Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-07-28
From the GlenwOod Valley Times, April, 1856
THE BLUE-MIXED STOCKINGS.

Not long ago., n friend sent us q rich, rare pres
Ont, in the shape of the copy of a letter written
twenty years ago, by a lady Of great literary dis
Junction., to their cousin, who now graces one of
the most honorable official stations in the Empire
State. 1t was written on the eve of his marriage,
and accompanied n pair of bluo-mixcd stockings,
knit by herself, as IL present. 1t was sent to us
for our private and personal enjoyment, but as no
restriction was imposed upon us, and as the letter
Is SO decidedly unoqualled and so entirely rich, we
cannot resist the temptation to share the enjoy
mcnt Of its porusal with our readers.
We will only add that it will endure being read
slowly, carefully, and more than once:
"DEAR CoUsIN,-Uorewith, you will receive a
present OF Il pair of wOollen stockings, knit by my
own hands; and be assured, dear coz, that nv
friendship for you is warm as the material, active
as the fnger-work, and generous as the dona-
ton.
"But 1 consider this donation as peculiarly ap-
propriate on the occasion Of your marriage. You
will remark, in tho first place, that there arc two
individuals united in ono pair, who are to walk
side by side, guarding against GOODNESS, and giving
comfort as long as thoy last. The thread of their
texture is mixed, and so, also, is the thread Of life.
In these, however, the white is made to prodomi-
nate, expressing my desire and confidence that
thus it will be with the color Of your existence.
No black is used, for / believe your lives will be
wholly free from the black passions of wrath and
Jealousy. The darkest color hero is blue, which is
excellent when we do not make it too blue.
"Other appropriate remarks rise to my mind, in
regarding these stockings. The most Indifferent
objects, when viewed by the mind in a suitable
frame, may furnish instructive inferences, as saith
the poet:
The iron dogs, the fuel tongs,
The bellows that have leathern llngs,
The %iirc-wood, ashes, and the smoke,
DO all to righteousness provoke"
But to the subject. You will perceive that the
tops Of these stockings (by which / suppose court,
ship to be represonted) are scanned, and by means
OF scanning, arc drawn into a snarl, but afterwards
comes a time when the whole is made plain, and
continues SO to the end final, toeing of. BY this /
wish to congratulate yourself, that you are now
through with scanning, and have come to plain re-
ality. Again, rs the whole Of these comely stock
inSs was not made at once, but by the addition of
one little stitch after another, put in with skill and
discretion, until the whole presents the fair, equal
piece of work which you see I; so life does not con
sist OF one great action, but millions Of little ones
combined and so may it be with your lives. No
stitch dropped when duties are to be performed
no widening made where bad principles are to be
reproved, or economy to be preserved; neither
SCANNING nor NARROWING where truth and coneros-
ity are in question. Thus, every stitch of life
made right and set in the right place-none either
too largo or too small, too tight or too loose; thus
may you keep on your smooth aud even course.
making life one fair and consistent piece until