Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1903-06-30

Ladies' Demands Supplied in the
Land Of the Rising Sun.

LhuAco ASAaAuo oubphtu - -Ne
Land Of the Rising Sun.
It's perhaps hardly recognized how
formidable competitor Japan is be-
coming to the continental nations in
Isupplying some of the items of la-
dies daily demands, says the London
Telegraph 1t is now several ears
since great West end firm intro
duced the luxuriously 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 offer the
home customer what she wanted in
these directions, allied with the
charms of color and embroidery that
are distinctively eastern.
Luton is more and more relying
upon Japan for the straw plaits and
braids which 90 to make the smart
and inexpensive hats and toques
now appearing so ccn,picuou>ly in
the milliners' windows, and this year
stride forward has been made in
sending over what are technically
known as ''chip fancies,' which have
hitherto been almost exclusively sup
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. serviettes
and the like with the Gltra-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 harf8 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 Sicilian ex-
amples in this direction, but has
characteristics entirely its own.
They employ several forms of stitch
quite unknown in Europe, and in the
fineness of their effect obtain results
approaching to that Of pillow lace.
Everyone is familiar with the
Tenerifre linen work. and the outlines
of this are often reproduced in that of
Japan. but critics are inclined to pre-
fer the intricate geOmetrical and
scroll devices that seem to be indl-
genous. Although so areial and del
icate in appearance, the work washes
well. provided that reasonable care
be exercised, and is indeed sent into
this country washed and ready for i'm
mediate use.
Perhaps to the ordinary buyer the
greatest recommendation that these
charming accessories could have Is
their cheapncss. as compared with
what the price would be of items OF
European origin on which tenth
part Of the patient hand labor had
been expended. For - shilIings, or
even less at a retail firm. it is posi-
bic to buy a teacloth or ccnterslip
with delightful and even elaborate
ornamcntation of this kind at the
ends of the corners. and long lattice
like open-work hemstitching Es-
peciaIly dainty are tiny napkins for
afternoon tea. which are d real boon
when hot buttered cakes are served.
AT present the length of time that
must clapse between sending an or
der from this country and receiving
the finished work has initiated
against utilizing it for dress trim
mings, but should the present sea-
son witness. as is expected, an uneX-
hausted popularity for Belfast linen
gowns, it is probable that something
of the kind may be attempted for
next years wear.