Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-24
What a Girl Can DO.
The Young SILK Culsurtst of Hadding
ton and Her Collection.
from the Philadelphia 1imes.l

United States at present is in Haddingtop,
West Philadelphia. This suburb has gained
Is -eminence in this particular through
the labors of one young girl, Miss Nellie Lin
coin Rossiter, a bright, enterprising little
lady, not yet II. Yet she already has ma
tional reputation, being recognized as stand
ing at the head of her profession as a practi-
cal silk culturist. Her pamphlet upon silk
culture is the standing authority and her
stock of silk worms is considered the best
everywhere, she being constantly called upon
to supply eggs, cocoons and reeled silk to all
parts of the world.
Miss Rossiter, with her parents, live on
Vine street, above Sixtieth street, in spa
rearing season, which continues from May
until September, every available space of
this large dwelling is occupied with the
frames and trays containing the worms in
various stages of development, from eggs and
caterpillars to cocoons and moths. The
F'young silk culturist" early exhausted the
capacity of every accessible tree in Hadding-
ton, and last summer was obliged to go to
Fernwood, Delaware county, q distance of
three miles, almost daily for mulberry leaves.
During the autumn, winter and spring she
occupies herself in her large correspondence
and in Keeling silk and in preparing the skeins
and cocoons as specimens, both for gifts and
for sale. Such specimens of the young lady g
own skill are in demand everywhere; besides,
there is constant call for reeled silks, to be
used in embroidery and the manufacture of
artificial flowers.
Miss Rossiter's silk collection is considered
the finest in the United States, with the ex-
ception of that in Washington belonging to
the government. It embraces specimens of
cocoons and reeled silk from every State in
the Union and from Italy, France, Turkey,
Japan and China. The collection occupies
the who.e of the large front parlor. Two
cases, disposed along the WALL contain the
specimens of cocoons and reeled silk. Among
these are some from the Mormons, who are
eminently successful silk raisers; some from
the Russian Mennonites in Kansas; some
from the school for feeble-minded children
at Media, grown by them under Miss Rossi-
ter's personal instruction; some from the
centennial exhibition, and some from poor
village in Turkey, the result of the enterprise
of missionary, who tried the experiment of
silk culture, with Miss Rossiter's assistance,
for the benefit of the people there. There
are, also, specimens of cocoons from wild
silk worms, feeding on the leaves of the oak
and ailanthus trees. 1t is not yet known to
what extent the various wild moths, natives
of this country, Can be made to produce silk.
A great proportion of the cocoons grown in
this country are from women in the southern
States.
Another case contains a number of fancy
articles made of silk, comprising embroidery,
knitting, crocheting, patchwork and the like,
as well as some grotesque Japanese and
Chinese figures, such as shells and fishes,
covered with raw silk and painted Grape.
Two pieces of brocade ribbon were made in
1882 at the Rapp settlement, Economy, Pa;
the silk worms reared and the silk reeled
there. The samples from the Mormons are
quite fine. One is piece of rich, white silk
fringe from the curtains of the Tabernacle at
st. George, Utah. another a scrap of gray
silk from a dress worn by Eliza r. Swan the
Mormon poetess. These were of home man
ufacture. The dress was trimmed with rich
black lace, also made in Utah. Mrs. Button
of Camden, N j., presented to this collec-
ton skein of sewing silk made by herself.
Mrs. Button has reared silk worms for pleas
ure and made her own sewing silk, as her
mother did before her, for the last thirty
years. This lady took the second prize for
cocoons offered by Strawbridge & Clothier
last year, Mrs. Taylor of Kenneth Square
taking the first. Still another large case
contains a beautiful silk exhibit, presented
entire to Miss Rossiter by the Nonotuck Silk
Manufacturing company, Florence, Mass
This shows every step in the process of silk
culture.
A placard displayed above one of the cases
contains the appropriate motto, See what
worm can dol" 1t is true that worms can
no longer be considered strictly among the
most insignificant objects of creation. But
the motto-applied to include the whole col
lection, with the enterprise, energy and bust
ness capacity represented by it-may be
properly read "See what girl can do!''
The Russian Minister'S wife as Ply
kicIan,
The Washington correspondent of the St
Louis Globe-Democrat is authority for the
following:
can astonishing change has lately been
manifested in the condition of Mrs. Henry
Bingham, wife of the Philadelphia represent
tative in Congress. A year since cancer de-
veloped itself in her mouth, and the most en-
inent surgeons in Philadelphia we're consulted
An operation was performed, but late last fall
the cancer reappeered, and after several con-
sultatians, DIR. Agnew and the other physi-
clans pronounced it iEcurable, and upon her
repeated commands told Mrs. Bingham that
she could not live more than three months
at the most. She suffered frightful pain, and
for weeks watched the gradual approach of
death and tried to resign herself to it.
ga few weeks ago Nine. de Strive, the
WIG OF Iu0 hu6SIdu HilulSo0I, lSdEH0u OL MIS-
Biugham's condition, and was urged to go
and see her. Nine. de Strive is a most won
derful woman in every way; of strong and
decided character, a fine mind and great
nerve and courage Before her marriage
she studied medicine, and, although men,
Der of one of the most distinguished Russian
families, favorite at the court of the late
EMPRESS and the possessor of great for
tune, she was determined upon beginning the
regular practice of her profession. M. de
Strive persuaded her out of this promised
career and she praotises her art now on the
members of her own family. Her eight chill
dren are the healthiest and happiest little
ores to be met with, and sickness is unusual
in her household. In theasy Nine. de Strive
is homeopathic, and she uses chiefly the
medicines of the great DR.. Mattel, of Bolog-
na Italy. DIR. Mattel has been especially
successful in the treatment of cancers, and
Mime. de Strive keeps with her always a full
case of his preparations. DIR. Agnew and
the other phYsiciaps having assured Mr..
relieve his wife, all prescriptions were
stopped and opiates only were used in the
sick-room.
"When Nine de Gt I'VE came to see Mrs.
Bingham she began with the course of DIR.
Matei's medicine. The other physicians
were relieved, and the Russian Minister'S
wife has now sole charge of the case. With
in these few weeks Mrs. Bingham has i'm
proved SO wonderfully as to bewilder those
who expected to hear of her death at any
time. The opium is wholly discontinued,
ahe sleeps, she eats, the cancer is diminishing
In size, and few days since Mrs. Bingham
was able to ride out. Society is in great
state of excitement at this marvel in its
midst, the two lsdies being most prominent
in the higher circles here. Mime. de Struve
rnodestly declines any credit in the matter,
aseribing every thing to DIR. Mattel, and while
she very quietly says that she cannot tell
whether Mrs. Bingham will ever be perma-
nently cured, she feels that the italian doetor's
remedies have relieved her of heE worst sut-
ferings. and at least prolonged her lie for
awhile"