Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-07-18

CONFESSIONS OF a FASHION EDITOR. Ma
dame Emeline Raymond editor of the fashion
Journal called the Mode lNustree, has published
an account of the hard work which she and her
fellow. workers are compelled to endure. Nor
herself she declares it is impossible to fulfill all
the commissions sent to her from the country
districts of France. Each day Of her life, she
says, her pen is diligently at work for not less
than eight hours. One error would draw down
half France and portion Of Europe on her.
Suppose that she permitted an outline of a
corsage, manteau, robe, or varieuse, to ap.-
pear, and it was found impracticable ndwould
not work! Imagination can barely conceive
the entang lement OF correspondence IN which
she would immediately find herself, with small
chance of escaping undlsgraced IT not ruined.
The manager Of a Mode lllustree, Madame
Raymond continues, must have her ingenuity
constantly alive. She must know what changes
are 10 the air TO give eclat to her reputation
she must even dare occasionally to invent. All
the plans for adorning the female person have
to be examined and tested by herself. She gives
audiences, she presioes over conferences OF
models and designers. She writes in an agree
able colloouial form the elucidation Of the en-
pravings-no easy business. There is perlodl-
cal supplementary issue of a prodigious map Of
designs Of a most involved character, but must
nevertheless, be instantaneously Ineligible to
the female eye; and this, also, Madame Ray.
mond has to superintend with the closest scru-
tiny.
Then comes list OF reaseigaep1eats, in which
she has to reply to the entreaties for specific
information Of the ladies of the Empire with
a mixture of maternal tenderness and authority.
For example, ''juenc file" is assured that the
tob1 for
her to wear; never are black satin paletots worn
in summer months witnesses to a marriage are
not bound to make presents. As if these oc-
cupations were not enough, Mdme. Raymond
takes the post Of literary governess, and writes
lessons for piano players. Her novel is evil
de0tly the lightest OF her tasks.
BRAZILIAN PoL1TENEss. The Braziians are
vastly polite-It would appear too excessively
so. They not only lift the hat to every lady in
the street and at the window, but to every
we'll dressed man. even though a stranger. ln
making visits among the sick, it is customary
TO shake hands with all the household. both
on entering and departing from the house; and,
if it is sobrado, or two-story mansion, where
the family always reside in the upper story,
the lady Of the house, or the daughter, always
stands at the head OF the stairs, and it IS the
custom to once more salute her, with hat in
hand. -..... c..s
The Brazilians seldom knock, at tho door,
as we do. They clap the palms OF the hands
together two or three times, which answers the
same purpose. They never enter an open
room without giving notice or asking leave
''cons 7izenzo ?''-among the most intimate
friends. In the streets they never call alter
each other, but attract the attention OF the
persons they wish to detain by q ':shu!" which
may be heard some distance. When lady
stops you in the street, which is unusual, it is
customary to stand with the hat off till she
tells you to put it on. Once on time, a
loquaclous sonora encou inferred, in the hot sun
shine on the street, a gentleman OF her lntl-
mate acquaintance, named Coe!ho-Rabblt-
and detained him some time, hat in hand,
without requesting him to put it on; and,
after asking about all the members OF the
family, one by one, added: lax: .;--.
You may be- sure that [ like all OF the Rab-
bits. - The gentleman, who was scarcely able
to support the noon-day heat, answered de-
murely:
Yes my sonora, and I see that you like
them roasted" ....... .... !
ON l. a.