News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-03-02
How Worth's BilPs We're Paid.

Mrs. Hooper in the Philadelphia
Telegraph says: The Empress was
dressed for time by Madame Vignoni,
but findine1 that each of her dresses
was copied and reproduced some hun
dred times over, she resolved to try a
new artist. Hence she went to Worth,
and was so pleased with his skill and
taste that she speedily contracted bill
of some $4,000. This hill, when sent
in, was submitted to the Emperor
Now Napoleon Ill, with all his gener-
osity, could do mean thing on occa-
sion, so he drew his pen across the bill,
wrote a check for just half the amount,
and instructed his chamberlain to de-
mand a receipt in full. Warned by
this experience, Worth sent in his &C.
counts to the leading ladies of the
Court, and found that, though they
were exceedingly ready to run up bills,
some of which had been standing for
years, they were by no means ready to
pay them. In fact, sort of combina-
ton was formed, whose watchword was,
"No settlement with Worth |" What
was the unfortunate dressmaker to do :?
He could not very we'll sue those recall
citrant princesses and duchesses, some
of whom were the wives of ambassa-
doris, and so beyond the reach of the
law; while if he commenced proceed
ings against the rest he would 1nfalli-
bly, lose the custom of the Court and
ruin himself in the process. Yet the
sums owing to him were by no means
trifing. One lady's bill amounted to
$4,000 another to $4,000, and there
was scarcely one Of the Court bellies
that owed him less than $40, 1000.
In this dilemma he hit upon an ex-
pedient worthy of down east Yankee
or Philadelphia lawyer. One morn
ing the newspapers of Paris announced
that, owing to financial complications,
Messrs. Worth and Bobergh (there were
two of them in those days. had dis
posed of their business to NJ. X, of
Vienna. M. x made his appear
anoe, took charge of the establishment,
and at once set himself to the task of
collecting all outstanding bills, matter
which he achieved without much diff
Guilty. This weighty financial opera
ton once completed, q second paragraph
appeared in the newspapers to the eff
feet that the negotiations with Nj.
X, of Vienna, having failed to reach
a satisfactory conclusion, Messrs
Worth and Bobergh would be forced to
continue to carry on their business
themselves. 1 do not think that M.
Worth ever found so much difficulty in
collecting his bills again, though there
is legend current of how certain
eccentric lady of rank, who owed him
far more than she could pay, COM
pounded matters with him by taking
him to the opera with her. AS the
lady in question then occupied one of
the most prominent boxes in the house,
the talk excited by this action on her
part was something tremendous. Even
in these later days / have heard of one
of his forewomen being present at a
State bail at the Palace of The Elysee,
given under the Presidency of Marshal
de MacMahon, her invitation ticket
having been procured III the same man
ner and for the same reasons as was the
seat in tho opera-box for the head of
the house. Verify it is moi a bad thing
to be leading Partisan dressmaker.
There are not so many rs one wonld |
think. Worth keeps his olden suprem-
acy alter all these years by dint of his
exquisite eye for color and his marvel |
lous fertilisy Of invention. The great !
trouble of The other houses is that they !
stereotype their styles. You will see
Mrs. BIS blue dress repeated in green
for Mrs. A., and in garnet-red for Mrs. |
O., and in chestnut brown for Mrs. d.. |!
end so on through all the alphabet ard |
the bues of the rainbow. ]
ANuTCu 10 ualInp, Il