AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XV, Issue XVI, 19 October 1895, Page 487

AUCKLAND.

Dear Bee, October 14. I have two very pretty dances for you this week, amongst others items. Last Wednesday evening Mrs Sowerby’s JUVENILE FANCY DRESS BALL took place, and was even more successful than the one of last year, if that was possible. The hall was beautifully decorated w'th flags, greenery and flowers. There was a brilliant gathering of visitors from all parte of the city and suburbs, as one of the most picturesque and happiest sights is a children’s fancy dress ball because youngsters’ enjoyment is so real, and their little faces beam with happiness. There were over 200 counles dancing, and 600 spectators, the gallery and stage being packed really to suffocation. The music was furnished by Burke’s string band. There were a great many fancy dances, such as skirt dancing Scotch reels, etc., done by Mrs Sowerby’s pupils, which reflected the highest credit on their teacher. What particularly attracted my attention was the ribbon reel danced by the wee little pupils, and they did foot it prettily. The boys wore kilts, and the girls were frocked in white with plaid sashes across the shoulder. Mrs Sowerby must have a great deal of patience to teach such little children. Refreshments were provided in the ante-room, the table being prettily decorated with mexique blue crfine paper, arranged in art folds and surrounded with vases of the beautiful drooping li'ac, wisteria, anemones, etc. A great variety of costumes and handsome dresses were donned by the little Indies and gentlemen. One of the best fancy costumes was that of Guy Fawkes. He was masked, so it was impossible to recognise him, but. he was the biggest guy in the room. Another little chap went as a Turk with turban on his head, but he lost a little of his darkening colour from his cheeks, which gave a very comical effect. Mrs Sowerby was suitably gowned in a cream silk veiled in mode grey silver net, and was very energetic flitting round her numerous little guests. The parents and friends of the children were present in great numbers. Amongst them I noticed Mrs Goodall. Mrs and Miss Gorrie. Misses Hill, Gould, flaw (two), Mesdames Harrop, Nichols, Reid, Gilfllian. HopeLewis. etc. A few of the dancers whom I recollect are as follows: Miss Milly Hoile, yachting costume: Miss Veronica Walsh, snowball : Miss Ruby Best. Spanish girl ; Master Sinclair Reid and Master Alex Reid were Highland laddies: Miss Jessie Reid. Scotch lassie; Miss Maggie Logan, evening gown: Miss Elsie Tylden. French Republic: Miss Aileen Lewis. Pierette; Masters D. and V. Farquhar were Russian Peasant and Highland Laddie, respectively: Master M. Farquhar: Miss F. Clarke; Miss I. Thompson. Shenherdess: Miss K. Thompson, Kate Greenaway: Miss Moina Thompson, nun; Master Thompson; Miss V. Tibbs, evening dress; Master B. Tibbs. Jolly Tar; Master F. Tibbs, Holiday Boy: Master Greville Walker. Venetian Page; Miss Francis McCabe. Kate Greenaway: Master Tom Haslett, Hans the Boatman: Miss Vera Cunningham was Buttercup, gowned in a Hindoo muslin decorated with large yellow silk butterfly sash, and trimmed with buttercups: Miss Queenie Nelson, Cachuca Girl; Miss F. Harrop Boulogne Fishwife : Miss Ste) a Alexander. Barrister; Miss Marion Frater. a School Girl; Miss Care Hill. Court Lady: Miss Winnie Haslett. Bubbles : Miss Ellen Hill. Spanish Girl; Mies Blanche Buckworth. Milkmaid: Miss Beatrice Price. Cachuca: Miss Annie Hawke, Night; Miss M. Hesketh. Romp: Miss Aileen Hull. Kate Greenaway: Miss Florence Walker. Ma Mie Rosette: Master Tim Smith, Cricketer; Master Osmond, Court Dress: Master Louis Stevenson, Professor Gustavius, Dresden; Miss Brigham, mode grey gown with hat with jam pot crown en suite, which I think represented Dolly Varden; and her sister was one of King Charles’ daughters, quaintly gowned in white with becoming little nearl bonnet; Masters Bush (two) were two Jockey Boys : Miss Edith Tanner, a Grecian Lady in clinging bo iiton d’or robe finished with blue : Master Holbrook Chatfield, College Cadet: Miss Gibbons-Reid, Gitana: Master D. S. Clarke, Fish Boy; Miss Vera Be 1!. Queen of Night: Miss May Walker. Cavalleria Rusticana; Miss Kronfeldt, Swiss Peasant; Miss Gertie Tylden. Spring; Miss Ethel Carter. Cherry Ripe: Miss Tottie Mitchell, Buttercups; Mr Ernest Mitchell, Cricketer: Master Robert Cruickshank, Spanish boy; Miss Chattie Power. Sweet Girl Graduate: Miss Eileen Haslett. Spanish Lady; Miss Mabel Maxwell, Maritana : Mies Lucy Bell, Queen of the Flowers: Miss Baker. Liberty; Miss Lottie Baker Cinderella: Miss Georgie Denniston. Scotch dress: Miss Mav Abbott. Highland Lassie; Master Viva Walsh. Knave of Hearts; Master Leo Walsh made a remarkably good Mephistopheles: Master Eric Mneller. Highland costume: Master Arthur Mueller. Neapolitain Fisher Boy: Miss F. Clancott. Spanish Girl: Miss Berta Mitchelson, Esmeralda: Miss Daisy Brown, Court Page : Miss Sell. Clark. Queen of the Tea; Miss Nina Keogh. Pansy: Miss Mabel Price. Pink Chrysanthemum : Miss Maud Ellis. Spanish Tambourine Girl: Miss Emmeline Young, Spanish Girl: Miss Osmond. Carman: Miss Mabel Thorne, ivory white silk evening dress: Mies Edna Bell. Lady of 19th Century. Among others present I noticed Miss Chatfield and child. Mrs Browning and child. Miss Russell, Miss Thorne-George. Master Grey Thorne-George, Master Dacre. Mrs Cleghorn, Mrs Allen. Miss and Master Allen. Mrs and Miss Cotter. Mrs Goodwin. Master Lennox, Master Ansell, Master M. St. Paul and sister. Master Percy Dawson, evening dress: Miss Ethel Dixon, blue evening dress; Mr Jack Dixon, brown everyday suit: and a great many other costumes just as effective as I mentioned, but they did not write their names down on their tickets, and I could not find out their names, though I did my best. Mrs Sowerby’s PLAIN AND FANCY DRESS BALL for adults took place last Thursday evening in the Choral Hall. The decorations were the same as on the previous night, which I have already d ’scribed. The dance passed off very successfully. The floor was in first-class condition. About 100 couples were present, and some of the costumes worn were very striking. A Maori girl and an Indian chief were the best in the hall, but I did not knoweitherof them : they were unrecognisable. The programme consisted of twenty dances, and Mr Burke’s orchestra provided excellent music. Mrs Sowerby. who was gowned in a soft grey gown, was Indefatigable in her exertions for the happiness of her guests. Miss Buchanan was very much admired in a sailor costume ; Mrs Roach, black silk evening dress; Mr James (Mount Eden), evening dress; and his sister wore white silk : Miss Bessie Jones was striking as an Esthetic Maiden; Miss Stuart. Hospital Nurse: Miss Dacre Queen of the Roses, a picturesque gown of blue covered with oink roses; Misses Bellairs and Maddox, evening dress; Miss Roberts, canary silk; Miss Holland. Kate Greenaway: Miss Gaudin made a splendid Gipsy Fortune Teller; Miss Hughes, Mav Queen, pretty white silk covered with may. wreath in hair, wand of may: Miss Essldoin; Miss Yates; Mr Brodie, evening dress: Miss Eva Rich, I think, was a Swiss Peasant: Miss Vaile. Powder and Patches: Miss M. Kerr-Taylor, white silk: Miss Dolly Scherff was looking exceeding well in Powder and Patches : Miss Clapcott. a classical Greek girl: Miss Williams, white debutante frock : Mrs Williams, black silk: Miss Cotes; Miss Carter: Miss Buddle, Japanese gown: Miss Lewis. Cleopatra, and her sister was a Romp: Miss M. Lewis, black and white; Mr Manton. a gentleman of 1895: Miss Rvan, Powder and Patches: Miss Hill. Grecian Lady, in pink silk with gold bands : Mr and Mrs Howard, the lady in pink silk ; Mr Slator. Clown; Miss Slator, Grecian costume; Miss MacConnell. Blue Butterfly; Miss B Devore. Pierrette: Miss Devore, black lace evening gown : Mrs Devore, black gown, pink opera cloak : Miss Mclndoe. Powder and Patches; Mr Carmina, Mr Hanna. Messrs Gilbert. Shera. McCabe. Ansell. Beale. Armitage. Keesing. Davie. Chisholm. Baker. Jourdain (Cricketer). Miss Partridge. Britannia. Miss Alice Davy wore a dress well covered with games, and looked verv charming: Miss Eva Davy was very much admired as Lady Teasdale ; Miss Ada Wood (North Shore). Powder and Patches; Miss Jessie Savage, white evening frock; Mr Hugh Thompson, costume representing the Knave of Hearts: Mr McCallum. evening dress: Mrs Neil, pink evening dress: Miss Percival, white fancy gown with red net; Mrs Stone, Spanish costume; Mrs Beale, evening dress: Mi«s Gorrie. royal blue velvet; Mrs Gorrie, black silk; Mr Barry Keesing made a remarkably good

Wild Cat: Miss Thomas (Parnell), stylish combination of pink Liberty silk and green velvet; and there were a great many others whom I did not know. The Opera House has been filled with most interested audiences to witness the performances of the BROUGH AND BOUCICAULT Comedy Company. The stage dresses are lovely. In the ‘ Second Mrs Tanqueray* Mrs Brough in the first act wears a pale pink surah trained gown, corselet of pearls, very deep frill of lace falling from large puff sleeves; 2nd Act: Afternoon gown of drab cloth, turquoise blue silk froat with vandykes of drab cloth over it, band round basque, and rosettes of dark ivy-green velvet, passementerie shoulder trimmings: 3rd Act; Lovely gown of white satin with floral design, low bodice elaborately trimmed with handsome lace, with crystal bead drops from points of lace. Miss Temple. Amethyst coloured satin, front of net covered with pearls gathered at square cut bodice and falling to bottom of skirt, epaulettestrimmed with pearl nassementeric. Amongst the audience on different occasions I noticed Mrs Janies Russell in an elegant gown of flowered chiffonover whitesatin pink merveilleux sleeves, low bodice ant sleeves trimmed with accordion plotted chiffon : Mrs G. Bi oom Held, black, handsome cardinal cloak : Mrs Ware, pale pink Liberty silk blouse, cascade of lace on sleeves, black moire silk skirt: Mrs A. Clark, cream gown, pink silk sleeves, pretty soft accordion pleated cream chiffon cape lined with pink silk : Mrs J. Tole, black satin, black lace sleeves, square cut bodice with drawn fold of pale pink velvet finished with jet passementerie; Miss Rita Tole, turquoise blue crepon : Mrs Alexander. slate gray merveilleux trimmed with grey passementerie; Miss Whe well, cardinal gown, pretty cream c’oak : Miss Kennedy, pink moire blouse, fawn skirt, cream cloak: Mrs Cunningham, black moire : Mrs Waller, black merveilleux ; Miss Flora MacDonald, pretty pale blue frock with sleeves and corselet of dark velvet, cream ace drawn round low bodice : Miss Wylde Brown, electric blouse, dark skirt, pretty cloak of cream cashmere, with yoke of rose pink velvet: Mrs A. Bayly. pale pink blouse, fawn skirt: Mrs Bedford, black, square-cut corsage: Mrs Douglas, pale pink blouse, dark skirt: Mrs Cattanach. fawn silk trimmed with passementerie; Mrs Nichol, fawn silk, bodice veiled with b'ack lace; Mrs Macdonald, black, yoke of gold satin veiled with black lace; Mrs Sydney Nathan, black silk finished with black net; Miss Wilkins, b'ack velvet finished with nil green Liberty silk; Miss Nation, white silk; Mrs Makgill. lovely pale green surah: Mrs Challinor Purchas, red gown, white opera coat; Miss Gertrude Purchas, white; Mrs Barter, coquelicot red silk finished with chiffon ; Misses Colebrook (two), white gowns; Miss E. Colebrook. pale green: Miss Garlick. black gown, white opera coat; Mrs (Dr.) Lewis, black; Mrs Upton, black silk: Mrs (Colonel) Dawson, pretty green (or blue) blouse of some silky soft material, dark skirt: Mrs Reach’s charming semi-evening dress was hidden by a lovely mouflon-edged triple opera cloak ; Mrs Rattray, crimson velvet, cream lace berthe; Mrs Tewesley. light silk figured blouse, dark skirt; Mrs Upfill, bronze blouse with black lace dark skirt. Almost everyone, in fact, wore some sort of evening blouse and inconsequential skirt. THE WEST END TENNIS CLUB gave their last dance of the season on Tuesday in the Ponsonby Hall, which proved a great success. The hall was bril iantly lighted, and the floor perfect for dancing. The approach from the floor to the stage was by means of a stairway as wide as the stage itself. Carpeted over, it afforded great extension for sitting room, and when crowded during the intervals with ‘fair ladies’ in their pretty frocks made a pleasing tableau. The supper-table was prettily decorated with arum lilies and greenery, and the supper was all that could be desired. The committee—both ladies and gentlemen —are to be heartily congratulated unon the success of their efforts. Most of the ladies wore powder and patches, and the gentlemen their tennis costumes. I am afraid I shall not be able to do justice to the pretty dresses. Mrs Kirker, elegant semi-trained gown of electric grey broche silk, large butterfly bow on skjrt. white chiffon bertbe, spray of pale pink flowers on low-cut bodice: Mrs S. Hanna, hlack satin veiled with black iaos, black satin rosettes: Mrs E. Buchanan, black gown, pale pink velvet sleeves, corsage finished with pink chiffon ; Mrs Cossar, black merveilleux : Mrs Littler, green moire skirt, lemon silk bodice, puff sleeves of chiffon ; Mrs Ifwerson, cream Liberty silk gown : Mrs Morgan, black gown, white silk sleeves veiled with black lace; Mrs Mouzer, Empire gown of white satin ; Mrs Billington.heliotrope; Mrs Jones,pale; blue crepon Miss O wen.sil ver-leaf green velvet gown; Miss Ada O wen looked sweetly pretty in white silk trimmed with white chiffon; Miss Butters, nil green crepon, spray of red poppies; Miss L. Butters, heliotrope, pansy coloured velvet sleeves; Miss Cossar, cream crepon. ivygreen velvet sleeves, band of same round square-cut bodice ; Miss Morgan, pretty pale pink crepon, pink satin revers; Miss E. Leighton. white, crushed strawberry moire sash ; Miss Caldwell, pale blue bengaline: Miss Ria Edwards. pretty pale blue crepon, primrose silk sleeves; Miss M. Edwards, shell pink nun’s veiling black satin sleeves, vandykes of black lace round low bodice ; Miss Bastard, maizecoloured crepon trimmed with black lace insertion : Miss — Bastard, rose pink; Miss Dickey, white Liberty silk; Miss Campbell, cream embossed crepon, large butterfly bow: Miss Billington, pale pink, black velvet sleeves ; Miss — Billington, white veiled with white spotted net, folds of rose pink on bodice ; Miss Halstead, pretty cream crepon, cream silk sleeves; Miss Warnock, white muslin finished with white satin ribbons; Miss Hart, cream crepon, cardinal plush sleeves, spray of flowers; Miss Kennedy, white : Miss Morrin looked pretty in pale green figured silk, full frill of white chiffon round low cut bodice ; Miss Court, white, gold silk sash, spray of marguerites ; Miss Macdonald. white, pale pink sash : Miss Sands, lemon-coloured gown, black velvet sleeves, lace berthe, etc., and many others whom I cannot recall.

Phyllis Broune.