ls, or garlands brocaded upon them; others are of solid color--a
rare and rich shade--and are made from the purest of silk, which gives
to them a sheen wondrous to see. Such velvets are, of course, very
costly, and only the rich can afford them; but as a product they are a
magnificent achievement. You see velvet-making has now become a
well-perfected art. Time has eliminated ancient methods, and bettered
machinery so that effects never before dreamed of can now be obtained.
There is, for example, the soft panne velvet made by pressing the goods
after it has been woven until it presents a satiny finish, then there is
what is known as mirror velvet, a product woven from more than one shade
of silk, and which in a strong light has a changeable quality."

"It is wonderful, isn't it?" murmured Madame Bretton, who was leaning
forward and listening as intently as were her boy and girl.

"Yes; all that man thinks out with his brain and perfects with his hands
is wonderful," agreed the priest. "It is a test of ingenuity and
patience, and as such should be respected. Moreover, velvet is a useful
product. The best silk varieties are very durable. They ravel little,
and can be steamed almost to their original freshness when they become
worn. Of course cheap velvets and plushes--which are merely velvets with
a longer nap--are another matter. There is much cotton in them, and
consequently they catch the dirt, and are soon defaced. More and more
they are passing out of use as coverings for furniture, or for seats in
cars and halls. The material cannot be cleaned, and as a collector of
dust is most unhygienic. It is well it should give place to something
that is not such a fosterer of germs."

"Won't you tell us how they make the fur on the velvet, Father?" begged
Marie, who was fearing every moment that the good priest would insist on
starting homeward.

The Cure laughed.

"You'll have me here until midnight, little one," said he. "Should I
tell you just how velvet is made it would take me hours; nor, in fact,
am I sure I know every step of the process. I do know, however, that the
soft nap is made by drawing the threads of the silk warp over an extra
wire which leaves millions of tiny loops standing upright, and packed
very close together all over it. In order that the velvet may be smooth,
these loops must be perfectly even and very near together. The closer
they are, the more rich and beautiful will be the velvet. It is when
t