The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-09-25
HOW TO SELECT SILK,
Some Ancient Dslusions Concerning Thl
Fabric.

|
tunate few, and coveted but never at
tanned, by the way-down many. 1t was
not an affair of q season-it was a per-
manent property" held as a token of
scended from generation to generation
as an insignia of the family standing
Time is when the average woman de-
string to wear that sort of garment can
do So and it may be beautiful and serv-
iceable of color and texture, though not
of the best grade of material-an actual
silk, not shoddy manufactured from a
mixture of silk and cotton rawlings,
nor cotton weavings with a top wisp of
silk. 1t seems that womankind has the
presumption right to revel in the lus-
trous stuffs, brought about through her
nuptial vow ito obey" Some 2,7OO
years before the Christian dawning the
Chinese emperor, Hyang Tee, much
like an occasional modern husband not
at all heathenish, was greatly agitated
by the idleness of his womanfolk.
Therefore he ordered his empress to de-
wise method of usefulness for them,
doubtless actuated by large-sized in
tention to keep the madam herself PC
| cupied. History does not relate that
tSee- Lihg-Shee was of spiteful turn of
mind and found consolation in getting
even when she was herself tormented by
prosecuting others, so we are left to
imagine that she set the court woman
| fn1ly 10 fohi onJ fonlincr
green, squirming, siXteen-legged, bulge
eyed worms! And thus for the delight
of the sex universal of A. d. 1891 was
originated the silk industry.
| Plentiful as silk fabrics now are in
the market, with reason, it may be sup
posed, that they will become more so,
since the production of the material
a more general business, and the weav
| ing of the delicate threads can now be
successfully accomplished by other than
q few old-world looms.
In the manufacture of silk, after the
outside, loose, tlossy structure is taken
from the cocoon, the thread is reeled
upon spindles. Threads that reel from
cocoons without frequent breaks are
known on the market as raw silk"
and are used in the manufacture of the
high-priced qualities, which are supe-
rior in evepness of texture, in color and
in luster. The outside structure and
the inner layers of the cocoons, the
broken and tangled threads of imper-
feet or punctured cocoons, and the ends
left in Keeling, in twisting, and in
doubling raw silk-all these cuttings
market as ''spun silk" which is used in
the manufacture of low-priced silks
that are of standard wearing quality,
though they can not be made so luStrous
and soft and even and beautiful of color
as the ''raw-silk" fiber fabric.
Although there is an abundance of
durable, inexpensive robe-sill1 in the
market, the shops have full stock of
shining cloth, which, whenever pur-
shame upon ordinary Judgment in the
investment of money. The ineXpe-
rienced buyer of silk should be wary of
the bargain that can stand alone"
The lower the price of a heavy silk the
more likely it is to be mostly of SHIN
mered cotton or to be weighted with
dye stuff. Cheap corded and twilled
silks are seldom worth their price. being
cotton filled. The ordinary China and
Japan weaves are always in good taste,
and usually give good satisfactory
wear, and the medium French and
American summer qualities are de-
sirable and pretty.
The shopper should look to it that
her purchase is not of the dyed-in-the-
piece sort. However good the quality,
as garment it soon collapseS into
notified limpness. The dipped" silk
may easily be detected by brackish
stiffness and by ''flatiron shine" that
careless inspection mistakes for
gloss. Never buy Il cheap black silk,
and do not depend upon cheap dark
browns. Drabs, blues. and tans are the
most durab BILE of ordinary qualities. If
the price of the goods may be measured
by the desire of the shopper, becoming
ness of color and design need be the
only question involved in the purchase,
since best quality of silk is always
WISE luFcSGlHcHJ dutl d CICulI W ldSAy .
wardrobe.
The leading autumn silk is the ben
galine, of which there are several new
weaves Chevrotine bengaline is thickly
strewn with seed-like dots. showing
satin effect, and is most stylish in gray,
mahogany and reseda colors Brocaded
peau-de-cygne is exceptionally elegant
for dinner and reception wear With
black and dark grounds brocaded with
pale-tint blossoms the fabric is hand
somely developed with bergaline of the
same color as the unwoven design.
Light-colored, heavily corded silks,
such as veloutine and Muscovite, con-
tinue in favor for evening wear, and
among the favorite colors may be men,
toned twilight-pink smoke-gray, Ores
den-blue, apple-green, yellowish- green
ripe wheat, corn, pale-blue, Nile-green
and sea-green.-Chicago Times.
Demand for Heavy Engines.
At no time in history of railroads have
the efforts to improve the work of en-
giues received more attention than at
the present Mechanics are attempting
to determine the most perfect com bina-
lions of speed and strength, and at the