Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-03
NO. 26O.
miscellaneous.
THE AUTOCRAT OF FASHION.
\ NISlr 10 THE MAN Who IIoLps MILL
IONS OF WOMEN UNDER HIS SWAY.


There is sacred shrine in Paris tn
which all ladies endowed with taste and
money (and one is no use without the 9TH
er) desire 10 make pilgrimage. 1t
stands in the Rue de Ia PaiN, and five let
ters only are inscribed over the door.
Those five letters comprise the magic
name of Worth" 1t is perhaps impos-
sible Tor one of the inferior sex TO enter in
to the emotions which thrill through the
female mind on first approaching this
Mecca of their sex. The great high
priest within is visible only 10 few Ia
vored worshiperS. but. provided the pill
grim arrives with due tribute and offer
ingS i'll her hands. she need not fear to
cross the sacred threshold Attendant
nymphs will receive her and conduct her
To the inner chambers, where the great
goddess Dress receives daily her throngs
oi worshipers.
Ii the nocphyte comes in humble
frame OF mind, coniessing her ignorance
and seeking for enlightenment. she will at
once be put upon the right path. If, on
the other hand. her head is full other own
desires and conceits, no word ot counsel
will be offered her. The presiding gen
ius dsdans 10 offer suggestions when they
l
tit of his knowledge and experience YOU
must show that You have come TO he
taught. not to teach. This dress should
be taken in here and let out here" said a
rash American lady once to Mr. Worth.
who was graciously pleased to superintend
the momcntous operation of trying on.
Madame y said he, Il am obliged to You
for your advice. and vour ideas shall be
carried out" And so they were. but she
never saw Mr.. Worth again. One must
not dictate to the dictator
IL was, trust. with q becoming scnti-
mcnt of awe that ascended the staircase
of this renowned abode of the graces, in
company with two good friends of mine
who are among the initiated, and who are
even enrolled on the precious list entitled
to be ushered into the presence of Worth
himself think II must have been the
Marquise de Carrabbas who received us
at any rate she was n splendid creature
with diamond locket round her neck and
beautiful rings on her fingers. and dress
l-ye gods what a dress, do not ask me to
describe it, for cannot. any more than
can describe the starry heavens at mid
night; but this know, that it was the
most beautiful in hue aud shape and that
the train thereof was as the tail OF comet
The wearer of this dress was graceful and
good-looking. and if am any Judge of
such matters, she had n charming figure
When one has gone much To and fro in
the world, the truth comes home TO the
mind that after all il has nothing better to
show than perfect female figure. Max
ing good use of my eyes, therefore Gas it
would become every man to do placed in
similar circumstances), | followed the
l.,l.. ....T.N q 4
several rooms, where ladies' sat in solemn
silence. regarding attentivclv the endless
variety of silks and satins spread before
them. Scarcely word could be heard !;
if anybody spoke il was in whisper
Presently we reached another room. where
we were left alone for "A few minutes, and
then there entered the great Mogul him
self the maker of fashions for half the
women in Europe. Scarcely ANYBODY YOU
see is like what YOU imagined him to be
how people used TO be disappointed. tor
instance. with the appearance of Charles
Dickens
How astonished, even dsmayed, the
admirers of Tennyson are when they first
set eyeys upon him. Mr.. Worth was not
all that fancy painted him; in fact, he was
nothing more than shrcwd. active. bus
iness-like looking man, with a head so
like the portraits of Oliver Goldsmith that
doubtless the resemblance has often been
commented upon He shook hands with
my friends. and when asked how he was
he declared that he was 'assassinatedn bv
the hot weather, and almost overwhelmed
with work. He had on an alpaca coat
with pins stuck in and near the collar
for use in the exercise Of his craft
and a red neck.ie which bore marks
of the "assassinating' weather Every
instant one or the other of the attendants
came in 10 ask him question or receive
an order. Il am run down on every side, :"
said he; lat this moment four ladies are
waiting for me to see their dresses tried
on. But do not 60 away-conle with me -
Thus saying he led the way to an apart
ment which seemed to be the inner sane
tuary, for an a9iche warned off all intrud-
ers. a portiere was pulled aside, and
there was suddenly revealed what looked
like 'lay figure" standing upon pc
destal ip the middle Of the room. with
several female attendants bustling actively
round about it. Towards this object Mr.
Worth advanced with quick steps, and the
figure moved. and even turned its head !;
and then | saw that it was real live wo-
man. one Of the ladies of the establish
titht W Ho WIS HdNiDg Il uTF5S tTieu on Dy
way of experiment before it was shown
to the customer. She too, had bewitcl,-
ing figure, but Of course | fixed nv at
tention upon the dress aud regarded not
the wcarer.
The attendants fell back when Mr..
Worth approached and stood in respec-
ful group near the young woman on the
pedestal. The master himself cast rap
id glance over the work Of art which had
been produced under his direction, and
then ne began sticking in pins almost as
rapidly a the eye could follow him, and
tearing out others which less skillful
hands had already placed in the dress.
Presently he called TOR the ''pattern book, -
and turned over many samples before he
found the exact trimming which he wanted.
He tried the effect of this by placing it on
the dress, and then resumed his work OF
pinning or unpinning-like a sculptor who
was engaged in putting the finishin.
touches to lis statue. The dress itsei7
was beautiful object, but not too beauti.
full for the charming young lady who il
destined to wear it-Miss Vanderbilt.