The Virginia enterprise., 1899-06-30
Cora Urguhart Fotter's Gowns in
s.Carnac SahiD"

"
rival stars. lively feminine squabbie.
and half dozen beautiful GOWNS occupy
the attention of London psaysoers aHet
pIay-actors The theatrical sensation OF
the hour is the rivalry between t"ra
Urquhart Potter. American. and Aifs.
Beerbohm Tree. who is distinctly Brit
ish. as American audiences know. These
two actresses have had their little diff
fculty with the lime-Hght full upon
them. and the following story is no
greenroom secret, but the gossip OH the
tip of every tongue
In "Carnac Sahib' Mrs. POtter's role
was that of the fascinating wife of an
army officer who. i'm the absence of her
husband. bewitches a second officer
agreeably impersonated by MIR. Beer
bohm Tree. Both Mrs. Potter and MIR.
Tree threw rare artisticaI zeal into the
performance. The love scenes left notii-
ing to be desired.
Mrs. Tree became jealous of Mrs,
Potter's success and had her own plays
put on the boards. while Mrs. Potter
and her gowns were given Il vacation.
| LII order to anger her rival. Mrs. Tree
| planned the gowns she wore IN Tar
| nae Sahib" so as to- caricaturc Mrs.
| POtter's costumes as Olive 8rnsson III
| the same play. In one scene Mrs: Pot
| ter's own hat was worn. n magnificent
and made to look absurd
| Mrs. Potter's supporters declare that
/ Mrs Tree had made goose of herself
| in tactlessly calling attention TO Mrs,
( Potter's original. artistic md becoming
| gowns.
The matter has been so mitch talked
| about that almost anybody you meet
| in London could describe these GOWNS
which. after all, are perhaps at the bot
| tom of the whole trouble.
! They are really worth description. 1t
| is perhaps not understood in America
| that at Her Majesty's theater. which is
| the richest in London. and owned by the
| Rothschilds. all the costumes are sup
| piled by the management.
The leading lady. however, is permit
ted to design her own toilets and have
| them made wherever she chooses. Mrs.
! Potter presented with entIcIng an
opportunity as this. made good use of it.
She went to Worth and told him exactly
what she wanted to wear as Olive Arni-
son. He carried out her ideas to the let
ter and the result is the most artistic
gowns ever worn on a London stage.
| They are however. so characteristic of
Mrs. Potter that Mrs. Tree was quite
right in thinking they would look abb
| surd OH anyone else.
| The most remarkable of the ''Carnac
! Sahib'' series of gowns Is one of cherry
colored chiffon The skirt is accordion
ulaited: long, winglike pieces fall from
! the back and are caught TO the crlnkletf
| sleeves. and the whole gown is wrought
in a ribbon design with chenille. thia; sort
of embroidery being an idea of Mrs. Tot
ter's own. and very much copied III May
fair at present.
The parasoI is also of embroidered
/ cherry chiffon with Il long ebony stick.
and the hat is of black straw. with the
brim wider in front. long black ostrich
plumes falling slightly in front on either
side. and a red velvet rose at the front.
Next comes white negligee. with a
cane and hood of cloudy white chiffon.
After this Mrs Potter wears Il white
satin toilet embroidered in golden tleur-
de-lis. having a gold girdle and about
| the suuare-cut neck twist OF Jade
green velvet A ball gown is of white
satin embroidered in green and gold tlsh
scales, with front of chiffon and a
chiffon sash falling from the LETT SIDE
of the girdle A wreath of hydrangeas
is worn with this gown and Il lilac fan
4 turquoise evening cloak is worn with
II. too. long frou-frou affair with
auadruple plaits of chiffon
The simplest toilet was perhaps the
most artistic The garden party nat.
whose futed front suggests poke, Is OF
rough grayish-green straw. with corll-
flowers ON the left side and fluffy strings
of corn-fower chiffon tied beneath the
chin. The gown of white chiffon over
satin is painted in corn-fowers and has
r,,fFios of lelicate lac ':e skirt
a,d ..orsaoe. !, 10 flower
chiffon is carrie Wnlle
tanother rests upo4g parasof to match
the dress.
Another white satin gown is covered
with gauzy black stuff shimmerins with
silver spangIes 1t is made princess, but
loose-fitting with no waist line, the cor
sage caught in a point back and front
with a chain of pearls and diamond cross
which Mrs Potter put in vogue. The
sleeves are white chiffon over satin, fold
ed in large. soft folds down the arm
and widening at the wrists, where deep
frills of lace almost cover the hand
There is white chiffon floating from each
shoulder, for Mrs. Potter without chif-
fon would be like French dinner with
out Il sOutfie.
The interesting feature of the situation
as it stands at present is that neither
rival can be said to have beaten the 9th
er The denouement of the comedy Is
being awaited with the keenest relish