A LADY’S LETTER FROM AUCKLAND.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 644, 8 August 1891, Page 3

A LADY’S LETTER FROM AUCKLAND.

[By Standard Special Correspondent—“A.T.”] July 27th. Footballers and huntsmen have been rejoicing this year in perfect weather Saturday after Saturday. Although the mornings and evenings are chilly, the mid-day sun is bright and strong. There is a warmth in the deep blue of the sky, and in the still deeper blue of thegleaming Waitemata, withits many islands sharply outlined against its surface, or melting in paler tones into the distant horizon. Little white-sailed boats skim across the harbor, or rest lazily on the placid surface, like dreaming moths in the heart of a cornflower. And the young men don their most shocking clothes—aggressive colored jerseys, knickerbockers which have been white ,r once in the dear dead days beyond recall,” and, discarding the trim, light>brown hardknocker, with its ridiculously small crown and narrow, turned-up brim, put the finishing touch to their costume with an undeniable “ bad hat,” a floppy old wide-a-wake or a skull cap that has seen better days. Thus attired they flock by hundreds (in companies of fifteen) to “ the field where they bury strangers.” The district teams are trying their respective strength. As matters now stand the “ Suburban ” and “ Parnell ” clubs have the advantage, having each scored two victories and no defeat.

In no previous year have the hunts been so well attended. The Saturday before last there must have been nearly 200 people present at the meet. Amongst the people who were not there, were the two young English tourists who have been requested to pay for the rebuilding of a stone-wall which with great industry (and harder manual labor than either was accustomed to) they pulled down some Saturdays ago, in kind consideration for the animals they rode. Mrs D. Bloomfield had a nasty fall at one of the fences—which might have been prevented had she only taken the same precaution,— and being jammed between her horse and the obstacle, the consequences might have been fatal had the brute kicked. She seemed none the worse last week, but rode as pluckily as usual. A drag laid lately terminated most considerately at the door of an hotel. No doubt it was convenient, but a stranger might have thought an insult rather than a compliment intended in iha remark, *• You were the first in at the Ellerslie Hotel, were you not ?”

Too will no doubt have seen an account of Mr H. Gould's wedding with Mias Halyday, which took place at St. Sepulchre's Church about a fortnight apo. The bride looked Wry pretty, even without the becoming veil and orange-blossoms. She wore her travelling dress, and her bridesmaids and the guests. all wore winter costumes, with the exception of Mrs Hunter (her sister), who looked exceedingly well in a handsome heliotrope silk.

Last Thursday Mrs Ireland gave a very delightful little dance at her house, f' Holme Court,” Parnell. The guests were nearly all young people, personal friends of Mies Ireland, who herself only made her debut a few months ago. There is far more enjoyment at a dance like this, where al! are in the first flush of youth and excitement, than at a more elaborate entertainment where the novelty has died out. The night wss lovely, the moon just past the full. The air was so still that the dance music was heard at a great distance. The house, with its encircling verandahs and pretty grounds commands a a lovely view of the harbor, and even older and lees excitable hearts than those of the majority could not be insensible to romance, nor scoffers at sentiment when wandering from the brightly lighted rooms into the cool calm beauty of the night, To return to material prose, the champagne cup was excellent.

To-morrow night the third social evening of the Parnell series is to take place. Great interest has been aroused in the promised production of Haydn’s Toy Symphony. Rehearsals and practices have afforded an excuse for frequent afternoon gatherings of girls, and the consumption of much tea and many dainty cakes. Conflicting evidence as to the proficiency of the performers and the pleasing result of the performance (to the audience) is given by those who have been privileged with admittance. The members of the orchestra themselves declare with wonderful unanimity that the other instruments are deafening. “ Please don't come near me. Nightingale,” said the drummer. “ I can hear nothing but the drum,” complains the triangles when the conductor calls them toorder for too vigorous an attack. "Are not those trumpets ear splitting 1” whispers the birds—nightingale, canary and cuckoos—while the proximity of the corncrake and the crioket is shunned by al l . I shall be able to tell you how the Symphony sounds next week. It is to be hoped that the instruments are all pitched in the same key, or a nice Babel we shall be condemned to listen to.

Last Saturday evening Professor Carrollo’s young lady pupils gave an exhibition of gymnastic exercises in the gymnasium at the YM.C.A. Only parents and relatives of the performers were present. The girls numbered about fifty. In their pretty navy blue costumes with tunics they looked very simple, and when going through the drill with dumb bells and Indian clubs were most graceful. Their jumping was splendid. Afterwards the pupjls went through difficult exercises on the parallel bars, Boman rings, and ladders, with an ease and grace which might have put many lads of the same age to shame. There ought to.be fewer unhappy and discontented womer in the rising generation than there are now; if this athletic training is persevered in. The worries which wear so many woman’s lives away, and plough deep lines Upon tpeir foreheads, would be borne cheerfully and smilingly it indigestion was unknown and a propsrlphysioalltraining undergone. '