A DOMESTIC ROMANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 11452, 21 January 1901, Page 3

A DOMESTIC ROMANCE.

The origin of cuehion or pillow lace, " bone lace," aa it is Eometirues called, is a domestic romance, says Mr Joseph Hatton. Barbara Uttman, of Saxony, was the wife of a mineowner. Oae unhappv day his mine gave out, and he failed. Mrs Uttman had been known in the days of her prosperity for her beautiful muslin and other embroideries. She was not above selling her work to the great ladies of Srcony. When her husband suddenly found himself without an income, Barbara, his wife, extended her operations, and kept the household, which included several children, by her needles. In the intervals of what might be called current work she devoted months to a veil which, by an ingenious method, could hardly be distinguished from point lace, which the woman had never seen. The worthy lady to whom she expected to sell the veil, however, rejected it; bat, at the same time unfolding a piece of Brussels lace, said: "Now, if you could make something as beautiful as this, I would buy it almost at any price you might ask." Barbara looked at the lace in despair, and went homewards weeping. She sat by the roadside, her head in her hands, for an hour, thinking how she might rival such lovely work, and it seemed as if an inspiration suddenly came to her. Presently she arose and went home, aud having provided herself with a number of small round stioks, she stuffed a cushion with hay, and began to weave with her newly contrived needles something that she conceived to be Brussels point; bat she had done more than this—she had invented cushion lace. Thus was founded a new and beautiful industry. Barbara Uttman became rich, and lived to a ripe old age, a happy and famous greatgrandmother.