New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE

A HISTORIC LACE DRESS.
ITS ROMANCE AND MYsTERY-rHE REVIVAL OF
LOST AWT.
To the EDITOR OF The Trtb"ns.
SIR: A box of laces now in the Custom house IL
attracting attention and inquiry. 1t contains. among
things lace dress of exquisite beauty with fouhce
and shawl Of corresponding pattern. This box was iei
unredeemed IN q pawubrokcrs shop IN Washington
Know ledge OF Its valuable contents coming 10 the
Treasury Department II was sent TO the Cnstomhouse
here for keeping until should come forward
claim IT, II ia shrewdly suspected that these cosby
laces have been brought into this country Tree OF ouy
and the owner knowing he has cheated the revenue
afraid appear II the surnise proves true the faces
Will connscaed and sold at auction story Is tod
that gives romantic interest to TINS ysteriouS Treasure
II is remembered that when Louis Napoleon was at te
hgat of his power and his Empress dictated fashions ~
France and France to the world Eugene wished 10 ca
courage the industrial arts and taste for the oeanu
IA we'll Among other things she offered fabulous sum
for the revival Of certain kind OF lace which had long
been among the lost arts Thcreupon certain ars'' III
lace set to work TO ts lost stitch and a'tcF long
search and tedious experiments having found IT, they de
te,nned 10 plead for its revival in dress OF marvel
ous fneness for their fair sovereign Frenchme are
given to nomenclature, aud they soon also ueciaeu hA
the euphon.ous OF Mono should be pcrpc'iatoi III
this re-rrected Grt The work OF years was deVoe ~
maiing this royal robe. Tie lace-makers apofeo aFCn
their cobweb, spending day and night IN me damp ee
lars that are OF necessity the lacenakers Workshop dry
air might have been grateful TO Ucir lun@s ana
more wholesome for their bodies but alas II would nave
rendered their gossamer threads too brittle and So they
woye health and Sunshine and life itself into the "eo ~
fore them-thiJ lovely Mont,io dress. BIT WINE 'heg
worked and the years passed changes came ." fTace
The war came and the Empire fell Eugene was I'M
crowned IN exile widow Ind finally, when the mar
yelos Carmen. completed she VINO had eonjured UP
the fairy thing little money and less heart to pni-
chase IT,
Thus far is history. What done with this dress has
been matter OF frequent conjecture since Aniho" inc
story goes-and with air Of piohabity-tat tls MS
torc robe fashioned for the Empire, has tounh i'5 way
from one repdb to another and part Of thc contents
nj .lc crce uarcr box now III the Cdsorlh9usc Ger.
IA py The Cres skirt ed there H. OF @ f"icss ano
IN Sti,.es IA ~ ,,,.t orc crnt:-i,s old Tfn
fii alton is rJ,GIn, ,ned like Lyons six Iic yet ~
f:ner and thinner ihan ARREST nlnie trr c, r. en-
ront ac-,yroig n,.c, be II r,incnbeel, not IIoIeb
mrut oG e.; n leaf cnsincA therein next this is bsnl
IN. Insertion Of Eukn0@I stitches, repre- = n~
c,s desn cOvarilg the sKrt unHam 10 ne Niisi win
all dropping A,"rs-fuehsf', harrhc a. con- "isni;
clusters Of ny oSO;iE, the %ace'll Ho|Nr i"t.lo :"
le,acg ana Of the field grea, o,c colla az, "a e.,
s,ariy aenr de is proud lily Of France Thrre are
cy"r.l yards o! 49, sil't ard 80 eds are hhi.s" +,
l2 open over SATIN veyet i Is Ion ;cr than tire s'i5
of women of average hight Fhe ace0npaiyD f.ahe
is h.f = var dc and lko The shawl rrpe4is tue H1.al
deyic, oi tie dress. = ti;led spanish laiY' iaihl-
,r viii, Iu~-Tcin CCdrt. has eyamircd tl,s
! fgcss pra..plucrs II ~ great value, lin@Es III
ne ~ rd I,i ~al o. $1,000. and slgs il deserves
TO he u,i a., altar Lee al s0u;c rich cathedral Another
I'm In ms hp. d. q shawl If Wh'' Oriental :al;zr
co"ar with x embroidery done in such !arty si.cArs
thai uyOn a casual glance !. is ms ,A'h lor phiuIS
ach .5 sern IN .rlcsy roaeS I:c ,oioiS ~. rs ~,
c.fn rs those that decorate SfyreS ch'na. iAe
cout,r IL covered with tbs floral prOusOn wstefis
pale roses Provence, hcli1tro C. ac;.iG ana irits
I rs bor,ier IS positive marvel Ana WIN az th'S
.nrk ne shawl Is line tina! j could easily h' dl"
through w.id ncring. The other contents q! zee 6OA
ar. ,na VI and foincc Of point APPLIQUE, Eould ii
handGt r.icf. AID lace for gd1uc' Win inHhN fiiI
.ol,r whom does II al belOneE ~" can COY
t1s latest stcly in tho history Of pd"nsops and "a
! custoni-2 -
kcyr- Yo,E. -, 1875.