WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue XXV, 20 June 1896, Page 732

WELLINGTON.

I ‘ear Bee, June 11. Mrs Douglas gave a small and thoroughly ENJOYABLE TEA on Saturday afternoon. Being cold and showery out of doors, the warm, brightly-lighted rooms and cheering paraphernalia of the tea-table quickly raised the damped and chilled guests to a sense of summer happiness. The table was most daintily embellished with numerous small vases filled with the first spring flowers, blooming before their time, and all the sweeter in consequence. Narcissus and even snowdrops were there, testifying to the mildness of the season, and bearing gracious promises of a flowerscented spring. Sweets in all their varied forms were in profusion. and added greatly to the beauty of the table. Miss Williams and the Misses Douglas sang triosand duets, and Miss E. Douglas played several pianoforte solos. Mrs Douglas was dressed most handsomely in a rich silk of a peculiar metallic shade with narrow line design, the sleeves of black watered silk, the narrow pointed revers being faced at the points with jet ornaments ; Miss Douglas wore a soft grey tweed dress, with collar and revers of blue surah silk ; Miss Ethel Douglas, neat blue serge. Among the guests were Mrs Brown, Mrs Charles Brown, in a brown cloth costume, small brown straw toque with pink roses on either side : Miss Brandon, black crepon skirt, velvet bodice trimmed with jet : Miss A. Brandon, dark blue cloth costume, black hat with bright chin<> bows; Lady Douglas, black skirt. Trilby velvet blouse, small gold lace bonnet: Miss Harcourt, dark serge costume, sailor hat; Mrs Linganl, dark chocolate cloth dress trimmed with brown passementerie, brown bonnet to match ; Miss Lingard, in a very neat rough brown tweed gown.; Mrs Lowe, dark blue grey dress with pointed yoke of black velvet, and neatly braided in black, black felt hat with black and white ostrich tips;

the Misses Menzies, in neat green costumes, black hats; Mrs Macpherson, fawn grey cloth coat and skirt, light vest, black toque Mrs MacTaviah. black skirt, striking blouse of rich shot silk, black toque with reddish flowers of the same tone as the blouse in the toque and on the strings; Mrs Martin, Mrs Medley ; Mrs Otterson. black costume, black bonnet with bows of pink velvet; Mrs Quick ; Miss Quick, black skirt, black and white striped silk blouse with bands of black velvet: Mrs Travers, black serge coat and skirt, vest of checked black and white silk, black hat: Mrs Wallis, dark cloth costume, jet bonnet: Miss William*, etc. Mrs Simpson gave a very pleasant PROGRESSIVE EUCHRE PARTY last week, when Miss Stafford and Mr Allen were the lucky prizewinners. Simpson wore a striking gown of black silk trimmed with mauve : Miss Simpson wore a striped white silk gown ; Miss M. Simpson, yellow crepon blouse and white skirt; Miss Reid, in black, with a mauve blouse ; Miss Greenfield, black gown prettily edged with violets; Miss Gibson was robed in green velvet: Miss B Gibson, black, the bodice being of red velvet; Miss Stafford looked dainty in cream silk ; Miss G. Reid, green shot blouse, dark skirt; Miss Campbell, white lace-trimmed muslin; Miss Griffiths, pink silk blouse, velvet skirt; Misses Tuckey, Gulson, Stuart, Messrs Cox. Didsbury, Hume, Hull, Hartman, Reid. Young, etc. Mrs Tolhurst gave a large afternoon tea on Thursday, to which the gaily-dressed spectators at the opening of Parliament gratefully wended their way, but I must leave the description of that to another time.

Next Tuesday the Art Gallery is to be tricked out in varied fairlike manner with the remainder of the articles worked by Wadestown ladies, left from the Garden Fair held at the ‘Grange’ on Boxing Day. Slight additions will, of course, be made, principally the welcome one of a tea and refreshment stall. Meye