WATERPROOFING A LADY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1277, 13 December 1884, Page 3

WATERPROOFING A LADY.

A London correspondent writes that there are a great many novel ideas to be had at the Healtlieries, and now that the crowds of visitors are less, it is possible to look at the stalls without having all the breath in one's body crushed out. An American invention for making textiles damp-resisting is _ one of the most extraordinary and surprising of new ideas. It requires all one's willingness to believe in so useful a process ; but there are the things exhibited, and there staDds the inventress, with the jug of water, allowing a visitor to try experiments, and one is obliged to be convinced; To Warnerise a dress, mantle, ribbons, fringes, laces, etc., moans to subject them to some chemical influence, after which dump runs off as quicksilver runs off a. smooth surface, leaving no trace behind. Velvet, which is the most beautiful of materials for dresses or mantles, requires too much euro for everydny wear in a damp climate. ButWarnerised, the velvet seems to be perfectly weather resisting and damp proof. Lace trimmings also turn rain just ns if there were no little interstices for the water to go through. The greatest triumph yet achieved at the works was Waroerising a mantle of velvet brocade: richly trimmed with caterpillar fringe. The lady who was the proud possessor of thisrich article of dress was starting for Montreal with the British Association. Like John Gilpin's spouse, the lady, though on pleasure bent, yet had a frugal mind. To take the mantle with her might endanger its appearance ; to leave it at home would necessitate the purchase of a cheaper substitute, so either way money would be lost. In a happy moment the idea of "having her mantle Waroerised occurred to her, and thus to bridge over the difficulty. It cannot be said that the operators accepted the commission with gratitude for no tnsk so complicated had yet been undertaken. To draw back would be to the peril of the whole reputation of the inventor, and so the mantle was taken and finished with entire success. It is added to the story that the lady, delighted with the experiment, has has had a bonnet trimmed with artificial flowers and lace similarly treated, but she said for Canada before her friends could satisfy themselves of the truth of this part cf the story ; the mantle had been well exhibited to inqnirers previously.