LONDON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 30, 25 July 1891, Page 204

LONDON.

Dear Bee, May 27. Our latest dissipation has been a ‘ Flower Ball in aid of the Home of Rest for Horses.’ It is perfectly wonderful what trouble we are all willing to take to amuse ourselves under the veil of philanthropy. But it was a jolly ball, and very smart. Some of the dresses were lovely. Lady Yarborough had a most becoming gown of white satin with chiffon frills, trimmed with clusters of pale pink roses, and carried a posy of the same lovely flowers. Roses of the same tint were worn by Lady Griflin, but arranged more in the fashion of Miss Neilson’s gown in ‘ the Dancing Girl,’ hanging from the bodice in long trails to the hem of the dress which was of pale pink bengaline, and with it was worn a diamond tiara and ornaments ; Lady Moloney represented a ‘carnation,’ in a dress of salmon-coloured moire trimmed with chiffon, caught up with carnations and a number of diamond ornaments. There was a charming gown of white faille, bordered with deep fringes of grass and white clover; Mrs Charles Augustus Coutts represented • spring,’ in an ivory white silk, with sprays of lilac on the ls«lice an<l skirt. I went as a ‘snowdrop’—white cloth dress edged with tiny green seallops, the bodice, pointed back ami front of green velvet, snowdrops wredthed the skirt, bodice and the hair.

How foolish people are to call their little ones after a number of relations bearing the same Christian name 1 This is exemplified in the case of the name Louise in our own Royal Family and their connections. In fact, we outsiders are ‘ completely mixed ’ as to which Princess Louise is meant when the name is mentioned. Thus, not only have we Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lome, Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife, and Princess Louise Christiana of SchleswigHolstein, but in the summer of 1889 another Princess Louise of Sehleswig-Holstein was married to Prince Frederick Leopold of Prussia, and now comes news of the betrothal of yet another Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, daughter of the late Duke Frederick, to the Prince of Waldeck-Pyrmont father of the Duchess of Albany. The Princess is quite young and her fiance sixty. But I imagine by the time you receive this cablegrams announcing the marriage will have reached yon. The Queen and Princess Beatrice are going to give the bride some valuable old lace, and the wedding-dress, I hear, is to be richly trimmed with it, I think, but certainly with antique lace of some sort. Do you remember I sent you a quotation from an English paper anent the christening of Lord Onslow’s youngest son 1 I have stumbled upon another, which I think must be a joke. Do write and tell me, Bee, if you ever thought of such a capital name, and isn’t it spelt wrong ? Anyway here it is: —‘ Her Majesty has performed a kind and gracious act in consenting to stand godmother to Lord Onslow’s little Australian-born son. This is a delicate compliment paid by the Queen to her colonial subjects as well as to the popular Governor of New Zealand, and is calculated to cement the strong ties of attachment which bind the colonies to the mother country. This baby’s godparents are representatives of the Old World and the New. With Her Majesty for godmother he has Mr C. Johnstone, exMayor of Wellington, New Zealand, for godfather. The child thus highly favoured rejoices in the name of ‘ Taikoa,’ a word in the Maori language which means ‘ on slow ’ or ‘slowly.’ It is said that Lady Onslow chose the name, which is, of course, a play on that of the family. The family motto ‘ Festina lente,’ is the same idea in Latin. It is to be hoped that little Taikoa, acting up to both names and motto, may, it he advances slowly, also advance very surely.’ It was in a London society paper, Bee. lam always so sorry for the Empress of Russia. I think she must envy her sister, our Princess of Wales. I hear it said that amidst all the daily anxieties and terrors of her life, the Empress retains her taste for dancing, which was such a source of delight to her as a girl that her sisters christened her ‘La Cigale.’ There is something a little pathetic in the fact that the favourite amusement of her girlhood should prove her principal relief in her anxious womanhood.

Lady Burdett-Coutts must have been greatly gratified by the quaint ‘ token of friendship ’ recently sent her by the Maharajah Holkar, who has evidently not forgotten the hospitality he received here during his visit at the time of the Queen s Jubilee. Dating his letter from the ‘ Indore Palace ’ —a name which irresistibly suggests the playful humour of Mr Burnand—the Maharajah forwards ‘ a few Pilli seeds,’ which are to be tasted by the recipient on the occasion of the dawning of the Hindu New Year, the belief being that these mysterious seeds, when eaten, avail in some occult manner to strengthen the bonds of friendship. The notion is certainly worthy of the picturesque Oriental mind, with its overmastering love of mysticism and magic. Golf, of course, is being much played just now. I went down to Blackheath to see the Ladies’ Club play for their medal. It is amusing to watch them. I don’t think ladies can expect to stand much chance at hockey when they play with men ; it’s rather too rough. The ladies of Constantinople having of late ‘ degenerated ’ into perambulating the city in the ‘latest’ Paris fashion, the Sultan has grown indignant,and issued a decree, sternly prohibiting a costume which not only departs from Turkish tradition, but also the prescripts of the Holy Koran. The Royal Albert Hall was crowded on Monday evening from area to galleries on the occasion of Mr Sims Reeves’ farewell concert. No living artist can boast a longer hold on the sympathies of the British public than the veteran tenor, who then appeared for the last time on the concert platform, and the cheers and deafening applause that greeted him as the audience rose en masse to bid a lingering ‘ Adieu ’ to their old favourite, showed the depth of esteem and affection felt by young and old for this once unrivalled singer. Not only was every seat in the huge Kensington concert room occupied, but Mme. Christine Nilsson (the Countess Miranda) for once quitted her retirement and journeyed to our shores to sing for her old friend and fellow artist. The great Swedish songstress was in splendid voice, and showed that her high artistic gifts are still in perfection. Mr Sims Reeves, besides singing many of the airs identified with his musical career, joined Mme. Nilsson in Verdi’s duo, ‘Ah morir,’ and expressed, in a short speech, his grateful memory of the many kindnesses he had received. Mr Spurgeon has much of the old fire ami pathos left in him still, and he must have been delighted at the enormous gathering—packing, seats, doorways, and pulpit stairs—which met to welcome him last week at Bloomsbury ('hapel. He was preaching the annual sermon to Sunday - school teachers. ‘ What,’ said the preacher, ‘ should we do without you? I always feel like saying “Reverend” to the men, and “ Right Reverend ” to the women, but I don’t do it, because I object to titles myself. The devoted work which I see you voluntary workers do makes me feel that I ought to take off my hat to you.’ I will conclude my letter with three lovely Court dresses. (1) Dress of eau de nil and palest pink striped grenadine, over pale pink bengaline ; the cot sage trimmed with pale pink chiffon, and bows of eau de nil bebe ribbon ; petticoat bordered with frill of chiffon, and bows of bebe ribbon to match corsage ; train from left shoulder of pale pink and eau <le nil brocade, lined with pink and eau de nil shot surah. Headdress, plumes and veil; ornaments, diamonds. (2) Train and bodice en princesse of a rich shade of mossgreen velvet, lined and turned back with shell pink silk, covered with exquisite point lace ; petticoat and front of cotsage of biscuit-yellow satin duchesse, bordered with Russian sable ; bociice draped with biscuit chiffon over pink stomacher, with volants of lace to correspond. Headdress, veil and feathers ; ornaments, diamonds. (3) Dress of amber brocade, the front veiled with a rare specimen of antique lace ; corsage to correspond, with diamond stomacher; train of Vandyke brown velvet, lined with amber satin embroidered with gold. Headdress, plume ■ ornaments, diamonds.

A City Mouse.