New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-09
American ExtraVgance.

letter from Paris says that in one fore
noon three American families together spent
$4,000 francs "a 800) at the Grand Magazine
ia Louvre, aud that nilliuers, bonnet makers,
ladies' boot and shoe makers, and every shop
that ministers TO fashion In Paris, are coming
money principally upon American patronage.
recent shipment to one hrm in New York
comprised six hundred ball dresses, averaging
100. each, eight hundred averaging 60Of, a
thousand averaging 5O0f. each, and two thou.
sand priced each at $50. the phOts graph of
The six yards OF lace bought by Mrs. Senator
Sprague for about as many thousand dollars il
hung up publicly In the Paris shops, aud Pa
rlsians delight To declare thsc this fabric, which
Queen Victoria aud the Empress Eugene de-
ciared TO be too expensive for them, was quito
within the reach OF, aud not too expensive for,
the Wfe vi an American Senator. ALI this in
nOtst all to our credit. To have the reputation
abroad OF being weldressed people, would
be something very different and quite praise.
worthy. Such reputation would Indicate that
We had cultivated the artistic sense not in vain
Bat to have tue reputation OF being tue most
extravagant nation extant is equivalent to say
'ng that we are the most overdressed-or yul-
carly dressed-peOpe on the face OF the earth
The very Parlslans whom we think we initiate
pride themselves not IN the amount OF money
which they put into costume but rather on
the perfectly artistic effect VIII Ell they are able
10 produce with a very small outlay-iust
as they pride themselves upon bringing co
lnlmitable rdg0ut out of the remains Of
yesterdays meat, which an American Bird.
get would not tail to cast into the waste barrel
at the Kitchen door. The real French art in
dressing is to produce wonderful results from
comparatively small means. The failure of
Americans In the same art is in valuing cos
tune solely by its actual cost, no matter Row
hldeous or overdone. An American woman With
whom dress is all object, it not the object, of
existence, 10 proud OF her wardrobe in proper
4on U the immense amount OF money invested
Ia IT, Inc most exquisite costume which q
Farlsian modtSte could improvlse would bs
Vaiueless to her if she could obtain it at its
actual cost but the more enormous the profit
heaped upon 1t the more desirable il becomes
In her eyes. The result is that Partisan nod,stes
ana shopkeepers, perfectly aware of American
weakness and folly, heap on their PROFITS. sell
their cheap produce at the most exOrbitant
rates, and laugh behind their doors at the vul.
garIty and extravaganza OF Americans Nor
10 this triumph over our weakness confined to
Paris, or even Europe. The same game 10
practised ia Canada. A Montreal merchant
Informed Us that the shopkeepers know an
American purchaser the moment that he or she
enters tho shop. Tbs result is that thew gather
every year IA enormOu. harvest from the sum.
mer Yankee trade" by selling to them cheap
gods at exorbi,ant rates. The result OF all
this crude and extravagan: passion for display
Is that we are layishiy but not artistcallY
dressed people. Everywhere we see q tendency
toward " lOndness' aud excessive ornaments,
ton. - Brooklyn Uaioa.