Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-01-26

THE Quilting PARTY.


Our Young ladies' Of the present genera
lion know LILLE of the mysteries of Irish
cham rising star block work on
Jobs trouble and would be as likely to
mistake a set of quilting frames for clothe
poles as for anything else. 1t was differ
cnt in our younger DAYS. Half dozen
patchwork quilts were as indispensable
as marriage portion quite as much so
as a piano or a guitar is at present. And
the quilting party was equally indicative of
the coming-out and being in the market,
as the fashionable gatherings together of
The times that be.
As for the difference in the custom, we
are not disposed to sigh over il as indica-
tive Of social deterioration. We do not
belong to the class who believe that society
is retrograding, because everything is not
as II was IN the earlier davs of our life his
tory. And yeti may be weakness ::
but early associations exercise a powerful
influence over us. We have never en-
loyed ourselves with the keen zcst and
heartlness, IN any company, that we have
experienced in the old-tashioned quilt
ing party. Butwe were young then, and
every sense perfect in It's power to receive
enjoyment. No care weighed down the
spirit; no grief was in the heart; no
mistake had occurred TO sober the feelings
with mayaiiing regrets. Life was in the
beauty and freshness of its spring time in
the odor of its lovely blossoms. We had
but to open our evcs-to touch, or taste
to feel exquisite delight. OF the world
we know nothing beyond the quiet village /;
and there we found enough to fill the mea-
sure Of our capacity. In a wilder sphere
we have not found greater social pleasures ;
though IN a more extended usefulness there
has come a different source of endowment
purer, and more elevated to the heart.
But his IS all too grave for our subject
1t is not the frame of mind in which to en-
Joy a quilting party. And yet, who can
look back upon the early times without a
browner hue upon his feelings
There was one quilting party-can we
ever forgetit? Twenty years have passed
since 4e time. We were young then,
and had not tarried long at Jericho
Twenty years 1t seems but yesterday.
With the. freshness of the present it is all
before us now.
In our village there dwelta sweet young
girl who was the favorite of all. When
invitations to quilting party al Mrs. Viii
Iing's came, YOU may be sure there was
futer of delight all round The quilting
was Amy's of course, and Amy Willing
was to be the bright particular star in the
social firmament. 1t was to be Amy
first quilting, moreover; and the sign that
she was looking forward to the matrimo-
nial goal, was hailed with peculiar
pleasure by more than one of the village
swains, who had worshipped the dawning
beauty at a respectful distance.
We had been TO SO many quilting par
ties up to this time but more as 4 boy
than man. Our enjoyment had always
been unembarassed by any peculiar feel
ings. We could play at blind mans buff,
hunt the slipper, and pawns, and not only
clasp the little hands of our fair plav-fel-
lows, but even touch their warm lips with
our own, and not experience a heart-emo-
ton deeper than the ripple made on the
smooth water by fulplay breeze. But
there had come change. There was
something in the eyes of our young COM
panions, MS we looked into them, that had
a different meaning from the old expression,
and particularly was this the ease with Amy
Into her eyes we could no longer gaze
steadily. As TO the reason we were igno-
rant; yet so it was.
to
was an era; for it produced emotions of
so marked u character, that they were new
er forgotten. There was an uneasy llut-
tcring of the heart as the time drew near,
and a pressure upon the feelings that a
deep, sighing breath failed toremoye. The