The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-04-18
PARIs. March u. 1Sf

III. sE
PARIS, March q, 1868.
No sooner has the 21st of March
heralded Spring over Paris than there
Is a run on tr0usSequr Some girls
think the best part of matrimony is
the rousseau; in fact, not only the
having and the ordering, but the dis
playing of it'll have been favored
this week with the exhibition of one,
and left the residence IN which, it was
laid out with ideas far too elevated
and = stuck up" tosbe appreciated by
young brides. I was made aware Of
this by aa awful lady in red velvet,
who was spying over a table full of
pocket 1andkerchiefs through an eye
glass and ventilatiBg her beWilder-
ment over the beauty Of every one Of
them with phrases expressive of won
der that women there are IN the
world who do marry with less than
twelve dozen fancy nlOuchOiTs. | was
spiteful enough to observe that out of
the twelve dozen before US, there was
not thread to be styled comfortable
in case of a cold-uet a handkerchief
available for useful purposes. The
old lady eyed me with disdain, and
said that brides did not have colds in
France capital hint to. unmarried
parties.
There were also twelve dozen petit
coats. In the same way as we wear.
long and short dresses, full and mar
row skirts, there were half dozens Of
each, with pleated, gofered and in
serted founces, some with inserted
widths. All were gored. down the
front width-a cut destined to prevail
for. some seasons. - Every variety of
muslin, jaconet and white calico was
employed for the different purposes a
petticOat or underskirt can be requir-
ed for; the plainest were worked with
embossed thick embroidery. A great
number were frilled with five or six
rows round the bottom, and this style
is 10 great favor on. cOlored silk un-
derskirts also.-
l was just specializing What would
be the probable dimensions of the
wardrobe that was to contain the
twelve dozen -starched and got up
ready for wear, when I was Familiarity
tapped on the left shoulder, and a
voice asked me if Lhad seen the great
grandmother 'sdozen. [ was not sure
if j had, so allowed myself to be
dragged back to the great handker-
chief table Here" said my inform
ant, Isl curious specimen of French
taste and ingenuity" The brides
great grandmother had Inherited In
her.time- some old Mechhn lace and
embroidery 1t laid by and came
down as a yellow Heirloom to the
bride. Heavy-thread, of.the antique
material : has beenAemployed in the
fabrication of this unique dozen. On
examining the handkerchiefs I found
that the escutcheons, c6rOnets and
initials were in truth applied on Tire
primitive lace foundation.which was
nothing but an artisticatpatchwo
Of squares, sesput together that the
seams were invisible-all contrived to
look like a pattern. Lilies, Tyres,
garlands of cobwebg lightness. were
thus sewn together, each handker-
chief preserving its particular pattern
all over. This. is one of the best feats
a woman's needle can achieve
The bridal robe is forthcoming,
butsbefore [ quite leave the handker-
chief subject [ will, son this occasion,
sayEhat Is tO-be fashionable in this
line all the ensuing season. The
Duchess neouchOjr is trimmed round
with Valencienhes shells, that is, lace
gat hered so as to form the shell pat
ternall round. The Vatican n1Ouchoir
has -colOred garlands on lawn. The
Metternich nIOuch0ir is of fawn coll
ored lawn with white lawn all round
on Whichfruit and flowers are worked
in natural tiDts. Gentlemens' roses
me down strong on photograph
nymphs, thoroughbreds, ballet dancers
AMI dogs.
But to return to the t-0usseou; the
bridal robe was made of white gros
grain. There was a deep crepe hOunce
round the bottom headed by a ruche,
on which runs a Gordon of orange
flowers clingingup every seam to the
waist and crossing @like epaulettes
over each sleeve. I cannot say I like
to see a bride S robe in a rousseau; it
looks spectral-like without the wearer.
and rather reminds one. as il hangs
listlessly, of some one who has gone
than Of some gleeful maid coming.
turned away from the dropping
shadowy folds and to a lovely ball
Iress. Il was "a ruby satin UNDER
skirt. over, which q lustrous white 4
gauze. trimInedrwith several rouleaux 4
of white satin, and on the sides were
inserted ladders of white satin rou-
leau.eon the spslrs of which ruby and
diamond snaps. The same gems were
on the low shoulders and waistband
for the hair there was poutf Of white
satin under a shower Of shooting dia-
mOnds and rubIes.
A livery servant kept station near