THE DOMINICAN CONVENT, DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 48, 4 September 1891, Page 20

THE DOMINICAN CONVENT, DUNEDIN.

Thb celebration of the feast of the Rev Mother Prioress which, owing to the absence of that lady at Queenstown, had been deferred for some weeks, took place on Monday, when she was presented by the nuns, the schools, and the outlying convents with a collection of beautiful gifts. We need hardly add that articles of luxury are not required for personal use by a nun, and, therefore, the approaching Gipsy encampment will be a good deal the richer and the more handsomely furnished. And, by the way, neither do Gipsies indulge, as a rule, in such articles. A tent beside a hedge, a pot bung over a fire from a triangular construction of sticks before the door, and a red cloak are all the belongings of the wandering tribes with which tradition has made us acquainted. The Gipsies in question, however, are to be Spanish gipsies from somewhere, if we understand aright, in the neighbourhood of Barcelona, and of these and their appurtenances and customs, we know nothing whatever. But all particulars may be learned io due time from the Gipsies themselves, and we think we may safely promise that however versed these Gipsies may be in the tongue of Spain or in the Romany, which it is Baid they speak among themselves, they will be fully prepared to answer iD fair English any inquiries addressed to them. We may speculate, meantime, as to what the Gipsies are going to do with all this finery. There is a circular mirror, for example, to look into which might put any vain fortune teller to shame. On it is painted with excellent skill a view of St Joseph's Cathedral and of the Ocean Beach in the distance, with a foreground of foliage, which, if a little imaginative, certainly adds beauty to the picture. Could any Gipsy, again, dare to lay an unkempt head on such a cushion as that, of delicate honeycombed pink satin with a covering of buff satin, on which is painted such a lovely wreath of wild roses, and which is just pulled back as if by accident — bat in a manner that only the most artistic taste could design. — Or those satin fans, with painted flowers and delicate marabout feathers, obtained by one of the nuns on the voyage out by tha Suez route — could any Gipsy presume to make use of them in cooling a heated face or hiding a blush ? — That noble damsel, per haps, whom Balfe's " Bohemian Girl " exhibits to us as stolen away might do so, but it must be after her restoration to her father's arms, and when once more she dwelt in marble halls — Or those applique screens— a spray of lilium lacifolium or a cluster of orchids — ,xquiBitely painted on velvet— after a method recently introduced into the convent from Canada, — aDd laid on Fatin : fancy them set up to hide the fire before which a stolen fowl, or even a p ; g stealthily killed by that Gipsy trick revealed by Mr Borrow, was roasting,— they would be more fit for a boudoir in a palace. But bow shall we describe one tithe of this profusion of charming offerings. The convent at Oamaru has sent some poonah painting on velvet of a delicacy that makes it seem woven up with the rich material. Tue convent at Milton has offered some beautiful majolica ware ; that at Invercargill has sent some mirror-panels,— on one of which is painted a cluster of irises and cornflowers, faultlessly executed and of a grace and beauty quite indescribable. All the schools are represented — Bt Joseph's has given a handsome papier-mache" writing case. The Kindergarten has offered a doll's house— nay, more than a doll's house — an edifice worthy of a particular name — the appropriate one — that is, of Pestalozzi Villa. It is two storeys high — and of this more anon. It has large glass windows, with Venetian blinds, and pots of foliage plants standing within. It has a passage, with a rack for coats and hats,— and upstairs in a cradle is a baby. Outside ' is a garden tastefully planted, and with nicely gravelled walks. Bat — the scene is evidently laid in In^ia— a terrible tigpr stands licking his chaps just round the corner, and evidently prepared to spring on whomsoever it may be that appears at the door — and this makes us feel glad that the house has two storeys, and that the baby is in bed upstairs, — for otherwise our dread woald be that the tiger must inevitably lay hold of him.— The pupils of the convent High School have been liberal in their gifts and marks of their taste and skill are abundant. But we must condense. There are mantle drapes— one painted with views of New Zealand scenery, another with a wreath of passion-flowers worked in arasene, chenille and wool. There are plaques of every conceivable kind, plain glass, mirror, terra-cotta, ivorlne. There are children's dresses of plush and silk. There is a summer house with a girl swinging in it. There is a beautiful chair — technically known, we believe, -aB a Spanish lounge — of raised arasene work, and a chair of beautiful wool-work, mounted in walnut wood. There is a very pretty table with a view of the cathedral in the centre, surrounded by a fancy frame of pictures, cut from cards, and admirably arranged. This table is further remarkable from the fact that the legs, turned and ornamented , are the work of the nuns themselves— as are also the easels on which several of the plaques are placed. Cabinet-making, it would almost appear, bids fair to form ere long a branch in the curriculum of the Convent schools. And why not, we ask, if women are going to do everything else they ought not to do— such as, for example, exercising the franchise, and all the rest of it? There are cushions made of satin, plush and cloth, worked in filoselle, gold and silver

thread. There is a cosey on satin cloth with French applique work ; there are two oa cloth embroidered with silk braid and filoselle ; another in folds of white and pink satin with moss silk embroidery, and watch pockets to match ; there are a pair of hand screens made of pink and grey satin embroidered in moss silk ; glove Bachets made on satin, worked in filoselle, gold and silver thread ; a beautifnl plush table cover with fancy embroidery ; dolls' wardrobes, with different dresses for each doll, each item perfectly made and finished off ; a large number of small items suitable for lucky bag, dolls, antimacassars, mantle drapes, etc, etc. There is paiuting of every kind, there is ponffet work, bead work, more work in fact, than we can recollect, but of which every article in turn, as it is looked at seems the most beautiful yet seen. What, therefore, will the Gipsies do with all this ; that is the question ? But, then, there are Gipsies of different kinds. There is the fortune teller, familiar to English villages ; there is the Boheoaienne, and the Zingara or Gitana, whom, for the most part, we Bee on the stage. A mystery, we acknowledge, is attached to the matter, and more than a month remains before it can be revealed. We can promise, however, that if our readers will attend at the Garrison Hall, Dnnedin, on the 18th of next October, or the days immediately following, their curiosity will be fully satisfied. In other respects, also, it will be worth their while to do so, and they will have no reason to regret the visit paid by them. The Gipsies will certainly do their best to entertain them, and we doubt not will succeed in doing so.