, 1876-11-05
ANCIENT RECREATION.

Social Amu8ement8 IN Old-llIne France.
It is amusing TO note the devices by which
these social and pleasure-sceking coterics
sought to amuse themselves, and to pass the
time which hung heavily on their hands. At
one period it became fashionable for men to
busy themselves with embroidery and other
light work which had hitherto been the czclu-
sive province Of the ladies' Entering the salon,
you would observe gaily dressed cavaliers seated
ut embroidery frames or stitching away at
piece Of tapestry; even grave statesmen and
ponderous philosophers might have been seen
busily embroidering birds, flowers, and eoats-of-
arms. Then there came about q fashion OF un-
rayeling the silken aud metallic threads Of
fringes and tissues. This was called "purning."
The ladies Of quality we're wont In this to make
pretense OF doing something useful and eco
omical. At first they and their male gallants
employed themselves in picking out the gold
and silver threads from old garments, worn
trimmings, cpaulets, aud so on "0n circle
OF ladies' being formetl,'' says Tainc, 'ta big
unravellng- bag in green taffeta Is placed on the
table, which belongs to the lady Of the house;
Immediately all the lailies call tor their bags"
The gentlemen were expected to supply the
rather costly materials for this curious pastimc;
on one occasion the Duke Of LauZun supplied
his guests with q harp to be unstrung and
unraYeled. The ladies, after thus separating
the threads, We'd with each other in selling
them, and thus made merit Of earning an III
come II they destroyed garment worth
LOCO francs, and then sold the threads taken
from 1t for 100, they regarded it as good
operation.
Not content with unravellng old garments,
they would capriciously destroy new ones IN the
rage for excclling in this peculiar accomplish
ment- One day lady, as she swept ont OF tue
drawing room, took it into her head that the
gold fringe which danglcd from hcr robe would
be capital for unrave'lng; and without hes1tar
tfon she took her scissors anu cut It on. len
women suddenly surround 3 man wearing
fringes, pull ot his coat, and put hs 1r1nges ana
laces into their bags, just IS II little bola nock
Of tomtfts, duttertng and chattering IN the alF,
should suddenly CART on q jay 20 p4uck on ats
feathers Ihence1ozth man wao enters
pei aliye.n
In all the fancy.Work on which ladies' employ
eo tne4se1Ves, tuo tnen seet " sG ,ta. taaen ra
par fons.nea, ~ is Drc T.. nn,as;n~ ns sEe', o!,
reseats Young Mai4an ehLtts ~ ~
where tMo 1ar uamse!s ne , enurG.oes' w thns vns
Is working piece o1 dress-tr1mmlng, tne otne1
Masly 1onncc: inc psao aIo, e1am!nes ene oeo ~
broldery with the eye OF acounoisseut, pou1@s
out here and there the spee1al4y go9o toucnes,
and Is too polite 70 nouce any oetects- r.
.sakes little gold tube ont OF tne POCKET OF nls
RI -hly-s.ecorated Watstcoaf, and selects oainty
go4 i needle. He goes to the frame At Whlcn
Cidaa is working, and finishes the Hover
which she had begun From her ne moves 10
the 50 e, and, seizing one end Of the nounce'
assists ts1uene, to whom ae pays special astcn-
tion. to czxnplete her task" Al tnis tl1ne IL
was the usstOm OF the ladies' 14Tar1abiy 70 caff3
their worn ts75s With them to the evening seceP
tions, in ". Hh they had not only tneaf eor1n aaE
crv rnofaria Is. Quk the 1881 QQFef. kQ6 pVpAltA