Middletown transcript., 1882-03-03

" OAlAOAAOAy gay youuS oONCACiSLl1 NOdAShS
ing in giving and going to balls, and il
e all other forms of social enjoyment. A
e fancy ball in particular was her delight
}, One of the court balls costumes repro
t duced the court and parsonage of the
= early years of Louis XVI's reign, the
: Queen of course, appearing as Maria
Antoinette, dress in which she looked
a exceedingly well. The high powdered
l cOiffure and high-heeled shoes lent to
her stature some additional and needed
height, and the soft white of the
= powder set off to advantage her fresh
complexion and sparkling blue eyes.
In her early days Queen Victoria was
quite pretty young woman, and she
found a natural and womanly enjoy
ment, no doubt, in the adulation and
admiration that are always the need of
even fair amount of good looks in a
youthful female sovereign.
Probably the greatest female dress
maker that ever dwelt in a palace was
the Empress Eugene. Not that she
cut out and sewed her gowns herself,
but wearied out by the inability of the
court dressmakers to carry out her
ideas, she caused regular dressmaking
establishment to be installed in the
upper story of the Palace of the Tu-
ileries, directly over her own private
suit of apartments. Silks, satins, laces,
velvets, trimmings, were purchased by
the wholesale by specially appointed
agent, whole battery of sewing
machines and battalion of operatives
were installed, together with cutters
out, filters, etc.-the whole personnel,
in fact, of first-class dressmaking es-
tablishment. A trap door, cut in the
floor of the principal work room, COM
municated with the boudoir of the
Empress beneath, its outlines being
skillfully dissimmulated amongst the
ornaments and mouldings of the cell
ing. Through this trap-door manikin,
modelled with great care after the
figure of the Empress, could be lowered
at will for that lady's inspection. 1t
was mounted on wheels, and when the
toilette was completed, one of the ladies'
in-waiting used to draw the manikin
by cord around the room, so that the
Empress could judge of the effect of the
dress when its wearer was in motion. |
One of the dresses made up in this
imperial work-room never was worn in
public, yet became widely celebrated.
1t had its origin in bit of womanly |
pique. The Countess Castiglione, that |
exquisite italian who was the reigning
beauty for several seasons at the court
of the Tuileries, and who was perfectly
beautiful from head to foot, was once
heard to remark sneeringly, respecting
the Empress, that she had pretty face,
but that her figure, deprived of the
advantages of crinoline and ample
draperies, would show to decidedly i'll
advantage. This speech was repeated
to the Empress, and she at once re-
solved to prove to her lovely rival that
she was mistaken. A grand fancy ball
was shortly to be given at one of the
foreign legations, and the Empress set
about cOncocting her costume at once.
She was to appear in the character of
Diana. The material, ordered ex-
pressly for the occasion from Lyons,
was heavy silken Grape of pale green
hue, interviewer in some miraculous
manner with flashes of silver. The
tunic, clasped on the shoulder with
that vast and peerless diamond, the
Regent, was of the briefest. The
girdle was of diamonds and emeralds,
the bow a quiver of silver studded with
brilliants. A crescent of the largest
diamonds in the crown jewels of France
blazed above the Empress's brow. In /
this guise the beautiful Eugene entered
her boudoir on the night of the ball, as
lovely and as little clad as an antique
statue, and presented herself before the
gaze of her imperial husband. The ,
Emperor took but one look, but that |
look was quite sufficient. A scene en-
sued, as matter of course. The EN-
peror vowed that she should not appear 6
in that dress in any ballroom what
soever, and the lady declared that she I
a0ould, or that she would not appear at !
all. Finally, the husband conquered,
and the indignant and bafled beauty. 9
shrouded from head to foot in loose !
domino of blue satin, fitted twice or 2
thrice through the ballroom at the I
embassy, and then retired on the plea :
of indisposition.
The Empress of Austria is severely
blamed by her music-loving subjects
for her passionate devotion to horses
and riding. They complain that she
cares but little about the opera, and
ever goes there, and that in
stead of showing attention or courtesy :
to the great singers or musicians Of the ;.
lay, she reserves her civilities for circus =
riders. The late Queen of Holland, E
who was one of the most intellectual i
md strong minded of the royal ladies 7
If Europe, used to solaee herself in the !,
intervals between her literary and po- 7
itical occupations with embroidery. 9,
There still exists at her summer palace, a
he House in the Wood, complete set :
If drawing-room furniture worked by :,
Ter, even to the bands that border the :,
window curtains. The pattern is COM h,
Dosed of groups of cherries and leaves =;
N background worked in white floss y
ilk. The Queen of the Belgians is said i;
o be an adept at initiating antique =,
in gold and silver thread, .,
nd her daughter, the Princess Louise :,
# Saxe-C Coburg- Gotha, shares her tastes II