The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-07-28
OLD POSTAGE STAMPS.
How They Are Used to Maintain Il Roll
gious School in Paris.

The often. discussed question Of the
utility or the absurdity of collecting old
postage stamps of common denomina.
tions IN immense quantities, with the
vague notion that in some way they
will be of use to some charitable oreanl-
cation, has been running in the Lon
don papers of late, and The final result
has been to in a great measure clear
up the mystery that has doubtless at
some time or other crossed the path Of
everyone. The general notion is that
million used stamps are required for
some purpose or other, but for Just
what purpose few of the collectors are
able to say. A prevalent notion was
that the stamps were used to buy
Chinese babies to be trained to a
Christian life. After opening Its COL
umns for some time for the reception
of information On the topic, the Pail
liaX Gazette assumed TO close and
settle the question by declaring that it
was conclusively shown that the .dea
that certain charities can be e1ectually
benefited by accumulations of old
postage stamps is an elaborate delu,
sIon." ~
But correspondent of tie Ia6let,
the leading Catholic weekly OF Eng
land, into which this conclusion was
copied, writes to show that the Pail
ILaX Gazette is itself deluded, and
partlcularlzes at least one excellent
charity that not only Is benefited by
the collecting of old postage stamps,
but is solely dependent on that singu-
lar industry for its existence. This is
the Elvre de Marie Immaculee of
Paris. The work of the institution
consists IN training missionary Cate
chists," young women who devote
themselves, not as nuns, but as lay
teacher of catechists, to the evlngeli-
zation 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 more worthy
objects of charity. But the society
asks its well wishers the world over for
used postage stamps, which cost moth
ing to give away. These stamps are
made tc yield considerable revenue,
as attested by the size OF the institution
and the extent OIL its work.
The society's home is at 4S Rue de
Bourgonge, and the offices required
there for the handling and disposition
of the stamps form quite business
block. Great qantities OF stamps are
received from every part OF the world,
many millions collected by young en-
thusiasts who have no distinct idea of
what will intimately 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 quite often stamps of the
greatest value are received. The
greater part of the stamps, however, are
OF common varieties, and are used for
decorative purposes. They are arranged
IN all sorts of odd, ingenious and pretty
designs on card board, pU. -elain
plaques. wall hangings, screens, fans
and all manner of ornaments. Indeed,
there seems no end to the possibilities
OF thus using the old stamps, and no
limit to the fantastic devices which the
clever designers in the institution work
out. A common device is 10 make
maps of stamps, each country
being delineated with stamps Of its own
issue. China services are covered with
the portraits and Illuminated borders oi
stamps and then coated with varnish
aud baked in the usual way. The
| stamps are not usually pasted on
whole, but are artistically cut up and
the beautiful designs of borders used
with great effect.
The general of the society
says that the demand for the articles
made by the institution is greatly ii
excess of the supply, and it wants al
the old stamps 1t can possibly get, for
she says, "itS only resources are in thi
sale of old postage stamps given to u
in charity" The correspondent be
lieves there are several other worthy
charities either solely dependent o
largely helped, in like manner, by ths
collection OF old postage stamps.