Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-11-20
A LEGEND OF THE
ORIGIN OF LACE,
BY ?. A. mitchell

lCopyrisht 1900. By American Press Atso.
ciauou.l
n mention of the word Venice nj.
ways suggests something delicatcly
artistic. Perhaps the beauty OF a CITY
arising out OF the sea is the funda.
mental cause OF this. Its founders.
driven in the fifth century from the
mainland 10y Attila the Hun. took ref
uge among the iagoons and built the
only city in the world similarly stu.
ated. Eight hundred years later Ven
Ice became mistress OF all seas.
1t was at this time OF her sunr,u.,,
that one afternoon giyi sat AT "a vil.
dow engaged in tine need.ework Sow
ana again she would glance out ur O..
window over the Adriptic sprc.d o..
fore her ~ one OF these glau,cs sue
saw the sun yild the sails IF am m.,...
lng vessel She dropped her wo, nan
down ana out ou 20 the docs. Gn..
she watched the vessel :p3r a.. ..r.
at last east anchor. When Sd l,.,
lowered md pulled Go g..
soon az il touched the .,...
sailor jum.rd out un to t...i-.
'ucy were D. h..l 49,. I.... ..
The lovers d.d ..l
whore thcl HOe. Il. uu..... t. So.
g!r, "y.. ut.. ,u. -u
s"crDu lc,.N vIr t..ue as o.. ... ..
tranSp.re opru- 'ao,r s.l.....r.
Iheh the :. lDE l.u ur dscoI
bunch of delicate corJI,.ae and l.udel
ii TO her.
i have brought tails for you. Fran
cesca, as gift most Tilted TO please
one who Is SO fouI or minute v.rk-
mdnshlp. II rs Lace u..uc ,y hl,r...f..
lh tAe coral ravCr.s under the water,
OF the seas OF India"
Francesca took the cora!lu, and OK
amined 1t, admirius ITS beautiful tex.
ture
III IS indeed beautiful. Giovanni. but
pretty us it is Will make something.
prCtticr."
How asked the lover surprised.
with my needle"
That is impossible know how
expert you are IN such work. but Won
can never equal ibis. At any rate I.
VINO nave visited every country, have
never seen anything like it,"
That may be Nevertheless I will
do as | say. When the day for our
wedding comes YOU shall see what
have made. 1t shall be a bridal veil OF
mcrmuid's lace"
shortly after this the young man
sailed away again. From her window
FranceScn watched the white wings
that bore him from her till they faded
INTO mist on the horizon; then she
began her work. She had hunted the
city Tor n finer thread than she had
ever had bcfore-such a thread MS the
mermaids had uscd-aud failing TO
hnd it, had induced a spinner to make
some for her. 1t was almost as iine
as SPIDERS web This thread she
now began to weave into the delicate
figures made by the mermaids. Day
by day she worked with her needle.
forming little white knots and tiny
stars. uniting them by delicate
brides"
y month passed, and she had pro
duced as mach in length as she could
span with her thumb aud little finger
She was delighted with it. Month att
or month she worked on. barely giving
her eyes The rest they needed Gin at
last she had produced long bridal
veil that would reach from her head TO
the floor. When waved slowly iu The
air 1t rescmblcd q white cloud floating
III the heavens, but when the vision
was permitted TO rest upon its texture
1t was found 20 be marvelously beau
tifu
One Of Franccsca's friends told about
the wonderful mermaid lace that was
hnf fol e..