DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 27 June 1891, Page 111

DUNEDIN.

Dear Bee, ' June 10. There have been no more weddings just lately, and for the present, I think, the wedding fever is over. With the census returning two thousand more women than men for Dunedin, several amusingsuggestions have arisen as to what we shall do with our girls. Unfortunately, they do not take kindly to the idea of single blessedness or independence, and no wonder, for our social system is a long way oil' that state of things when a * lone woman's ’ lot is as well protected, respected, and as replete with pleasant social intercourse as a married woman’s. 1 don’t believe (if they safely pass their teens) a third of the women would marry only for the armour of the ‘ Mrs.’ They see on all sides that the social and domestic reign of a woman does not begin until she has acquired the dignity of the married state. Even her brotheis behave with more respect to their sister when there is a lawful protector willing to take care of her. A girl depends entirely upon her own charm of manner for her success, and a married woman has so many other things to prop her up—her husband’s position and character, her ability to entertain, etc., and she can be more independent, that is, more natural, for she dare fiown without being annihilated. The old-fashioned church ‘ teameetingandentertainments,’ like grannie bonnets and crinolines, are now entirely out of fashion. When the church (and when is it not ’) is in need of funds, it does not now depend upon the aptitude of old ladies to drink tea and boys to devour buns to the extent of making a tea-meeting a success, but an evening is got up of a much pleasanter character by the young gentlemen and ladies of the congregation. This must afford an infinite relief to the ministers, who best know how they endured the martyrdom of a monthly teameeting. Tableaux are a delightful change for tea tables, and not a bit more trouble, nor do I know many young ladies who would consent to change the pleasant preparation of them for that of making cakes. The trouble that the Misses Stephenson must have taken in preparing such a number of tableaux for the entertainment in aid of St. Matthew’s choir was, I am sure, amply repaid to them on the eventful night by the crowded hall, which was packed to the doors. The arrangement of the programme was as follows : —Tableau, ‘Sweet Dreamland Faces,’ Misses Sievwright, Roberts, Thomson, Graham, Messrs Williams, Botkinson, Lilly, Allan, Jones: song, ‘The Owl,’ Mr W. Farquhar Young ; tableau, ‘ Tit for Tat,’ Miss M. Maitland and Mr Devenish ; tableau, ‘Jack and Jill,’ Miss Amy Oatway and Master Dufton Boyd ; song, ‘ True till Death,’ Mr Arthur Hunter : tableau, ‘ Thou art so near and yet so far,’ Misses T. Stephenson and Allan, Messrs H. Fulton and Hankinson ; song, ‘ Thee only I Love,’ Miss Blaney ; tableau, ‘ Needles and Pins,’ Miss L. Stephenson and Mr Hunter ; song, ‘The Worker,’ Mrs Oatway; tableau, ‘The Approaching Storm,’ Misses T. Stephenson and Thomson, and Mr H. Fulton; song, Mr W. Denseni ; tableau L, ‘The Three Graces,’ Misses Stephenson, Roberts, and Turton ; tableau IL, ‘ The Three Disgraces,’ Messrs Power, Stephenson and Hankinson ; song, ‘ Maid of Athens.’ Mr Harry Smith; tableau, ‘ The Gipsy’s Warning,’Miss Graham and Mr Hunter; song, Mr Geoige Sievwright; tableau, ‘Three Fishers went Sailing,’ Misses L. Stephenson, Thomson, and Turton, Messrs Power, Dick, and Williams. Afterwards a series of ‘Mrs Jarley’s Waxworks’ closed the entertainment. These were exceedingly funny, supposed to be imported ex Kaikonra at a tremendous expense, the costumes by Worth, and the figures to have been exhibited before the Royal Family. They were, of course, human figures, Mr Densem being the showman. We have been remarkably well off for concerts lately. In addition to those I told you of last week, we have had musical treats —one was the musical festival at z\ll Saints'. The church was crowded to the doors. Miss Rich played a beautiful violin solo, and Mr J. Jago was among the vocalists, and sang with his usual excellenttaste andfeeling. Theother concert to which I allude was held in the City Hall, Mr Hunter and Mr Rennert being among the soloists. Your compositor, dear Bee, wants talking to. He invariably takes liberties with Mr Rennert’s name, and presents it as Rennert, or some other fanciful production. Perhaps the fault is mine for making my u’s and n’s too much alike, but it is comforting to have a compositor to blame. ‘ She Stoops to Conquer ’ is to be produced at the theatre by the Dunedin University Dramatic Club. Mrs Freeman (8.A.), C. Mouat(B.A-), Miss Fodor, Miss Alexander, and others are to take part, and a good deal of interest is being evinced, and already the box plan is well filled. The dresses will be correct both as to period and colour, but I shall tell you more about it next week. The weather has been intensely cold, anil cutting keen winds are all the rage, so that the fireside has been the most enjoyable place, and whatever gaieties have taken place since my last letter (and they are few) have taken the form chiefly of afternoon teas and musicals One of the largest of these was given by Mrs W. H. Reynolds, at which there was a great crowd of people in all the rooms, which were prettily ornamented with chrysanthemums and other winter Howers that ‘ Monticello ’ could furnish. There were too many people to see them all, as they came and went, but among them were Mrs and Miss Gibson, Mrs Thomjison, Miss Loughnan, Mrs Israel, Miss Spence, Miss Macandrew, Mrs Ritchie, Mrs Williams, Miss Renyon, Miss Marshall, and Mrs Ross. Mr Arthur Towsey contributed to the musical part of the entertainment, also Mr Pickering, Mrs Blandford, Mrs Reynolds, and Mrs De Zouche. At the Orchestral Society’s concert, which was given a week ago, Miss Marks made her debut, and was well received. She wore upon the occasion a becoming evening dress of black. Among the audience were the Misses McTerras, Miss Stephenson, Mrs Turnbull, and Miss McNeill.

Mrs H. McNeill has given a large afternoon tea. Among the guests were Mrs Valentine, Mrs Towsey, Lady Stout,

Mesdames Bowen, Alexander, Turnbull, Reynolds, Neville, Pym, Miss Bathgate, Mrs Maitland, Misses Rattray, Millar, Cutten, Sise, Mrs Moore, Mrs Finch, Mrs Batchelor, and the Misses Williams and Seivwright. Mrs Chapman also on that day gave a very enjoyable luncheon party, and the week was finished up with a large afternoon musical at Mrs Sievwiight’s. It was horribly cold outside, and grew dark very early, so that the well-lit and warm rooms were doubly comfortable. Among the performers were Miss Wilson (piano), Mrs Reynolds, who sang, Miss Buck, who played a iteautiful violin solo, Mias Sievwright, song, with guitar accompaniment. Miss Roberts (piano), and Mr Martin, song. Among the guests were the Misses Backhouse, McLaren, Spence, Larnaeh, and Marshall, and Mesdames Scott, Denniston, Roberts, Davies, Royse, Gibson, R. Turnbull, and the Misses Stephenson. Tell the young ladies of .Auckland who intend travelling this way as a football team not to do it. All the mamma’s are shocked, and the papa’s indignant, and the young ladies cry ‘ Goodness !' while the young men look grave. ‘lf this should meet the eye ’ of one of them—Don't let there be a ‘ half-back,’ but a ‘ full back ’ out of the affair.

Maude.