The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-12-21
HOW CASHMERES BECAME
THE FASHION.

b. a
'E THE FASHION.
u Sss Ers --~7 -a,t.B 'F-ERg
'I ,ARIsToCRACY.s s.Es
4 Iu Miss Muhlbach's last book, ''The
Empress Josephine there is a vivid ac-
count of the explosion of the Internal
machine in. Paris, which would have
certainly killed the wife of Napoleon,
had she not been detained for some mo-
mentsin order to readjust her Persian
!. shawl. This was q present from Bona
parte, and had hitherto been rather dis
liked. Miss Mulbachh continues:
But after it had saved her life, she no
longer thought it unsightly; she was
fond of wrapping herself up in it, and
the natural consequence was that these
Persian shawls soon formed the most
fashionableand costly article of apparel.
Every lady of the highest classes con-
sidered it necessity to cover her ten-
dershoulders with this valuable foreign
material, and it soon became "comme
ii faut," duty ofpOsition, to possess a
Ecollection of such Persian sbawls, and
to wear them at the bail and receptions
in the Tuileries. -- .-. -a-L
The desire to possess such a precious
article of fashion led these ladies often
times to "corriger Ia fortune," aud to
obtain by some bold but not very credi-
table act, the possession ofsuch shawl,
which had now become in a certain
measure the escutcheon of the new
French aristOcraey.
The Duchess d. Abrantes, in reference
to this matter, relates two thefts which
at that time troubled the aristoeratic
society of the Tuileries, which prove
that the ladies had taken Instructions
from the gentlemen, and that dishonest
persons of both sexes were admitted in
to the society of heroes and their beauti-
ful wives IL -
THE Fl NO.. !.
| At a morning reception in the Tuiler-
! les, tho shawl of the Countess de st.
Martin had been stolen, and this lady
was very much distressed at the loss,
for this cashmere was not only present
from Madam Murat, but was one of un-
common beauty on account of the rari-
ty of the design, consisting of paroquets
in artistic groupes, instead of the ordi-
nary palm. The countess was therefore
untiring in recounting to every one her
irreparable loss. and uttered bitter
curses against the bold female who had
stolen her treasure.
"a few weeks later" relates the duch-
ess, ''at a ball given by the Minister
Talleyrand, the countess came toward
me with a bright countenanee and told
ME that she had just now found her
shawl, and strange to say upon the
shoulders of a young lady at the ball"
"But," said l to her, "you will not ac-
cuse this lady before the whole cOmpa-
nyr
"Aud why not r
because that would be wrong. Leave
this matter to me-"
"She would not at first, but pressed
the subject on her consideration, and
she agreed at length to remain some
what behind, while l approached the
young lady, who stood near the door,
and was just going to leave the ball
room. | told her in low voice that in
all probability she had made mistake;
that she had perhaps mislaid her own
cashmere, and had through carelessness
taken the shawl of the Countess de st.
Martin.
~ was as polite as could possibly ne
in such communicating; but the young
lady looked at me unpleasantly for such
an impertinent intrusion, and replied
that "since the time Countess de st.
Martin had deafened the ears of every.
one with the story of her stolen shawl,
she had ample leisure to recognize as
her property the cashmere she WORE"
Her mother, who stood few steps from
her, and was conversing with another
lady, turned toward her when she heard
her daughter speak in so loud voice.
But the Countess dc st. Martin, who
overheard that she had "deafened the
cars of every one with the story of her
stolen shaw, )" rushed to the rescue of
her case.
"yhis cashmere belongs to me-" said
she, heartily-seizing, at the same time,
the shawl with one hand, while the
young lady with her fist threw her back
Violently. ! saw that in moment they
would come to blows.
"It will be easy to end this difficult
tv,' said | to the Countess de st. Martin.
Madame will be kind enough to tell US
where she has purchased this shawl
which is so much like yours, and then
YOU will see your mistake, and be sat
isfed.'
"It does not suit me to tell where |
got this shawl replied the lady, look
inc at me contemptuously; there is no
necessity FOR me telling you where
purchased it,
"'Well, them exclaimed eagerly the
Countess de ST. Martin, You confess,
madame, that the shawl belongs to
youp
..The other answered witha sarcastic
smile, and then drew the shawl closer
to her shoulders. A few persons, at
tracted by the strangeness of such
scene, had gathered round us aud seem
ed 10 wait for the end of SO extraordl-
nary an event.
"The countess continued in a loud
voice:
well, then, Madame, since the shawl
belongs to you, you can explain to me
why the name Christine, which is my
first name, is embroidered in red silk on
the small edging. Madame Junot will
be kind enough to look for this name.
The young woman became pale as
death. / shall never, during my life,
forget the despairing look which she
gave me, as with trembling hand she
passed me the shawl, just as her father
appeared from room near the place OF
the scene. / took, the cashmere with an
unsteady hand, and sought reluctantly
for the name of Christine, for trusted
she would at least have taken it out, but
the deathly paleness of the guilty cEe
told the contrary, and in fact had no
sooner unfolded tie shawl than the
name appeared, embroidered in the mar
row edging.
"'Ahn at last exclaimed the coun-
tess, in a triumphant tone, Il have;
but as she raised her eyes to the young
woman, she was touched by her des-
pairing look. well, them cried she,
this is one of those mistakes which so
often happen. Tomorrow will return
your cashmere. We have exchanged
cashmeres,' said she, turning to, the
young Iady's father, who. surprised at
seeing her naked shoulders, gazed at
his daughter, not understanding the
matter. You will have the goodness to
send me my shawl Tomorrow added
she. noticing how the young woman
trembled.
I'VE returned into the ballroom, and
the next day the young lady sent TO the