The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-02-03
fpail Mali t,azetto,

France, as every one well knows, is
pre- eminently the land of fine linen.
From a child's pinafore to Cardinals
surplice, every object of wearing apparel
that linen can be turned into is the object
of the greatest care and elaboration and
few English women quit French territory
without providing themselves with
choice specimens Of French lingerie. To
understand, however, the enormous labor
bestowed upon that portisn of female
dress, tits necessary to see trousseau in
hand, and to see this, it is necessary to
enter convent. Nothing is easier; the
heads of religious houses are only too hap
py to admit strangers into their 0uyrOirs
or workrOoms belonging to the Orphanage
attached to almost all; in the first
place, because they are generally
courteousj in the second, because they
are proud of the exquisite needlework
achieved by their pupils under their roof
And third reason must be adduced for
a permission willingly accorded to for
eigners provided with some kind of in
PRODUCTION: from business point of view
it is highly desirable that the world
1. e. the rich world should know where
to 90 for trousseaiix when its daughters
are married. A marriage outfit, as all
fathers of families know, is an exceed
ingly costly affair; and it is only likely
that in Catholic coufitry all work of
this kind, when accomplished within the
convent walls, is paid for well. Thus at
the appointed time, when the work comes
home, without single long stitch, every
RI oav
make it, the bride weeps for joy, the pa
rents are charmed and compliments are
passed all round. And now let us enter
the workshop; and in describing one
we describe a dozen, each, in all import
ant respects, resembling the others. We
enter, then, a large, airy, whitewashed
room, with crucifix over the mantle
piece and religious notices painted on
the walls. 1t has large windows on each
side, and seldom any kind of curtain to
keep off the dazzling light of midday
summer. Sitting on high benches with
out backs are twenty, thirty, fifty girls,
as the case may be, of all ages, from four
and halt to twenty -0tle, btisily plying
their needles. At each end of the roonl
presides sister, and her quaint nun Z
garb is the only break in the prevailir
monotony-a large, bare, overnight e
room, rows of little children and young
girls in white caps, blue checked dresses
and white aprons, who stitch away
silently, almost automati ally, while the
bright summer hours pass by. As we
enter they rise and remain standing
while We inspect the work. The sisters
take us from one little needlewoman to
another, proudly exhibiting the stitches
or folds or embroidery she mas in hand.
Their finished garments are produced,
and we gaze in wonder, first at the
elaborate piece of needlework, and then
at the feeble-looking workers who pro-
duced it. In oiie instance visitor and
'is little girl were of the party, when
the comic and the pathetic were COM
bined-the sister, with ingenious sim
plicity, offering for his inspection articles
of female apparel generally supposed
mysterious to the other sex; while 1t was
touching to see the wistful look of those
orphan children-children, did we say ?
of those living machiI , at the happy
little girl who had for = minutes quit
ted the world of sport q sunshine and
HOWcIs ioT tHls uIedIy ~ OH. Aucsc VI
phans are waits and strays collected
from Paris and the neighboring country,
and, inspecting them narrowly, it was
easy to see by their weak eyes, narrow
chests, and stopping shoulders, how
much their unnatural life was tellin
upon physiques already but too predis-
posed to sickness and debility. Some
had intelligent faces, one was even OBJ
served to smile, but for the most part
they looked dull and apathetic; end no
wonder. The toll they are condemned
to from the time they can handle
needle till they are twenty one, is of the
most mechanical description. The sathe
girl stitches wristbands, or gathers" or
makes button-holes, or embroiders mi.
tials till she quits the convent. There
has been no training given of kind to
fit her for service or life in general, and
if her eyes are good for anything after,
say twelve years microscopic stitching,
she does not know how to use them. Is
it to be wondered at that the only desir-
able results of this system are admirable
trousseaux