Evening star., 1896-12-21
ABOUT DOLLS.
Ihe Ever Youthful Leahs Forsnkeu-
Ltttle Use for Dolls Of Faahfan

ihe Ever Youthful Leahs FOrsakeu-
Little Use for Dolls of Fashion,
NJ Guy Tomel in the Journal des Debats
gives an interesting account of dumb dolls,
taking dolls and dolls that get married
ihree nations, he says. have the lucrative
hohor OF furnishing the coils for little girls
all over the world. England produces the
wax doll. Germany the swadust-stuffed
leather doll, with a head of porceIa;n and
france has the joirted baby invented in
IS62 Before this comparatively recent ne
r1od France did not contribute much to the
international doll market Her dolls were
nevertheless, celebrated throughout the
entire world, but they were fashiona ble
dolls, or dolls for grown-up ladies. some.
times perhaps in our travels through Paris
we may have noticed tiny glass showcases
Whlcn serve as the signs of dressmakers
In these little cases there are manikins
dressed with the greatest possible care in
the feminine fashion of the day. They are
specimens of the costumes offered by the
dressmakers t. their customers. The ele-
sance and detail of these Ellputian toilets
IN which there is Tot single point want
ing, have often been admired There the
'ittle lady stands in her rather stiff but
proud attitude, the sphinx of fashion.
Salute these little princesses whose num-
Der IS deci Teasing every day. During CEN
turies they were the Missionaries of the
French fashions. even in the most remote
H.,
Tar distant countries were never afraid to
supply themselves with articles which the
little manikins taught them to wear with
chic.
With every export of ladies' apparel the
merchants sent one of those little mani
klns, and the precaution was never an un-
wise one. An example of its utility was
furnished in Calcutta. The first cloaks that
were sent there, of a very light texture
considering the climate, were worn upon
the head. like mantillas, by the Calcutta
ladies' to whom. by mistake, the exporter
had neglected to send the little model. At
the end of the year 1t arrived, and the
error was corrected.
One hur dred years ago voyages were so
long. SO perilous and costly that they re-
quired a sort of boldness reserved for men
alone One could count the fingers the
number of women who came to Paris in
the eighteenth century from any country
outside of Europe. And, nevertheless about
that period Paris busted the feminine head
with its renown as the capital of fashion.
But there is better still. The French model
doll. awaited with impatience by the ladies'
to whom 1t was sent, enjoyed privileges of
immunity that We're not always possessed
even by our ambassadors. For the doll
they created a sort of special law or priv
1ege: In publication of the eighteenth
dentury the following suggestive lines ap-
pear:
Everybody knows that during the most
bloody war between France and England. 1t
the time of Addison, a piece of gallantry
not unworthy of history existed between,
the ministers OF the courts of Versailles
and st. James. In compliment to the ladies,
they allowed the big dolP to go free. 1t
was a figure completely dressed according
to the most recent fashion. to serve as
model for the English ladies. In this way.
in the midst of the furious hostilities this
manikin was the only thing that was re-
spected by the soldiers"
1 Z Certainly the Hays of glory are passed for
the doll of fashion. not only because the
i1rop I,ri,,
frequently enough foreign ladies capable
of detailing in their own countries the
crets of our high-toned dressmakers, but
because the vulgarizations of the fashion
plates of the day that are exploited by the
newspapers leave nothing to be guessed at
by the .coquettes OF, the two hemispheres.
Nevertheless, continues NJ. Guy Tomel,
II wanted to Know If the missionary doll
was entirely dead after such brilliant
career. and if some, South American
public or some archipelago of the antipodes
did not exist where she continued to give
her lessons in fashion. 1 expressed this
idea to specialist of the rue de la PaiX.
Do you send a manikin sometimes in
your EXPORTS l asked
Certainly he replied. The thing is
absolutely necessary. No water color can
is that they do not always speak the lam
suage of the country.
IAN right, l thought, they are sending
phonographic dolls That Is progress.
For example, continued my interlocu-
TOR, want one now that can talk Por-
tuguese, and I'haven't got one. and an
other bother is that very often they won't
dome back when l send them away. They
remain in the country and marry into rich
families
Yes said, with punchinellos.'
oh. no, not punchinellos, but very re-
spectacle people. 1 can assure you. l lost
two good ones recently in this way in
Brazil
Suddenly the cloud dissipated l under
stood. and it was time. The fashionable
dolls that are now ent along to accom-
pany the expectations are employees Of the
establishment, who have given ample proof
of their gifts, their abilities, and their
elegance 1t Is a much-sought-for mission
among the pretty, well-formed and skillful
girls.
SHE HELD THE TRAIN