Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-01-26
The Importance Of Shdicis.

In Bokhara. the camel is watched while
the fine hair of the belly is growing this
fine hair il cut of so carcluliy that not 4
fibre is lost; it is put by until there is
enough 10 spin into a yarn, ,uneqnalled
Tor sollness; aud then il is dyed all man
ncr OF bright colorS, and woven in strips
eight inches wide OF shawl patterns such
aS--with all oar pains and cost. with all
our Schools OF Design aud study oI ma.
tuc and art-we are not yet able to riy-
al. These trips are then scwod togeIh
er so cuuningIy that 10 European can
discover the Joints. The precious mer
chandise is delivered 70 traders who
receive it on credit Ga their return
from market they pay the price OF the
shawls at Bohhama value with 30 per
cent interest; or, if they cannot do this
in consequence oil having been robbed,
or il any other misfortune. they stay
away. and are never seen again in their
land.
Where is this market ? So far away
/ from home that Traders wear ont their
clothes during their journey; and their
/ lair skins become rs brown ~ a mulat
toes. On. on they go, day after day,
month alter month, OH their pacing cam
els, or beside them, over table. lands,
mounting one above another; over grass,
among rocks, over sand, through snow
now chilled TO The marrow by icy winds !
now sc0rched 10y sunshine, from where
there is no shelter but The llat Gotten
caps, with which they thatch their bare
crowns on, on, Tor fifteen thousand miles
10 The borders oil Russia. TO sell the
shfwls which are hung on ladies in Hyde
Park and Broadway.
The passion for shawls among all
woLen every where is remarkable. In
one country The shawl may flow liom the
head like veil in another, it is knotted
round The oiuts as sash in yet another.
il is swaihed around tle body as q petit.
coat. Whenever worn at all, 1t Is pet
article of dress. From alime remote be
yond computation. the sheep oil Cash
mere have been cherished on their hills,
and the goats OF rhibet on their plains,
and the camels oil Tarlary their steppes,
TO furnish material Tor the choicest
shawls. From time immemorial, the
patterns which we know so well have
been handed down as a half sacred tradi
lion through llindoo ancestry, which
even puts Welch pedigree 10 shame.
For thousands OF years have the bright
dyes, which are the despair OF our science
and AIT been glilterng in Indian looms.
in those primitive pits under the palm
tree where the whimsical pattern grew,
/ like the wild flower springing from the
soil. For thousands OF years have Eastern
potentates made presents OF shawls 10
distinguished strangers, with diamonds
and pearls.
At this day when an Eastern prince
sends gifts 10 European sovereisns, there
are shawls TO the value OF thousands OF
pounds. together with jewels, perfumes,
and wild beasts. and valuable horses !;
lust as was done in The days of the Pha.
raohS. as the paintings on Egyptian
toombs shew US to this day. Aud the
subjects OF sovereigns have as much liG'
ing Tor shawls as any queen. AT the
Russian court, the ladies judge one an
other by their sbawls rs by their dia
monds. In France. the bridegroom wins
favor by a judieious giit OF this kind.
In Cairo and Damascus, The gilt OF shaw
will cause as much heartburning in the
harem as the introduction OF new wife.
In England the daughter OF the house
spends the whole of her first quarters
allowance in the purchase OF shawl.
The Paris grisette, and the London dress
maker 60 10 tHeu WIN WV" NV '''
shawl pinned neatly at the waist. The
lost gin drinker covers her rags with The
remnants of shawl of better days. The
farmers daughter buys n white cotton
shawl with gay border Tor her wedding
and il washes and dyes until, having
wrapped all her babies in turn, it Is iln'
ally dyed black 10 signalize her widow
hood. The maiden aunt, growing elderly,
takes 10 wearing shawl in the house in
mid. winter; and the granny would no
more think of going without it at any
season than without her cap. When son
or grandson comes home from travel, iar
or near, his present is q new shawl,
which she puts on with deep considera'
ton parting with the old lone with sigh
The Manchester OF Birmingham factory
girl buys gay shawl on credit. wears II
on Sunday, puts il in pawn on Monday
morning, and takes it out again on Sat
urday night, lor another Sundays wear,
and SO on until she has wasted money
that would have bought her good
wardrobe. Thus from China round the
world to Oregon, and from the Queen
down to The pauper, is the shawl the
SYMBOL of womaL's taste and condition.