Katoomba Amusements Company

An Afternoon Tea Party For The Company

A delightful day's socialising occurred recently in the elegant surrounds of Redlands, Katoomba. The guests included Miss. Isabel Violet Franklin, Miss. Leonora Godaire, Mr. Henry Hedgewick, Dr. Yorrick and the elusive Col. Reginald Farquhear, R.C.C. (rtd.).

A light lunch was served of cucumber and lettuce, cold lamb and pickle, and tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches combined with copious amounts of tea. It was Miss. Leonora who commented later that the 'copious amounts of tea' were perhaps a little unfortunate considering that the outdoor 'ladies room' facilities were in constant use by both genders.

Some members of the Leura Ladies Fortune Card Reading Society played a joke on the Colonel, saying that their reading of his tea leaves foretold of romantic ties with an

alluring female from a distant land. They were, of course, alluding to his renowned affection for his former desert steed: his favourite camel, Colette. However, the Colonel, in his usual daydreaming state, took this to be a sign of impending dalliance with one of their own company, which set the ladies to much amusement.

After lunch the ladies took to strolling around the lush gardens found therein. Dr. Yorrick had given the ladies a firm warning about not wandering too far as 'the fearsome Black Panther' had been seen in the Katoomba vicinity 'of recent times', and, 'one never knows'. Of course, Miss. Isabel 'pooh-poohed' the suggestion as 'another of Dr. Yorrick's wild delusions' but Miss. Leonora had had a dream the night previous, of a wild beast (which she said had the unfortunate circumstance of bearing the 'adorable' visage of Mr. Hedgewick) prowling outside her back door and wanting to get in. So her natural inclination was to take Dr. Yorrick's advice to heart.

Mr Hedgewick, meantime, had wandered into the garden for similar aesthetic reasons, though perhaps albeit more esoteric inclinations. He was seen by the Colonel to be communing with, what that intrepid ex-desert military intelligence analyst considered to be, his 'arboreal relations'. But I shall leave it up to your own astute observations, dear readers!

The day ended up in boisterous conversation under the shade of the many fine trees abounding the edges of the property.

Discussion revelled in broad and varied topics and, but for a most gauche faux pas by Dr. Yorrick at the high point of one debate, had all feeling elated and renewed by the pleasantness of the afternoon's events.

Dr. Yorrick can be seen here to be playing 'hide and seek' with the ladies.

However, most regrettably I might say, he uses his abilities to disappear at will to his advantage in this game. The ladies were still searching for him at dusk and nearly missed the dinner bell.

Following this day's outing, the Katoomba Amusements Company will be considering other jaunts to establishments in the close vicinity. Even Mount Victoria is a possibility, perhaps when the 'Hare' is next loosed upon the Mountains community.