WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIII, Issue VII, 18 August 1894, Page 162

WELLINGTON.

Dear Bee, August 9. Mrs Johnstone Stewart’s second evening ‘ At Home took the form of another SMALL DANCE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE last Friday evening, there being about eighty guests. The dance was as usual from nine till twelve o’clock, and was much en’oyed. The lovely decorations were much admired, all the mantelpieces being covered with beautiful flowering plants and maiden hair ferns, and the hall was banked on either side with tall bamboo plants and ferns; the little alcoves) near the staircase were lined with greenery, and made into pretty little bowers lit with Chinese lanterns and furnished with lounges, the staircase also being prettily decorated. The drawing-room was charmingly decorated with quantities" of camellias and wattles and palm plants, and was lit by tall yellow shaded lamps. The supper table also looked pretty and the dining-room mantelpiece was smothered with camellias, etc. The Scotch reel was included in the programme of twelve dances. Lord Glasgow standing by and coaching the young people, many of whom had never danced it before. Mrs Stewart and Lady Augusta Boyle both danced in it. Mrs Stewart wore a very pretty gown of white chiffon striped with white satin, and she wore a string of pearls and a diamond star in her hair. Lady Augusta Boyle wore a beautiful trained gown of rose pink satin, the bodice trimmed with deep cream lace. The Ladies Alice and Dorothy Boyle were not present, but Captain Stewart, Captain Clayton, and Major Elliott were all there. THE GUESTS. Mrs Newman wore a very handsome Pompadour silk gown, trained; Mrs Wilson, a lovely white satin gown, trained, and embroidered with pearls and softened with lace and diamond ornaments; Mrs G. {Hutchison, a pretty grey silk gown with grey velvet and steel trimming; Mrs (Dr.) Fell, black trimmed with lace and trained; Mrs Loughnan, black; Mrs C. Izard, a pretty black velvet gown ; Mrs Firth, a combination of yellow and white silk with hanging angel sleeves; Mrs Mantell, deep rosecoloured velvet edged with narrow jet; Miss Baker, of Napier, wore white, as did also Miss Friend, Miss Susy Graham, and Miss Cara Russell. Miss Lingard wore sea green trimmed with ruchings of the same, and her sister was in white silk with narrow swansdown trimming; the Misses (J. NJ Williams, of Hawke’s Bay. wore blue silk veiled with coffee-coloured embroidered chiffon and bunches of coffee and blue ribbons ; Mrs Dan Riddiford, black with knots of flowers: Miss Keiller, of Rangitikei, wore a pretty yellow silk frock; Miss Medley, blue; Miss Thomas, of Christchurch, a pretty pink gown ; Miss Heywood, black, and her sister also wore black much trimmed with white; Miss Dransfleld. handsome white satin trimmed with lace ; Miss A. Brandon, black trimmed with rows of silver ; Miss Whistler, white trimmed with blue and silver gauze; Miss Duncan, black satin trimmed with jet: Miss Allan, black with yellow and black striped sleeves; Miss M. Allan, white with blue and white sleeves; Miss Blair, black; Miss Burnett, white; Miss M. Burnett, a blue striped gown; Miss Fancourt, blue, and also Mr and Mrs E. B. Brown, Miss Brandon, Miss Fantham, of Hawera, Mr and Mrs Gee (lately from Christchurch), Miss Buckley, of Christchuich, Miss Gibson, Mr and Mrs Alex Crawford, Captain Russell. Colonel Fox, Dr. Fell, Dr. Cahill, and Messrs Hutchison, Loughnan, A’Deane, Evans, Coates. Hume, Guy Russell, Robison, Montgomery, Dimock, Duncan, Didsbury, Todd, Warren. Gardiner, Elliot, Kennedy, etc. I hear that there is to be another small dance at Government House before the end of this month. COMING DANCES. Mrs Hutchison’s second dance takes place next Monday; Mrs Collins’on the following Thursday, and Mrs (Dr.) Adams’ on the 18th of August, and Mrs Pearce has issued a number of invitations for an ‘At Home,’ which is to be a dance, for the 23rd of August. I believe there are to be no less than eight more dances in August, but as the invitations are not yet out, 1 must not divulge more OPERA The Montague-Turner Company are having a fairly successful season here. Their best effort was decidedly ‘ Maritana,’ which they gave most successfully. Miss Montague certainly wears some magnificent gowns in ‘ Maritana.’ She first appears in a gorgeous gypsy costume, and uses her be-ribboned tambourine very coquettishly. Afterwards she wears a lovely white moire wedding dress with a long train, the front covered with a filigree of gold, and in another act she looks remarkably well in a lovely heliotrope brocade gown with a long train, the corsage trimmed with lace. In ‘ Carmen,’ one of her greatest successes, she wears in one act, a lovely white satin gown flounced with lace and embroidered with pink flowers and green leaves, the bodice made in the shape of a zouave sparkling with silver. Among those who have been present at the opera during the season are His Excellency the Governor; Lady Augusta Boyle, wearing white, and a grey and red cloak; Major Elliott. Captains Stewart and Clayton; Mrs Seddon wearing black silk and jet; Miss L. Seddon in mauve; the Hon. J. G. and Mrs Ward, the latter wearing black and a white fur cloak; Mr and Mrs J. Allen (Dunedin), the latter m pale grey; Mr and Mrs J. G. Wilson (Rangitikei). the latter in fawn; Miss Wilson wore white; Lady Buckley, a handsome dark greeny grey brocade; Mr and Mrs D. Riddiford, the latter in black with a mauve cloak bound with white fur; Miss Keiller (Rangitikei), mauve silk ; Mrs Dowell, pink silk ; Mrs E. J. Riddiford. black; Mrs Purdy, a grey cloak; Mrs H. D. Bell, black; Miss Buchanan (Canterbury), white fur cloak; Misses (Walter) Johnston, pretty white fur cloaks ; Mrs Gore, a red brocaded fur cloak; the Misses Gore, white cloaks: Mrs (Captain) Russell, a handsome black and red cloak ; Miss Cara Russel], white, and a long red and white striped silk cloak with a hood ; Mrs A. Pearce, black, white fur cloak; Mrs Collins, black; Miss Gibson (Dunedin), cream trimmed with pink silk ; Mrs W. Mantell, a long red and white striped cloak; Mrs Gale, a lemon velvet cloak bound with white fur; Mrs Prouse, a fawn cloak; Mrs McKenzie, a white fur cloak ; Miss Gillon, a white cloak ; the Misses Menzies, the Hon. W. P. Reeves, the Hon. Lancelot Walker, Drs. Collins, Ewart and McKenzie, Col. Fox, etc., etc. Last Saturday night Mrs Thomas Rose gave a

LARGE PROGRESSIVE EUCHRE PARTY, which was much enjoyed by those present, among whom were Mr, Mrs. and Miss Tolhurst, the Misses Nathan, Mr and Mrs A. Pearce, Miss Holmes, Miss Blair, etc. There was keen competition for the prizes, which were really beautiful, and which were duly presented at the conclusion of the games. Just before supper Mr W. Day sang a song, and after supper a very pleasant, party broke up. The Misses Rose were helping generally, and distributing the favours after each game. One day last week Lord Glasgow, Mrs Stewart, and several others of the Government House party visited Birnbaum and Son’s Waterproof Factory, and were shewn over by the manager, Mr Fox. They were much interested in the LOCAL PRODUCTIONS, and expressed their pleasure at the evidence of such rapid strides having been attained since the factory started here. KETTLEDRUMS. There have been two afternoon teas to-day—one given by Mrs (Dr.) Fell, and another by Mrs Tolhurst, and many people drove from one to the other. Ijidy Campbell sang twice at Mrs Fell’s, and other guests contributed songs, and among those present were Captain and Mrs Russell. Miss Cara Russell, Mr and Mr Oliver (of Dunedin), Miss Williams (of Dunedin), Mrs (Judge) Richmond, Miss Fell <of Nelson), Dr. and Mrs Adams, Mrs and the Misses Grace, Mrs and Miss Harding, the Misses Brandon, etc. At Mrs Tolhurst’s there were Mrs Collins, Miss Gibson (of Dunedin), Mrs Baker. Miss Baker (of Napier), Miss Pearce, Mrs and Miss Rose, Mr and Mrs Pharazyn, Mrs Pynsent, Mrs and Miss Williams, Mrs and Miss Johnston, Mrs Wilson, and many others. The Misses Tolhurst, were helping to entertain. The tea tables at both parties were beautifully decorated with camellias and jonquils, and looked very tempting with ail the dainties.

Ophelia.