Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-08-28
THE HISTORY OF LACE.

Philadelphia Record.
In the use Of lace as an adornment
women have been more faithful to their
early tastes than men, for up to the be-
ginning CT the present century, it was
as much worn by men as women.
Henry III. covered himself with fine
la.v ia gUlu, anu Jne v aIOlS used IL pro-
fusely. Bossompicre, Cinq Mars, and
other leaders of fashion at the court of
Henry iii. brought the extravagant
use of lace to a climax. When gentle
men wore it as decoration they
adorned their gloves, falling collars,
ruffs, and dresses with it in abundance.
Some indeed wore rosette of it on
their CATERS, bow of it on their high
top boots, and it was converted into
fancy buckles for low shoes. 1t has
from early date been used on the cover
ing of chalice altar-cloths, and decor
ated the priests ain and the prelate's
rochet. Mrs. Bury Palliser speaks of
the high esteem in which the church
held lace, and of celebrated painters
furnishing designs for biblical pictures
in which wa see the mother, in antici-
patton of the return of the prodigal son,
preparing for him tippet trimmed
with the richest point; the foolish vir-
gins weeping with handkerchiefs bor-
dered with 1t; the table-cloth of Dives,
as well as the table-napkin used by his
guest, ornamented in the same man
ner.
Laces made for womans Use were
formerly designated for each change
of the season, for different hours of the
day, and adapted to all ages. Under
Louis XIV. point d'Alencon and point
d'Argenian, etiquette styled "winter
laces," and even now ladies have little
discernment who cannot distinguish
appropriate laces for morning or even
ing wear. Valenciennes, with its clear
ground work, is particularly adapted
to handsome morning toilets. Narrow
edgings are for linen suitings, and
torchon for those seaside costumes that
in elegant material ape the blue garb of
the French peasant. Lace, properly
considered, indicates by its transparent
thick or smooth points. or those in re-
lief, the difference between the friVol-
ous and sedate, and suggests the appro-
priateness of such as should decorate
promenade dresses, visiting costumes,
or regatta or race toilets.
Great antiquity is claimed by many
Cor the origin of lace. Yet an incon'
: sistency is apparent, for if these eastern
nations had manufactured lace fol
several centuries before it was known
in Europe, why did they so strictly keer
the secretP Then again, those people
q since the commencement of their his
tory have carefully preserved theil
9 methods of dress, habits, and indus
, trial arts. The first lace, which The
, earliest engraved patterns display wa
8 guipure, and came to us from Venice
n There is but little reason for doubling
that the origin of lace is purely Italian
!. The Venetians used ornaments in higl
4 relief on their guipures. and SO adroit
o ly did they study the effect of light an'
q shade that shadows changed from
dark to light at each movement of tn
q wearer.
S In Queen Charlottes time the Eng
h lish had piece of lace manufacture
g in point d. Angleteire, and presented
S to her, which had for design the dc
|, struction of the invincible Armada b
l. Elizabeth's fleet 1t shows men-of-wa
Vt bending before the wind, dolphin
T. nearly as large as the ships, fOrt'
:. groups of weapons, and flags repro
IS duced with great fidelity. The poir
is d'Alencon, made with a needle,
" acknowledged 10y all connoisseurs t
It be the richest and most beautiful of a
% laces. Elegant and fine, made entirel
st of linen thread, it has raised figures fC
n ornaments
Long after handmade laces had el
joyed life of popularity, mechanisl
n invaded the domain of making
n Tulle was the first lace so made. Man