The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-16
4 FRENCH TROUsSEAU.
How IL is Made Interesting Information for
Fathers Of Families.

Prom ne TuH MAJ GdIette.
France, rs every one well knows, IL pre-
eminentlv the land Of fine linen From a chlld's
pinatore to cardinal surplice, every article Of
wearing apparel that linen can be turned into Is
and few Englishwomen quit French territory
without providing themselves with choice spe-
cimens OF French lingerie. To understand.
however, the enormous labor bestowed upon
that portion OF female dress, Il Il necessary to
see trousseal In hand and 70 see this 1t Is me-
cessary 90 enter convent. Nothing IL easier {;
the he ids 81 reiigin - houses are only too happy
TO admit strangers into their ouvrOrs or work
rooms belonging To the orphanage attached to
almost ali In the first place, because they are
generally cOurteous In the ~e 'Ond. because
they are proud ot the exquisite needlework
achieved by their pupils under their roof And
thiri reason must be adducei for a permis.
sion willingly accorded 20 fl9lgners provided
with some kind OF ntroduc bn from n busi-
ness point Of view II Is highly desirable that tho
world. e. the rich word-shoud know where
t. 70 for trousseaux when its daughters are
married.
A marriage OUTFIT. as all fathers Of families
know, il an exceedingly costly affair; and II Is
only likely that IN aCttholic country all work OF
this kind, when accomplished within the con-
vent walls, Ia paid for we'll. Thus at the appoint
Ell time. when the work comes home, without a
single long stitch, every garment a. perfect rs
needlewOrk can make II, the bride weeps for
JOY, the parents are charmed, and compliments
pass all round. And now let us enter the work
shop; and In describing one we describe a
dozen. each IN all important respects resembling
the others. We enter, then. "A large, airy. white
washed room with crdchx over the mantel-
piece and religious notices painted on the
walls. IL mas ltfge windows ON cac0 Sl0e anu
seldom any Kind " curtain to keep OF the daz-
Zlng light OF midday summer. sitting on high
benches without backs are twenty. thirty, ATTY
girls. as n case may be, OF all nges from four
and a half to twenty-one, Dusily plyinR the
n 'edle At each end OF the room presides a
sister, and her quaint nuns GARD IS the only
break In the prev Hing monotOny-a large, bare
over-lighted room, rows OF little children ana
Young girls In white caps. blue checked dresses
and white aprons, VINO stttch away silently, at
most autom ucaliy. while the bright summer
hours pass nv. As we enter they rise and re-
main standing while we inspect the work The
sister takes us from one little needlcwomAn to
folds or embroidery she has In hand. Their
finished garments are produced. and We gaze IN
wonder FIRST at tho elaborate piece OF needle
W III and then At the feeblo-iookng workers
who have produced 1t.
In one Instance avisitor and his little girl were
Of the party, when the comic and the pathetic
were combined the sister with ingenious
simplicity. On ring Tor his Inspection articles OF
female apparel generally supposed mysterious
to the other sex ; while II WAS touching To
tho wlstfll look Of those orphan children
children. did we sayp-Jf thosa living machines
at the hapDy little girl wno mad for i've min
utes quilted the world of sport and sunshine
and flowers NJ this dreary prison. These or
phans are waits and stIavs collected from Paris
ana Tue nelshboring country, and, Inspecting
them narrowly, II was easy to seq by their weak
eyes, narrow chests, ana stopping shoulders,
how much their unnatural life was telling uuon
physlques alre ldy but too predisppsed to sick
ness and debility. some had intelligent faces
one was even observed 70 smile-but for the
most part they looked duh and apathetic and
no wonder. The toll to which they are con-
demned from the time they can handle a needle
Till they are twenty-one Is Of the most mechan-
zeal description. The same girl stitches wrist
bands or :" theirs" or makes Duttonholes or
emoroiders initials till she quits the convent.
There has been no training eiyen.oi Kind to 1T
her for service OF HE in general, ana n .her eyes
are good for ANYTHING after, say twelve years
microscopic stitching, she does not know how
20 use them. Is II to be wondered ut that the
only desirable results Of this system are admira-
BILE trOusseauXI