The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-15

Worth to be Sold.
Ne0 York Advertiser.
Two hundred thousand dollars worth
of the stage wardrobe Of Emma Abbott
what is left after many sales and gifts
in Chicago-is to be offered for
sale in this city by Mrs. Lizzie Abbott
Clark, sister Of the late actress. Mrs.
Clark came here from Chicago q few
days ago, bringing this collection OF
rare and varied costumes in eighteen
immense trunks. She has engaged a
suit of rooms at the Hoffman House,
and will conductthe sale at that place
through personal Invitations.
Last evening Mrs. Clarke, who Is a
delightful little woman with astrtking
resemblance to her famous sister, talked
very prettily about her sister and the
wardrobe. n
First. wouldiike to say" she be-
gan, "that the reported burning Of a
portion OF Emma's wardrobe after her
death last December by order OF the
health authorities is absolutely untrue,
and its only foundation is the fact that
the clothes and linen Of the sick room
were destroyed, as they should be in
cases of pneumonia. The entire per-
sonal and stage wardrobe Of my sister
were bequeathed tome. Wtatremains
of the stage costumes could not have
cost less than 100000.
"'rhey are, OF course, only the latest
and finest, for Emma putt sleep every
year, as she used TO say, thousands Of
dollars worth Of clothes by giving them
away ut the end OF the season. Every
season she made an outlay OF not less
that $50OO0 for new costumes.
81 have with me about one hundred
and fifty distinct costumes. Each dress
has q particular name, and many have
incidents connected with them.M There
is, for instance, the "Chickasaw" dress,
named after Southern regiment at
Memphis during her season there,
which was worn with her famous Iris.
ing Sun" mantle. The entire weight OF
this costume is $50 pounds.
~ don't mind showing you the man.
tie, because l intend to keep 1t as an
heirloom. Here 1t is"
The garment appeared indeed a mar
vel. II is OF dark blue velvet, sotidiy
and entirely embroidered with beads
and threads Of gold and silver and other
metals, in such way as to represent
one grand rising sun and eleven minia-
ture suns. It's size is enormous, and its
weight is at least seventy-tive pounds.
every one OF Emma's stage dresses
was made either by Worth or Felix"
continued Mrs. Clark. "There are the
costumes of nearly every piece my sister
ever appeared in, including short as
well as train dresses. The latest set is
made up OF costumes in Anne Boleyn.'
That one worn in the second act cost
s, 900, and is an elaborate facsimile Of
the Queen Anne costume exhibited in
the Louvre. 1t is pink satin, solidly
embroidered with jewels in front, the
train OF moss-green brocaded plush,
bordered with pink applique.
"There arc the sapphire-blue velvet
hunting dress worn in The third act, the
ruby dress for the first act, and the
white chiffon, trimmed with guipure
lace. These are the Louis Blanc dresses,
the Ernani, the Carmen, Rose OF Castillo,
and so on.
t"rhere has been SO much talk about
Emma's costume cremation that l will
tell exactly what it was. It was the
s., 900 lilac dress that she had worn in
tErnani' the last time she appeared on
the stage. 1t was made by Felix, and
was of heliotrope velvet and the heavi.
est white brocaded satin, embroidered
withwhite and lavender lilacs and green
foliage.
"The cremation of Emma's body was
kept secret on account OF my mother.
a portion Of the veil worn by my sister
at the funeral has been cut into small
pieces and distributed rs souvenirs
among her friends. 1t was tine gold
thread in this veil. the other. part Of
which was over her face when placed in
the retort, that produced the globule OF
gold found in her ashes. The veil wns
the one SO often kissed in the balcony
scene in Romeo and Juliet"