Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-09-29
FLORAL HALL
WOman's
.HandiwOrk
Held It's Own with Other Departments
OF the Big Show Of 1899.

| Floral ball was once more place in which
/ to feast the eyes that delight in the dainty
products of skilled fingers. As in other
! departments of our fair, a yearly CROWN
is noticed here, and the demand for more
room is emphasized anew. II 10 tantaiz-
| ing indeed to peer through showcase
| glass at fragment Of dainty embroidery
or filmy lace work, the remainder OF which
is hidden by another's article, equally al
tIactive, but which In turn can be but
half seen. In such fashion do the dainty
creations crowd each other and with the
natural desire to bring one piece after an
other TO light one appreciates the thought
fulness of the management in providing
cases for the exhibits which otherwise
would Of necessity lose much Of their fresh
ness at the hands of the crowds who want
to "see it ALL" At some future day may
we not see rows of show cases the entire
length and width Of the hall, with the ex-
hibits of merchants, agents and others
somewhere else-perhaps in the room to
the rear? Let us look for il. Certainly
if the exhibit of woman's work continues
to grow, accommodations must keep pace
with it.
But now as to some details Of the lovely
show. Individual exhibits can hardly be
mentioned in the brief space given us; for
those the premium list may be seen; but
in a general way some distinctive features
may be spoken of.
II seemed TO US that we had never seen
so numerous or so handsome pieces of
lace work of different kinds as this year
Honiton lace doiies, Battenburg lace
centrepieces, doilies and collars; point and
duchesse lace collars and handkerchiefs {;
and handkerchiefs with thread lace edge
we're in evidence, along with the more com
mon specimens-fewer in mum erthan most
years-of knitted, darned and crocheted
edge. Several large elaborate pieces of
Battenburg lace hung along the wall at
racted much attention.
No matter what case you happened TO
stop before, you found there some worthy
bit of embroidery. A large number Of
rich looking pieces showed flowers in their
but they were forced to divide honors with
the less snowy but equally beautiful
pieces worked in white silk.
Table and bed linen, beautiied with
elaborate drawn work, attracted the house
wife's eye equally with the more delicate
but less useful articles; and both embIOid-
cred and lace-edged aprons also suggested
utility and adornment combined. The
soft piles of infants crocheted jackets and
socks, and embroidered skirts and dresses.
made one long to seize upon some baby in
the crowd-and not few we're there-and
deck it with the pretty things.
A few pieces of hand-painted china were
noted. Mention of the cases of work
would be incomplete il we omitted one on
the upper side of the hall, where attract
i've and promising pecimens of needle
work of the young girls were displayed
embroidery, for the most part, though a
few pieces Of knitted or crocheted work
were seen. The ages of the exhibitors
ranged from six years TO sixteen.
While we are speaking of fancy work,
two large exhibits from out of town should
be mentioned. Mrs. Carbon of Holyoke,
whose work has been a feature of the Flo
raj Hall display for several years, was rep
resented by an exhibit somewhat smaller
than usual, but quite as choice as any she
has ever had. The collection included sew
eral pieces done by her pupils. side
board cover with yellow roses, and heav-
lily embroidered centre-piece in white and
green were perhaps the best pieces. A
collar of Flemish braid worked with silk
was something new. A pair of slippers
made and presented TO Mrs. Carbon by
Mrs. Mckinley, wife of the President, oc
cupied the place of honor in the exhibit
The second exhibit referred to was by Mrs.
Clara l.. Kellogg of West6eld, Mass, who
brought with her very large and valuable
collection-so large, in fact, that only part
of it could be displayed. 1t included many
new ideas, in stitches, designs and effects.
Among The new things were whist sets.
chatting dab sets and Turk stools; original
Colonial designs, Holbein, oriental, New
England and the beautiful Florentine en-
broidery; and particularly pleasing green
and white effects. So large and beautiful
a display has probably never been seen h.
fore at one Of our fairs, and doubtless
scores Of women went home fred with am.
bition to reproduce some of the charming
things
Sof' pillows at the fair of 30 were in
} evidence on every hand, and were OF every
STYLE and kind. One very handsome one
, was of white silk embroidered with roses ;
another interesting one vas made entirely
of prize ribbons won in a great number oil
places; others which showed patience and
skill in arrangement were made Of cigal
I ribbons. Some few were just ordinary, bu
, most were worth inspection.
! The domestic manufactures department
kept pace with the finer work In excellence
Bedquilts which to the novice appearet
"fearfully and wonderfully made, of silk
v wooden or cotton, challenged the attention
/. and admiration. Several old home-wovei
/ counterpanes and blankets and crochete
h or knitted bed covers were among tn
e exhibit The display of sfghans was nc
Y so large a. some years, and not great
d varied.
r A pair of crocheted window draperie
> which found place beside the afghans al
e tracted favorable attention. Some hanC
d some rugswereIfound in the exhibit, an III
IS usual richness and harmony of colOrin
), prevailing. The variety of manufactur
d was large, chenille, crocheted, knitted
n drawn and braided. A good numb'
'. of oil paintings, pastels and drawings, bot
freehand and architectural, were exhih
tied; but the facilities for showing wOI
IA of this kind are not good, and a lare
20 exhibit is never called out. Among IL
n miscellaneous exhibits, one which DIRE
~ much interested notice was a collection
1f United States currency, practically con
20 plete in most of the denominations in 81
n yer, and with an excellent array of the go
=. and scrip pieces. A number of interes
ie ing Brattleboro scrip, checks and ban
n. bills were among the collection. X.
in Childs was the owner.
ID Charles b. Aldrich showed several goo
A. pieces of inlaid wood work.
a The p. Carpenter company occupi'