Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-08
THE PERVLS OF DRESS

IdtcSt - HcN variety VI COuIt SSuSdllOL
it has furnished the gossips in the shape
of a lawsuit which is neither a murder
trial, divorce suit, nor q breach of prom
Use. This is suit brought by Mrs. Olivis
p. Flynt dressmaker, against MIR. A. L.
Coolidge, wealthy merchant, TO recover
bin of $l,91l.1l, the amount of bill fol
dIessmaking for his wife, who is leader
in Boston fashionable circles. The dresses
were delivered and worn, and when the
bill came, It was disputed as exorbitanl
by the husband of Mrs Coolidge. 1t s2
pears that Mr.. Coolidge called on Mrs.
Flynt TO demonstrate with Mrs. Flynt
upon the exorbitant amount of her bill,
but he met with so warm a reception
that he incontInently beat hasty
retreat. Then came letter from Mrs.
Flynt to Mrs. Coolidge, which illustrate:
the perils of disputing Boston fashiOna.
BILE dIess-maker's bill, and is at the same
time a model of impertinence and malice.
The following is the letter:
Mrs. Coolidge: Yesterday, regret to
say, l completely lost command of my
temper when Mr.. G. called about your
bill, and as l consider it every lady's duty
to apologize for any unladylike action
(whatever may be the provocatiOn,) | do
so with proper humility.
Now, Mrs. Coolidge, l have worked for
you number of years, and in that time
have you ever known me TO practice the
slightest deception, or do the least thing
in an underhand manperl | know Mrs.
Coolidge that your answer will be emphat-
ically that you never did, because l do
feel, after all my difficulty with you, that
you are q real, thorough, true-hearted
woman by nature. On that ground LET | 9
lcasOn.
am by nature q keen observer of hui
man character, and must say that it has
been with regret that have noticed the
change that your husbands acquisition of
wealth has made in what was real charm
TO me at leaSt) when you first came to
my rooms-so unassuming, so kind, so
little desire for display-or, as the term
goes, "getting into society,"" Had you
continued yourself, kept your own iden-
tity, how much easier to have drawn about
you people good and true-people that
you could have known were your friends,
made so by your own merit.
Your husband quotes several people as
authority for advice. For the present l
will only allude to the VS.. Why
did not Mr.. W resist the payment
of the bill l had against his wife For
The simple reason that he could not Mrs.
W makes all manner of sport of you,
and your husband. cannot say that he
docs, as | never heard him as / have her;
only know what she has said in here as q
repetition of his remarks, and ] could tell
you just what she said, and if you had
any reason to doubt my word could state
particulars so you could know that, as
she and you were the only paEtics
from the Revere House that he
knew or met, that there was no
other way for me to know the circum-
stances. They think themselves very
much your superiors, and only tolerate
you from policy, and advised Mr.. Cool
idge to do as he has simply to make him
appear ridiculous, which he dared not do
himself, and laughs as soon as Mr.. Cool
ilgc's back is turned. do not make the
above statement to hurt your feelings, but
as fact know to be true, and | write
it with the best of feeling, for have re-
sbected you very much, and the trouble l
have had with you seems more like q
dream than reality, coming as it has
when my oveItaxed brain could not re-
fnothor'C Nrvaifrhf without
great injury, and coming from you, so I'M
eXpectcdly, as well as undeservedly. l
shall never make one cent deduction from
my charges, as every charge can be fully
substantiated by my books and reliable
witnesses, as well as your former bills,
and if il is not paid within a few days
shall appeal to my certain tribunal, and
shall make it as public as possible, and
every person Mr.. Coolidge has quoted will
be summoned TO appear, and | shall be
supported by the wealthiest and most
influential, best cultivated ladies in BOs-
ton.
They have seen your bill and consider
it perfect outrage for you 10 come to
me knowing my prices, consume my best
time in the season, get my very best
HbOlSY hiiAtNi AhlSC llltkNllSSdN II BlNoNAAAlAi5
that your husband would pay the bill as
soon as. presented, and then presume 10
wear the dress boldly and in public, and
your bill unpaid.
Mrs. - furnished the means TO pay
for her dresses, although her work is not
vet completed, and consequently has not
received her bill Her bill was nearly
i four thousand from Jan. TO April /, and
will very far exceed that this season. She
says she is perfectly satisfied. That she
has found il much the Cheap pest to patron
iZe the best, and that she expects to pay
the very highest price for the best talent,
and that she wishes me to make enough
TO be above worrying or fretting about
anything, and SO as to afford recreation
and rest, 80 that when do work, she can
have the full benefit of my talent for de-
signing, for which she is SO willing to re-
munerate literally. She says that is what
she particularly appreciates, and the last
luxury she should expect to enjoy with
out paying honestly for. could quote
others her equals, and who are will
ing to support me with their testimony.
II is freely offered.
And, Mrs. Coolidge, il will be the very
best thing that ever happened for me.
One of the best reporters is a particular
friend of ours. The papers will b. glad
topublish such novel and interesting
trial, and it will be copied far AMI near.
Our lawyer is 4 very intimate friend of
Mr.. Fiynt's, and we will get the thing up
in good style, be assured.
How can You, Mrs. Coolidge, gaze up
on your own reflection in the mirror and
derive the slightest satisfaction from your
adornments, knowing that they are not
paid for, knowing, as you too well do,
how much time and thought | gave for
their construction.
Such a chang from Ia Mrs. \. L.
Coolidge of former days can - be.
There is some terrible illusion. Very re
sncctfullV, OLIVIA i. FLYNT.