Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-07-20

ing of fingers, the concentration of facul-
ties required 70 produce a yard OF this
round point lace, fifteen inches wide, and
worth S12.50 per linear inch, or $40 per
yard.
Here is a fan Of black lace, in which the
needle has sketched a picture Of the mon
astery of Mount st. Michael, off the coast
of France, that is almost as perfect as
painter could make it with brush and
palette. The fan is worth sl45. Paris ex-
cells in fans, and in some styles of lace; but
evidence of the close relationship and good
understanding existing between the
French and the Belgians is found in the
fact that the lace which one country pro-
duces the other let's alone, so there is no
rivalry between them. The Belgians show
some lace with shaded flowers which is
surprisingly fine, the widest, thirteen
inches, selling at $40 a yard, and the mar
rowest, four and a half inches, at $40 a
yard. They have recently revived the
Burano, an old italian lace-the Belgians
are apt imitators-which sells at $1l5 per
yard. They show some fine Valenciennes
from a convent in Flanders, the sisters of
the convent alone possessing the secret of
its manufacture.
There is not much else In the Belgian
exhibit that one cares about, save the guns
and the bronzes. OF the latter the num-
Der is small, but the pieces are full Of in
terest. Directly within the main entrance
to the pavilion stands a striking represen-
tation of Leonidas at Thermopylae. II
was cast by the lost wax process, which
signifies that only one statue can exist,
since the mold Of wax is lost in the cast
ing. The purchaser, therefore. may have
no uneasiness about his piece having a
duplicate somewhere in the world, though
IL a man loves art for arts sake, and not
rs a collector of rare things, Ikea collector
of old postage stamps or obsolete tea pots
I could never understand why he should
weep If some one else enjoys a copy OF
the thing which gives him pleasure.
Near by is a twelve-fronted bronze vase
simple. yet beautifully ornamented. In II
are combined the Chinese and Japanese
methods Of fabrication. Still another su
perb casting Is a piece in Florentine bronze
representing Innocence Troubled by the
Loves" 1t is much admired. These fig
ures are worth from two to three thousand
dollars each in Belgium, and of course
n high duty would nave to be paid to keep
them in this country.
The Belgians are such lovers of the
chase that they have brought the art o.
gun-making to a high degree Of perfection
They make one of the finest dis
plays Of sportsmen's guns to bt
found in the exposition, aud one is sur
prised to learn hat they make q pretty
good gun which can be bought in theil
country for about the equivalent of 81 il
our money.
Hats and caps are other Belgian special
ties, as well as leather goods. A display
of native marbles, some of the blocks o.
white stone being equal in texture and
clearness to the celebrated Pariaa marbles
In small glassware the Belgians apparent
ly make no effort, but they show remark
ably fine plate glass. One piece is worth,
mention. IL is l2xlS feet in size, fiawless
and 50 clear that n guard has to be sta
toned hard by to prevent visitors walking
through it.
Belgium raises little wool, but she i'm
ports shiploads Of fleece from the Argen
tine Republic and weaves from them som,
of the finest fabrics that ever rolled out O
a loom. Belgian tapestries and carpet
are well known throughout the world
Take it all in all, the little kingdom which
lies geographically surrounded by tn
great powers Of Europe has no need to fee
ashamed Of its showing here.
WALTER WHITMAN.
L