Queensland
Figaro Brisbane, Qld.
Saturday 2 February 1884
Figaro At
Home.
I am happy
to be able to inform the patrons of Figaro that I have engaged a talented and
well-known lady, who moves in good society here, to edit a Social Column. This
column will contain all the small-talk of society, discuss the babble so dear to
the Fair Sex, chronicle all social events worthy of being noticed, note all the
local changes in fashion—in fact, furnish an interesting record of the
conversational pabulum to be heard at that modern ladies' institution, the 4
o'clock tea. Contributions for this column will be treated with the greatest secrecy.
They should be addressed to the "Social Editress"
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Merry
prattling, tittle tattling,
In the
social walk,
Small arms
rattling—no big Gatling—.
Fashion's loved small-talk.
Note a mash
on, note her sash on,
Note him put
on side,
Love and
passion, waltz in fashion
"Hop"
or "limp" or "glide."
Who has
carried off and married
Some
gilt-edged gay dude,
Who has
harried hearts and parried
By
skedaddling rude.
Balls and
parties, cakes and tarties,
Jilting’s
and divorces
Fitz-Mc Cartys,
Moriartys
All that
here, of course, is.
Gussy
Spooner, Mary Mooner,
Fop and wit
and noodle,
Notes the
tuner late or sooner—
Notes the
whole caboodle.
Small tea
picnic at Sandgate last week. Given by a jovial M.L.A. Select, and very
enjoyable.
Many of the
young ladies are adopting the mode of combing the hair from the back of the
neck and coiling it round the crown of the head. This style is very becoming to
those whose necks are white and slender.
Mr. and Mrs.
De Poix Tyrell arrived in Brisbane from the old country via America, New
Zealand, Tasmania, Melbourne, and Sydney on
Monday last. Their many friends will rejoice to learn that Mrs. Tyrell, who,
previous to leaving Brisbane, suffered from a long and serious illness, is now
in excellent health and spirits, while "Johnnie comes marching home again
to all appearance much better for the change.
Dance at
South Brisbane on Thursday night to celebrate a christening. More about this
interesting little ceremony by-and-bye.
"The
slab-sided, flat-chested Graces" is the uncommon name bestowed on three
sisters whose figures; are not remarkable for beauty. _ And who do you suppose
commanded this flattering cognomen? The mashers? Oh, no! The ladies!
A Brisbane
belle is about to leave us. "There is really no select society here."
A very
pretty costume worn by a young" lady in Queen Street this week was of grey
nun's veiling trimmed with tartan, surah, and grey lace. Another equally
deserving of admiration was white lawn with large soft bows of old gold
coloured silk; silk bonnet, gloves, and parasol en suite.
A fair trio,
sisters, who live near the N.S.W. border, and are nieces of a prominent
Government official here, are to be married in April or May to gentlemen, all
of whom reside at Tenterfield, one being the Mayor of that town.
Image from:
- The Farmer and Settler. NSW. 15
November. 1907.
Thompson's
patent coiled spring elastic section is the very latest invention in corsets.
It is imported by Edwards & Chapman, and is well worth, at least, inspecting.
The excellence of the new style is at once apparent.
In the best make of
ordinary corsets is inserted an elastic section, by means of which art so blends
with nature that a perfect fit is effected, together with a graceful and
symmetrical figure. By this patent, comfort instead of being sacrificed, is in the
highest degree promoted; the body is braced and supported so equally all over,
that there is no constraint or strain on any part. Freedom is secured to all
the organs by means of a beautifully concealed mechanism, which will vibrate
with their action, and, as it will expand or contract, it adapts itself to every motion of the body that
ease is experienced in every movement and any posture, producing a sense of lightness
and relief which no corset has yet imparted.
Last Sunday
morning, in Trinity Church of England, Valley, a lady, while listening to the
Rev. H. G 'eloquent discourse, went fast to sleep, her head gradually inclined
backwards, when, lo! Her bonnet fell off into the pew behind. Imagine her
astonishment when she awoke and found her bonnet gone.
Image from:- Australian Town and Country Journal NSW 5
October 1889
Moral—If you want to
sleep, don't go to church to do it.
I am always
pleased to hear of presentations—especially to Ministers. And it is, therefore,
with feelings of devout thanksgiving and admiration that I read of the
testimonials his admirers have seen fit to hand over to the Rev. G. 0. Cocks,
late Wesleyan minister in the Gympie district and who has left that locality
for Sydney.
Whether he took
his treasures with him or not, is not on record.
Such treasures! He has gone to
attend two conferences down South—one, the Wesleyan Conference, the other
something that will “altar" him from a "Bach, to a ben.
"It was
in view of the latter event, I presume that the presents took the form they
did. The Surface Hill Sand of Hope gave him a festive pickle-bottle! There is
evidently some ill under this Surface 'ill Band, which is not exactly according
to Cock(s)er.
What memories
will enshrine themselves around each action, when the Rev. Cocks makes a wild
stab at the slippery ingan in that memento from the Band of Hope! It will be a
pickled memory, so to speak! Other presents were a cruet-stand and a biscuit-case.
Not long ago
a Bowen Hills belle who was exceedingly timid on water married a gentleman
passionately fond of yachting. A confiding trust in the one she loved, however,
seems to have dispelled her fears as it is reported she started up in her sleep
a few nights ago, pulled the sheet over: the head-board, and called out, "
It’s all right now, Charles. Hoist the sail, luff her head to the wind and let
her rip. Who's afraid? "From a scientific point of view this clearly
proves that a too sensitive nervous temperament can be effectually cured by
establishing implicit confidence. We owe a deal to science—and the baker.
It is not
the richness of the material that makes style and elegance, but good fit and
suitable colours.
If you are stout, reduce your size by long lines; if tall and
thin, puffs and plaids will suit you. Short waists, also, are more suitable to
short persons, than long waists, for the longer the skirt, the taller the
person looks.
The
following law remained in force on the English statute books until 1770 when,
unluckily for the male sex, it was repealed:—
"Whoever shall entice into
matrimony any male subject of the realm by means of rouge, white paint, Spanish
cotton, steel corsets, crinoline, high-heeled shoes, or false hips, shall be prosecuted
for witchcraft, and such marriage declared null and void."
If that law
was enforced to-day our Divorce Court judges would have a very lively time of
it.
Tuesday+5+August+1980.jpg)
Image From: Woroni. Canberra, ACT: 5 August 1980
Among the
countless changes of fashion black retains its popularity for old, middle-aged,
and young. There never was a time when the demand for black silk exceeded that
of to-day, nor money so freely lavished upon the rich satins, rhadimirs, and
grosgrains, not to mention the newer Ottomans, than now.
I was
prepared, if necessary, as I intimated to my readers last week, to publish full
particulars of a scandal concerning a Church of England clergyman of Brisbane,
and a fair girl from another colony. As events have fallen out, I find it is
not necessary to allude further to the matter. Sufficient action has been
taken, the same having been precipitated by my par. of last week.
It's
awfully mean to tell tales out of school of course, but Figaro was a bit gone
on this particular girl himself, and, therefore, who cares for the
consequences. [Nota Bene—especially Bene.—Mrs. Fig. is away for the Xmas.
holidays.—Ed. F.) There was a fancy dress ball held at something less than a
million of miles from (say) Brisbane,
and he, the
commercial traveller arrived just in time for the gay shivoo.
As he was a
few days before his time, the wife had gone to see her mamma, so he bundled off
unprotected.
Oh! the anguish of that thought. Cuddle me once again, Eliza.—Ed.
F.J On his way home he thought, it advisable to put his arm round the waist of
a Kangaroo Point belle, just to keep the mosquitos and stray kanakas from
assaulting her, and things ran smoothly along until he was completely upended
by his fair enslaver unlocking his own gate and observing," Tat ta, lovey;
you'll be sure to call round to the post next Sunday.
And don't forget to wear
a red camellia for fear I shouldn't recognise you." “But, yes
—quite so,"
cried the do-'em-at-15-per-cent.-less-than any-other-house-in-the-trade
gentleman, " but look here, Miss; you surely do not live here, do you ?
" "Indeed I do," replied the seraph, "I came here last Tuesday week
as cook, an' th' Misssus is the most cantankerous devil that ever
breathes."He had been there himself and knew it.
So he stepped round the corner till the new
girl went to bed, and then sat for four lonely hours on his virtuous couch
wondering how he'd look when his vinegar-bottle spouse observed,
”Jane, will
you kindly help the master to the mustard."
There have
been few local topics of interest to report during this week. Small-talk at the
4 o'clock teas has been almost exclusively confined to the discussion of the
clerical scandal I hinted at last week.
I have referred to this elsewhere, but
as this par. is written at a later period of time, I may here add that some friends
of the amorous Shepherd have stuck to him stoutly. A subscription has been raised on his behalf,
and he will shortly leave Queensland.
Image
from: pg 6, Queensland Figaro. Brisbane, Qld. 15 Dec 1904.
