Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-14
A CAREFREE LIFE


Diana and Julian Long decide, after
three years Of rather dredrtly uner-
citing married hfe, to separate. They
are quietly divorced aud Diana de-
iiberdtcly drops out OF things so thdt
she tUiN not have to Gcccpt help from
Julian Bv chance she meets an old
acquaintance, Rita Graves, tCho has q
smart drCssmo king establishment ana
has become Madame NdldL She o1-
fers Diana q position as designer
Uhich Diana accepts
DANA discovered that Rita Graves
- kept a semifashionable dressnak-
ing place. for a great deal of the work
consisted OF remodeling gowns. Inc
shop itself was in fashionable nelgn-
borhood and was beautifully finished In
French gray. A large room across the
back of the house, we'll lighted and we'll
aired, was tho workroom. The show
room itself had small fitting booths run
ming along the sides and a miniature
stage at one end where the models were
shown under artificial lights. Every
thing was in good taste and every scrap
Of room was utilized. There were three
models, all lovely TO look at in their
pale pink slips. When they were not
needed they sat in the workroom mani
curing their nails and chatting about
their beaus. Rita had chosen them Tor
their extreme types and Diana was lost
ton, their glib comments on life and
their perfectly groomed young figures
When a piece OF gorgeous material
was flung over Maida's shoulders u
seemed to drape itself naturally ana rail-
into charming curves. Rachel wore the
purple blues. Pauline, whose pale gold
hair Of that ashy blonde shade SO sci
dom seen was piled high on her head
was given the pastelle shades 10 dls-
play. Her slenderness slim almost 70
fragility, made her look in the chittons
and tulles like a Watteau picture DAINTY
and ethereal. And yet Pauline mlngiea
bad grammar and Broadway slang with
cheerful nonchalance and chewed gum
whenever che had free moment-ano
was sure that Rita was not about.
It was a cheerful place and In week
Diana felt quite at nome 'here' orw
grew quito fascinated with her WORK
too, which was very nearly all creative
An extensive gown Of last years Nin'
tage would be brought In to her, ana II
would be her Job so to change u, com,
bIning the old with new material ano
clever color schemes that whcn W"s
finished not even the owner "ouiu iSS'
oEnize It for an old dress. g..
OF course this was rot all tne nn''-
ness that was done at Madame Naldl y
| Madame bought imported models ana
made clever copies of them. She was
agtute enough 10 sell Allt VI 'Ni'''"t
a season before the others were put on
thS market, quite certain that for many
of her customers the original model was
a season in advance, anyway. Diana
soon saw that the customers were @ not
the very rich and aristocratic but rather
the nouveau richie middle classes, TO
whom R'ta's smart salon, comhinad
with her fairly moderate prices, was the
acme Of elegance. Many people VINO
would not have yentured ,.ss into the Ell more re
home at Madame Naldrs, where they
we're received with cordial effusion. Rita
kent two tall, willowy, very blonde young
nersons ners beautifully dressed In black
satin. who we're carefully instructed as
n the reception of possible customers
"T don't believe in this languid, super
c,I,ous air used on the avenue she
conAded TO Diana. "Of course. they can
anord TO be independent there: but !
believe in some cordiality; and l tell
the girls to be interested and Wiling 10
show what we have, even II the custom
az hasn't a great deal TO spend. In
that way I win their confidence and
they keep coming back to me"
During Diana's first week at Madame