The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-07-15
MAKING THIN GOWNS.
SUCCESS OF TWO SOUTHERN GIRLS
IN A NOVEL ENTERPRISE.

They Have Better Idea Of Making Sum
mer Dresses Than Northern Women
and, Putting Their Skill to the Test
Have Been Amply Rewarded.
Some years ago 1t became necessary
for Southern yo,fng woman to carr
her own living. She came to New
York, and after course of study fol
q profession was forced by circum
stances to give up her plans. Hei
money was getting low and she was
beginning TO feel desperate, when she
received visit from a girl friend
| This visit proved the turning point II
the lives of both girls, and In speaking
| of it the one who had come here tt
earn living said:
ut was merely social call. My
friend had come on to New York to act
as bridesmaid at wedding which oc
Cured In the season at Hastings. We
were discussing the wedding and sew
eral of the social affairs, she had at
tended when she remarked that New
York ladies' looked so much better or
the streets than at an evening enter
tainment. This, you know, Is quite the
reverse Of things at the South. We are
both Southerners. There the ladies
look so much better in their evening
gowns than on the street and so mucf
better in summer than In winter
} clothes.
"We fell to discussing this point Of
difference between Northern ant
Southern women, and the cause OF II
| We knew II was no fault Of the North
, ern complexion or physique, for II
both the Northern women surpass tn
Southerners.
my friend said 1t was because the
didn't know how to make light gowns
They tried to make them too much al
ter the fashions intended for heav
gtsotis, and in that way lost the daint
airy effect.
THAT remark set me to thinking, an
6 l remembered that had always bee
" successful with my summer and ever
y ing gowns, and had always been In d
mand among my girl friends In plal
~ ming and designing theirs. l couldn
!, sew very well, l knew, but l also kne
u l could plan and, as l was alwa!
lie thinking of some way l might eai
money, this appealed to me at once.
d | | suggested that we form partne
lie ship to design summer and ball gown
n My friend took to the idea at once, al
n we began on the spot to consider no
-, we should start In.
r. Neither Of us could command d.
VI lars worth Of capital and SO we had
feel sure of things before we bega
y We drew and colored quite rough
OF about two dozen designs. These
At carried to our acquaintances amo
by the society people Of New York a
il asked their opinion, telling our plal
Ct In almost every instance we receiv
he orders for one or more gowns. Wh
~ these orders became sufficient to w
''n rant it we began work by hiring
en best French dressmakers and fitte
'at and turned out we'll finished gowns
In every respect. America makes
INT daintiest muslins in the world, q
100 why shouldn't they be made into gov
to the greatest perfection by an Am
can firm. At to the increase In our b'
OF ness l have told you how it begun,
r a now you can see for yourself"
ug- tioning to the adjoining rooms of b
the workers. "We have a large patrons
i've in and around New York. We h
engaged to furnish a magazine "
" several designs each month, and
Of the large dry goods houses, WI
has a large ready-made dress goods
orst partment, has applied to US for Sc
.ver desisns."-New York Sun.
aim
-. Saved Again.