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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 980, 30 March 1871, Page 2

Among the vanished glories of the Empire (says an English paper) must be ranked the great man-milliner, who ruled with an iron sway over the fair ladies of the Court, and exacted an implicit, and even servile, obedience. Strange to say, while Paris boasted of leading the fashions of the civilised world, this autocrat of the toilette was an Englishman, though his countrymen will not probably feel much honored by his. elevation. He gave himself all the airs of a distinguished artist, and treated the suppliants for his favors with an impertinence which they cerirJnly deserved for their ibliy. lie refused to any longer the wife of an important Court dignitary who had offended him. She wept and pleaded in vain, but at last he relented, on condition, however, that .she should wear her new dress for the first time in his shop. He would lean back in chair before the lire and call up the ladies, one by one, to be criticised. " Why do you 'voar those ugly gloves 1 " he asked one ; u never let. me see you in such a color again." The graudes dames of the Empire would take tea with the man milliner, and rival each pther in their eagerness to fill his cup. Before a great Court Ball they would kneel to him in their anxiety to bo nude beautiful The Empress once told him. she would leave him if he did ■R°t> abate his prices. " You cannot," he replied, and she did nqt. His prices T/qre 'iuiiidiis, but were willingly paid, and the glory of phe English manmiiliner did not wane until *he PrusIJans were on the road to Paris.