The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-09
BERNHARDT'S CLOTHES.
A Paris Visitor Saw Them Being
Packed for a Journey.
Letter in New York Sun.

Letter in New York Sun.
AS they went about the house, Sarah
and the reporter, they stumbled c%ontinu-
ally over packages and boxes. Its like
a big department store!" exclaimed Sarah.
There are in fact a few trunks, 1t seems
to me-" said the reporter.
about fifty" laughed Sarah. And yet
I'm not taking many gowns. Let US see,
that makes-let's count" And she told
them off on her fingers: Five gowns for
Camille six for 'Frou-frou,' three for La
Tosca,' five for Roxane in 'Cyrano,' one
for Elmire in 'Tartuffe,' two costumes for
Hamlet, two for LAiglon.' one for Phedre
and one for Jean-Marie. Tha makes
twenty-six costumes for the theater. 1 am
also taking eight fur costumes and 1 don't
count twenty or twenty-five street W
dinner gowns, morning gowns, evening and
reception toilettes and summer gowns, be-
cause at San Francisco we shall be having
summer weather. You see, I'm not talking
very much"
While Sarah was thus detailing the tri-
fling wardrobe which she is taking to
America, she led her visitor TO what he
calls a tune vast penderie" or, as we might
say, a great big room for hanging clothes.
Here were countless rows of gowns, of
cloaks. of rare furs. Open wardrobes
showed d mass of other toilettes,. of every
dresses of lace, waists in embroidery, en-
crusted with stones and spangles; satins,
silks blue, green, rose, violet, Yellow
II have, among others, three passions
said Sarah; "a passion for cloaks, a pas
sion for hats, a passion for shoes"
A maid. who was properly amused by
the masculine stupor into which the re-
porter was thrown by the vision OF all
these wonders, opened two immense ward
robes and showed him the contents. In
one of them were innumerable rows Of
little white boxes.
TT shoes which are to be taken" an
nounced the maid with an fndulgent smile.
The reporter counted the boxes. There
were one hundred and twenty Each in
closed a pair Of slippers or shoes of satin
or suede and of different colors. From
up silk stockings of the same shade as
that of the satin or suede. In the other
wardrobe were shelves on shelves of hats.
The hats which are to be taken" an
sixteen-and then nine for toQues."
Our promenade wasn't yet finished"
proceeds the dazzled reporter. Trunks,
trunks, and yet more trunks. The serv-
ants were busy packing them. There was
the trunk for the perfumery and the
makeup Plenty of Ii is needed for six
months travelling. There was the medicine
trunk, admirably made up with nothing
lacking. 1t does for the whole troupe.
There was a chest full of artificial flow
ers, a chest full Of papers. manuscripts
memoirs, letters, bills; books. Musset,
jewel chest. The valet de chambre opened
the irond-bound trunk One by one he
took out a dozen padded compartments,
furnished with elastic straps which held
the ornaments in their caskets. 1t was a
daZzlinP vision. The nasfa iewelS MINGLED
with the real ones. sparkled and glittered
There were enormous Indian bracelets in
gold, breast-plates of the ~princesses loin-
taines' or of the Izeyls, girdles inlaid with
Cleopatra, all In uncut rubies, emeralds.
amethysts, opals, topazes and sapphires,
innumerable rings set with precious stones,
the fillet of Theodore, the Canoes OF
Phedre, jeweled clasps, corals, amber
beads, enamels, pearls, combs, pins, but
tons, brooches, crowns OF jet, diadems of
pearls. The whole repertoire of the great
tragedienne. All these ornaments Of
wealth and OF fancy, the real splendor of
her Triumphant existence side by side with
the make-believe magnihcence, the illu-
sions OF the stage!"
The reporter, moved by the sight of wha:
he calls this mad profusion OF toilets.
this orgy OF hats, this confusion of shoes"
was made to think, so he says. of some
gigantic and irrepressible monomania, i'm.
perial and ruinous. He said as much 10
Sarah, who laughed but made no reply
Still anxious. the reporter said, or as he
himself puts ii, impiored: least you
will make some money during these six
"a million" remarked Sarah laconically.
He spoke of francs, but even 10000 for
six months isn4 bad. No wonder that
finally. when Sarah was called for in ter
directions at once and the reporter took
seemed deserted and the shop windows so
poor"