The New York herald., 1869-03-14
PARIS FASHIONS.


spiritualism in High Lfe-How tho Lenteu
Season Is Osserved-Toilcss Of the Enpressel
Of France aud Austria-An Aristocrasie
Weddins-W Bir<hday-The ball
nc tho Grand Hstsi-Incideut ~ a Fancy
Dress Ball.
PARIS, Feb %, 1soo
Nobody has been poisoned In high life this week.
and since an American lady eloped with Q Neapoli-
tan count we have had no eccentricity 70 discuss
but that OF the Princess Beauvan. who stan continues
to believe that like Joan Of Arc abe b In direct
munication with the spirits In heaven, and puts
pieces OF paper down on special tombs for them 10
como and write on-a thing they always do In nne
upstrokes and no d0wRstr0kes. Every time she gets
note Of this kind she has to pay the postage thereof
to medium BY the name OF Allan Kardec and It u
rumored that the charge for stamps from above u
preposter0us. Some people assume that II u rather
good speculation to be medium. But 90 few In lie
are fitted for it Thus, kind Of Robert Houdin. one
Of those conjurors who show you canary In . cage,
blow 1t. shut 1t up tell you to close your eyes,
slap your back and finally ask you to put your hands
in your coat pocket, where you nnd the canary;
those are not the sort Of men. however clever, who
are ht to conjuro down the spirits. There must be
no facetiousness about medium, and man who
slaps Ones back or stomach BY way Of illustration
during an argument is not nt to interpret the ro-
quirements OF departed society. medium must,
as In Allan Kardecs case be aesthetic, have had din
culties with creditors have lost few fortunes and
acquired history.
Not later than last week comtesse lost oil faith
In medium OF established reputation for an an
achr0nism Of which he was guilty. She asked the
spirit Of Saint Catharine lpatroness OF virgins)
whether spotless old maid was more agreeable in
the sight Of the elect than that OF man. The reply
was "Zut" Now 1t was obvious to the c0mtesse
that this modern exclamation, so expressive OF the
boulevard gamin, could not have proceeded from
Saint Catharine. In whose time this dialect was not
invented; it was evidently lapsus Hngss0 Of the
medium himself and he was discarded. Every one,
however, has not the perspcacity Of the comtesse.
They 60 on believing spirits and rappngs for years
and years. TILL like the princess they come up before
the tribunals and find bills OF attorney and so on,
more expensive than postage to the other world
dinners and Lenten concerts, The former are iept
up furOusy by the ENJOYS Of the conference, each
turn having invited each other and the banquet s to
ference has promoted one thing more than another
1t has been iced champagne and the cook OF tho
Jockey Club: AS to the concerts II has always been
'0rands pstI" Of the Conservatoire live when 1t u
not Lent. The numbers that come to light after Ash
compared 20 the Iocusts Of Egypt each holding q
fiddle. 1t is cloud in fashionable circles. They
are all stringing their instruments-some IN the
style OF the classics, some In the style Of Ofen-
Meanwhile company interprets the warning .duss
gold and crystal and ana rice s1 powder, % % and While %
the .gr%Gnds % priI" are all performing they
amateurs coats This is called Lent; this and turbot
with shrimp sauce; this with lobster pate; this with
may0nnaise OF salmon and trufies. must not
toilet worn BY the Empress at the last Tulleries
She was one blaze Of gems ou. had no. one in her
for her Majesty's head OF which the secret Is un-
known to her bald subjects. The Empress' luxu-
she mad nothing but very wide parting on her head
few weeks ago. where now the capillary system
has bristed up roots and on the occasion aliude to
her hair was 30 thick that 1t formed t0quet from
which proceeded q bunch OF curs OF SO light and
ieatherke nature that they are BY specialists called
Of the brain ooze out INTO the curIs. TINS extreme
simplicity OF headdress was compensated by the dis
play have mentioned OF crown diamonds and gems
IN the Empress private collection which were scat
tered ell over her toilet Of mourning gray. They
sh0ne, they rippled, they sparkled IN Masses In
climbed, they ciuns ana on ner neck formed net
work which covered her sh0ulders II the reason
OF this regal exposition Is inquired into can favor
the inquistive with the communication that there
II just shade Of w0manly emulation In the En-
press bosom, and grand accounts OF the Empress Of
q nutter among our Pompadours, du Barrys, M
non de FEncios, DO. Eugene thought she could
"d0v that style too.
Your readers shall Judge whether the Empress OF
Austria's toilet was not worthy OF envy. They must
first be informed that Elizabeth OF Austria dehcate
vaporous her whole appearance dtstin0ae-a thing
every woman cannot be. Over an underskirt OF
white noatedIwell, yes, n waved tunic q
the wings OF the Indian beetel 1t was .
toilet for heroine OF the Arabian Nights and
IL was manufactured by the late Chevaier de Frise
who thought OF this dress on his dying bed with re-
gret that he had not lived long enough TO see It on
OF mind, fortunately How very wicked to leave this
world with vision Of Indian beetles. only ejacu-
IN ssd
writer being 70 follow readers thoughts For this
reason win further satisfy their inward cravings
toes, and new evening headdress The latter can
be summarily despatched-it Is hat. Tne Princess
de Metternch set this fashion on the rst OF her re-
ceptions at the Austrian embassy. She wore q
round blue satin one trimmed with tea roses; her
nchu OF tulle with this was dotted over with blue
butterflies; her panier was q sky-bue satin, also
strewed with tea roses over . white tue undertram
and skirt.
the second appearance Of this coifrure was on
three-cornered hat on one side TO the small shep-
herdess shape. This marquise has just returned
from Algiers, her former elegance increased BY all
sorts OF Algerian innovations. do not appreciate
the cooked hat on any chicken hearted live thIng, be
u woman or student from st. Cyr IN his teens But
have the navy In waiting and must say word about
the splendid wedding OF young seaman, M. Albert
de Chabannes, with bis cousin Marie. The BRIDE
groom wore his uniform, % lieutenant. The Same
we have seen on the stage In ia Joie Fait Peur."
but poezed for theatricals BY being much too tight
whereas M. Aberts looked rather loose. The bride
wore tremendous train Of white satin, trimmed all
round with swans down, the same round the high
bodice and sleeves. She " but sixteen, and her veil
was OF tulle. Sprays Of orange blossoms chung In her
hair and formed diadem in front. His mother,
whose maiden name was Mile. Choiseul Praslin,
now Countess de Chsbannea, was in saphis blus
p0ult. She wore q casaque Of the same shade,
. velvet and blue hat, with white marabout The
Vic0mtesse de Ohabannes was In 3 red Van Dyck
velvet with an immense train, the casaque OF the
same was tight and trimmed with lace, the panier
was double, over which fell satin ends with whito
fringe; her bonnet Of black lace was ornamented
with red ruby aigreste. The receptions at the Ma