New-York tribune., 1901-09-22

, humblest OF homes OF sometimes in tiny work
shops where young girls. busy matrons and women
bowed with years bend over their needles or bob
bins with never ending patience.
Belgium is truly the cradle of the lace industry.
All Northern Europe. it is said took lessons In the
art from the low countries In medieval times, ana
other country has even to-day surpassed Bel
GUM IN skilful workmanship, nor has any outside
rivalry been sufficient to cause decline OF the art
In its original home. Naturally, the greatest lace
producing centre is Brussels, and one who has
visited the city can hardly sneak its name without
a vision of this loveliest OF all Belgian products.
Most appropriately. too. not only are the lace
makers women but the large majority of the lace
retailing establishments appear either to be owned
or managed by women IL Is always woman who
decks the window with exquisite taste. and who
stands in the door of her tiny but fascinating shop
in the Rue de Ia Montague to entice in the passer
by Instinctyely she knows the American tourist
at sight. and presses her in pretty broken English
only to come I'm and look at the new patterns she
has To show. As added inducement she sus-
gests that Madame Will like TO see them make
the lace" an appeal which the newcomer at least
seldom ressts.
Many of these little shops have one or two
women at work in conspicuous places. since the
process Is always attractive To the foreigner IN
the more stately establishments. also of the Rue
RoyaIe one is invariably met by women who know
how to show of TO perfection the beauties of their
laces.
The finest pieces of Brussels lace are made in
the city Itself. and i number OF workers may be
employed on the piece. This system OF
division OF labor In acemaking Is peculiarly Flem-
ish Idea and did much in early days TO further the
industry in Flanders, or modern Belgium some
women cut the foundation pieces. others put them
together while still others have in hand the work
Ing OF the figure. so-ealled flower" Nearly all
varieties of Belgian lace are made on a pillow the
Brussels needle point being the most delicate
L.acemaklng is of the most conservative or
industries For five centuries the characteristic
patterns of each centre of trade have been handed
point" is as distinct from the point of Brnges as
that of Courtrai is from the pot lace" of Antwerp
teresting in The extreme. Antwerp mas chung per
adorned the lappets of the women's caps since the
time when that city stood at the head OF the word
OF commerce. The we'll known Faleneiennes lace
has been transplanted from its native soil, where
the art seemed to lanSplsh after the town ,r eame
ishes most at Ypres and Alost. Al the former town
But much still is necessary in the making OF this
broad lace it is said that nearly twelve hundred
the bobbin varies in the different towns where
ons m S rs MAZE ac ana sehS as Wh
is of the delicate hlmy order has furnished the
Is 4 that Known as Begian HonIton Schools Of
nesm%k9s 5 RsYe existed in Re eO%nry since the
sets their number al no less than thousand. The
and fine specimens of handiwork have come
from within the closters The cathedrals. too. pre-
sessions.
In and about Bruxes the passing tourist has
torchons grow beneath the bobbns. while the
women sit in the streets summer afternoon.
singing or chatting over their work. There. on
either side of those narrow, roughly paved streets
of Bruges, the women sit in long in the shade
of the tall gables. each In front of her door
way, twisting the bobbns swiftly over the pillows.
Bare ankles peep out above the heavy wooden
sabots and children in and out of the dark
6corways. caper through the street with curious
stares at the stranger Or perhaps. one comes sud
denly upon some solitary haired worker. in
/ neat white cap, sitting beneath tree at the side
OF one of the lazy canals which wind their sluggish
way through the city-a picture OF thorough con-
tentment OFF in the distance the open work top
of the belfry tower visible at so mAny points IN
Bruges itself like bit OF Flemish lace
against the sky; for these iaceloving people have
seemed 10 embody In their town halls and cathe-
drals that rich profusion OF DECORATIONS, combined
with airy grace that is in their delicate hand
work 1t was the spire of Antwerp Cathedr- which,
il is said Napoleon .likened TO the delicate point
lace of Mechn.
Unfortunately the makers of the narrower laces
poorly paid. receiving little more than
hour rule. The thread is obtained from a
peculiarly tine quality of flax grown in the country.