FIVE O’CLOCK TEA CHAT.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 14, 4 April 1891, Page 15

FIVE O’CLOCK TEA CHAT.

A LADY’S PROTEST—ETIQUETTE OK AN EGG—CURIOUS BREACH OF. PROMISE CASE —NOVEL MATRIMONIAL Al>. VERTISEMENT—CHRYSANTHEMUM DANCES— HOW To LIVE ON £4O A YEAR. 1 ’I-' : ‘ I ani very glad to hear that a Weill $Y\ lington lady is protecting against the nasty M p remarkssome people makeabout ladiesalways A / -L re< l“i'ing the best or only seats in public eonveyances. It has become a sort of stale * ~ standard joke like that much abused subject —the mother-in law. The other day, in an omnibus, I heard a man say, as a lady entered and saw with dismay that all the seats were occupied : ‘ Well, I suppose I must get up, or she will write to the paj>ers about me.’’ Now, I do not think women are fond of rushing into print with their grievances. Men are, if you like. But, as a rule, the newspapers very seldom contain a lady’s letter.’ Gladys : ‘ No, as a rule women prefer to hug their little complaints, and retail them over a cup of soothing tea to all their friends.’ Vera : ‘ I learn that at an Opera House in one of our principal cities, when His Excellency the Governor, Lady Onslow, Admiral Lord Charles and Lady Charles Scott were present to witness an amateur performance, the upper circles, as represented in the dress circle, made a rush for the door at the conclusion of the play without waiting for the Royal representatives to lead the way. I wonder what they think of Society manners in that citv ?’ Dolly : ‘Of course there is no excuse for conduct like that, but etiquette is very trying. Someone got fearfully pitched into by the Society papers for eating an egg upside down.’ Vera : ‘ Few people really know which is the right end of an egg.’ Gladys : ‘ There was a curious breach of promise case tried in France the other day. For some reason or other trials of this kind are rare in that favoured land. A young couple were about to be united, the banns had been made public, cards sent out to the friends and the wedding-dress had received the finishing touches of the dressmaker. The wedding-day came on, and nothing more was wanted but the bridegroom. This indispensable man had, however, thought a second time about the marriage, and he never came. The disappointed bride brought an action for damages against her too fickle suitor. The sentence of the Beziers bench is extremely curious. “ Whereas the promise of marriage,” so it runs, “ was of public notoriety, the banns were published, and a rude breaking-off of the marriage was calculated to injure the bride’s family ; whereas the latter had been to a considerable expense in view of the ceremony, particularly in view of the bridal dress and the accessories (euphemism for trousseau), the bridegroom is bound to compensate them, etc. The bridegroom is sentenced to £l6O damages for the moral injury to the family (not to the bride !), and to indemnify them for the cost of the wedding dress and the interest on the outlay.” This curious case was tried by a bench of magistrates, and not by a jury.’ Dolly : ‘ That reminds me of a novel matrimonial advertisement which was sent to me by the last English mail. At Eastbourne a wholesale fruiterer, on opening a barrel of apples which he had received direct from Nova Scotia, found one particularly fine specimen near the centre, wrapped in paper, on which was written the following message.—“lf any young lady who chances to eat this apple is desirous of matrimony, she will please correspond with H.M., Falkland Kidge, Annapolis, Nova Scotia.” It should be added that this charmingly naive invitation from an unknown gentleman to an unknown lady was pencilled on the leaf of a diary of 1885. If since that time he has been distributing apples in this fashion one or other may have found its Eve.’ Gladys : ‘ln America advanced views are being held on the subject of the wedding-ring. Brides are declining to wear it unless bridegrooms do so as well. “ I will weai one with pleasure if he does,” they say. Several recent bridegrooms have adopted the new fashion, and wear a plain gold hoop upon the ring finger.’ Veia : ‘ And a very good plan, too.’ Stella : ‘To vary the monotony of weddings, let me tell you that chrysanthemum dances are all the rage in England just now. At a great ball in Birmingham the other evening, Mrs Herbert Chamberlain was dressed as a white chrysanthemum in a skirt of white silk, stiffened and shaded to represent the petals of the flower, bodice of green silk to represent the stem, with shaded velvet leaves falling on the white skirt, and head-dress of ]>etals, forming the heart of the flower.’ Dolly : ‘ That would be pretty. I saw a lily fancy dress described something in the same style.’ Gladys : ‘I see in the Girl's Own Paper that a lady gives her personal experience on the ease and comparative comfort she enjoys, her income being that of Goldsmith’s vicar, £4O a year. ’ Dolly : ‘ I should like to know how she manages to be comfort able.' Gladys: ‘ She rents a single room in a London suburb. This is prettily furnished, has creepers to the windows, and can be converted into a bed - room by less than five minutes of transforming efforts. A “saddle-bag” couch serves for a bed, an old - fashioned cupboard for a dressing room and wardrobe. The rent of this room is £B. The work of cleaning, cooking etc., is done by the tenant. Her dietary, of which fruit is a large ingredient, costs 5s weekly, £1 is put by for sickness. She puts aside £2 15s for charitable purposes. Dress comes to £6, which by contriving is made to include an evening and a tennis dress. The laundress is put down at 30s, and “ traveling, stationery, and literature ” cost £3. Yet this slight expenditure suffices one year for an “excursion ” trip to Scotland and another year to Antwerp, and an annual visit to a brother at Nottingham. The sum of 10s is set aside for lectures and concerts. Fire and light claim £2 12s, and 10s is put down to a depreciation and renewal fund.’ Dolly : • I don’t see how she gets much “ literature ” out of £3, when that sum has to include stationery and travelling.’ Gladys : • Very probably she lives near a free library. I remember one close to Montpellier Square, Brompton, where we could take books home without paying anything. There were some capital novels, too.’