The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-16

II all the worlds a stage, says Matha
McCulloek Williams in the New York
World. and all the men and women mere
ly players. one sees clearly how vital is
the costuming thereof, especially the wo-
men players. who learn llspingly in their
cradles that the world is still deceived by
ornament. Naturally, the softer sex has
from time immemorial given its whole
mind to the art of being at once unusually
beautiful and beautifully unusual
1t is strange, withal something pathetic
to discover that the fashions they have
set are far and away more enduring than
the fame of those who sci them. A case
in point is Marie Stuart. She was a queen
regent at eight days old; she had a bring
ing up amid all the elegance Of France;
she was married to the dauphin and Wild
owed ere 10; later she had two more hus-
bands, and lovers galore. She bore a son
who became king; was thrown in prison
by her half-brother, her fathers natural
son: she escaped, flung herself upon the
untender mercies Of her cousin and rival,
Elizabeth, and died upon the scaffold at
a. Notwithstanding this strange, event
full history, and the further fact that her
good name is still a subject of lively his
toric controversy, it is perfectly safe to
say she is oftenest and most Familiarity
recalled by the Marie Stuart headpioce,
the Marie Stuart couture and sundry ele-
giant small bodice fripperies due to her
fine taste
Jeanne Poisson was born a bourgeoise of
the bourgeoisie. As Nine. la Marquise de
Pompadour she ruled the. King of France
and the worlds fashions for the space Of
thirty years. She evidently grew up to
the position. Among the pensions granted
from her privy purse after she had attain
ed power was one to a fortune-tening old
bag for having predicted when madam
was at the age of 9 years, that she would
be one day the mistress of Louis XIV"
She is ruling fashion still, and by that
sovereignty known. Not a season but
brings to light something a la Pompadour.
Now 1t is her favorite combination of rich
pink and pale blue; now the outstanding
hair, which has received the further con
eecration of a pugilists approval. Her
triumphs, her trials, her sins, her inf
nitely painful death are forgotten. Her
name IlNeSs preserved III the dIDcf OF the
passing modes caprice.
At the bare names of Josephine Beau
harnais and Nine. Recamier there comes
to mind the classic revival of the reVolu-
ton and the first empire. They are Two
well known, their lives and loves and suf-
ferings and intrigues, to require even the
briefest summary.
Nowadays. Victoria, Queen and Emp
ress, is not an imposing figure, yet the car
ly Victorian styles return to us, and will
doubtless keep her memory green when
home rule is forgotten or achieved and the
Primrose League a mere ghost of tradl-
might have become fashions arbiter
throughout this nineteenth century had
there been no Napoleon III to love and
wed Eugene de Montijo. More entire
ly, more despotcally, than ever he ruled
France did she rule the world of women
through the dominance of French fash
ions. Looking back at it, that world has
not much to be grateful for. 1t has rare
ly looked worse than in the hoops which
she fastened upon it through dynastic
necessities, the bulgy much-befrilled
skirts, the top-heavy bonnets, the wraps
that hid every graceful human outline.
Cora Pearl queen of demi-mondaines,
divided sway with Eugene. In less degree
so did Nine. la Princess Matternich, most
stylish and most fascinating of ugly wo-
fashion ruled by Worth, with some slight
modification from the English court cos
tuners.