Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1896-04-10
COSTLY rHIMBLES.
Some of Them Are Set with Precion
StOnes.

Some of Them Are Set with Precious
stones.
One hundred and twenty-five dollars
does seem good deal of money for
thimblc, even in these days of luxury,
ard yet that is the price paid for some
most elaborate specimens of the jew.
eler's art. Of course, these are jewels
and precious stones, and the founda.
ton is of gold, so that, after all, per.
haps the sum asked is not excessive
but it certainly seems so.
Turquoises are favorite stones for
thimbles, 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 only for use.
Enamel work in blue or gold is ex.
ceedingly 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 a
,ous" is the favorite inscription, and ii
is certainly ambiguous enough to suit
all occasions.
Even those people who like to joke at
sentiment fail to laugh at the old gold
thimbles of their grandmothers-the
metal worn out in countless places and
all stamped with the signs of use,
Grandfather's clock and the old arm
chair have had their day, and it is high
time that grandmother's thimble was
immortalized in rhyme.
Silver thimbles are possible for al
most everyone; and as celluloid also is
used for thimbles, the brass ones, (which
brought SO much suffering 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
heirlooms. One, of carved ivory, yellow
with age, is said to have belonged tt
Mary, Queen of Scots, and the PROUD
possessor of it insists she can prove il
really was the property of the Scottish
queen. What stories could II not tell
that small piece of discolored ivory!
In this day, when collections are the
fad of the times, it would seem that 1
collection of thimbes would be mos
interesting Fashions have changed
very little, but the shapes are by NJ
means identical, and what are known a.
tailors' thimbles, and have no tops, wer,
at one time made of gold or silver, ant
even studded with jewels Tiny pearl,
on gold thimbles is a favorite fashion
albeit very perishable one, for ,sucl
ly deep to make them quite secure; be
sides, pearls and turquoise become dis
colored very quickly when in constan
use.
Ivory thimbles have not been in fash
ion for many generations, and thos
which are now shown as heirlooms ar
exceedingly clumsy and do not look a
though they could have been very com
Portable.
The celluloid thimbes have proved
good investment. They are quite ligh
y and generally well made; their princi
pal drawback is that they seem after
time to get very hot and uncomforta
ble-a feature which gold and silve
ones fortunately do not possess.
There is one use to which thimble
have been put which is not general,
known, and that is to make the ends O
the fingers taper, and in the stern day
of long ago many young girl wa
forced to sleep with each finger Sc
curely fixed in tightly -fitting thimbl
of silver or gold. The remedy is sal,
to have been efficacious.-Harper's Ba
Ear.