The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-01

| Pieoch9 Viz sPllBS aIe BoneTally sewn, as
they arc completed by the work-womcn,
on blue paper, and then united by another
hand, eilhcr on the pillow by "cut-works''
or 'ipurling." or else Joined with the
| needle ny various stitches. The patterns
of these sprigs are In the first place prickcd
with needles on kind Of shining brown
millboard known as parchment paper, "
ny women who often devote themselves
exclusively to this branch of the business.
Among the commonest sights of a fine sum-
mcr evening in East Devon are the lace
makers, each seated at her door, with their
| lace-pillows (Which resemble thick circular
pads) on their laps, and tho small children
around them on their little stools, all busily
| occupied IN making these sprigs, whether
turkey tails, "blackbcrrics, or "stars. -
| Similarly In winter the steady "clck, click,
cllck,' OF their pins proceeds from every
cottage, just as in a Nottinghamshire vii
lagc l3 heard the inccssant jar and rattle of
| the stockingers' frames.
The picturesque village of Beer, near the
chalk hcadland of the same name, 80 famous
OF old for smugglcrs, is now celebrated for
its exquisite lIoniton lace. Hero the
Queens wedding dress was made ut cost
OF FL, ,O00 1t is composed of Honiton
sprlgs connected ona pillow by variety of
open-work stitches. rhc Princess Royal,
Irlncess Alice and Princess of Wales also
wore wedding dresses of Honiton point
made at Beer and the neighborhood. Capt.
tai workmanship in this lace was shown at
the international Exhibition in 1862, but
the patterns were conventional and clumsy,
arabcsqucs made lions and poor limitations
OF nature. Hence may be traced in great
measure its decline in public estimation,
fc
against its general use. In consequence of
this deficiency prizes were offered in con-
nectlon with tic Bath and West of Eng
land Society for natural work in Honiton
lace. which produced such admirable spcci
mems that the Queen ordered them to be
sent to Windsor Castle for her inspection.
From very tender years children arc taught
TO make Honiton lace in what are termed
lace schools The little things collect in q
danes room, and under her tuition, frc-
qucntly seconded by n cane, are taught the
mysteries OF the art. They are appren-
tlccd to tic trade in Devon Mt eight, nine,
and tenyears OF age (but in Bucks and Beds
commonly at SIX years, often at four or
hve), earning nothing in their first year,
ana slXpcncc per week in the second.
Afterwards they are paid so much per
sprlg, the price varying with the demand,
value OF cotton, etc., but being generally
I'D, 3D., or 3d. per spng. 81 can make
four turkeys tails day, and get I'D. for
cach," girl Of ten lately told us with par
donable pride. A child of five years o,d
will earn penny in four hours by making
SIX lilies" One master in the trade is
said to employ as many as 5000 of these
workchildren. A clever adult hand will
easily earn Il shilling day at her lacc-pil-
low is paf1 GGi =: ~, nln
system. The average earnings of quick
hand may be put down at three shillIngs or
three shilngs and sixpence week. At
Falencienncs the workers used to toll in
underground cellars from 4 in the morn
ing till at night, and scarcely earn ten
pence day. The abuse connected with
the lace-schools were lately exposed by the
Childrcn's Employment Commission. 1t
was found that the hours Of work in them
were generally excessive, and the atmos-
phcre extremely bad, owing to the crowded
state OF the small rooms in which the
children work. Discipline is rigidly cn-
forced and in some schools, in order that.
the lace may be kept clean, the children sit
without shoes Oh brick or stone floors.
These causes, coupled with the constrained
position Of the worker, who must bend
over the pillow which rests in her lap, Law
the seeds OF illness and frequently of con
sumption in after life. The morality
amongst the laccnnl1crs of Devon, we
can testify, from personal knowledge, is
large. They are thin and sallow, inclined
to that bold, false independence which is
always cngcndered when women neglect
the domestic virtues. The children are
often defiant and disobcdient to parents,
and, on the whole, the occupation of lace
making cannot be called one favorable to
morality.