e Fourteenth, founded the
establishment at Beauvais which is owned by the French Government, as is
also that of the Gobelins, which Colbert bought of the Gobelin family.
But it is to the Saracens that France ultimately owes the origin of her
famous tapestries, and it is to the Saracens, through France, that
Western and Northern Europe trace their obligation.

The industry has attained large proportions in France. At Aubusson alone
over two thousand work-men are employed in rug-weaving. A fine specimen
of the work done there is a rug of Oriental design made for a collector
in New York. The piece-work system is now generally used throughout the
weaving districts of France. The manufacturers themselves usually place
the rugs on the market. France buys the greater quantity, although many
are exported.

Austria-Hungary, Germany, Holland, and Italy have also had some
experience in rug-weaving, and even little Switzerland at one time
attempted its introduction, but with unsatisfactory results. Belgium,
however, was more successful, for Brussels still produces a large number
of rugs.

THE UNITED STATES

The United States is largely occupied in rug-weaving, and the centre of
the Eastern section of this manufacture is Philadelphia. But in various
sections of the country there are rug factories, both large and small.

The _Abenakee_ rug is made at Pequaket, New Hampshire. It is the result
of a desire on the part of Mrs. Helen R. Albee to give profitable
employment to the women of the rural community where she lives. Her
success is now assured, and the reward for much labor and thought has
come in a lively demand for the rug.

The Abenakee rugs are not woven. They are an evolved form of the much
despised New England hooked rug, which was made by drawing strips of old
rag through burlap. The thick, soft, velvety Abenakee rugs of the
present day are far removed in color, design, and texture from their
humble ancestors. These rugs are all wool, hand-dyed in warm tones of
terra-cotta, old rose, old pink, tans, dull yellows, rich old blues,
olive and sage greens, and old ivory. They are made to order usually, to
match in their ground color some special color in the room where they
are to be placed, and the borders are made in harmonious tones. The
range of design is wide, from Oriental to Occidental--from Japanese to
North American Indian. But all suggestions, so soon as received, are
modified and removed as far as possible fro