Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-19

can scarcely fill them. It has been visited
In a line of march that has covered much
Partisan territory and much time. Among
the house visited are Cabot Soeurs,
Paquin, Doucet, Agnes, Drecoll, Worth
and others whose names are household
words to the dwellers Of Lonely Gulch.
They are nearly all situated in the vicinity
Of the b~oulevards and one can walk easily
from one to another. Several hours . are
spert at each, for the exhibitions of the
coming seasons fashions are no less in
teresting than the methods of display and
the people congregated to see them.
The salons of these establishments are
catalogued with other Partisan attractions
with churches, picture galleries, theaters
and cafes. When one is not admitted tc
the openings 1t is considered a great ad
vantage to have been allowed to make q
casual survey of the show rooms and other
public parts Of the buildings. Louis
Quinze and Seize styles prevail in most
of them and the principal salon leads tc
other salons, some times a suite of -four
or five rooms comprising the reception
part.
These rooms are panelled with gold and
white. Rocco decorations and the flimsy
prettlnesses of P~ompadour. Du Barry and
Marie A%ntoinette days are at their best
drapings and carpets are of expensive ma,
t~erials, but neutral in tint, so that the
colors Of the gowns shall not be spoiled by
contrast. The inner curtains are usually
of real lace or made for the house eX'
pressly, Mirrors line the walls extending
from floor to ceiling, and in these the re.
Elections of beautiful young women in
beautiful gowns, of costumes thrown hur-
riedly over the arms of the 'omnibuses,
are repeated a hundredfold.
There is one room panelled In gold ant
white and the carpet is dove gray. Tit
walls, bas relieved with garlands Of roses
in white and gold, are inset with bevelle6
mirrors and the ceilings support enormous
chandeliers glistening with hundreds OF
prisms. People walk about as II at a re-
ception given to royalty. Gilded chairs
tables OF marquetry and enamelled WOOD
and velvet divans break the mOnotony o.
s%plendor. There are no ornaments, no brio
a-brac, no pictures, nothing to distrac
from the focus OF attracuon-the exhibit
tion before the crowd Of invited guests
Of the very last shrieks OF Paris modes
The premieres which take place in thes'
establishments begin about the middle o.
August, and for the limited number of in
vitations there is much competition anC
wirepulllng. Cards for the first days ar,
only sent TO well known patrons, buyeri
for houses whose favor means hundreds o
thousands of dollars each year, celebrated
dressmakers whose word is ultimate n
their home cities and to society women whit
buy direct from Paris itself. In these as
emblies you may see a member Of euro
pean nobility, a wife of an American mil
lionaire, hobnobbing with men and womel
whose keen glances and crisp valuation
mark g.. r"s-cs~i07 they adorn and IN
Responsibilities l4a. ale placed in thei
hands. Cards are more often refused thal
granted, even to those whose demand 70
an extra one would seem TO be equivalen
to its receipt. When given the exact de
scription OF the person for whom the in
~vitation is required must be supplied. Tn
fear OF having novelties copied and cheap
ened before they are fairly on the marke
is reason enough for this excessive care.
There was a lime when this rule was no
strictly enforced, but experience teaehe
in this as in other matters, and the easil
swinging doors OF the houses Of severa
years ago are as unknown today as is tn
easy credit formerly o%btainable by Ameri
can women Of the wealthy class. The en-
Ormous bills that American dressmaker
allow their customers to contract are an
known In the old world. A limited cred
is permitted only, II royalty has a create
leeway the secret is carefully guarded. an
the threat that a woman Will take ava