The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-06-23
OLD POSTAGE STAMPS.
How They Arc Used to Maintain
q Religious School In Paris
Many millions OF UsSN Stamps Collected
by People All Over the World
Find Their Why to
ThIa plnca.


utility or the nbsurdity of collecting
old postage stamps Of common dcnom-
nations In iinmonse quantities. with
tho vague notion that In some way
they will be OF use to somc charitable
organization, haa been running in the
London papers Of late, and the final
result hns been to In o great measure
clear up the mystery that has doubt
less at somo timo or othet crossed the
path of every ono. The general notion
is that million used stamps are re-
Quired for some purpose or other, but
TOR just what purpose few Of tho col.
1ectors ore able to say. A prevalent
notion was that the stamps were used
TO buy Chinese babies to DO trnined to
Christian life. After opening It's
columns for some time for tho recep-
tion Of information on the topic, the
Pail Mall Gazette assumed to close and
settle the question by declaring that
Il was conclusivoly shown that 'the
idea that certain charities can be eff
fectually benefited by accumulations
OF old postage stamps is on elaborate
delusion."
But Q correspondents OF tho Tablet
tho leadlng Catholio weekly Of Eng
land, into which this conclusion was
copied, writes to show that the Pail
Mall Gazette is itself deludcd, and pnr.
ticulorizes at least one excellent char
ity that not only Is benefited by tho
collecting OF old postage stamps, but
is solely dependent on that singular
industry for Its existence. This is the
Euvre dc Mnrle lmmnculee Of Paris
Tho work of the institution consists
In training Missionary Cntechists,"
young women who devote themselves
not as nuns, but as lay teachers, or
eatechists, to the evangelisation Of
pagan women and children Of China
and India.
The rules Of the institution prohibit
the collection Of subscriptions In any
way, because this might divert money
from other and perhaps moro worthy
objects Of charity. but tho society
asks It's well-wishers the world over
for used postage stamps, which cost
nothing to give away. These stamps
ore made to yield q considerable rev.
enuc, es attested by the size Of the In
stitution and the cxtent Of its work.
The society's homo Is OF 4S Rue de
Bourgonge, and the offices required
there for tho handling md disposition
OF tho stamps form quite business
block. Greut quantities OF stamps aro
received from every part of the world,
many millions collected by young en-
thusiasts who have no distinct idea Of
what will ultimately become Of them
finding their way eventually to this
place. A considerable part Of the rev.
enue Of the society is derived from the
sale Of rare specimens TO dealers in
stamps, and quito often stamps Of the
greatest value are received. The great
or part Of the stamps, however. are Of
common varieties, and aro used for
decorative purposes. They ore Or
ranged In ell sorts Of odd, ingenious
and pretty designs on cardboard, por-
selaip plaques, wall hangings, screens,
fans and all manner OF ornaments In
deed, thcro seems no tnd TO the posi-
bilitics OF thus using tho old stamps,
and no limit TO the fantastic devioes
which the clever designers in the In
stitution work out A common device
Is to make maps of stamps, eoch coun-
try being delineated with stamps Of It's
own issue. China services ore covered
with the portraits end illuminated
borders of stamps and then coated with
varnish and baked In the usual way.
The stamps ere not usually pasted on
whole, but ere artistically cut up and
the beautiful designs Of borders used
with great effect
The secretary-gcnerul Of the society
says that the demand for the articles
made by tho institution is greatly In
excess Of the supply, and 1t wants all
the old stamps it can possibly get, for,
che says, "its only resources ere In the
ssle Of old postage stamps given to us
In charity" The correspondent be-
lieves there are several other worthy
charities either solely dependent o,
largely helped, IN lile manner, by the
collection of old pontnra atamua