The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-12-23
Random Notes by Mrs. J. q. y.
LITTER NO III

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Ny DEAR MADAME
lam tired, fatigued, worn out, and fly to pen and
paper for relief. have just dismissed victorine,
Palmire Alexandrine, and all the other ines. For
several days past have been completely beset by
these modisfes and fashionable dressmakers You
have no idea of the politeness, the garruity, the
shrewdness, the impudence with which every
new arrival, from every part ofthe world is assail-
ed by these marchands and their agents
All the great stores here have persons TO send
round to the hotels and private lodging houses with
their goods to try and induce you to buy from them,
or to call at their stores they sometimes actually
force their goods upon you, and if they cannot
persuade you to buy, they will leave them with
you and call in about week for the money. II
you say it was not your intention to keep them,
or they do not suit you, they will tell you you
have worn them, or they are soied, or something
OF the kind. Then, of course, words ensue, and
they 60 of in passion. / have seen il 20 again
and again. Palmire Is one OF the principal dress
makers in Paris. She has European reputa-
ton, and believe 10 also well known in the Uni
ted States Yet Palmire herself has been dead
twenty years, and very likely has in the other
world some other less agreeable occupation than
that of making nice fits for the fashionable
ladies of the day. Still, if lady calls at that esta
blishment and enquiries for MADAME, they will,
with the most winning impudence and smile, say,
" Madame est engage" And very probably that
Is true +; for suppose that she 10 very much en-
gagged almost always, night and day, but in what
way shall leave to conjecture. A fashiopable
dress maker in Paris is like an absolute monarch
never dies It il singular fact. but true, that
tho fashionable dressmakers and npodistes live
entirely by Americans, English and Russians.
The Parisians never 60 near them their exuava-
CANT prices only tolerated by the ignorance Of
foreigners, and they actually cheat and laugh at
them at the Same time They have told mo they
only send the unsaleable and objectionable goods
to America. Why should we allow them to do 20
We know, in New York, what is elegant and
graceful as well az they do, although it may cost
little more.
Twas very much amused the other day with an
incident which heard of an American lady.
This lady was from Savannah. She had been
travelling in the East-wandering among the
ruins Of Greece sailing up the Nile-and crossing
the desert to Jerusalem and the Holy Land. On
returning through Italy, she purchased variety of
rich and beautiful velvets in Genoa, "a place
famed for its velvets) When she arrived in
Paris, she enquired who the principal dress maker
was. The answer was, "Ah! Palmire, Camille,
or Victorine." She selected Palmire and entrust-
ed to her all her expensive velvets to make into
magnificent dresses before her return to the
Southern States; but, 10 and behold! when
they were sent home, she found, them utter
ly unfit for wear, and was obliged send them to
less ambitious dress maker to have them made
wearable. Thine, H. A. b.