Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-12
IN AlNEE'S DRESSING ROOM.
What an Alleged Lady Reporter Was
Able to Sec During IN Interview.


rs Nine Aimee in" said the Chicago Neus
female reporter at the door of the star in Haver-
ly's theater, Friday.
Il am Nine. Aimee" she answered in a
pleasant but very hoarse voice. with an inquirng
glance at the scribe.
Indeed" she continued, when the proper
explanation had been made 81 do not dislike
reporters. Please to come in and take seat.
and if you will not think Inc rude will make
my toilet and conversation together"
When the interview took place Nine. Aimee
was in negligee, with a long cameo pink chine
silk wrapper on. Her hair was combed back
from her forehead and fixed in tight coil at the
back. She has a round, full face. with pro-
nOunced features, strong. white teeth. cold gray
eyes. clear. smooth complexion, and clean.
wholesome, healthy. JerSey-Iily kind of skin.
suggestive of careful toilet, temperance. and
repusc. She looks more like a German than
French woman. has managed to keep wrinkles
and crows feet away, and can pass for thirty
five any day. Unlike most actresses and sing
ers. she keeps no maid.
Il find them more of hindrance than a
help. 1t is quite impossible to keep girl in
good humor, and when she is otherwise she is
hot coal on my head Besides | can make my
changes myself; | have done SO since 1 was
fourteen. and | know best what | ought to
wear and how ought to wear it. have
man-servant who has been with me eight years
who tends to my wants looks after nv bills
and luggage, and can pack trunk In ten
minutes better than dozen maids. Look at
those dresses hanging there; you see they are
not creased, and he knows just what want for
every role, even down to my fan and handker-
chief"
There was only one chair in the room. and
that being occupied by the writer she sat down
in the top story of an open trunk. Throwing
hor rif foot flln loft Inc nc1,o
No. shoe and a crimson garter ornamented
with big bow Of satin ribbon. and the love-
lcst rose pink silk stocking eyes ever rested on.
And there was the irresistible Aimee in bare
fOot-a foot as pink and soft an infants. She
reached over for a bottle of lavender water and,
satUrating one end of a towel, bathed her foot
with the fragrant toilet water and rubbed it dry
till the flesh was all aglOw. using her bare
hands to accelerate the circulation. The pretty
pink hose was replaced by navy-biue silk,
trimmed up the front, from the toe halfway
with crossbar pattern done in the American
cOlOrs; garter, the same color, secured it over
the knee, and the yellow French kid slipper
that she pulled over her foot diminished it's APP
parent length One-rourth. The left foot was
then put through the same treatment.
''Oh. l always give my feet a cologne bath
after have been walking. and always when
change my stockings. At night | take a hot
foot bath, which not only keeps the blood from
my hands but preserves the feet soft. Then
i
tell you that change my stockings with every
change of costume. and each time battle them
with lavender.
''Oh yes; they are sensitve-so much so that
l cannot wear darned stockings or rough
Shoes"
"What do do with my stockings? At the
first hole I give them to some chorus girl.
Cost? Thirty francs pair-that is So i'm your
mOney-and wear out five dozen pairs every
Year,?
Here she pulled off her pink silk wrapper and
stood arrayed in suit of white linen, looking
for all the world like big French doll in dimty.
1t may interest the ladies to know that her pan
taettes, which scarcely covered her knees, were
very tight and trimmed at the bottom with
eight inches of lace. headed with an inserted
band. Her chemise was long, straight and the
very shape of a paraicogram, with two little
semc1rceS for her arms and q hole at the top
for her neck. The garment was woven in one
piece armhOles. neck. embroidery and all. The
corset she put on would make modistes eyes
dance so superbly did It fit; nor was it any ord-
nary bodice, either. The body of ream-tnted
satin was stiffened with 5000 bones, and as
nicely made as custom dress coat, for not q
stitch was visible. Inside the top and bottom
was faced with a narrow band of white plush
and an immense hook placed in front puzzled
the writer until she said: ''Oh this is invaluable;
it keeps my skirts from running up"
The next garment was an orange brOadcOth
skirt, cut short and scant. over which she grace
fully draped red flannel shawl, using nothing
but one common safety-pin for the looping On
went a blouse waist of white pressed flannel
over which she buttOncd ZOuave Jacket of red
dapdated yellow wig was pulled into shape
and pinned down over superior crop of hair;
big red cabbage rose was pinned on the front
OF 4 flarlHg, brinmed hat. which, minus another
yestige of trimming, was fastened on her head
with {: couple of yellow pins, and Bettina was
ready for the Mascot"
While waiting for the curtain to 90 up. Aimee
was good enough to tell the reporter how she
manages to keep her youth and health
II battle every morning in the wear using a
cold water shower. 1 diet principally OF rare
beef and brown bread, avoid all pastries and hot
bread, and care very little for fruits | have a
bottle OF claret every day. and take black coffee
after each meal. For supper | take crackers
and milk
The dressing Of Nine. Aimee is certainly re-
markable. as each costume is matched with I'M
derclOthing. stockings, CATERS and shoes She
Is partial to plain coors and in a suit of blue
brOadclOth wore navy-blue petticoats, merines
stockings and garters. Her petticoats are
made of surah lined with satin, and there is
not an inch OF sham about one of them. One
black underskirt, worn with fine brocaded
velvet dress. was laid in knit pleats trimmed
with two fine pleatings and rufle of black
Spanish lace, the whole costing SIS A peep
into her trunk revealed glimpses of not less
than seventeen suits of undercOthes each
made of the finest kind of satin, and trimmed
as nicely as though Intended for short
party dress. Her corsets are countless, and in
cude red, blue. green, yellow, violet, indigo.
black, and all the fashionable tints in which
toilet might be made Some were decorated
with floss. fancy stitching and hand embroidery
others edged with lace, plush or chenille fringe,
and the long silk lace in any one of them was
worth probably as much as the corset worn by
the average woman. On the subject of stays
Aimee seems to be thoroughly posted, for she is
not only able to wear $40 corset with every
dress, but has man-servant to lace them up
Her night robes are in keeping with the rest
other trOusseau being made of pongee. OIL
boiled surah silks, or crushable satins, trimmed
with shells of lace or bands ofswans down and
closed down the front, with bows of soft ribbon
All are made with yoke and vatican pleat,
and many are supplemented with dainty little
hood
When she returned to the green-room to dress
for the third act she jumped out of her flannel
skirts, donned a suit of white satin. and after
jacques had laced her in a satin corset, he
handed her very novel little hustle, made of
satin, filled with feathers, highly perfumed with
magnolia rose, and tied with white cords. Mr.
jacques assisted her in lacng up her basque,
and man-like, broke the string, but quickly re-
placed it with new lace.
Josh Billings ON Infidelity.
Did you ever hear ov mans renouncinr
Christianity on hiz deth-bed, and turning in
fdel?