The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-01-02
Children's Work at the French Ex
position.

Children's Work at the French Ex.
position.
In very long corridor of the French
Exposition, in that portion of the Main
Building devoted to the "Liberal and
Fine Arts" was shown the sewing of
the children of France. The corridor
in which the work was displayed was
surrounded On either hand by galleries
ofpictures by all the great painters of
Europe, compartments devoted to sculp-
ture and the work of the drawing schools
all over France, besides the exhibits of
bronze, tapestry, brass, and other kinds
of snowy and ambitious products of
both artists and artisans. Close at hand
was the sumptuous and proud display of
the Indian collection of gifts of jewels,
Cashmeres, carvings, and ornaments
made by his Indian subjects to the
Prince of Wales. But in this long cor
ridor for the sewing children, for many
hundred feet, on shelves, in glass cases,
drawers, and even on the floor itself,
were spread out great multitudes of
leather portfolios, between whose leaves
were displayed garments of all kinds
made by children and young girls hum
BILE work, but perhaps more really useful
than all the gorgeous and ambitious dis
play in its vicinity.
Coming upon this section of the Ex-
hibition when my attention had been
strained and wearied by the sight of The
great canvases painted by the chief of
the living artists, after having studied
and admired the repousse bronze and
gold work on jars and vases by Barba-
dienne, rich and elaborate with figures
initiating the antique, fruits and flowers
nearly as exquisite as in nature, and
embossed and entassed designs, the sight
of the accumulated industry of the little
children of the French excited in my
mind mingled feelings of tenderness and
admiration.
Each school had its own portfolios,
and the glass cases contained, also, as
many articles as they would hold OF
work done in the parish and conventual
schools, from Normandy and the Jura
Mountains to Marseilles, Bordeaux, and
Savoy. Every city and town and vii
lage seemed represented here, and j,
was all of this same kind of industry
of children.
Turning over the portfolios, twenty
or more different sets of garments were
| found between the pages of each OF
them, and these garments, though only
of size for large dolls, were perfectly
shaped and made as if for grown ol
small human beings. Taking up and
examining a petticoat or pair of draw
ers, we saw by the name on it that it was
made by "Jennie GAMER, aged 5 years. .
Looking at the seams. they were neatly
stitched, though not quite as regularly
as by grown woman accustomed tc
her needle, and the ends of each little
seam were strongly and well secured
The hens made by the little finger:
were also perfectly well done, though
not with the exquisite precision found
in the sewing of the older girls, bu1
their stitches were so small and neal
that many, if netthe majority of, Ameri
can women might. have envied the use
of needle so much more skillful thar
their own desultory teaching enables
them to employ.
1t was not alone plain hens and
seams found in the garments by these
little children, but bits of simple Gre
cheted trimming finished skirt with {
tasteful edge, and l fancied the little
seamstress, very likely in her neat mus
lin cap, her big apron, and her heavy
sabots, so usually worn by the lowe
class of French children, quiet, thrifty
aad ruddy and healthy, cultivating hel
tastes at the same time she employed
her small fingers in this wholesome ant
useful study.
Five years seemed to be the younges
age at which they are taught to sew, O.
at least that was the earliest work saw
at the Exposition; but even then theil
use of their needles would have KEEP
untidiness and squalor from their owl
persons, and they could sew all thei
clothes as well as their needs required
But when the marks appeared on tn
work of children of seven or eight, no
only was the hesitating stitch overcome
but above seams as even nearly as ma
chine-work were inserted embroidere
edges, hem-stitched trimming, button
holed scallops, and nearly all the form
of needle-work which, practiced s
beautifully by the grown women c
France, Belgium, and Holland, al
among the most sought and the mes
fruitful instruments of national indus
try. Here "Gabrielle Lafontaine, age
TO-" had transferred muslin figures VI
on lace, and of bit of ordinary mat'
rial had made a charming infants cap
and ''Marie Guyon, aged H." had ne
ted a fine edge, at almost no expense I
money, upon cambria cape, who's
drawn threads neatly manipulate
made it elegant and attractive. Lit
button-holes were worked as nicely {
by a tailor on night dresses, shir
bosoms, and gowns, and by childrt
less than IL years old.
Nor were these articles of sewing Il
| only sort of strictly useful ones, for mt