SYDNEY GOSSIP.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 28, 12 July 1890, Page 12

SYDNEY GOSSIP.

June 12. Dear Bee, We—social we—have been plunging headlong into dissipation, labelled smart, since my last collection of chit chat found its way to your pretty nook of terra jirma, or, as I lately heard a |s>etie tourist, who indulges in Pond’s latest cuts in velvet coats, call it, ‘one of the beauty spots of earth.' I am afraid from this initiatory symptom the poor thing is likely to suffer from the infectious disease, * A volume of colonial experiences,' to which so many visitors succumb on their return to the dear ‘old country.’ Alas: poor suffering humanity. But to skip back over "the log of

reflection to ‘gay doings,’ a dish poor much-sat-upon woman is said by the sterner sex to love to feed upon. For the past six days Morpheus has been sent to Coventry, lost in a maze of l>alls, private theatricals, anil receptions. No wonder the intellectual part of us, after hobbling thiough so much pleasure, becomes hopelessly crippled, like the angelic temper of a rhapsodical lover after the sweets of the honeymoon. I never remember a gayer time. tine of the entertainments was a ball given at Nithsdale in honour of the New Zealand anil Queensland athletes by the Eastern Suburbs Amateur Athletic Club. (Your boys, by the bye, were great favourites everywhere.) The affair was what has been termed by some very original writers, ‘a brillant success.’ Mr and Mrs Sydney Burdekin, our popular Mayor and Mayoress, were among the guests, the latter looking very charming in a lovely frock of pale pink shot silk, with silver playing bo-peep among the folds, and a beautiful shade of lavender coming to life in different lights. The bodice was low-necked and sleeveless, brighteneil by diamonds. A pretty fair girl in white with a girdle of large pearls reminded me of a beautiful painting in our gallery called ‘ Innocence.’ Another striking gown was a pale blue silk with a panel of "old lace, and the tiny bodice finished with a berthe of "old lace. These are the sum total of millinery triumphs I could pick out from the crush of welldressed women. The guests of the evening seemed to be regarded in the light of heroes, and received adulation enough to make them vain, if men were susceptible to this failing. Talking of the footballers, some token of their popularity in Sydney was gained on the departure of the Mararoa, where New Zealand was well represented on the wharf aswell as on board the splendid V nion steamer. Such shaking of hands, such ‘ mind you write,’ ‘ good bye, old fellow, ‘hope to see you soon again,’ seldom ring on the heavily drain-laden air of the Northern Shipping Company’s Quay. Then as the ship commenced to loose her moorings cheer after cheer rose, and continued until the poor dear drums of one’s ears felt quite dazed. Among those who were not passengers I recognised Miss Bruce, one of the Rev. Bruce’s, two pretty daughters, in a stylish costume of black and white, and one of the becoming picture hats. One day no Jess than two Society dances were underlined, at both of which I managed, by sleight of manoeuvring as to time, to be present. The first was given by Mrs Nathan Cohen, at Tamworth, Brighton, where something, like three hundred "uests were entertained. For quite half an hour after arrival I amused myself admiring the decorations. The large garden was lighted up by quite a swarm of Celestial laterns (Chinese illuminators are patronised almost to the extermination of fairy-lights this season) of every conceivable shade, including pale pink, deep rich red, faint cloudy yellow, and vivid green, which seemed like great fire-flies shining out from the branches of the huge trees, old tried friends of the grounds. The verandahs and balconies were carpeted, and daintily beautiful with high stands of pure white arums, for which in this flowei-benighted land of ours we pay the sum of threepence for a single lily and its dark glossy leaf. The supper-table was a lesson, in original decoration. White satin baskets filled with fruit were ranged in artistic confusion down the centre of the board. On either side were rows of crimson shaded lights shedding a glow of warmth and luxury throughout the whole room. Naturally with such a setting the frocks were indescribable. To say that a beautiful woman wore a trailing gown of white satin leaves as faint an impression on the minds of what the dress is in reality as the word ‘ politician ’ used in connection with one of our illustrious M.P’s. This remark is a sort of prelude to a symphony I am going to tell you about, one of the very loveliest of gowns, a poetic thing in pale, pale maizy silk, drifted over with fluffy crepe, that reminded one of'fleecy clouds, through which silken poppies and wheat-ears meandered about hiding their gold and red heads every now and then behind the transparent crepey veil,, then peeping out in new beauty borrowed from their temporary eclipse. A dark girl with a warm creamy complexion was in poppy red silk with a girdle of dull gold, and gold armlets. A white silk bordered round the Court train with broad "old embroidery and bullion fringe, and with an edging of sequins round the petticoat, seemed toborrow part of its beauty from the handsome woman whowore it. Dance No. 2, at which the light of my fair countenance shone, was equally high toned. My escort to the duet of dances, a somewhat antiquated specimen of John Bull, groaned dismally by the way, muttering in a dulcet aside about the frivolity of women, and proceeded to entertain me with the persecution inflicted by Society wives on their husbands. Perhaps the poor things are ill-used.. Their treatment reminds one of the old lady who, upbraided for skinning live eels, observed complacently that they were used to it. If Benedicts are tortured into attending balls, they certainly don’t bear any impress of agony on their speaking features. At the dance in question married men. were in the majority, and were to all appearances having a real good time. The sensation frock of the dancing feast was a grey silk skirt covered with silver embroidery, worn with a pale blue velvet train bordered with silver. The one touch of life needed was given in a great red poppy fan. An old gold velvet shoulder train sweeping away from a white silk petticoat braided border-fashion with gold, and garlanded with a girdle of water lilies, ran this very close. Everywhere that diamonds could be worn they appeared in all their rainbow glory. One pretty woman wore diamond buckles on her quaintly pointed shoes. So much for light fantastic : —

Mab.