The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-15
Where DO some Things Come
From

laDrlcS OF cotton, muslin, gauze, and wool,
should be turned out as fast as they are
wanted. 1t is comprehensive, too, that such
developments of silk and satin and velvet as
may hit the humor of the moment should be
forthcoming, in a degree commensurate with
the requirements of the public; though this
is less easy to understand when one reflects
that the whole supply is due to the exertions
of a finite number of small caterpillars. The
multiplication of objects, the material for
constructing which is practically unlimited,
is tolerably comprehensive; but what seems
unaccountable is the extraordinary way in
which certain products of nature-animal,
vegetable, and mineral-seem to rush into
existence on the shortest notice, whenever
demand for them springs up.
How wonderfully accommodating-to take
an instance-has nature proved of late years
in connection with the increased prolificness
of the Seal Tribe or at any rate that portion
of it which furnishes the material that goes
by the name of seal-skin II is only within
the last dozen years or so that this particular
kind of fur has become furiously popular. 1t
is marvellous to observe how strangely
within that comparatively short time, the
supply has increased and multiplied also.
few years ago seal-sllin cloak was an un-
common garment, a rarity: whereas, now,
during the whole of the autumn and winter
seasons, we are so surrounded by all sorts
of seal-skin garments-cloaks, Jackets, waist
coats hats, caps mutfs, tppets, and the like:
not to speak of cigar-cases, purses, tobacco
pouches, blotting- books, and other miscella-
neous obiects-that we might suppose seal
skin to be not merely, as Jaques said of
motley, ''Your only wear" but your only de-
corative fabric available for any purpose
whatsoever. For, look where one may, it is
still seal-skin; seal-slin seal-skin, everywhere.
On the shoulders of ladies'; on the breasts of
the lords of creation; in the shop-windows; in
the circulars which are thrust into our letter
boxes, announcing q consignment of ever so
many thousand seal-skin jackets; in the ad-
vertisement sheets Of the newspapers, from
the Times Supplement to the columns of the
ErChdRg6 and Martin which last journal
the yearnings of humanity after seal-sliin,
and its readiness to barter all other property,
of whatsoever kind, in exchange for this
idolized fur, are more touchingly expressed
than in any other-under each and all Of
these aspects the seal-skin rage is continually
kept before us.
But the supply with which this phocal rage
is appeased is the marvellous thing How is
it that such supply has suddenly come into
existence? Or was it always there, though
there was no demand? Has the genus phoca
been wearing sealskin jackets ever since the
creation, retaining unmolested their posses
sion of those priceless wares through count
less ages; or has this obliging tribe of ami
mails increased in numbers of late years, out
of readiness to crafty the caprice of the fash
ionable world?
Then there are the kids again-what shall
we say of the kids? If it be matter of Won
der where all the seals come from, how much
more wonderful how stupefying and stun
ming, is the thought of the myriads of young
goats whose existence is absolutely neces.
sary to furnish the gloves of the whole civil
lized world? Kids How is it that there
exist six yards of ground anywhere, without
kids browsing thereon? One would expect
that the earth would be teeming and
swarming with kids. In every town il
England, in France, in Europe, gloves
made of what at least processes to be the Skin
of the kid are exposed for sale; while in the
large capitals the number of shops devoted
exclusively to the diffusion of kid gloves is
almost incredible. Taking Paris and Lon
don alone, and occupying ourselves only will
few of the principal thoroughfares, we
should find enough of such shops to sugges
the existence somewhere of such hocks o.
kids as would overrun at least all the pastur,
lands of the civilized earth. How many sucl
shops are there in the Palais Royal the Bou
levards, the Rue de Rivoi, the Rue d'
la Paix; how many in Regent street
Oxford street. Bond street, the Strand, Cheap
side, and Piccadilly? How many in othe
great capitals? How many in South America
Zealand? If we take the trouble to enter OIL
the field of con- jecture which is thus opene,
out before us, we shall be cast out in imagi
nation ION immeasurable unknown prairie
where the foot of man has never trod (eXcep
to capture kids), and where skipping kids dis
port themselves in such prodigious number
that the American herd Of buffaloes who too
six weeks to pass a man in a ditch at fu
gallop, would be as an everyday drove in tn
comparison.
/ speak of the supply of the raw materia
and not the enormous multiplication and sal
of the gloves themselves. When one remen
bers how many are the occasions of show an
ceremony where gloves of the palest and mo-
delicate tints are alone admissible, and no
soon Covering as they do part OF I'll
human frame which comes in continu
contact with all sorts of obiects) the
become soiled and unfit for use, the
is no difficulty in understanding Il
sale of almost any number of glov
that can be manufactured. 1t is the multipl
cation of the kids of whose skins the gloves a
made that is the staggering subject OF refe
tion, and il is in connection with this, al
remembering how comparatively rare, eve
in France, Italy, and Switzerland, and 9th
goat producing countries, are the occasion
when the traveller encounters kids in al
number. that / find myself again and aga
constrained to ask o where and O where a
your glove producing kps!
Is it not a fact that there are more fa
haired children to be seen in this count
than there used to be? Any one who can III
leisure in the early part of the day to wi
those portions of our parks and public gf
dens where children most resort, will lnfal