New-York tribune., 1900-01-14
ABOUT HANDKERCHIEFS.
WOMEN WHO MAKE THEM IN VARIOUS
COUNTRIES.
A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH CAME TO THE
UNITED STATES LAST YEAR-MANf
REAUT1FuL pEsIGNs.


"wbv. what can you be thinking Off? said
woman recently as she entered her frlehu As4.- u
and saw with surprise array of handKele",e re-
snread before the occupant who seemed to De lost
in contemplation of them.
sOh I've been thinking" was the dreamy ieP4''
land all because happened to pick up TINS hdnA ~
chief box Just after reading that Man with the
Hoe poem over again. You see, these "-Oei''
handkerchiefs came home in box that had
picture on the cover of of the Donegal WORKERS.
l did not think much about 1t when we tnd"9
our tour through Ireland that summer ana Sd"
the women sitting in the doorways Of their CABINS
working away in the twilight at hemstitching ana
Towering and spinning. hardly taking time 10
glance up as we drove by in our cart
TT never occurred to me then about their being
sisters to the OK, and 1 did not stop to consider
who was responsible for the trend of their features
because it was ali picturesque. and 1t seemed
to me rather a lovely thing for daughters ana
mothers and grandmothers and neighbors all TO De
working together at the close of day. while the
children and-yes, I believe the pigs and the mems
and the dogs-frolicked about
at was the peaceful domesticity Of the scene
that appealed to at that time. and thought
what a glorious thing it that they were given
the work to do But some one ought to write a
poem on the Woman with the Needle as COM
panion piece to Mr.. Markham's poem. l bought
this hand hemstitched handkerchief with the pref
ty fowered initial, for 25 cents. wonder how
much the who made it earned day. me
Irish women obtain orders from the Belfast firms,
who send to them one. two three dozen of the
linen squares, and many of the women embroider
and hemsttch them nights after working in the
field all day. How a woman with coarse, rough
hands can do that fine work she and the angels
know; sure do not.
81 almost wonder that we do not hear the echoes
of weary sighs pull over the contents Of
bargain counters tossing thoughtlessly about hand
made trifes that have cost many weary sister
an aching head and back. I shall never see a dis
play of handkerchiefs again without seeing behind
them the patient toiers. and thinking of the very
thoughts and fancies of love and hate and hap
piness and woe, and perhaps of even hunger and
despair that have been worked in with every stitch
linen handkerchief from Ireland in one Of the
stores to-day valued at $75.
This handkerchief. with the lace made right on
the edge of the linen. came from st. Gall, Switzer
land where the others in this little pile were
made. This hlmy linen creation with the fairyke
needle lace edge made in Aintah, Turkey by
Armenian women who were impoverished by the
massacre there three years ago This is from
Mexico and represents the native drawn work of
the senoritas friend in Spain sent me these
two; They We're made in the northeastern part
by the various wars in which Spain has been en-
gagged: g.. ..,.,- - 49,,
deftness of the fingers that did it, On this other.
folding one above the other, represents favorite
lace OF the spanish & women men If you raise the very
the inserted lace. Wouldn't you think eye strain
"Ti wonder m where ali the handReTchefs go said
this inquisitiye woman of many fads. as she care
ly carved sandal wood casket. II reading the
other day that more than 81 100000 worth were i'm
ported into this country last year. The majority.
of course, Of the cheapest sort, but
have found lot of them
THE MANY STYLES IN USE.
There are as many fashions in handkerchiefs. it
would SEEM as there are women to need them.
Narrow hemstitched edges, with without fine
embroidery inside the hem. with a finish of Valen-