The Minneapolis journal., 1906-08-12
BY Ann Harcourt

hpeoial Corresponeencs Of The Journal
II ONDON, Aug. 2-When the American woman
comes to London today she is welcomed petted
and fused over; for she is the fashion BY her
tact her originality, her hospitality and, best Of ALL
her good, sound commonsense, she carries all before
her. Naughty duchesses, with the blood Of the con-
queror in their veins, royalties, great and small,
ehurchmen and politicians follow where she leads.
But 1t was very different story when Helen, Lady
Abnger, Landed these shores in the dim past Of
years ago Society was just then under the
tional, conservative In those days the American
was regarded interloper She supposed
to be 'outre,' pushing, vulgar, and was always as
sumed to be the daughter Of pork butcherl
The handsome bride Of Lord Abinger with some Of
the buest Of southern blood in her veins, whose father
Commodore Magruder, one of the first men in the
American navy, observed promptly the situation She
1t case of ''Ought we to visit her?" Proud
and independent she held herself aloof. She made up
her mind they had to come to her before she would
make the slightest move To be more than even with
English society was however, her determination.
When she appeared at court at Of the big pot
cal receptions out Of which she could not possibly be
left because Of her husbands position Lady Abinger
resolved she would show the wives Of British nobemen
that she of the bestdressed women in Europe
and make them furiously envious.
The Potency Of Dress
For one Of Queen vietora's drawing rooms, as the
che courts Of those days called, Worth himself
travelled from Paris with her gown that he might see
her in and make suggestions as to the arrangement
Of her Jewels and flowers. The famous modst gloried
In designing her dresses, for he said there
in Europe who could show them off to such ad-
vantage her Hgure Oe1ng maLcnlesS
function in question she had said to him,
II want you to compose me gown which will
make tho observed Of all, and yet will be in per
feet taste. You command your price,
This the kind of order in which Worth do
lighted It brought out in him the immense fund Of
originality and artistic taste he possessed, and he
grudged no time thought in developing the con-
fection' He and his assistant remained up whole
night making sketches and thinking out schemes Of
color for that robe. It May night and Worth,
who constantly got ideas for Of his masterpieces
from 8 landscape, sunset, mist frequently went on
to the balcony in search Of inspiration AS the night
gave way before the day the sky became sutfused in
pale rose fringed with gold; purple mist veiled
the horizon.
'' TITS the gown, - returned Worth emphatically.
When Lady Abinger made her bow to Queen Vic
toria in that Dress her majesty, who the
poorest judge of ehiffons gazed at the In
mistakable admiration and when she had passed de-
manded:
''Is that the American peeress9"
When Informed that 1t was, she remarked, "What
beautiful creature and what marvellous gown.
really must know little about the wearer.' AL
most directly afterward Lord and Lady Abinger
oeived "eommand" to " dine and sleep' at Windsor
castle
Got Even with Marchtoness.
This, Of course, was great triumph for the daugh-
Ger Of Columbia, It signifed that she had " arrived -
She was overwhelmed with invitations swell func
tons. Titled danes who had Heretofore ignored her
rushed to call upon her. She met these advances codl
Heaps Of invitations found their way straight into the
waste paper basket To many Of her visitors she
''not at home" Among those whom she did receive
was the late Marchioness Of Salisbury.
''Now that Is visit you must return at once"
said Lord Abinger to his wife,