The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-07-18
NEW A INDUSTRY.
Ladies' Demands Supplied in the
Land of the Rising Sun.

Itisperhaps hardly recognized how
formidable a competitor japan is be-
coming to the continental nations in
supplying some of the items Of la
dies daily demands, says the London
Telegraph. 1t is now several years
since a great West end firm intro
duced the lu~xuriously soft and com
Portable quilted dressing gowns and
jackets from the land Of the rising
sun, and by supplying English pat
terms as to size and shape to the Jap
anese workers was enabled to offert the
home customer what she wanted in
these directions, allied with the
charms of color and embroidery that
are distinetively eastern.
Luton is more and more relying
upon Japan for the straw plaits and
braids which 60 to make the smart
and inexpensive hats and toques
now appearing so conspicuously in
the milliners' windows, and this year
a stride forward has been made in
sending over what are technically
known as "chip %fancies," which have
hitherto been almost exclusiyelysup
piled by Italy. And now there is a
new branch of enterprise to be noted
with regard to the more dainty fea-
lures of our table linen, and Japan is
prepared to give us lunch, sideboard
and afternoon tea cloths, seryiettes
and the like with the ultra-fashion-
able adornment of drawn-thread
work in the most charming variety.
Hitherto the work has been done
upon the native cotton cloth, and the
first essential toward bringing it
into accordance with western table
requirements was to supply instead
the finest Irish flax linen, This the
deft feminine hands Of the japanese
workers found to be admirably suit
= ed to their peculiar methods, and
upon it they are executing work that
not only rivals the finest S%icilian ex-
amples in this direction, but has
characteristics entirely its own.
They employ several forms Of stitch
! quite unknown in Europe, and in the
fneness of their effect obtain results
. approaching to that Of pillow lace.
Everyone is familiar with the
Teneriffe linen work, and the outline;
of this are often reproduced in that Of
= Japan, but critics are inclined to pre-
= fer the intricate geometrical anC
!. scroll devices that seem to be indi
genous. Although SO areial and del
icate in appearance, the work washe.
well, provided that reasonable car
be exercised, and is indeed sent int,
this country washed and ready for i'm
mediate use.
Perhaps to the ordinary buyer tn
greatest recommendation that thes
charming accessories could have !
i.s their cheapness as compared wit
'hs what the price would be of items o
~ European origin on which a tent
"a part of the patient hand labor ha
been expended. For Is shillings, Q
even less at a retail firm, it is poss.
,rt Bile to buy a teacloth or c%entersli
~, with delightful and even elaborat
i, ornamentation of this kind at tn
ends of the corners, and long lattice
like open-work hemstitching. E
49, pecially dainty are tiny napkins fc
afternoon tea, which are a real boo
when hot buttered cakes are serve
At present the length of time TIL
must elapse between sending an o
der from this country and receivir
use the finished work has initiate
ter. against utilizing it for dress trir
,rn. mings, but should the present Sc
nd son witness, as is expected, an une
ASH hausted popularity for Belfast lin,
.ork gowns, it is probable that somethi1
sur. of the kind may be attempted +
nov+ wars wear