Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-30
w 0 X OF WON A N .
Specimens of Her Handicraft at the Great
Fair.
Rare Lace Work and Gorgeous Co.'S
tumes-The French DOlls-Royal
Artists and Their Paintings.
Of The Evening Star.

Correspondents Of The Evening Star.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Sept q, 1893.
The woman's building was designed by
Miss Sophie Hayden and is a handsome
structure. 1t is two stories high and con-
tains central court which is rooted over
with glass. The roofs on either side Of the
court are covered over with bright colorec
awnings and are used as cafes. On the
walls OF the court are hung the paintings
and the exhibits. all the work of women
are arranged in the different rooms and
galleries.
1 feel nightly proud Of my fair sisters
when l examine the extensive collection of
art works exhibited. 1t took me all of one
DAY TO see them and even then there were
many articles that l PASSED by without
more attention than hasty glance
one need not be surprised To see such
wide Results. for every woman is artistic
at heart, ana what wonder if her ideas run
out at the myers tips and she mold them
INTO visible shape? Woman is so dainty
tnlng and fashioned SO prettlly We rather
expect that everything about her should
breathe the same sweet harmony, sing the
same sweet song. Her inmate appreciation
Of symmetry and grace shows itself to the
ends OF her very fingers; though few women
have the strength and the power to do
great work.
In the woman's building may be seen
samples of the best work of women from
every nation in the world; but with the ex-
ception OF the single art of lace making
American women outdistance all competi-
tors.
characteristics of the People
The foreign exhibits are thoroughly char
acteristic Of the people; for instance-Ger-
many shows samples of plain sewing. Italy
exhibits her fine laces and France displays
her exquisite toilettes and interior decora-
tions.
Ihose who appreciate fine needle work
snouio 20 70 the German section and ex-
anime the samples of underclothng made
IN the public schools of Germany The
work is displayed in large wall cases, glass
covered Every stitch in every piece of
work Is done by hand, and SO fine and even
Is the hemming that 1 would not believe
IL was hand work till shown the reverse
SIDE and l saw the peculiar stitches made
by what is called backstitching The gar
ments are most deliberately made with
a dna OF hand embroideries and cro-
OF tlny. fine tucks. These are all
made by girls under thirteen years
OF age. There is case of white embrod-
cry, initials Of every size and design on
linen, by thirteen-year-old girls. and n IS
WONDERFUL that children so young can do
such beautiful work. There are several
cases niled with knitting and samplars by
seven-year-old girls, such beautiful work
can do.
The French section is most tasteful,v
az lfa .h ana presents striking contrast
TO the badness of Germany's Surround
lngs: France sets off her pretty things
aIlid soft framing OF curtains and hang
lngs. The salon in this section is a gem
Oh room; the furniture is graceful and
spldery, decorated in gold and l1phoIs. ercd
IN embroidered satin. BY the very dainty
Tea table sit two charming hostesses en-
tertainlng an afternoon caller with a Gun
u-h -
Sfrl stands by with a bunch of flowers In
her hand. These figures are of wax and
are most eXquisitey costumed. In the
walls, walls OF the salon are set four embroidered
panels reaching from the ceiling to within
tnree feet of the floor; these four pan,Is
together with eight similar ones up i'm the
gallery of the building, are unique in the
world They are embroidered nv hand on
white silk by Madame Lerouiier of Ivnns
from designs by the French painter An
dran. The designs were originally mace
curing the reign of Louis NV FOR the
royal mandatory of Gobelins. Madame
Leroudier has copied her colors Directly
from nature with a faithfulress that rem
aers her work more like painting than
work work The twelve panels are valued at
The Laces of France,
The laces of France are very fine and
riva' Italy's. They are framed in glass
There is piece of black Chantilly. about
eighteen inches wide. the finest quality
made by hand, worked with ZOO bobbins
Ihls Is 300 a yard. Another black lace
founce is Point de France with diamond
ground. the most beautiful open work nsed
in handmade laces. This piece is a little
more expensive than the first mentioned
being something like 1900 yard. Two ex.
qufsite little handkerchiefs of VaIenciennes
are marked 500 each. A piece of the ce,e-
brated Point d'Alencon is marked $500
1t Is strange. but true, that people are
more attracted by high-pricei article
than by beautiful one. Tell a man that a
certain piece of work Is valued at $500
square inch and he will stand before il and
gaze at it perfectly fascinated. The ex-
people in this way, and gull the poor inno-
cents every time they get chance by put
ting fictitious values on their wares
heard this morning of a Washingtonian
who went home with great tale about the
Auditorium Theater. Some Chicagoan
with expansive conscience, told him that
the roof of the Auditorium was so con-
structed that it could be raised or lowered
to accommodate the crowded audience or a
small house, as the case might be- This is
a fact, and my Washingtonian friend told
1t in all sober earnestHess. never imagining
for an instant how completely he had been
taken in.
But. TO continue with the French exhibit.
l will mention a piece of lace that is re-
markable. 1t is dress front of Point de
France with diamond ground, made by
Lebebure, manufacturer. 1t is owned by
the Musee des Aries DECORATE of Paris.
and was purchased by that Institution as
the most beautiful specimen of real needle
work exhibited by the Paris exposition of
1889. This piece of lace can be duplicated
for the sum OF 81, 500.
4 Wax Doll Exhibit.
An exhibit which is both attractive
and instructive is large case of wax dolls.
costumed by the L'Aiquille Association Pro-
Passionate, illustrating the fashions of the
different epochs in French history The
faces, the modes of dressing the hair and
the costumes are in every detail copied
from the portraits of women who were
once prominent in the social or court life
of France.
The children love to come to this exhibit
There are always half a dozen at least of
little girls land boys. too, sometimes) with
their eager faces pressed against the glass
case. gazing at the beautiful dolls with COW
etous eyes. passing their judgment on the
different dresses and choosing the ones
they would have IF mamma would only
buy one for me-
The costume of the primitive epoch is rep
resented in the TUNES as worn by the Ro-
man ladies. The hair is arranged in two