Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-22

L
Sunday Of the month. This is fifth
or six annual meeting Of this organi-
zation and the first one ever held In
Gastonia. Last years session was
held in Greensboro.
TESTS FOR THE SHOPPERS USE.
Points About Buying Silks, Linens and
Woolens.
Shopping tests for linen, silks and
woolens are simple and easily applied.
In purchasing linen for sheets, pill
low cases, napkins and tablecloths,
fneness is to be desired. A linen tes-
ter, small magnifying glass, by
means of which the threads In a
given space is counted, Is essential to
determine this point.
One can tell the quality, perhaps,
as much by the feel Of linens as by
any more complex method. There is
crisp feeling to pure linen that Is
unmistakable. When crushed in the
hand it yields with a crunching sem
sarion which denotes its purity. 1t
has also slippery feeling quite diff
ferent from cotton, which Is dead and
unelastic when run through the hand.
If linen fabrics are frayed at the
edges and the threads pull out 1t will
be found that they will unravel with
out breaking, while cotton threads
will break or snap in two.
Another test for linen, and one in
vogue with old fashioned housekeep-
ers, is to dampen the finger and hold
it beneath the material. If the mois-
ture appears on the surface 1t is
pretty good test that the material is
linen, but If there is no dampness Wis
ible then one may be pretty sure that
the material is, If not all, at least
part cotton. Cotton absorbs the wa
ter while the linen does not.
A very good test for linen is to un-
ravel a portion, taking a couple of
| threads, one Of the warp and one OF
the woof, and to touch a match to
them. If cotton is present in the
weave the thread will burn quickly,
leaving a charred bit. If linen 1t will
be longer in burning.
In drawing threads from both fab.
RIGS it will be found that the linen
ones will hold their body, while cot
ton will draw the material awry and
usually snap off quickly before the
thread is half pulled out.
In buying handkerchiefs one can
pull them cornerwise. If the threads
draw evenly it is good proof of the
material being all linen, while If cot
ton the handkerchief will pull unev-
enly. Linen handkerchiefs of the
best quality should have at least $500
threads to the inch. This, however,
relates only to those fine sheer squares
of linen which retail for several dol
lars each. Those of good quality
which retail at SO cents or rs cents
each should show from 1900 to 1,400
threads.
1t is probable that in the buying Of
silks that the greater number of wom-
en- are taken in. Frequently it is their
own fault; they are tempted by bar
gains, and good silk is always eXpen-
sive.
In one of the large dry goods shops
in New York city there is a man who
has presided over the silk counter for
more than fifty years. BY simply run
ming the silk between his fingers he
can tell where it comes from, it's pur-
ity, it's quality and it's cost. This is
the result of long experience. Once
woman becomes accustomed to the
feel of pure silk she never forgets 1t.
There is a slipperiness and crusha-
bleness about pure silk that stamps
1t as the real article. There is also
an unmistakable swish about a pure
silk. Then if one takes the material
in both hands and snaps it there Is
report like a pistol shot from a pure
silk which will aid in the selection.
Material in which the threads run
ming both ways are silk are springy
and to the touch full of life and cleo
tricity, while those part silk, with
cotton admixtures, are dull and heavy,
perhaps lifeless is the better term. In
taffeta there is a high sheen and lus-
tire in the best qualities which is con-
vincing, while pongee has dull fin
ish. While louisines the softer and
finer the more to be desired they are.
To determine If silks are mixed
with cotton set a lighted match to a
sample after ravelling the threads
out If there is cotton present in the
| fabric then it will burn rapidly, curl
ing up almost in a flash into a crisp,
while the silk will hardly have start
ed to burn.
This same test may be applied to
wool materials in which it is suspect
ed that cotton may be woven. Cot
ton burns very rapidly, while the
wooden threads smoke and shoulder.
Then there is an unmistakable odor
about burning wool.
If one takes <up a piece of wool
cloth and a piece in which cotton is
present the former will feel very soft
and yielding to the touch, while the
latter will be hard and rather smooth
than otherwise. A wool surface when
rubbed is rough. In ravelling out
wooden materials, when the threads
are untwisted, the wool will fray and
the ends curl up, while cotton will
break off evenly without any ends.
A chemical test which can be en-
ployed at home is the application of
muriatic or nitric acid to woolens. If
sample of wool goods is dipped in
to one or the other of these chemi-
Gals it will turn reddish color If no
foreign threads are present. If cotton
is present the chemical eats it away
Immediately, leaving behind only the
yellow warp or woof.
Women have often been subjected
to disappointment in buying jetted
laces for handsome reception or din
ner gowns. There will be advertised