The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-26
WOMEN AT THE OPENINGS
THE SPRING CARNIVAL IN THE
DRY GOODS STORES.


women had been at work half the night.
Florists had lifted and tugged and patted
aud twisted alongside them and decorators
had hustled in and out
At | o'clock in the morning tired, dis
beveled, peSsmistic groups fingered in the
glare of The electric lights for comprehen-
sve look around. In a limp, half-hearted
way they noted with approval the ever
green garlands wreathing mile or more of
counters and fe>tooned about the round,
central bazaars. They cast a critical glance,
that was almost tempted TO be cynical, on
the bright streamers twisted round the pill
lars and fluttering up and down the winding
stairwayS, They rested their eyes little on
the Towering lilies and azaleaS, the masses of
ferns and palms newly planted in open
spaces. They nodded with weary satisfac-
ton at the roses and jasn-ines strung along
the cash railroads and hanging from the
gas jets. They felt the quality of the warm
colored portieres draped in the doorways,
They let their feet sink in the thick pile of
the oriental rugs everywhere strewn around.
They smiled rather wan smiles at the pieces
of armor mounted on the walls about the
elevators and the mirrors, pictures, bconZes
and bits of statuary that lent a brc-a-brac
aspect to the scene They forced a little
enthusiasm for the live gold fish swimming
in the real water from which Spouted the
actual fountain, banked with water plants
and PUSHES. They paid brief sleepy tributes
to the ingenuity of the silk men and the
velvet men and the wash goods men, who
had Wed with one another in the rising
suns, the aurora borealises and other daZ-
cling color designs contrived from the re
sources of their respective goods The
women absently tried on half dozen of
Kate Reilly's or Mime. Julia's or Mile Cot
tells, or Nine. Eugenies bonnetS, YEARLY
adjusting one another's bangs and falling
hack yawning to observe the effect They
brushed fieck OF dust from a Felix wrap,
smoothed the folds of a Worth gown.
"Heigh ho My feet ache till l can't
stand"
''Feet9 Ny back could tell tale or two
and-say your hairs coming down"
"The stars are out anyway It's going to
be bright tomorrow, and won't we have a
jaml"
Six hours later the Superintendent
boutonniere on his coat lapel, hung in the
great plate glass windows placards which
read in staring black letters, Opening
Day."
The salesgirls had slept; they had curled
their hair, they had put on black satin,
beaded gowns. There was a flush of pleasur-
able excitement in their cheeks. They were
ready for the fray.
1t began early. Driblets of women
trickled in by o'clock. They had hurried
their breakfasts and scurried their toilets to
get there while the store was clear. BY 9
O'Clock there was a constant stream. By 10
O'Clock the six-storv establishment, running
from street to street, block wide and a
block deep, was crowded BY noon the
crowd had become pack. By four i'll the
afternoon woman had tainted in the hot
fower-ade1 atmosphere, cordons were
established constraining the movements of
the throng, passing them back, round and
about in a single direction up stairs, down
and out without break in the chain, and
police were stationed at the doors to pre-
vent further ingreSs except on prearranged
signals.
The opening was big success
Women. Throngs of them. Thirty thou
sand women between breakfast and dinner
time. Women on their own ground A
carnival of femininity A babel of tongues.
A smell of flowers in the air; heavy over
towering scent of roses, eau de cologne and
fifty different sachet perfumes
SIS that you, Milly, you herep'
Yes, | wouldn't have missed it for any
thing. l was sick last fall, you know, and
didn't get out to a single opening. I'm doing
them every one this spring. Isn't that tea
gown lovely. that yellow and white brocade
over thereT
"Oh, exquisite; l wonder if that is real
lace on the 'front.'
Lets go and see." The next minute they
ere out of range.
"If buy the green velvet reception gown
and that lace and MORE Worth dress will
you have them taken off the figures and put
awaygn
"Why, certainly, Madame, of course"
'No of course about it please see that it
is done. Last year l bought three imported
costumes at your opening and supposed they
were exclusive styles. 1t wasn't a fortnight
before one of them brushed past me on the
street. and another walked into church Just
ahead. | met the third two or three times
over at Newport that summer. You kept
them on exhibition after | bought them all
day. Twenty dresmakers saw them and had
scissors in cloth for gowns like them inside
of twenty-four hours. And paid $500 for
the three One might as well not have
imported gowns, at all, and fairly we'll
known society women elbowed path
away
yellow one in the casen
Look, girls" the whisper ran round
among the milliners' assistants, "there's
going to be fun"
The bonnet was daringly original bit of
headgear, half dozen big yellow roses set
off by black lace and meant for a young
piquant face with fresh color and clear
who weighed 230 and whose skin was as
muddy as if she lived on paste and confec-
tionery held the pretty butterfly arrange
nent in her hand An instant and it was
upon her head, and she smiled at her refec-
ton in the glass. Ye gods and little fishes!
Never compassionate a nomely woman
again. Her colorless, watery eyes with big
bags under them fairly danced at the to her
enhancing, 10 every observer grotesque.
spectacle. In plain black velvet she had
been inotfensive, unnoticed. In that dainty
yellow bonnet she was green, brown. hor-
rible, happy.
"Fifty-three dollars! Very well, you may
send it home"
A respectful bow, for the ogre is rich and
the race of Machiavelh has not died out in
drygoods stores.
i've just f-llen in love with this wrap.
See, Gertrude it is all Chautilly lace, Just
caught togeth r with ribbons. And | asked
papa for $500 this morning, and it's every
cent gone. Money won't last at openings
Eyes, dear, but listen minute, I've
brilliant scheme" whispered conference.
"lovely, oh, lovely" and then, "If you
will send the garment home on approval |
should like to see what mamma would think
of it,"
"Yes, miss, this evening. That's a new
borrowing DODGE this last when the girl
ish backs were turned.