New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-03
THE WOMAN'S EXCHANGE
ANECDOTES OF INTEREST IN RbfEH-
ENCE TO WORK DONE.
HELPFUL HINTS THAT TURN FOOLISH osh'''''
TRIPLES INTO sALABLE ART1cIEs-dulp-

..o.ao,, found the women rejoicing over
the recent promise OF $4,000 to the Duliulns iu"U'
e. 900 OF which is promised by william v ba"i'
and 5000 by Mrs. William Il. Dodge. po'h WIN ."o
r,ov,so that s45 900 be raised before May i Inc
annual dinner which the managers give " VIZ
,a,,orv BOARD and their friends will occur In De-
cember. enc
IAN hour spent at No. Sf Madison-aVe' '"e
New-Yorlt Exchange for Womens WORK. IL rev
eIation-an education. Perhaps II Is not 100 riuch
to say that hour spent Mt the exchahse 10 on
insp,ratson-an inspiration sufficient TO raise before
Nav the sum of $4,000. the amount necessary
to enable the Board of Managers 10 buy their new
building" So spoke yesterday new and enthusi-
astic advocate for the exchange
As stated in The Tribune of last week. the ex-
change Is primarily a charitable organization JUS
end and aim being TO help the educated poor 10
help themselves. This Il does, not only by sup
plying salesroom for their work, but by identiry-
ing itself closely with that work. one or the hos'
important OF It's committees-the committee OH
Suggestions-examines the work OF consisnors'
points out with tactfu criticism needed improve
ments and gives helpful hints with the purpose
OF rendering articles salable.
Perhaps its most earnest effort IL toward render
ing practical the foolish useless trines upon which
the educated but pitlfully ignorant poor waste
their energies. For example, perfectly useless
framed piece OF embroidery was made into night
gown case an embroidered rose spray was convert
ed into a centrepiece and from crocheted tides In
impossible colors were evolved the pretty white
table doiles. Besides guiding and training the rec
ognized talent, the exchange busies Itself In dis
covering the unsupported talent, often the more
marketable possession.
Well known to its friends is the story OF the at
tractive little woman who. having been engaged in
literary work elsewhere, to New-York with
the hope OF finding employment She brought with
her two bright young daughters and n boy fifteen
years old. who had been before the mast. His boy
sh boast OF the different knots that he could tie
inspiration to bright, inventive mind at
the exchange The boy made to promise that
he would help his mother make a screen OF tied
ropes exactly as It was ordered The result
odd and beautiful screen. which was sold for $50 TO
the wife OF yachtsman Orders for similar
screens quickly followed and this success led to
other paying Industries in rope work. BY the com
bned efforts of the little family and the influence
OF friends one daughter secured n studio in Paris
after two years course OF study there, the sec
ond daughter was enabled to enter Cornell. and
the son became n surveyor in government employ
with a pleasant home of his own. After years OF
anxiety and toll the happy mother brought her
grateful thanks to the exchange. with the glad
news that her days of hard work were at an end.
Hardly less striking" said of the Board OF
Directors yesterday is the success Of the young
girl who IN her home in the far South skifully
and tastefuly adorns the native fungi with little
etchings. and gathers cones and driftwood for the
open freS or the colder North. surely inc
in fires kndled by such fuel must be pleasant
to look upon-the flames flashing the gratitude OF
a young heart made glad and hopeful.
zone would scarce deem frail peppermint stick
a safe support for two women, but the young
woman who has patented these little sticks wound
with specially ordered satin ribbons and filled with
sachet powder earns from them sufficient income
TO care for herself and her bedridden mother
These fragile sticks firm a prop as Is the
handsome swordcane which having gayly trod for
century or more the paths OF pomp and fashion.
dropped from the hand OF an English lord into
quiet corner of the exchange.
Three volume novels are bound between the
Of the exchange work, romance and pathos.
comedy and tragedy are woven into the meshes OF
the handiwork intrusted TO its friendly care What
is there more touching than the picture OF pa
tient sewer lying on her back-a pitful Injured
back incased in an iron frame-stitching away at
the pretty bronze leather work that demands such
skilful handling? Think OF eager worker be-
reft of her right armand n woman's right arm Is
none too strong TO fight her battle-embroiderng
with her left hand the prettest Of doilies and writ
ing grateful letters In labored backhand that tells
its own story.
"The humor7 It Is not plentiful, and, when
found, II IL not always OF an unmixed quality.
One may smile in n way over the predlcament OF
the young girl buried under the burden OF n wealth
OF cut glass, the sole legacy OF an aunt by whom
she had been reared and from whom she had been
led 10 expect a goodly heritage. Two barrels OF
cut glass and no home To be homeless with only
ones self to take care OF Is one thing. To be
homeless with the added responsibility OF two bar
res Of cut glass is another and much more serious
matter But the exchange came to the rescue. An
oXpert appraiser was called in. and the verdict
given that the glass was Of French make old and
valuable. One BY one the pieces were disposed OF TO
appreciative purchasers.
"A little old lady, who some time ago sent
ixrx that
picture being an antique. had increased In value
during the four years in which 1t had awaited a
purchaser. that she felt justified In raising the
price from 500 to $500. The situation tckled the
fancy and touched the heart Of a generous woman
and the sum Of $500 found It's way into little old
lady's empty pocket. To her. no doubt, the value
OF that picture could not be put into figures The
hearts appraisal knows naught OF market values.
priceless their owners arc the treasures on
exhibition at the exchange Many Of them are fS OF
great Intrinsic worth. some are neirioq pi .has
old silver and of genuine Sheffield plate. the like
I ace Wnio ond ARE bits Of ie%ery Selected IN their day
by cultured and refined taste. Nowhere In the city
ing display than we show here. There some
baskets from far of Alaska. woven with consum-
stands the handiwork of New England "shut-ins'';
cones from southern PINGS meeting bal l from
ming century or two with bridge OF sentiment
The saying goes that figures cannot lie. Per
chance they are stupid The most ardent
mathematician admit their limitations, and,
however eager To assert their commendable habit
OF telling nothing but the truth. scarce venture
TO claim for them capacity for telling the whole
truth Figures can present to US the height and
breadth and depth Of house, but OF the influences
which make Of that house n homo they are power
less to convey the slightest measure. They can
enumerate for us the petals and the stamens of a
flower. but not the faintest hint can they give OF
the perfume and the color OF that flower, which
hold for us the fulness OF their meaning. Ten min
utes in that house reveal more than itemized bill
of architect and decorator. One moments contact
with that flower tells more than does It's full de-
scrpuon In botany.
Whom. year after year, the managers Of our
charitable organizations send out their carefully
prepared reports. bullying with statistics. II Is with
the consciousness that the story OF the work Is not
half told barely limited at. and very constant Is
their thought that could the public have but a
glimpse into the inner meaning OF their work,
could it but breathe the atmosphere OF love and
inhale the perfume OF unselfshness surrounding