The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-10-21

guipure which enriched the troussea
been pictured and described so FIRE
I: quently during the past few month
that their beauty has become an oft
told tale. But, says the chronic OBJ
jector this only proves our argumen
that the laces are beyond the purchas
ing power of the multitude. In tn
past this objection held good, but TO
many years now, perhaps we may dat
from the Columbian exposition of 1898
when the transplanted villages of Lad.
Aberdeen and Mrs. Hart attracted 81
much attention at Chicago, the seal,
of prices has been steadily declining
while the standard OF excellence ha:
quite as steadily advanced. Through
organization and cooperation has beer
effected the establishment of a system
which, says Most Rev. DR.. Clancy Of
Elpin, will, please God, increase an6
fructify in the direction of keeping the
people at home.
Among the clustered bushes of Ty-
rome, in the stored wilds of Come
dare, within sight of Limerick's treaty
stone and sound Of Shandon's far
famed bells, cottage centers and con-
vent classes have sprung into being
the former conducted usually by wom-
en- of title, the latter under the direc-
ton of the religious, who, true to the
traditions of Catholic Ireland in the
morning prime of her story, stand to-
day for the artistic and beautiful, as
centuries ago their famous prototypes
stood within the clustered shades of
Cong and the glorious chancel of mis-
maine.
LAS with one voice the energetic or
ganizers of today pronounce the out
look hopeful and inspiriting. Their
part has been nobly performed, and if
all who preach patriotism were to imi-
tate these women workers in their
methods Of practice, success should
follow. AS matters stand, those who
have watched the progress of the
movement from the vantage ground of
American distance, would whisper, if
they might, that it's weakest point is
the Irish-American patronage, which
at the outset was reckoned upon as a
tower of strength.
The fact may appear ineXplicable,
but it is undeniable; our own people,
those dainty daughters Of the exiled
Celt, whose pretty enthusiasm over the
story of the motherland inspires the
platform orator to more poetic flights
nay, some Of the very orators them
selves, in their everyday character as
heads Of American households, refuse
this practical aid which comes within
their province. and in many cases
resent the mere suggestion of possible
1.-The reader will excuse local item
here only because of its
relevance to the foregoing statement.
In the city of Philadelphia occurred
during the season 19O4-19O5 several
fashionable gatherings designated as
public balls; at two of these, which
are considered distinctively American,
the society columns of the daily press
showed that robes and trimmings of
Irish lace were much in evidence. At
two later gatherings, supposed to be
quite as distinctive Irish American and
but two or three such CO.'S
tunes were reported, and of these the
most beautiful was worn by one equal
ly entitled by right Of maternal descent
to place in the first named group.
Now, as we have seen, the question of
ton, for, thanks to the generous aid of
our Irish Catholic press, it is we'll un
that genuine convent laces
can be purchased from accredited rep
of the Irish industries at
prices far below those asked over shop
for French or Flemish prod
ucts, or even domestic fabrics not dig
nitied by any name but imitation
"a north of Ireland priest once pro-
pounded the following practical quer-
les: Are there not he asked ten
thousand ladies who could order at
least one poplin dress each, and thus
be the means of setting hundreds Of
new looms going in Ireland? Could
every church and oratory not afford
one set of vestments woven and en-
broidered in Ireland, surprising any
foreign made vestment at the same
price? II every Gaelic Lacquer owned
one poplin tie, he could wear 1t with
the consciousness Of having served his
countrymen by it's purchase While
not presuming to answer this practical
friend of his flock, let the writer sug-
gest that for every church which could
afford the vestments, and for each lady
who could afford the gown, there are
twenty Of the former whose finances
would permit the alb and altar trim
ming Of Limerick or Crochet and fifty
Of the latter who would find economy
as we'll as selectness in the use Of Irish
lace garniture.
mo question of charity this, but