Evening star., 1896-01-18

Dainty Forms for This Necessary Ad-
junct of a Work Basket.
From Harper's Bazaar.
The modern girl is not supposed to take
much interest in sewing. unless at sew
ing classes, and yet q thimble, which Is GER
tainly useful for nothing else but sewing, Is
indispensable to every woman's happiness.
One hundred and twenty-five dollars does
seem good deal of money, even in these
days of luxury, and yet that Is the price
paid for Some mcst elaborate specimens of
the jewelers. art OF course these are jew
els and precious stones, and the founda-
ton is of gold, SO that, after all. perhaps
the sum asked is not excessive, but it GER
tainly seems SO.
Turquoises are favorite stones for thin
bles, but pearls and diamonds are also used
OF course very costly jewels are impossible.
for there is very little room to put them in.
as the sides and top Of the thimble are on
ly for use. Enamel work in blue or gold
is exceedingly pretty on thimbles. and mot
toes in most dainty lettering are often to
be seen. The fact that the notices bear
little reference to the object seems to have
little weight. 'Toujours vous'' Is the IA
vorite inscription, and it Is certainly am
biguous enough to suit all occasions.
Even those people who like to joke at
|
thimbles of their grandmothers-the metal
worn out in countless places, and all stamp
ed with the signs Of Use. Grandfather's 8
clock and the old arm chair have had their
day, and it is high time that grandmother 9
thimble was immortalized in rhyme.
Now that silver Is so cheap, silver thim-
bles are possible for almost every one; and
as celluloid also Is used for thimbles, the
brass ones, which brought so much suffer
ing in the way of sore fingers, are rapidly
passing out of existence.
There are one or two thimbles in this
city of New York which are veritable heir
looms. One, of carved ivory, yellow with
age, is said to have belonged to Mary
Queen of Scots, and the proud possessor OF
1t insists she can prove 1t really was the
property of the Scottish queen. What stor-
les could it not tell, that small piece OF
discolored ivory!
In this day, when collections are the fad
| of the times. it would seem that collec-
ton of thimbles would DE most interesting.
Fashions have changed very little but the
shapes are by no means identical, and what
are known as tailors' thimbles, and have
no tops, were at one time made of gold OF
silver, and even studded with jewels. Tiny
pearls on gold thimbles is favorite fash
| ion. albeit a very perishable one, for such
small stones can never be set sufficiently
| deep to make them quite secure; besides
pearls and turquoise become discolored very
quickly when in constant use.
Ivory thimbles have not been in fashion
| for many generations and those which are
| now shown as heirlooms exceedingly
clumsy, and do not look as though they
| could have been very comfortable.
| The celluloid thimbles have proved
| good investment. They are quite light, ant
| generally well made; their principal draw
| back is that they seem after time to ge
very bot and uncomfortable-a featur,
| which gold and silver ones fortunately d.
| not possess.
| There is one use to which thimbles hav,
| been put which is not generally known
and that is to make the ends of the finger
| taper, and in the stern days of long agt
| many young girl was forced to sleel
| with each finger securely fixed in a tightl.
| fitting thimble of silver or gold. The rem
| edy is said to have been efficacious.