Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-03-01
THE DEMI-MONDE OF PARIS.
How They Set the Fashfons---Their Ex-
travagance and SplendOr.
Paris Letter In the N. Y. World.

How They Set the Fashfons---Their Ex-
travagance and SplendOr.
Paris Letter In the N. Y World
AS to their dress, it is wellknown
fact that many leading fashions are
first introduced to the gay world from
the boards of some leading Partisan
theatre where the society drama is the
order of the day. The ladies of the
Gymnase and of the Vaudeville might
vie with those who pay their respects
to Nine. MacMahon on her reception
days in the matter of elegant toilets.
The dresses worn by Blanche Pierson,
in recent revival of " La Dame aux
Camellas " were said to have cost ST.
5OO, exclusive of the lace, price that
would represent cost of at least three
times as much in New York. And her
Brussels lace founces, held back by
garlands of white camelias on train
OF white satin, would not have been
dlsdained by a royal bride. The poaure
OF diamonds which she wore in the
same play was magnificent. Schnei-
der's diamonds have been estimated at
$4,000, her necklace alone being val
ued at $4,000, and her solitaire ear
rings at $4,000. Mile. Fromentin, in
the comedy of ''Gilberte," at the Gym
nase, last year, changed der dress three
tunes, each costume being more exquis-
lite than the last. The beautiful Angelo
IN the same piece wore two superb
costumes, and Mile. Delapore had on
Japanese toilet that was a very marvel
of richness and originality. And by the
laws of Partisan theatres all costumes Of
the present day must be furnished by
the performers themselves. This fact,
combined with the very low rate Of sal
aries paid to members of the theatri-
cal profession in Paris is a powerful
incentive to vice. 1t is recorded that
Aimee Desclee, the most popular
French actress of her day, received at
the very height of her fame a salary of
two hundred dollars week. Out of that
she had to furnish her dresses for such
plays as "Frou-Frou" and ola Dame
aux Peries." And poor Mile. Desclee,
whose untimely death is still matter
of regret even to the tickle public of this
most capricious of cities, was that rara
ans in the French boards, a woman of
undoubted purity of conduct, so that
she had no opportunity or supplying
her wardrobe from outside sources.
The ranks of the denpa-mo1ade of Paris
receive large reinforcements from for
eign countries and from the provinces.
Idleness, home troubles, the tempta-
tons of luxury and Incidence lure
many a young French country girl to
her ruin. Many Of the impure celeb
rites of the day are foreigners, and I
regret to say that among them are to
be found several Americans. Cora
Pearl, as is well known, is an English
woman. The celebrated Nine. Musard
is an American, as is also the heroine
of the Russian diamond scandal at
present one of the leading notorieties
of Paris. With her may often be seen
a beautiful woman, once well known in
fashionable circles of New York An
other American lady Of great beauty,
once a reigning belle in the most ex-
elusive circles of one Of your large
cities, has been installed by the gener-
osity of a compatriot in very elegant
hotel of her own. A lady of title, the
member of one Of the noblest houses
Of England, is the chere annie of Span
ish nobleman, residing not a stones
throw from the Champs Elysees.
The luxury and splendor displayed
by some Of the reigning queens of this
evil society are almost beyond belief. [
have already spoken of the diamonds
of Mile. Schneider Her superb hotel
on the Avenue del 'Imperatrice is just
finished. The diamonds of Mile. Du-
verger, which were sold by their pos
SCISSOR at auction last winter, brought
her sum of 100000. The apartments
of Mile. Lossony, an actress of small
celebrity, situated on the Place Ven
dome, (the most extravaganza quarter
of Paris, by the way,) were devastated
by fire last spring. The lady saved
her jewels, but her loss on furniture,
dresses, etc., was estimated at $4,000.
Among other objects destroyed were
enumerated pictures by Gerome and
Meissonnier, a counterpart Of fine
Mechlin lace, a ceiling formed of an
tique tapestry and valued at $4,000,
and thirty dresses of the most gor-
geous description. And sad to say,
the chef d'oeuore of the lamented Hen
ri Regnault, his celebrated Solome,"
is IN the possession Of one Of these
ladies, and is in consequence lost to the
lovers of art at large.