The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-04-22

and in material must be included all
the scant knowledge of the people
as W ell as physical resources OF the
country. Thus, all the women
knowing how to knit, small expert
mental knitting agencies were estab-
lished, the old cottage industries IN
knitting, spinning, and weaving
being all revived, in fact. The socks
and stockings gained great popu-
larity in England, where they were
taken to be sold, many people, how
ever, being unwilling to believe that
things so well made could be other
than machine made. The home
spuns when Mrs. Hart began were
made only in short lengths. and
were uudyed, uneven, unusable
except by the peasants, and alto
eether unsaIeable anywhere. timer
ant teachers, however, instructed
the people in weaving, spinning, and
dyeing.
Here again in the question OF dye
ing the true wisdom OF the true phil
anthropist was shown. No dyes
were i'm. ..orted. The materials for
colors were taken from the llchens,
heather, and bracken of the bogs in
the neighborhoods, bogs accessible
to every farmer, indeed inevitable in
their lives, and the potato pots boil
ing over fires built between stones
in the open air served as dyeing
watts. The results, however, are not
to be understood as crude specimens,
to be encouraged only out OF charity,
but as materials in color and texture
having now commercial value OF
their own, and never placed before
the public except as all other wares
manufactured and sold on a purely
commercial basis are placed.
In gaining this knowledge as to
DIVES, Mrs. Hart obtained certain
crude hints from Scotch spinners,
tested this information scientifically,
| consulted old German and French
manuals Of vegetable dyeing OF a
century ago, combined the old and
new knowledge in manuals for the
peasants use, and an itinerant
teacher gave the instructions in
Celtic language to the cottagers.
The result is revival of the Irish
woollen industry, the popularity of
the homespuns, and the consequent
increased prosperity Of the people.
The poor gentlewomen in other
parts of Ireland, reduced to extremi-
ties by revolutions and upheavals,
appealed to Mrs. Hart, and for them
an embroidery since known as the
"Kells embroidery" was invented,
the aim being to devise something
purely Irish in character. Polished
flag threads not used in embroidery
before were worked on linen OF var
ious colors specially woven for the
purpose on hand looms, the designs
being taken from Celtic MSS. of the
seventh and eighth centuries, an9
: adapted to this particular work. Pea
SAINT girls were afterward instructed
in the simpler forms of this new art.
The fact that the Queen had used
these embroideries largely in decora
ton at Windsor Castle has added &c
the success of their sales.
In London, at 43 Wigmore street,
there is now permanent depot tor
all the productions of these Irish
peasants and gentlewoman. They
include laces and wood carving
among the other products just refer
red to. The laces and embroideries
were exhibited in New York and
Chicago, Mrs. Hart having come tc
this country to complete the arrange
ments for it. A typical Donega
village, with its new industrial tea
lures, will be built on the exposi
ton grounds.
= Admirable, however, as this work i
, in every way, and happy as the improve
! ment IN the condition of the people
: most undoubtedly is, it is not merel
on this account that so much stres
1 has been laid upon these facts and a
= this time. The object of the writer ha
S been twofold-to present to the reade
: a personality none of whose grace O
S charm has been destroyed in the carry
e ing on to success OF an undertaking tha
e has baffled the skill of many generation
: of thinking men, an undertaking S
Il difficult IN its very nature that hopeful
r ness had been killed or cured long sine
e in any heart less strong, as it has bee
O killed or cured in many another heal
n before. The other object of the write
e is to draw attention to methods thu
Y are possible of acquisition to each an
is all of US. 1t has long ago been pointe
g out that the best and truest results
g the decoEaeixeNENl - nhtaina