Evening journal., 1898-12-21
LEGEND OF THE LAcEMAKER.
Tbe Miracle Performed by n Bruges
Maid To Revive the In
dustry.

Her jewels of great price were not
the only things bequeathed to her
daughters by the empress Of Austria.
She left a fortune in q collection of
laces to the eldest that has already
proved q bone of contention between
the two ladies. These laces, it is
claimed by connoisseurs, are priceless,
and should never be trusted beyond the
walls of museum. Should they be
seen, however, fresh impetus might
be given to the industry of lace max
ing, now in a languishing condition.
The queen of the Belgians was the
first TO sound the trumpet of alarm
about this falling off in Flanders, the
cradle of the art of lace making. As
the legend runs, it was Jacqueline,
countess of Flanders, who was deeply
in love with her noble husband, the
handsome HeneliclS, but who did not
return this tender feeling with the
ardor il deserved. He had even made
eyes at the countess maid, Serena, who,
for the sole crime of being beautiful,
was sent by her mistress TO a dark
and noisome place of concealment in
q corner of the palace. The room where
the poor girl was confined opened on
n small, damp garden. md there she
would sadly sit and mourn for her be-
loved, the equerry Luitpold. One day
her eyes filled with tears; she prayed
to the Virgin to come TO her rescue,
by some miracle, and then, raising her
heavy eyelids, she beheld million of
white silky threads, so tenuous and ar
ranged in such wonderful patterns that
she was lost in admiration before them.
By and by she began TO wish she
could initiate the lovely patterns Of
good Mary's threads, for evidently they
had been placed there in answer to her
suppiication. At last, after q month of
patient and arduous toll and many
prayers, she achieved a piece of gos-
samer cobweb-like work that rivaled
the miraculous threads arrayed by her
holy patron. The lace was sent 10 the
countess, who shed tears of delight at
the sight of so much beauty. The next
step was to send for the captive and
marry her to the equerry, bestowing
sum of money on the happy pair
that would have kept them in comfort
ever after; but. Independently of the
countess, they became rich, for the
young woman taught her art to seven
daughters, from whom descended all
the Bruges lace-makers. This is a
sweet romance, but from whom did this
: pious Serena receive the threads with
which she initiated the heavenly cob
webs? II has been suggested she un-
] raveled her stockings, and. again. that
she plncked the golden hairs from hei
head. but why will folks be so dread
fully practical? It is sufficient that tn,
, handmade lace of Flanders is the most
} exquisite thing wrought by human
: fingers, and the fatal looms have almost
= destroyed its art with their new in
, dustry. 1t was the elegant Marie An
) toinette who gave the first blow tt
, lace making. The splendid lace worr
5 in profusion at the courts OF Louis
XIV. and XIV. was replaced by the
e gauzes and muslins of the queen, anC
/ though Empress Josephine brought
r back the fashion, it has never been The
= same as then. The looms have pro
$ duced perfect, too perfect, limitations
I and cheapened the marvellous labor o
! years. 1t is now proposed by the Bel
t gian queen and some other sovereign
D sadies to make point Of wearing onl!
$ handmade lace, and binding them
$ selves by solemn compact not to ALLOW
2 an inch of machine-made lace on theii
s petticoats and under linen. We shall
S see what effect this win have on th
o modern mondaine and how her bill
will increasel-Boston Herald