The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-03-31


Annie Louise Cary, modest in expendi-
ture, says that her wardrobe for last year,
although she is not by any means the
gorgeous creature whom Worth dresses,
cost $4,000.
From that, says correspondent, we
may get starting point. American
actresses dress more extravagantiy than
any women in the world. The foreign
ers who appear before the American
public usually come plainly dressed, but
they are made to understand that cos
tuning IS part of their art Mme
Gerster has been wearing the same
clothes ever since her first appearance
here, not that she is accused of never
having had new dress, but that she
has not had a new wardrobe. The
cantatrice and her husband are said TO be
a prudent pair. and Nine. Etelka puts
her money in bank instead of wearing
it on her back.
At the Cincinnati Opera Festival
Nine. Patti wore Nile-green satin, en-
broidered in red and gold, and trimmed
with Marechal Neil roses. She wore al.
OF her diamonds, and if she had been
sold In a lump, counting the treasury of
100000. Satin and diamonds were
not always the attire of Salvatore PATHS
daughter. In the days gone by, when
her voice, ii not technique, was as glori-
Gus as now, when she and Vieuxtemps,
who afterward reaped golden harvests
also, and reigned in Paris as the greatest
living violinist, with Amelia PATTI
Strakosch formed the little concert
troupe that travelled through provincial
towns, poor Adelina had but few gowns
and she had to make them herself. The
green satin gown she wore at her last
appearance in Cincinnati could not have
cost less than 81 900, and stage wear is
trying on clothes.
There is no more pathetic chapter in
Emma Abbott's early struggling career
than her efforts to make q good stage
appearance with her poor muslins and
cheap laces. There has been silly at
tempt to cry down the strong endeavors
of this artist whose work is her con-
science, but a woman must have a voice
as well as q will to face concert-room
as she has done in shabby clothes. Hon.
or the brave little singer.
Mrs. Florence is said to give carte
blanche to the French dressmakers. and
the results are beautiful. The most
thoroughly well-dressed woman on any
stage was probably the Polish actress,
Nine. Modjeska. She had real genius
for clothes. She had, indeed, the deli.
cate and striking beauty of Polish
women, and there were no defective
points to conceal. Her arms were long,
but very beautiful. She dressed ex,
quisitely in public and in private. Even
during the disagreeables of q rough
ocean voyage, she was always marvel
ously costumed. One day, as she walked
the deck, when the wind was blowing
great guns-for she is VIGOROUSLY the
best sailor on every ship on which she
Travels gentleman remarked upon the
serviceable simplicity of the dress she
wore. "Mon Dieu," she said, "this
serviceable simplicity cost me 1000
francs" What the ornamental elegance
cost her may be left to the imagination
and Worth.
Sarah Bernhardt, like Rachel, is ex-
tremely difficult to dress, and no art in
the world can make her look we'll in full
dress. The long. rumpled Bernhard
gloves were invented to conceal her at
tchuaIcu atuo StIluSo u pearls hui
diamonds cover her angular neck, but
her physical defects cannot be CLOSED
over when she is in grand toilette.
AS Sarah Bernhard is too thin for full
dress, so Mile. Croizette. her rival, is
too fat. Fanny Davenport, once the
glory of the stage dressmakers, has
reached that point when art has to be
called in to make stout woman look
slim. She no longer wears the pretty
pale blue boys costume in "As You
Like it," that was so captivating ten
years ago. Now she is as sober as Jenny
Wren herself; but somber browns and
blacks do not altogether conceal her
middle-aged embonpoint.
The inability TO make over stage
dresses is one explanation of the excess
i've cost of wardrobe for the boards.
They are made with double rows of sew.
ing and strong seams. The various
Paintings, fallings and embracings get
the waists out of shape, the trains be-
come soiled and raveled, and at the end
of the season a 81 900 costume is only
fit for the rao-bao.