The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1849-02-03

moment she felt there was a mysterious
connection between her fate and till
haunted chamber in the mine
Now when Barbara returned to her
home, and set down amid her workwo.
man, she told OF this wondrous fabric
woven by the little fairy spinner, Of the
mine. Il happened that among the pen.
sioners Of her bounty was numbered a
certain woman fran Barbarant who Ind
been dr,ven from her home By the crne,
tics p7a"tlsed by the Duke OF Alva in the
Low Coun ries. In her own Country
she had learned to weave coarse kind
of lace, and when she heard her lady de-
scribe the delicate texture of the spi.
ders' webs, she drew forth some Haxen
threads, ard wove them into meshes re-
spmbling somewhat the drapry which
Barbara had SO admired. This was all
that was wanting to give purpose and
detimtenpss to Barbara's vague fanc,es.
They who look with mos! pleasure on
a finished work, are olt-tilnes most easily
weared with tracing the slow footsteps
Of the patient laborcr. The reader
would tire Of this faithful chronicle If
called to watch the gradual progress of
Barbara U,tman's schemes OF widespread
good By unwearied toll she made her
sellacqnainted with the means of perfect
ing the new manufacture, which offered
to her propt etc spirit means OF liyeli
hood to the feeble portion of the poor.
Going on from one improvement TO an
other she finally invented the cushion,
the bobbins, and the pins, by which hand
woven lace is wrought with such perfect
symmetry and regularity of fabric and
design as to make it even now, the cost.
Hest of all the trappings Of wealth. Then
when the invention was perfected
by offering premiums to those who would
engage in the work, by establishing man
u'actories in her own domain, by Ore.
eep. and example, and all the varied mean,
OF Influence which wealth and virtue had
placed within her power, she established
the weaving oflace as tho especial EMPLOY
men, Of the women ofSayoay. Thousands
Of maidens have found their sole suppor,
in This employment, ami for nearly three
hundred years the name of Barbara Uuman
has been revered as The smotller,' OF many
daughters, aid the benefactre,s of the wo.
men Of more than one nation in Eorops.
4 y
Gentle reader, have begniled You with
no fictitious tale. In the church yard of,he
little mountain hamle, of Ameberg lie IN.
remains Of Barbara Gilman, who was Dor,
in 1914, married in 1881 10 Chrls,onhe,
Gilman, rich mine owner, and died a wild
ow in 1878. A visit 10 long disus ID SHAFT
in the mine, where the SPIDERS had woven
ihei webs for Fifty years, gave her the first
idea Of tina, beauii ul fabric, which undsr
the names of Mechlen, Falenciennes, and
Brussels lace, makes the choices, OF all
additions 10 latly's toilet Itsail since In.
establishment Of i,s manufacture in 1860.
upwards OF a million Of woman are snppo.
el to have obtained comfortable Iivelihood
by this species of employment. -Notwi.h.
sanding the general Introduction of a much
inferior kind of lace, which is woven by
m chinery, al least twenty thousand women
in Europe, annually obtain their suppor,
from the manufacture Of hand-woven laos.
With the far seeing spirit OF true pllanlhro
py woman thus solved for her country the
problem which statesmen yet cavil over.
and by ahordirg The poor means of humbe
independence, rescued the females of her
own land from want and dsstituion Yet
how few of those who deck them selves
with lace. only les; costly Than diamonds,
have ever heard the name OF Barbara Uit-
man.