Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20

are bought up by the enterprising American
woman who sells them to her gullible coun-
try-women visiting Paris, telling them that
these things are models from well known
establishments which have been slightly
soiled by repeated tryings-on and she there
fore gets them at greatly reduced prices
and is able to sell them very cheap. Thus
the Singularly devoted wife from New " rk
came to possess a truly marvellous creation
of lace and satin fashioned Into reception
gown; velvet street dress; fur coat. and
a stunning white corded velvet and chiffon
opera cloak and three gorgeous hats. All
these she paraded as a great stroke Of do
nestle economy. She told us soulfully that
when she came here she was bound to
economic and she was so glad that she
had succeeded, though she did have to cable
to the dear absent husband three different
times: Broke. Send $500" 1t is painful
to have to relate Of this solitary singular
instance of an American wife In Paris who
longed to have her husband here, we dis
covered after she had gone that it was
brevet husband for whom she pinned.
Possibilities Of Husband.
cannot understand why American wo-
men so generally fail to appreciate the pos
slbilities Of husband in Paris. Truly
husband has uses here undreamed of in
America, causing him properly to be es-
teemed among the greatest conventences of
life This is because in France the husband
is popularity regarded as having authority
over his wife. At first I was simply
puzzled and great deal amused 10 see
how commonly the French husband goes
shopping with his wife. even to buy hat.
1 noticed that the milliner would place
hat on the wife's head and the two women
would go into fits OF ecstacy over 1.-the
wife Sinking at her image in the mirror,
cooking her head this side and that, While
the mlliner in an attitude of wrapped ad-
miration emitted rapid CALCULATIONS OF the
superlative degree. Then bass note would
cil n md a IT,
ter royal negative, whereupon the two
women would all but fall at his feet in
their groveling effort to change his mind
the milliner being especially touching IN
her appeal to the man not to break his
Wife's heart, but to be good and kind just
this once and let madame have the hat
which makes her look just the angel she
is But the man always had his way L
noticed. and the most enterprising sales
woman took 1t as matter OF course that
a wife's millinery should reflect the judg-
ment Of the superior animal man.
Has His Uses.
This very soon caused me to perceive how
handy 1t Is to have husband In dealing
with Paris trades-people, servants, the Par
islam world generally. So now when they
try to make me do what I don't want to
do 1 assume terrified expression and tell
them that lie monsieur would never near
to 1t, and at once L have my own way.
Thus if I want to take back hat which
have made up my mind l don't like after
have got 1t home, tell the millner that
monsieur was in rage about it, and she
accepts both the situation and the hat. l
can scod the washerwoman about bad
washing till l am black in. the face ana
she continues unmoved. But the instant
tell her that the monsieur demands better
work, presto! She is jam and reform at
once proceeds. Likewise when 1 put off
paying visits that bore me tell French
woman that my husband has insisted upon
my staying at home with the children and
she Is all compassion, understanding ex-
actly how this is SO.
It was too funny. / was at the home or
a French family the other day when the
wife returned with her-I mean the nus
bands petit garcon. She had been shop
ping and the child's hand had got badly
pinched in a door in one of the shops. The
father was at home and you should have
seen the way he fairly pitched into the
mother, scolding her up hin and down dale
because she had let her-that is to say, his
child get it's hand hurt. If had not hap
pened to be there I think he would have
slapped her. AS 1t was, came near slap
ping him-the idea of a mere man presum-
ing to lecture his wife like that! Still,
YOU see while a French husband would be
intolerable to true American woman. a
really wise American wife can do wonders
with an American husband In Paris.
PAULINE PRY.