Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-16
Children's Wardrobes Which Rival
the Luxuries of Royalty.

Not long ago Mrs. Clarence Peck.
who belongs to the family of millionaire
Pecks, of Chicago, sent an order to n
Twenty-third street dealer in infants
wear for a baby's trousseau. The only
specification contained in the letter was
to make it as nice as you can" And
that is precisely the way the tiny outfit
was put together, says the New York
World. The first item listed was a
steamer trunk, which was recovered,
hinged with blackened iron and lined
with pale blue brOadcloth redolent with
the perfume of sweet clover. Set into
the lid was plate for the monogram
and date, if desired. The services of
an artist were secured, who designed
the patterns for the embroidery with
which the baby hannels, robes, wraps,
and linen were decorated.
All the fine dimity was sent to the
nuns for the drawn work for which they
are so famous. The embroidered and
lace goods for undershirts, bibs and
dresses were woven to order, so that
many of them were seamless garments.
Specialists we're employed to make the
dainty lace and silk caps. The little
silk socks, shirts and scarfs were woven
to order, and in the half-dozen short
dresses the famous European schools of
embroidery were represented. Some of
the barrie-coats and lap blankets were
80 exquisitely worked that the pattern
was the same on both sides, while the
fanciful way in which yokes were
stroked, gathered and drawn, and
bands were open-h -hemmed, etched and
darned, represented days and weeks OF
continuous labor.
Everything was in sets of six pieces,
and not single cotton article was in
cluded. Even the wash-rag was croch-
eted with linen thread. Real Valen-
ciennes lace edged the little handker-
chiefs and the neck and sleeves of the
nlght-gown. The delicate lace that
flounced couple of dresses might have
been ripped from the under-sleeves of a
court robe, and the very poetry of
needle painting was shown in the work
that adorned and enriched cape-coat
of white corded silk. Any one of
over the baby basket or crib
would be admired on an altar stand or
parlor table, and few trays of clothes
are as pretty as the linen shams for
babv's pillow, with their delicate sprays
of blue-bells, woodbine and trailing
arbutus. In blue cushion were pins
for a generation safety pins and bib
pins, handkerchief pins and shoulder
pins of gold mounting set with pearl,
turquoise and coral. There was q blue
box of Dresden china for the infants
Jewels and handkerchiefs, q basket of
gilded willow lined with blue and silver
with pockets for brushes, boules and
hand-glass, and the soap-holder, pow
der-box and sponge-cup were of jeweled
glass with the word ''baby" in relieved
script. AS n whole, complete in detail,
it was the most elaborate and expensive
trousseau ever sold in New York.
When Mrs. George Gould returned
from Europe she brought baby's outfit
with her the lace trimmings Of which
are said to have cost 81 900. Many Of
the little garments are so daintily made
and the material is SO delicate that con-
tact with washboard or the clumsy
hands of laundress would end their
glory. They are sent to the cleaners
by the proud young mother and the bill
that tho indulgent young father has to
pay every month would feed, clothe
and make fun for sextette of every
day, all-around, free-born babies.