Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-29
CHAPTER NV
purDle and Fine Linen
r the establishment of Holland

T the establishment Of Holland e Car
son Miriam has office Of her own.
1t was simply but attractively furnished,
with a large glass-topped mahogany desk, a
| filing cabinet large enough to hold her de-
| signs, and two or three chairs Miriam came
and went as she pleased but it suited her
| to remain at her work most of the day Mr..
| Carson likhed her work. 1t was through
| him that she had been given start and
now it was not unusual for her to design as
| many as two dresses a month, and once or
! twice she had done three or four.
She always kept sketch book in which
! she outlined ideas as they came to her. Once
! she had had an idea for a perfectly simple
and very unusual evening gown, the idea had
popped into her head after she had gone to
bed, and acting impulse, she had jumped
! up, slipped into dressing gown, and with
some plain white muslin on a dressmaker's
| form, had draped and pinned until nearly
! morning.
The next morning she had burst into MI.
| Carsons office with a radiant face. 1
have an idea for an evening gown; it will
make sensation. VIII you let me expert
ment with some material, it takes so long to
make d decent drawing"
| Without word Mr.. Carson had led the
| way into the workrOOm. He did not question
the girl, he did not caution her about ruin
| ing expensive goods, because he felt that
she knew what she was doing.
"The velvet with the silver threads" she
had breathed, half afraid that he would re-
! fuse her.
But he ordered the velvet to be brought
in, and few minutes later Miriam was
slashing with a pair of shears into exquisite
fabric that sol dat retail for $40 yard.
The dress was exquisitely simple, but it
! breathed originality For one thing, the
! neck-line was different from anything Ev-
erett Carson had ever seen, and then the way
! the material was drawn in at the waist why
! it was perfect 1t would be sure to inspire
any woman with the desire to purchase it.
! Mrs. PendIeton Pehlps offered $500 for
! the dress il they would promise not to have
a copy made but Mr.. Carson shook his head.
Mrs. Phelps was good customer, but $500,
! why, the price was ridiculous for an original
model, when they could sell several at three
! hundred and fifty apiece! Besides, the dress
needed an uncorseted figure to show off its
lines and Mrs. Phelps, who leaned toward
embonpoint, would look ridiculous in it.
Mrs. Phelps departed in high dudgeon,
vowing to buy nothing more at Holland &
CarsOns. WhereupOn the dress was carried
downstairs and placed in the window against
! a background of ivory white velvet. Later
! the same model was sold to four different
| women from different parts of the United
States, and each thought she had purchased
| the original dress
The creation of this gown brought great
deal of prestige to Miriam and did away with
some of the drudgery Of her work OF
course, she still drew designs IN cOlOred INK,
| but for the most part she experimental with
the material itself, and whenever she saw
her idea clearly she cut and slashed with
little fear of making mistake.
Miriam was on the high road Of success.
There was talk of sending her to Europe
before the year was over. Mr.. Carson was
enthusiastic over her. Mr.. Holland, who
rarely came into the establishment, approved
his partners judgment. But as for Miriam
herself, she went around with her head in
the clouds, and was as unspoied as though
| she had never accomplished anything