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185 '! K Class. Book. *-/-3- . PRICE 50 CENTS UUAAAAkikkkkkkkkkAkkkkkkkkkkkkkktiAkkkAAlAAAAAAAAAAAUAAAAAAAAg WmffWTWYfWWWmWWTWfTTTTTTTTTTfTTYTTTTTTTTTTTmr COPYRIGHTED LINENS,*ETC, FOR Mexican Drawn-Work, EMBROIDERY AND DECORATIVE PURPOSES. Irish Linen Lawn, 36incheswide,at 40c. 50c, 60c,70c,80c,90c, $1.00and $1.25 peryard. 44 inches wid< at $1.00, $1.25and $1.50 peryard. French Linen Cambric, 29 inches wide, at $1.00, $1.25, $1.50 and $1.75 peryard. Hand Spun French Linen Lawn, 20 inches wide, at $1.25, $1.50, $2,$3, $4, $5 and $6.00 peryard. Chinese GraSS Linen, 17 inches wide, at 75c, $1.00 and $1.50 peryard. 34 inches wide, at $1.25,$1.5( and $2.50 per yard. Silk Bolting Cloth, 10 inches wide, $2.00, $2.50 and $3 peryard. Soft Silky "Old Bleach " Linens, ie, is, 20. 22, 24, 27, 36, 45 and 54 inches wide. Irish; Dutch and Belgian LinenS, (Round Thread), 36, 40, 42, 45, 54, 63, 72, SO, 90, lOO and 10f inches wide. Plain Satin Damask, IS, 27, 36, 72, SO and 90 inches wide. Dowlas, Cream and White, 27, 36, 45, 54, 72 and 90 inches wide. Colored Art Linens, Pink, Old Blue, Terra Cotta, Sage, Old Gold, Canary and Other Shades, 36 i'che wide, 75c peryard. 52 inches wide, $1.50 peryard. Lineil Momk Cloth, fine quality, White, Cream and Gray, 18, 22, 27, 36, 54and 72inches wide. Linen Canvas, White. Cream and Gray, 18, 22, 27 and 36 inches wide. Linen Drills and DuckS, Gray, Cream, Ecru, &c, 27 inches wide. Real Russia Crashes, is and 22 incheswide. Huckabacks, is to 27 inches wide. Hemstitched Linen Tray Cloths, Doylies, Center Pieces, Tea Cloths, Scarfs, Etc., EverySizeinordinaryuseinverylargeassortment,PlainorStampedinthe NewestandMostArtisticDesigns. ; JAMES McCUTCHEON & CO., TrtE LINEN STORE." 14 WEST 23D STREET, ESTABLISHED 1855. NEW YORK \ I \ i :] SILK FLOSSES, LINEN THREADS, Embroidery Cottons, Etc., FOR FANCY WORK. Finlayson's "Real Scotch" Crochet Thread, white, CreamandGray. nos.letoso. 25cperbail. FinlaVSOn'S Lineil FlOSS, White and Colors. 5c a Skein. 50c. a Dozen. FinlaySOn'S Bargarren Thread, White and Colors. 5c a Skein. 50c. a Dozen. Barbour's Linen Thread, whiteand cream. sc a spool. Little Mills Linen Thread, for Darningand Fine LaceWork. White only. Nos.30to1500. 5c a ball. D. M. C. Embroidery and Marking Cotton, white and colors. 3c a skein. MadOima CottOn, Colors only. 2ca Skein. Brainerd & Armstrong's Roman Silk, whiteand colors. 4c a skein. 45c a jo<en. Brainerd & Armstrong's Outline Silk, white and colors. 3c a Skein. 35c a dozen. Brainerd & Armstrong's Twisted Silk, white and colors. 4caSkein. 45c a dozen. Brainerd & Armstrong's Filo Floss, white and colors. 4c a skein. 45c a dozen. H.^ ft "adition Brainerd & Armstrong's Rope Silk, white and colors. 4c a skein. 45c a dozen. s?ions Brainerd & Armstrong's Raw Silk, White and Cream only. 4ca Skein. 45c a dozen. -e- Brainerd & Armstrong's Whip Cord Twist Silk, white and colors. ioc a sPooi of25 yards. Brainerd & Armstrong's Knitting Silk, white and Colors. 35c a Half-ouncespool. Couching Cord, 25c aSkein of25yards. JAMES McCUTCHEON & CO., STORE, LI1VE1V E5 14 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET, ^MM— ESTABLISHED 1855. ~- £yy VQRK [yj Copyrighted, November, 1893, byMrs.S. E. CrissWise. Chicago: MetropolitanPrintingCo., Ill FifthAvenue. £ geautificatioq op the bjorqe. BY THE USE OK MEXICAN DRAWN WORK. J|vTi] OWtobeautifyand make the home attractive has long been aquestion animating the feminineheartandmind. Inthose daintier touches, improvementsand additions that =W^lflf i° go toward making up an artistic ensemble and which showa perfect and attractive taste in the general tone of the household, woman exemplifies the gentler attributes ofher sphere. Innowayisahomemadetodisplaymore completelytheculturedtasteanddomestic affinityof themistressofthehouseholdthanbythe illustration and applicationoffineneedle- workandembroideryinthedecorationandbeautificationofherhomesurroundings. Greatas isthevarietyandwidetheselectioninsuchornamentation, the featuresoftrueart,utilityand adaptabilityasameansofsolaceandpleasure in idle hoursandagreablemethod ofdispelling momentsofwearisomeennuiareoftennotfullyappreciatedorunderstoodbythosewhodesire toadoptsomepleasurableandsympatheticmeansofemploymentand diversion. MEXICAN DRAWN WORK. Oflatethetasteofthemore highlycultured and those possessingatrueartisticsenseof beauty,harmonyand worth in theselectionofhouse decorations, aswell asfortheprofitable culture andemploymentoftheirtalents, hasturned towardtheartofDrawnWork,ofwhich thereisnonesuperiorto MexicanDrawnWorkinpointof beautyofdesign,delicacy offinish, artisticworthandthemosthighlygratifyingdecorativequalities. MexicanDrawnWork is quitewell known to connoiseuers and lovers and votariesof artneedle-work,butitisyetcomparativelyinitsinfancysofarasitsgeneralintroductioninto American and Englishhomesisconcerned. Itsorigin is lost inthefilmynetworkoftradition surroundingtheconquestofthe Incas and the childrenofMontezuma bytheinvadinglegions ofthe Spaniards, who had received more than the rudimentsofthis splendid speciesoflace- workandembroideryfromthe Moors, who had learned the art from the deft weavers and designers ofhand-work inthe farEast. TheancientPersianand Phoenicianwomenwere fine artificersinneedle-workandembroideryandtheartdescendedthroughIndiatotheMoorsand thence totheSpaniards, whenitbecamepatronized and promoted b}'thecourtsandnobles of Castileand Arragonandthencetransferredto Mexicoand taught tothepeonsorslavesofthe conquerors, andbythedescendantsofthesepoor serfs has been preservedand improved upon untilMexican DrawnWorkofthehighergrade is unrivalled in theworldforbeauty, artistic valueand lastingqualities. The designs originallywere what is now called the Fayal work. From generation to generationtheMexicanwomen have improved upon the designs until theirworknowranks withthatofthemedievalhand-lacemakers,andage,iftheart benot lost,will contribute the moregreatlyto itsvalue. Manyofthedesignsrepresentatalent that can not be classed ascrudeanduneducated. Artistsandcriticsculturedintheartshavegiventhe filmy,gossamer,hair-like creationsofthe moreexpertmakersof Mexicandrawn-workunstintedandecstaticpraise. Itisknown atthe courts ofEuropeand inthehomesofthe connoiseuersinsuchmatters,and whilethe Honiton, Escurial,Guipureand Duchesslaceswillalwaysholdtheirallottedhighplacesintheestimationof experts in thevalueofsuch work,theMexican DrawnWork has a peculiarlyhigh standard ofitsown, andonewhichundoubtedly,byproper encouragementofthe poorwomen engaged initsmakingandbroadened avenuesforitsintroduction, itwill continuetomaintain. Ofcourseitrequiredanartisticeye, trained taste and discriminatingjudgmentto assort the good from the bad and indifferentandtofixastandard and intrinsic value for the high- class production ofthe more artistic and talented makers ofthe Mexican Drawn Work. A pioneerinthisfieldis Mrs.S.E.Criss-Wise,ofNewYork,atraveled andculturedwoman,whose repleteknowledgeofwomen'sindustries anddomesticand artworkontwocontinents,coupled with rare tact and good businessjudgment, fitted her peculiarlyto undertakethe encourage- mentandstimulation alongcommerciallinesofthedrawn workindustry,which withoutmuch practical encouragement the Mexican women have kept alive for centuries. Mrs. Criss-Wise madecarefulinvestigationoftheindustry andbecameanenthusiast over the beautyand high artvalueofthedrawnworkproductanditspossibilitiesforameliorating the conditionofthe Mexicanwomen who areadeptsinitsmaking, aswell asoftheyoungerwomen andgirlswho displaytalent in learning sufficient to keeptheartalive. Theworkisgatheredfromallparts ofMexico,thechoicestspecimenscomingfromTamaulipas,and ismadebytheyoungerwomen, whoseages rangefrom sixteentothirtyyears, althoughmanybeautifulspecimensaremade by theolderwomen. Theworkistryingontheeyesight,but theimpressionthatitinducesblind- nessat an earlystageiserroneous. Thewomen take pleasure in thiswork, applythemselves assiduously andatthesametimearecarefuloftheireyes. Theydonotworkinabrightlight, butin thesubduedlightofthe interioroftheirhouses. In order to be near these industrious workers and to make her examinationofthe industrythorough, Mrs. Criss-Wiseestablished herselfin Texas, near the Mexican border,foranumberofyears, and she now makes annual visitstothehomesoftheworkers,andbyherliberalpurchasesandpromotionofsalessupports entirelyseveralfamiliesofthemoreexpertofthe drawnwork operators. Always paying the highest prices, Mrs. Criss-Wise commands the prize specimensofthework, andshebelieves in puttingtheindustryonastrictlycommercial basis, at the sametimepayingjustprices to the weavers,althoughsheadmitsthatsomeoftheproducts arewellnighpricelessinartisticvalue. NotonlyarethewomenofMexico, wdio aretrainedintheirart,fondofdoingthiswork, butwhenfurnishedwith fine materials andwell paid their darkeyesdancewithjoyand they fairly excel themselves in the character of the work produced. The lace-makers are of the pilado class, or the ranch-women. An interesting picture ofagroupofyoung lace-makersat work at their frames in the shade of a typical Jacal or ranch-house is herewithgiven. In the springtime these picturesque huts are nestled in milesofheliotrope and milk-white chap- paral. In summer and autumn this floralvegetation giveswayto thehardiertrees, themes- quite, pricklypearand Spanishdagger. The housewife's tastes shine artisticallythrough the dispositionofthese southern feminines, and someofthe prettiest laces are used to decorate theirhome, whichisbuilton anovelplan. Ofttimesitisonlyone storyhigh, withfour rooms ononefloor, the kitchen and three bedrooms. The kitchen is arrangedasacompositeapart- ment,being also used as the eating room and the parlor. Theaveragelace-makerisa very attractivewoman. She is about medium height, slight and graceful, with a physique like a