PICTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue XIX, 4 November 1899, Page 834

PICTON.

Dear Bee,

October 23

This has been rat'her a gay week with us. and the young people in particular have been excited over the FANCY DRESS BALL given by Miss Hallet for her pupils and friends. It was certainly the ball of the season, and quite eclipsed all others in interest and arrangements. The decorations were Miss Hallet’s own design, and with a little assistance from one or two pupils, 'her own work, and everybody awarded her the palm for artistic beauty and arrangement. The nikau palms and kei-kei were lightly arranged on the walls, and lycopodium festooned from corner to corner, with Chinese lanterns hanging here and there, and (Japanese paper fans and flowers scattered about in seemingly -careless fashion. A large mirror occupied the lower end of the room, which was draped with curtains and furnished with couches, etc. '

THE SUPPER was beautifully laid out on the back of the stage, the*table for visitors being in the centre, and for the pupils, at t'he end, the. front of the stage being furnished with easy-chairs for the guests. THE DRESSES. Miss Hallet represented the ‘'Village Belle" in her gavotte dress of pink and white, with high sash, and hat profusely trimmed with pink, white, and cardinal roses, with long streamers of cat-dinal ribbon floating down hey back. The belle was unanimously voted to be Miss L. Cragg, as “Little Miss Moffitt,” in pale blue and white, with high sash, and pretty hat, and a monstrous spider on her frock; Miss Kathleen Owen came next as a nurse, but, indeed, all the little people looked so quaint and pretty that it seems hardly fail- to specify any one in particular. Miss Eileen Sealy was “Bo Peep"; Miss Irene Sealy “Spring"; Miss Nash “School Girl"; Miss Susan Cragg "Stars and Stripes’ ; Miss Maud Morris “Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother"; Miss Jeannie Seymour Fishwife"; Miss Rose Green•sill “Gran’ma”; Miss Carrie Humber “Bride"; Miss Olive Oxley “Red Rid•inghood"; Miss Laura Oxley “Kate Greenaway”; Miss Moira AfeNab “Italian Peasant”; Miss Mary Cragg “Maid of Normanby”; Miss Olive Cragg “Folly*"; Miss Una Wilkins “Stewardess”; Miss Aliee Card “Swiss Peasant”; Miss M. Robertshaw looked very pretty as “Clematis” in her white gavotte frock, and a spray of native clematis in her hair, while a charming bunch of that beautiful flower curled naturally round a staff in her hand. The only two visitors who responded to Miss Hallet’s desire to see them in fancy dress were the Misses Nora and Grace Allen, the former as u “Hungarian Peasant,” and the latter, who was much admired as “The Geisha Girl”; Master Fell was a “Turk”; Master Len. Robertshaw “The New Woman”; Master Roy Robertshaw "Brigand”; Master Tennyson Greensill “Little Lord Fauntelroy”; Master George Blizzard “Picton Volunteer”; Master Bos. Robertshaw “French Cook"; Master Alan Oxley “Guy Fawkes”; Master Frank Oxley “Little Boy Blue”; Master C. Perano

“Clown.” Tlie guests were greatly pleased at the dancing of Miss Hallet’s pupils, and especially with the gavotte, which was well executed by the pupils. The guests were Miss Flower (Kaikoura), in cream frock and ribbons; Miss Ethel Greensill, in pink silk; Miss M. Fell, in white muslin, with prettylace sleeves; Miss Isabel Seymour, black velvet skirt and pink silk bodice; Miss Howard, black and silver; Miss Harris, black and pink; Miss Mackenzie, black; Miss Speed, black skirt and cream silk bodice; Miss Jackson, pink broehe; Mrs Riddell, 'heliotrope silk; Mrs Thompson, black silk and lace; Miss Hay, black lace, with red; Mrs J. Scott, black silk, with black chiffon; Miss Western, pink silk, with chiffon frills and sash; Miss H. Dart, black, with pale blue; Miss E. Dart; Miss E. Philpotts, white silk; Mrs Beauchamp, black silk, with w'hite lace; Miss Johnston (Blenheim), white silk; Miss Greensill, pale blue, with pink chiffon; Mrs Howard (Springlands), cream, with cream lace; and Mesdames (Dr.) Scott, Allen. Sealy, Wilkins, Philpotts. Cragg, Godfrey, Jackson, Mathiesou, Fell, Buick, Robertshaw, Oxley, Blizzard, etc., and Messrs Robertshaw, Fell (2), Cragg, Nash, Seymour, McCormick, Peek, Greensill (3), Beauchamp, Anderson, Western. Oxley, Malfroy, Blizzard. Morris, and a little crowd on the stage who came to look on.

On Friday evening a crowd congregated on the wharf to see off lucky friends and neighbours who were going to see the N.Z. contingent off in Wellington. Several others were disappointed, as the steamer was full up, and the agent refused to issue any more tickets. The spectators on the wharf gave their quota of Cheers for the contingent and groans for the Boers, and then sang “Rule Britannia” and “Soldiers of the Queen." Among those going across was Mr Edward Chaytor, captain of the Marlborough Mounted Rifles, whose heart is with his men, and who would dearly like to follow their fortunes—or rather lead them—to South Africa.

The Picton Rowing Club formally opened the season on Saturday last.

The Afro-American Minstrel Company gave a short programme on Sunday evening after service. A fair 'house collected, though no notice had been given of the entertainment,

which was good.

JEAN.