The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-06

limited authority and unlimited money.
He expressed himself we'll satisfied at
being able to secure the outfit at the
price.
Stockings and carriers of royalty are
in good demand. One of the English
women who make a business of collect
ing and selling the castoff clothing
said:
Il have a good many agents, who
purchase for me all the articles of
clothing belonging to royalty and other
celebrated persons which come into the
market. 1 obtain a great deal of
stock from the continent. and always
dispose of it at a good profit to per-
sons who buy or collect such things.
Il have a client in the Midlands from
whom l have a standing commission to
obtain for her castoff shoes and corsets
and those of modern make which have
been worn by royal or celebrated per-
sonages.
"She has one of the finest collections
of old corsets in Europe. though it is
probably eXcelled as regards variety by
that of an American woman who is
also a customer of mine. In it are eX-
amples once worn by our own prin-
ceSSes; an exquisite Viennese corset of
the late Empress of Austria, measur-
ing, although stretched by wear, bare
ly sixteen inches in the waist; one be-
longing to the little Queen of Holland;
one of the Queen of Italy (white satin,
ornamented with beautiful lace, and
made by famous Partisan corsetiere),
and a short pair in silk coutil, once
worn by the Empress of Russia.
"Of the corsets of celebrities she has
not a few examples. A leather corset
of Charlotte Corday is notable ex-
ample: one of Marie Antoinette-a
mass of whalebone and steel, with a
waist measurement of about seventeen
and one-half inches: one of silk bro
cade, belonging to a famous opera
dancer of the SOS, whose name l forget
for the moment. was originally sewn
with jewels, and I was told cost ST.
$50; and a corset ascribed to Catherine
de Medici. but probably belonging to
one of her court ladies. is strengthened
by a positive network of steel, and
must have been a torture to wear.
They did lace tight in those days. If
you like the waist of this corset be-
ing less than fourteen inches.
"Of the numerous pairs of shoes In
my clients collection none are more
valued than a pair once worn by
Queen Victoria when a girl. There is
also a single shoe belonging to i'll
fated Mary Queen of Scots in rough
surface leather which must have orig
inally been scarlet.
"a shoe belonging to the Empress
Eugene, picked up in the Tuileries
after her flight from Paris, is of black
glace kid with a beautiful gold and
paste buckle, and working in gold
thread on the toes. One of Nine. Ra-
chefs shoes is also in the collection,
the size of which shows that the fa-
nous beauty did not possess elegant
feet. A pair of white satin slippers
belonging to Nine. de Pompadour are
also of considerable size and much
worn, though probably by some one
else than their original owner. Many
of these items are properly authenti-
Gated. as is also a pair belonging to
Booth, the famous actor one shoe of
Washington, and a pair once worn by
Garrick.
"But other garments are also col
lected by several of my clients. A fav-
orite article is the garter. OF these
one woman has a fine collection. In ii
are a beautiful pair belonging to the
late Queen of Italy; a pair of the
Queen of Hollands: a ribbon garter
said to have belonged to Nell Gwynne;
a pair of the Queen of Servia's with
notices; a single garter once belong
ing to a Georgian Princess of Wales;
a pair which once were worn by Tag
lioni; a pair of blue silk ones once be-
longing to a Spanish royalty, almost
sufficiently large to go around slen-
der woman's waist: and a dainty pain
given by a European Prince to Span
ish dancing girl well known in Paris
a few years ago.
1.-The stockings of royalty also are In
good demand. One American woman
who has spent nearly $500 with me
lDC uipc of ri 4
every European royalty in her collec-
ton, and also. by way of contrast,
suppose, several pairs belonging to no.
torious criminals. The fish net hose
of one of the most popular of English
princesses are really exquisite crea-
lions and I can quite believe that they
cost $25 per pair when new. One Con-
tinental royalty evidently believes in
yellow as a lucky color, for she has vel
low hose. and some with black feet
One of the best-dressed of foreign prin-
cesses had hose, one would imagine, tc
match her understands or dresses. fol-
] have purchased gray, pale blue, pink
old rose, black. dove gray and silver
tissue stockings. all of which have
been worn by her.
1T have often purchased royalties
lingerie: and. indeed. for if there Is
q good demand among both collectors
and American girls, who a few years
ago had a liking for a set to be in
cluded in their own trousseau. Much
of it is, of course, good, exquisite work
but it is by no means so elaborate as
the uninitiated might suppose. The fin
est lawn, French batiste and muslin
seem the favorite though one or two
favor silk. Southern European royal
ties appear to have more exotic tastes
than those of Northern Europe. But
many a dancing girl or Partisan actress
possesses more elaborate and costly
underclothing. The demand for such
articles exceeds the supply-an inn
mense amount goes to the United
Statesmen though the garments are
eaIdov, uuor-u mora than a faw fff,as