DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 42, 17 October 1891, Page 491

DUNEDIN.

Dear Bee, September 30. I am afraid I shall have an uninteresting letter for you this week, as in the matter of gaieties things have come to a temporary lull. The Ladies’ Savage Club has closed, and that is one pleasant evening in the week less. The pony races would have attracted a good number to Carisbrook, but it was an intensely cold day, and towards evening we were treated to slight showers of hail. The check to the fine spring weather that we were having a month or six weeks ago has prevented as yet any display of spring costumes, the only change, perhaps, that is noticeable is a discarding of furs and winter wraps. Every second woman you meet is wearing one of the short cloaks now so fashionable, and there is a great prospect of them becoming very common. Afternoon teas are growing fewer, the only one I know of this week being given by Mrs Quaker. It was a very pleasant affair. Among those who were there were Mrs and the Misses Rattray. Mrs and Miss Sise, Mrs and Miss Dymock, Misses Spence, McLaren, Boyd, Mackenzie, Davies, Hosking, Webster, Reynolds, Roberts, Le Cren, and Mrs Michie. I forgot to tell you in my last letter of the marriage of Miss Ethel Jones to Mr J. Stewart. Miss Jones is a daughter of Mr J. R. Jones, of Dunedin. The ceremony was performed at an early hour in the morning, and in the very quietest manner possible, so that there are no dresses to describe. Great sympathy is felt here for Mrs D rwling in her sudden bereavement. It was only five years ago that she was married here, where she lived from childhood. They have brought Mr Dowling from Auckland (where he died rather suddenly after a short illness) to Dunedin to be buried. Mrs Dowling is the eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Farquhar, of this city. Quite an exodus of our public singers has taken place lately, and still is taking place. Mr H. Smith went to Sydney a short time ago, and Mr Densem is spoken of as about to depart, and a benefit concert is now in preparation for Mrs William Murphy, who in about a month’s time will leave for Melbourne, where she intends to settle. She is deservedly a favourite here, and will be much missed in musical circles. ‘The Queen of Leon’will be given upon the benefit night, among other good items, with Mr Charles Umberstaking the part Mr H. Smith previously took of Phillipe d’ Aquilar. Mr Birth is to conduct, Mr G. Parker will be leader, and Misses Rose Blaney, Blanche Joel, Messrs Jones, Manson, and Signor Squarise will, among others, also give their services. Mr Arthur Hunter, who has frequently, during the past two years, given his services, is to have a benefit also one night this week. Mrs Rattray gave a small bat very delightful dance since my last letter, The rooms were very tastefully decorated, and looked remarkably nice. Among the guests were Misses Dymock (2). Spence (2), McLaren (2), Williams (2), Webster (2), Sise, Grierson, Macassey, Neill (2), McNeil, Sievwright, Reynolds, Stanford, Roberts, Garratt, Kenyon, and Driver. Miss Grierson looked very nice in a white net ; Miss — Grierson wore a lovely dress of pale pink chiffon; Miss Ruby Neill, yellow merveilleux ; Miss tsthel McLaren, in white Liberty silk, looked very nice ; Miss Dymock, white fisherman’s net over white silk ; Miss Alice Dymock, grey satin ; Miss Mary Williams looked well in black fisherman’s net over black satin ; Miss McNeil wore a lovely dress of cream gauze and silk ; Miss Macassey, white silk with poppies and cornflowers ; Miss Sise, primrose merveilleux. Dr. and Mrs Scott gave a dinner party. Among those present were Mr and Mrs Robert Turnbull, Mrs and Mrs Galloway, Mrs and Mrs E. Reynolds, Mr and Mrs Hosking. The Bland Holt Company still delight a big house at the theatre every evening. ‘ The Bells of Hazlemere ’ followed a week of ‘ London, Day by Day,’ and a good house, as is usual to expect, greeted the performance. The scenery is really quite pretty enough to go to see, almost without a play, alone. I have noticed in the circle, looking very nice, Mrs Denniston, wearing a handsome black silk; Mrs Belcher, ruby silk ; Miss Belcher, quaint white frock, with bunch of daffodils ; Miss Fodor, pale pink silk relieved with black velvet; Miss Kenyon, grey opera cloak with Medici collar lined with pink ; Mrs Stilling, yellow Liberty silk ; Mrs Brannagan, brown velvet with gold front. Miss Blande, in ‘ The Bells of Hazlemere ’ wears some pretty dresses ; in fact, all her dresses are pretty. The first is a simple buffcoloured material, with pale pink sash, and pink chiffon trimmings at the throat, and pink hat. Another was a white finished with black ribbon velvet, and a walking costume of cinnamon cashmere braided with gold. Miss Vivienne looked charming in white, and Mrs Bland Holt as pretty as ever. The moving scenery is really wonderfully worked. Scene after scene completely changes, without the curtain dropping. Evening deepens to night, and the lights appear in the windows, and a river scene seems to take one a journey of miles, as it all moves and changes as easily as a panorama. There is a forge scene, with the real forge all glowing and the bellows, and Bland Holt, as the blacksmith, takes the glowing iron from the fire and makes a horseshoe before our eyes. Very little, indeed, is left for the imagination. Scene after scene is enacted with all its natural surroundings.

Maude.

* I am afraid, madams,’said a gentleman who was looking for apartments, * that the house is too near the station to be pleasant.* *ltis a little noisy,’assented the landlady, * but from the front verandah one has such a fine view of people who miss the trains,’ she added, with an air of triumph.