The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-06-23
OLD POSTAGE STAMPS.

Il
/
How They Are Used to NAiut11n
Q; q Religious School In Paxia q
| 8,aelIQ9 o.
Macy MILLIONS Of Used Stamps -oealsstsA
hy Psopls..ANs 1Osas- the World
TinAl Thelr Way, = 81 II
e as4a,-as 81 - 49, II :ssif jAf
The often-dascussed, question so& the
utility or the ahsurdity Of collecting
old postage stamps Of common denom-
inations in immense quantities., With
the vague notion that in some way
they will be of use to some ehsrit2ble
organization, has been running In the
London papers Of late, and the AnG1
result has been to, in great. measure
clear up the mystery that has doubt
less at some time or other crossed the
path Of every one. The general notion
is that million used stamps are re-
quired for some purpose or other, but
for just what purpose few OF the. ool-
lectors, are able, to say. A prevalent
notion was that the stamps were used
to buy Chinese babies TO be. trained to
q Christian life. Aftet opening It's
columns fer some time for the reeep-
ton Of fnformationSo on the topio,- tho
Pail Mall Gazette assumed TO close and
settle the Question by declaring that
1t was cOnclusively shown that '.the
idea that certain charities scqn be ef.
fectually benefited by accommodations
OF odd postage stamps Is an elaborate
delusi1n9sif af0Ii Usgi-7A Q~G7d
Butts correspondent 9of the Tablet
the leadlng. Catholic weekly of lEdg-
land, into which this co1clpsion was
copieds writes to show that the Pail
Mall Gazette is itself deluded, and par
ticu1arizes at least one excellent char-
ity that not only is benefited by .the
collecting of old postage stamps, but
is solely dependent lDn that singul1r
industry for it's existence. This is the
.Envre de Marie Immaculee Of Paris
The work OF the institution consists
In training Missionary Cstechists," >"
young women who devote. themselves,
not as nuns, but as lay teachers, or
catechists, to the evangelization Of
pagan women and children Of China
and India. IL n ~as a .f4s7r fssr r.
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
nsls its wcll-wisherss the world over
for used postage stamps, which cost
nothing to give away These stamps
are made to yield considerable rev
enue, as attested by the size OF the in
stitution and the extent of its work. 4.
! The society's home Is at 4S Rue de
Dourgonge, and the Offices required
there for the handling and dispositaon
of the stamps form quite business
block. Great quantities 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 ultimately become OF them
finding their way eventually to sthiS
place. .Aconsiderabie part of therev-
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 great
er partof thestamps, however, are Of
common varieties. and are used TOR
decorative purposes. Ttey are ~
ranged in all sorts Of odd. ingenious
and pretty designs on; cardboard, ,poe-
celain plaques, wall hangings, screens,
fans and all manner Of ornaments. In
deed, there seems Ae end to the posi-
bilities of thus using the old stanps,
and no. limit to the fantastic devices
which the clever, designers in tho in
stitution work out. "A common device
is to make maps Of stamps, each ooun-
try being delineatAd with stamps Of its
own issue. China services 4re covered
with the portraits ! and illuminated
borders Of stamps and then coatAd with
vanish and baked in the usual way.
The stamps are not usually pasted on
whole, but arc artistcally cut up and
the beautiful designs Of borders used
with great effect. -il9 !a9 G. A.s,i33
The secretary-generai Of the society
says that the demand Hor the articles
made by the institution 10 greatly in
excess OF. the supply. and it wxnta III
the old stamps it can possibly get, for
she says, ''its only resources are In tho
sale Of old postage stamps given 10 81
IN charity" The correspondents be.
ieves there are several other worthy
charities other solely dependent yur
argely helped, in like maza1er, by the
Of old postage stamps.