Evening star., 1901-12-14


PARIS, November 80, 1901.
"Ah. madame. once more it is the time
when the poor shopkeepers have troubles"
lisped Nine. Celestine. first assistant in one
of the smartest dressmaking shops of the
Avenue de rOpera.
why. Celestine, is not this the time for
You to rejoice. since all womankind, as well
as all mankind, opens the purse for holiday
exPenditures?"
''Ah, perhaps In your beautiful America
you may have cause for rejoicing but in
Paris ii is not so. We poor dressmakers
are harassed almost to death Women
who could order their frocks three months
ahead wait until we are busy-'up to the
eyes, is it that you say in America? Very
well Today in comes madame who patron
izes the shop all the year to profitable
extent, but not to that point which one
may call generosity. Madame has been
asked to a Christmas house party in the
provinces. 1t is to be very fashionable,
very exclusive. So madame will declare to
US with Importance, and also that We must
make for her a handsome frock. perhaps a
cloak; something which shall be in style
altogether new and must be done in one or
two weeks" Celestine stopped to sigh and
then went on:
Hardly has that lady left the shop than
IN sails madame la duchesse, very rich.
very chic and of the highest noblesse Is
1t not so, then. that she, good patron,
must be accommodated? She says that her
niece, young girl, very sweet and good.
Dut an orphan or possessed of a mamma
who has no idea of la mode, comes to be
hec guest during the holiday. 1t is the op-
pOTtun1ty of mademOiSeIle her niece to
make a good match. Let us prepare for
her several suitable robes and send the bill
10 madame la duchesse. We are as | be-
fore said. up tO-what is it the Americans
ay!-yeS. We are up to the eye in work.
but We must accommodate la duchesse.
We agree to all she says hoping our man
ner Will not betray our anxiety for we
nave much work on hand but we bow her
out With all the respect which is due to her
Alsh position and her generous patronage.
What He Wants.
Hardly has la duchesse departed than
In comes her husband who wishes to order
fo' her a Christmas gift-a beautiful opera
cloak which shall be lined with nothing less
than ermine or sable.
After that in come troops of ladies' This
elderly one wishes a becoming gown in
"Llcn TO attend the Christmas festivities
az the home of her son; that woman has
been invited by her mOther-in-law and
wishes to be prettily robed. Besides these
there is always a group that will never
order many garments until a few weeks
before the holidays because they think that
until tnen the winter fashions have not
reached dehnitenesS. We, the poor dress~
nakers-what can we do? We work night
ana day: We employ extra help and yet we
ClSappolnt many. We cannot help it though
many customers be lost
Cheer up, CeleStiner' I exhorted Let
US see what some of these holiday DANES
and damsels are to GET
Celest-ne shook her head sadly and mo-
TONED for me to come into the largest of
the fitting rooms. Then she sent one of the
moGels to the wOrkrOOm for half a dozen
half-fniSled fr0Cks.
In MistIetce Green
This she explained, sis the gown which
madame la duchesse has ordered for wear
to the Christmas service at the Church of
St Sulpice. Note that ii is carried out in
mistletoe green, with touch of white at
the neck to suggest the berries Green
cIOth i the foundation of the garment
Across The hlps passes a plated arrange
Inent OF green velvet. while a plated tab
Her OF velvet compOSes the front of the
skirt The sleeves are trimmed with bands
OF velvet, the lower part fashioned of vel
Vet. ornamented with tiny embroidered
sprays of mistletoe. The bIoused front of
the waist Is trimmed with velvet and also
shows touch of the mistIetoe embroidery
A very high collar of embroidered velvet
enc1rcles the back of the neck while the
front shows collar of tucked white silk
in harmony with the white silk vest. The
hat has been ordered to match the costume
and with 1t madame la duchesse will choose
as her boutOnniere little cluster of mistle-
tce"
And what will mademoiseTle the country
niece wear to service?''
"Oh, nothing but simple tailor-made