was educated in New Zealand and at Pembroke College, Cambridge. During 1916-17 ho served with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles in Egypt and Palestine, and was for some time a second lieutenant in the Scottish Horse (Scouts). » BURKE—HENDERSON St. Joseph’s Church, Aramoho, was the scene of a very pretty wedding on Tuesday, May 17, when Miss Grace Thelma Henderson, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. Henderson, Gonville, was married to Mr. William Martin Burke, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Burke, “Tirimoana,” St. John’s Hill. The Rev. Father Hainsworth officiated at the ceremony and the bride was given away by her father. A graceful gown of parchment georgette with a beautiful veil (worked bp the sisters of St. Joseph), was worn by the bride. Her two sisters, Miss Jeanne Henderson and Miss Molly Henderson, were the bridesmaids, and wore dainty frocks of autumn-tinted silk ninon with felt hats to tone. The train-bearer, little Shirley Wilson, was in apple-green taffeta with bonnet to match. On leaving the church Loys Wilson presented the bride with a horseshoe. Mr. Dan Duggan was best man and MrJoseph Burke wait groomsman. Fifty guests were enteffained at the reception held at the residence of the bride’s parnts, Gonville.

SOCIETY WEDDING LADY MYRTLE JELLICOE LONDON, June 11. All Saints’ Church, Langham Place, was the scene of one of the most' brilliant weddings of the season, when Lady Myrtle JeUicoe, second daughter of Earl Jellicoe, was married to Lionel Maxwell Balfour. The church was ablaze with scarlet British Legion poppies, in accordance with the bride’s wishes. The guests included Princesses Alice, Helena Victoria, and Marie Louise. The bride’s three sisters were bridesmaids. Bishop Sheffield officiated.

Their Majesties the King and Queen sent a gold toilet set. The. couple began their honeymoon by flying to Paris, the bridegroom piloting the ’plane. Later they are going to Italy. RESEMBLING FAMOUS BEAUTIES The resemblance between an eight-eon-year-old debutante, Lady Pamela Smith, and the beautiful Mme. Recamier, whoso salon attracted the intellectuals of France in the eighteenth century, was one of the discoveries at “beauty tests” for some of the loveliest women and girls of Mayfair (states tho Daily Telegraph). They were compared with pictures of the greatest beauties of France as « means of selecting the performers tor the matinee of French living pictures to be given in July. Lady Pamela, it was decided, is to take tho part of Mine. Recamier. At eighteen yeOtfs of age this younger daughter of the late Lord Birkenhead already has the poise to play this role. People who saw the famous port rait, at the French Art. Exhibition remembered the beautiful dark, eyes, gentle mouth, and rather dreamy expression. Mrs. Ronnie Balfour was chosen to be Fouquet’s Madonna, the original of which is said to be a medieval French beauty. Lady Plunkct is to bring Mlle. * Camargo to life, and Lady Lavery is also appearing.