The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-09-15

I yards Of t~ariatan each, short as they are.
| IF two inches were added, the state would
| have to buy 10000 yards per annum. IN
stead of 5000 yards" said the director. and
where is the money to come from? The
baldheads in Parliament will certainly op-
pose any such Innovation"
/ And there the matter ended.
At the Comedie the costumes are the
property OF the Actors and Actresses Asso-
citation, and the wardrobe Of this playhouse,
accumulated since the days Of Louis XIV,
Is practically above valuation. Thu Come
die. as well as the other theaters named.
possesses elaborate designing offices, under
the guidance of great pictorial artists. who
can be relied upon to depict periods and
persons correctly. The Comedies archives
include 10000 drawings by costume artists
OF the past three centuries. while portraits
OF historical personages are copied direct
from paintings In the best galleries.
When the designer has finished his
sketches, they are submitted to the actor
or actress for whom the costume 10 intend
ed Men are easily convinced that q cos
tune must be thus. and not otherwise, but
women usually make trouble. pleading COM
piexion. physical advantage or infirmities.
However, the artistic principle is bound to
triumph over female Mysteries in q French
theater OF the first class.
SAVE OLD COSTUMES.
Paris managers never throw away a Co.'S
tune. however old or soiled, as experience
shows that 1t will come in for use, whole
or IN parts. some day; the same sort Of
reasoning makes them keep their eyes open
1or bargains all the time. If a great dry
goods house or a manufacturer smashes up
the theatrical manager Is on hand to buy
such stock as might be needed in his es-
adjustment tomorrow or ten years from
now. Some little time ago the Grand OPP
era-house bought 5000 yards of peculiarly
colored velvet from a bankrupt merchant
at 6 francs per yard: regular price. Is
francs per yard.
In the same way dresses and other habiH-
ments of noted grand DANES and notorious
commentaries are acquired when chance
1aVOrS their sale. These costumes d. ex-
celiently well for walking ladies'" chorus
people, etc.
ON the whole. Paris managers, taking
their profession seriously, endeavor above all
10 make costume and play harmonic to-
sether. Here you never see a princess who
Is a princess dressed in a Bingham frock
ut nineteen SOUS per yard, or a typewriter
girl in a rig worth two thousand francs.
Costumes that belle the part are strictly
tabooed in all good taste, though some
leniency IS shown toward the ballet girls at
the Grand Opera-house and Opera ComiQue.
After years Of warfare and fines the state
and management have resolved to shut
their eyes when peasant women in linen
skirts and sabots exhibit diamonds valued
at 5000 francs. or when the Moorish girls
in the opera 'Cid" sport crosses of turquoise
and emeralds. These dancers are incor-
rigible. don't care q rap for art and for
logic still less.
Everything isn't velvet, however, with
French actors and actresses despite free
clothes and underwear and shoes and laun-
dry. for part of the saving so effected is In
yariably claimed by the chief Of the cIaque.
that is, the official applause-maker attached
to each Paris theater. This gentleman not
only makes regulations. he unmakes them.
too-for a consideration. Thus. Mile. x.
may not be able to "get a hand because
her Jealous rival, Mile. Y, has paid the
chief of the claque to ignore the other dame.
And If Mile. X. should decide to employ a
second claqueur. why the original applause.
producer will indulge in Kissing md cat
calls. But that Is another story.
On dresses Of lighter material appllQues
Of tulle. mousseline de sole and chiffon are
en- regle.
A jour embroidery VIII be used on outing
dresses and blouses, allowing a lighter
ground stuff. or the skin. to shine through.
Trimmings are \. rough knotted thread,
with colored stone> attached. In short, one
must combine the simplest with most ex-
pensfve materials to oe in the fashion.
HEsIOISE CONFESSED