The Republican journal., 1896-02-06


very small one will yield rich returns in
| health and pleasure. Salaried employ
ments are very few and wages pitifully
small. Even the Governor General gets
only 81, 900 year. $50 month is con-
sidered princely salary, and school
teachers of the highest grade receive S12O
per annum.
The Azoreans, especially the women.
excel in everything that calls for digital
dexterity. They do the finest hair work.
crotcheting and embroidering, make feath-
er flowers, and knit open-work stockings
of exquisite texture and finish. The men
carve delicate designs from the white pith
of the fig tree-ships, houses, crucifixes,
birds, bouquets-that rival the finest wax
work; and are adopts at weaving baskets
of all kinds, from the strong wicker pam
niers to the most fanciful article TO. the
parlor table. Fayal lace has long been
famous in Europe and is becoming known
in the United States 1t is made from the
fibre of the Aloe, or ''century'' plant.
which grows as abundantly in the Azores
as in Portugal The tibres when first
drawn from the long leaves, are about the
size Of No. 40 spool cotton, but are split
(by HANDY much finer, and the workers
submit them to the several other process
ses, including that of polishing with
ivory tools, which gives the thread a
sparkling brilliancy. The best fibre is
brought over in a crude state from the in
terror of Spain and Portugal. That pro
duced on the coasts of those countries is
yellow, and on the island the fibre is
almost black. The latter are used for
coarse work only, because they can
not be split, the center being white.
They make very handsome shawls. how
ever, and the trimming for hats and
dresses, especially when embroidered with
straw. Fans, card cases, toilet baskets,
mats, cushions, and thousand similar
articles are also made of the black and
yellow threads. The fine white lace.
with its rich gloss, is indescribably deli
cate and beautiful, and has received first
class medals at several Worlds Exhibi-
tions. Many competent Judges declared
1t to be equal the finest point lace In
former years the little that was manu-
featured was sold in Paris at extravagant
prices. Now that the business of expor.
tatlOn has grown to considerable proper
tons, several hundred women are engaged
in the manufacture, and the best of their
work goes to the United States SO much
skill and patience does it need that few Of
the workers ever acquire marked pro-
hclency, though instructed and practiced
in the art from childhood. 1t is sold on
the spot at incredibly low prices, consitl-
erlng the amount of time and precious
eye sight consumed in its making. An
elegant shawl brings perhaps So 90, wells,
collars, jabots, etc, from p cents to $50
each. Nearly all the lace makers live in
the little village OF Praia, about miles
from Horta. Though belonging to the
peasantly, they seem superior to their as
sociates i'll intelligence and most of them
can read and write, very high degree OF
education among the low-cass Azoreaus.
But their wages are pitifully small, six
cents day being the average, and the
most skilled and industrious seldom
make more than 10 cents by working
sJp3HilN- fr.,r,, !;
ner of lace making is not unlike knitting.
Two steel needles, with heads made of
Iupine seeds, are held with points toward
the worker, and then the fingers fly 80
rapidly that Impractical eyes may try in
vain to trace their movements. There is
school in Praia where the art is taught.
together with the rudiments of education.
by two elderly sisters. good many
young girls attend it and a few grown
women, besides d number of children all
most babies, for it is said to take life
time to become experts at lace making: so
the younger one begins the better.
Well, we have put off saying good
as long as possible; bnt everything must
come to its fms sometime. The sun long
since went to bed in the western ocean:
sea and sky have changed their rosy tints
for nun-like gray, and near by sails that
an hour ago were almost crimson, are now
silhouetted in black upon mirror of un-
FURNISHED steel. The day is done, and so
is our visit to the Azores. We will bid
you good morning in Madeira.
FANNIE B. WARD.
Proposed National Park in Maine.