The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-01-13
THE RUG MAKERS WORK
IT TAKES MILLIONS OF LITTLE
STRANDS TO MAKE A MAS
TERPiEcE.

Some yard whose name Is not given
us has told the story of the oriental
rug and hanging--a story that is now
illustrated by an Armenian in Los An.
geles who patiently weaves his rug
each day in the window of one of
Broadway's stores, relates the Times
Of that city. II is story full of inter.
est, replete WITH life lessons and one
which will delight those interested
IN the rare and beautiful products of
the Orient.
Even as you read it you may be en-.
sconced in the oriental corner of your
home. its allurements showing indis-
tinct through the fascinating subdued
light that comes from everywhere yet
seems to come from nowhere-and TO
reach its peaceful depths and bury
yourself In its innumerable cushions
you must pass over the big rug which
deadens the sound Of your footsteps
| and adds its full share to the glory Of
the room.
It is a splendid work Of art, this
rug-all It's colors so beautifully har.
monized and blended, It's design intri-
cate but perfect. Many times 1t has
gladdened your artistic eye-but has
your mind ever counted its cost? Have
you ever wondered how its millions
of pieces were grown. gathered, col
ored and finally woven to make the
work Of art that you crush beneath
your feet? Do you know what part of
lifetime--yes, what part of q life
went into that rug?
Years of lifetime-weary years of
patient, painstaking work with minute
pieces, each fixed in its appointed
place to build up the marvellous whole.
In the far.off hills and wales of Ar.
| menia the rug makers sheep Craze,
and from them ne gathers the wool to
weave into his masterpieces. From
the plants which he finds on the broad
acres he distills the dyes which give
TO the fabric its distinctive and artis-
tic colors. Spinning the rough
threads and coloring them, he clips
! them into millions of pieces between
IN incn and two inches long.
Then for a time the artisan gives
place to the artist-for the rug maker
must be designer of patterns as well
RS a craftsman. Hour after hour and
day after day he bends to his sketch
ing work, and when at last It Is fin
ished and he says 1T is well!" ne
lays aside the paper, having no need
| for 1t In the process of weaving ex-
cept, perhaps, for occasional reference.
The pattern has been SO carefully
worked out on paper That every detail
Is fixed in his mind, and he sits down
to his loom and builds his rug as the
| painter coming In from day with ma
ture, glances at his sketch book and
puts the hills and trees and sky into
| his picture from the impressions his
| mind carries Of what his eyes have
seen.
For IL is only the employe who
| hangs the pattern above his head. The
lone rug maker, representative of the
old, picturesque school, needs no pat
tern to guide him, for he takes his
work at its beginning and carries it
10 completion from the wool on tine
| Sleeps back to the masterpiece which
HuOTns your HoOr.
Just now he is at work on a rug
| only 2x4 feet In size, but 1t will re-
quire not less than three months work
to finish 1t. Tho big rug, the fine
one" Ae says, stopping a moment to
answer some questions, many years
the rug maker must work on it-many,
many years-I cannot tell how many
| For we work not by days and years
when the masterpiece is in front.
Time? It is nothing! What do few
years count If the work is done well?
And the rug maker thinks not Of time
but of a masterpiece"
Picking up few of the inch-long
strands and weaving them slowly and
carefully between the threads of the
loom In front of him, he smiled as II
in pity for the emptiness of the ques-
ton. Stopping again in his work, he
turned to the Times representative
sitting beside him and continued.
You Americans; you ask not those
| questions Of the painter. Why? You
take his picture, and put 1t on the
wall and call him great, and write
much In your papers about him. II is
his masterpiece. He himself is in the
| picture. It is great, wonderful. 1t is
so with the rug maker In Armenia.
The rug IS his picture-he loves to
make it as the painter loves to paint
anu what difference IL a lifetime Is
gone when the rug is finished, so that
| the work is we'll done? 1t is not work,
| that which we do for love of it, and
the rug maker loves his work, al
| ways"
Employe rug makers earn from 10
to 20 cents day-thlnk of it! But
the spirit of commercialism and love
of gold are gradually penetrating to
the home of the oriental rug makers,
and there is grave danger that the
oriental rug will pass into history as
have the buffalo Of the western plains.
For the Armenian has discovered that
he can go into other countries and
earn from 81 to 81 A day in other lines