Independent Statesman

Emma Abbott's Dresses.

As vivacious, as full of good spirits and lively chatter as ever, Emma Abbott flitted about a friend's room at the Everett house on Wednesday, says a Tribune reporter, a few hours after she arrived from Europe. She was dressed in extremely nautical looking blue serge trimmed with silver braid, with a natty looking sailor's hat perched on top of the dark hair and smiling face.

"I have had a perfectly glorious time," said Miss Abbott, "and I have also done an extraordinary amount of work during my short visit. I have made all arrangements for my novelties to be produced this season. These are 'Semiramide,' Lakme and 'Lalla Rookh.' While in Paris I spent nearly all my time either with the manager of the Grand Opera or the Opera Comique, and I studied thoroughly the manner of the production of these three operas. From the Grand Opera I ordered my costumes for 'Semiramide,' and from the Opera Comique, the Lakme costumes. Those for 'Lalla Rookh' I already have. The rest of my time was spent with the dressmakers. Besides the costumes of the two opera houses, I passed through the hands of Worth, Mlle. Louise, who makes a specialty of death scene' dresses; Mlle. Paingat, and last, but not least, Mlle. Roderigue. She is superb. I got from her a dress of the new material, 'velours cisele' or chiseled velvet, which is going to be the rage. A dainty device peculiar to Roderigue is the insertion of tiny sachets of delicate perfume about the costume, causing it to exhale the faintest of lovely scents. Then I studied hard and went to all the theatres, so you may imagine how my time was filled up."

Is it true that you have asked Gounod to write an opera for you?

"Yes, and I expect to know in a few weeks what his final answer is. I offered him $40,000 or 200,000 francs to write the music to a libretto I furnished him. It is a subject which I think will suit me exactly, and I earnestly hope Gounod will accept my offer."