The Colfax chronicle., 1903-06-06
FADs BROUGHT FORTUNES.
Gained Riches by Seising Upon
Peoples Notions.

Onc. roioW any SUCCESSFUL nnoNd-
tion to its source, and it will be found
that the originator, or possibly the
man who took up the idea, became inn
mensely wealthy.
Some of these fads enriched their
originators quite by accident, and
without any visible effort on the part
of the man himself. In other cases
the man was quick to see a need and
fill it, says the Chicago Tribune.
Taking some of the more prominent
cases one may see how slight the acci-
dent which made the fortune.
Felix, the famous Partisan hair dress
er, who was made wealthy because the
hair dresser of Mile. Eugenie de Mon
tito, afterwards Empress Eugene, was
seized with apoplexy.
Haby, the German barber, became
famous and wealthy because the kaiser
saw one of his officers with the turned
up mustache.
The civil war made the fortune of
Sir Isaac Holden. an English manufac-
turer, who put soft twilled fannels on
the market TO take the place of cot
ton goods
Lady Carew made the popularity of
Irish poplin by appearing in it at
the court of Louis Philippe, and at the
same time the fortunes of the Irish
manufacturers oft.
One firm made small fortune by
selling peacock feathers, which became
fad at the coronation of Queen Will
helmina of Holland.
An English firm took up the idea of
making sandals for children, and now
is making great fortunes in the sale
of them in all countries.
A Regent street, London. tailor made
fortune by inventing the leather au-
tomobile suit.
The stories of some of these chance
fortunes show how slender was the OPP
portunity which resulted in such
wealth. There is the one of the En-
press Eugenie.
Mile. Eugenie de Montiio was wait
ing one night for the arrival of her hair
dresser. Suddenly servant arrived
with news that the unfortunate man
had been seized with apoplexy
There was not minute to waste, SO
the servant was sent flying to another
hair dresser, and soon NJ. Joseph L. ar
rited. He proved to be perfect artist
at his work. He dressed the beauty's
hair in an entirely new mode, and she
was delighted.
A day or two later she had become
the promised bride of the emperor
then prince president-Louis Napo-
leon, and soon afterwards she appointed
Joseph f. her court hair dresser. He
lived at 13 Faubourg ST. Honore, a num-
ber which she insisted upon having al
tered. Then she desired him to deco
rate the place in her favorite shade of
mauve, and finally requested him to
alter his name to Felix.
That was 40 years ago. To-day the
third generation of Felix is the head
of one of the greatest establishments
in Paris, having combined millinery
with his original b6siness of hair dress
ing.
Felix is not the only artist in hair
who has made fortune out of a new
fashion. Twelve years ago the kaiser
saw one of his attaches, Baron Holser,
wearing his mutache in the way which
he himself has rendered so familiar.
He inquired the name of the baron's
hair dresser, and was told that it was
Haby.
The emperor sent for Haby, and
eventually constituted. him court hair
dresser. The "es list erreicht," or ''up
to the mark" mustache, has made
Haby's fortune, and, even though the \
kaiser has now abandoned it, Haby's
shop is still center of Berlin fashion.
The story of Irish poplin is curious
one. Lady Carew was to be presented
at the court of Louis Philippe. She
took with her to Paris length of Irish
poplin, which was first made in Belfast.
1t was of a creamy white, embroidered
all over with little dots and sprigs of |
gold. Lady Carew took it to Partisan
dressmaker, and the modiste went into |
ecstacies over It.
On the way up the stairs to the re-
ception at the Tuileries Lady Carew
felt pull at her dress. Afraid Of pick
pockets, she turned quickly. 81 beg q
thousand pardons," said a splendidly
dressed woman who stood behind her.
"but would you tell me what your dress
is made of? l never saw anything so |
exquisite in my life."
A dozen times that evening Lady |
Carew had similar experience, and
the result was one of the most extraor-
dinary crazes for poplin that ever was
experienced for any new fabric. One
Irish firm sold e42,0oo worth of the
material within year.