Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-09-07
MRUSTLE Of SILKSI
CHAPTER AZ

LARRY HOLK said it was like
winning a worlds championship,
like being the author of the best
seller, like being the mother of
'quintuplets! To be commissioned
to costume the play of the season
in New York for the most widely
heralded actress was an accom-
plishment.
And Mari decided that her
clothes would be talked about.
She left the villa, still filed
with guests, and went directly to
Paris with Carla. She barri-
caded herself in her home and had
fabrics sent to her there. And
then for nearly seven days she
sketched, discarded her sketches
and made new ones. She read
Carla's play, demanded that Carla
do scene after scene for her until
she herself became the woman in
the play, Until she felt in her
very deepest heart, every shading
of emotion that Carla was to por-
tray.
And when her spirit was per-
meated with it, she began to make
the sketches that she wanted, the
costumes that were a part of the
mood. Therein lay Mari Barat's
art. She was no mere dress de-
signer then. Her lines sprung
from an inspiration that was deep
er than the mind alone.
There was a gown Of misty
blue-black with a sweep Of ma
genta- There was rich brocade
and regal velvet. There was ten
derness in the daffodil yellow, and
passion in the deep purple.
And all the while that Mari
labored for perfection, she was
selfess. But when the gowns
were finished, she knew that she
had sewn some of her heart in
them. For now Tony Castle would
see them; would know that "the
untried grip had produced work
Of art.
Carla had said generously that
her costumes were as great as her
role, that they'd demand more APP
plause than her acting.
That wasn't true of course, but
that her costumes were sensa-
ton was true.
Again there were the cables
from America. Cables Of con-
graduation, cables containing
offers from other actresses, other
producers and four contracts
offered from Hollywood. There
were notes from unknown adj
mirers. And treasured most, a
hesitant, shy letter from a girl in
New York named Louise O'Brien.
That letter Mari read over and
over again. At first it had puz-
zled her. She knew no one named
O'Brien. And, at last, when she
realized it had come from the
model who had been her friend at
Castles shop, she treasured it.
Surely if Louise had seen and
heard of her clothes and had writ
ten to her, Tony would do no less.
Tony could not disregard her now!
He must, if only out of profess
sional courtesy, write her a con-
gratulatory note.
Weeks, months passed after the
opening in New York. There was
never any word from Tony.
Mari ceased to run through her
mail, separating that from Amer
lea and then, slowly and with high
hopes, set it aside, letter by let
ter. With fingers that trembled
she opened those envelopes that
gave no clue to the writer.
At last she knew it would not
come. She settled back into the
calm that was neither happy nor
unhappy.
+ She had her work. And that
year, she had labor troubles.
Hesitant because she was not |
Partisan, she deputized her repre-
sentatives to draw up a code that |
was to be accepted and right the |
difficulties. That move was to /
make her position more secure
and later
In the meantime, like so manv