The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-05-24

ton, each one talking TO her nelghDor,
or trying TO speak SO as to speak SO as
to be heard above the general buzz and
hum. fn
At length Kansas moved to strike
out the Objectionable words, which mo-
ton was ably seconded by voice from
New York, well known and honored,
and often heard in woman's behalf.
The little speeches here made fully a.
reused thecnthusiasmo offthe majority,
and the motion to amend was carried,
with only few faint dissenting voices.
| The pledge as amended and adopt
ed reads: "For three years or for the
war, we pledge ourselves to each other,
and the country, to purchase no impor-
ted article of apparel."
The Shoddy family, several branches
of which have been established in Wash
ington, were not without their repre-
sentatives at the convention. Wheth-
er these were ''to the manor born," it
would not be charitable in me to say.
They had high pretensions of patriot
ism, however; were very anxious that
the country should be saved; were sure
it ought to be, and would be; but when
asked to sign the pledge to help save
it, one very politely replied:
81 thank you; I'm not prepared to
give my name just yet. There is a
heap of things / need, and ] reckon
right smart of 'em is imported. I'll
wait awhile.' .sa
Another, whose portly form was en-
veloped in habiliments of the deepest
woe, said in the most despairing tone
as she lifted her heavy vail:
81 cannot sign such a pledge while I
am in mourning, for this Grape is all
imported"
1t was suggested to her that Grape
of velS good quality was manufacture ed
i'm this co untry.
"Ah, yes, she replied, with deep
drawn sigh, "b1t the quality is nothing
like this!" aa"
"Where is our linen to come from?, >,
triumphantly asked one no better in
formed than she should be.
"Linen is made iu the United States,
and if it were not, our grandmothers
made it in their day, and we can learn
the art if we cannot put up with cot
ton," was the quiet, reproving answer
of New York.
"But our ribbons! ! should like to
keow what we are to do for ribbons?"
said a sharp-looking damsel with
enough of the article about her to hang
a regiment of rebels.
Ribbons are made in this country,
and very pretty ones, tool" replied a
quick voice from the vicinity Of Cape
Cod.
One anxious housewife "wondered
if such things as blanets was made in
America: shecouldn't sign no pledge TO
90 without blankets for three years;
that was the hull o Mot story as fur as
she had anything TO say!'
All these people would have reveled
in the absolutely necessary" clause
the idea of making sacrifice of any
thing never once seemed to enter their
miserable little souls. These were of
course exceptions, and perhaps about
all the exceptions there were, to the
high-toned patriotism and intelligence
of the ladies present There was one
more, an uneasy, veXatious piece of
dry goods, vineg gar-faced and sallow,
who sat within hearing distance of my
corner, and declared that she ''wasn't
going to give no such pledge to nobody;
for whar was the French flowers to
come from TO put into her bonnet if she
did? She would .ist like to know that! !
And the most ludicrous part Of all was,
that when the audience was being pho
tographed, with the Rev. DIR. Sunder-
land in the foreground, this verv piece
was most anxious to have her face in
the picture, and squeezed herself un-
asked into the crowd at the Doctors
elbow, where herxharp nose with the
bunch ct soiled flowers above it must
make conspicuous show. She can at
least have it to say that she gave her
countenance to the proceedings of the
famous meeting. u
No lady belonging TO this association
is prohibited from wearing or making
use of imported goods she may happen
to have on hand at the time of becom-
ing n member. To show that she is
TCONSndiittIs cdCn HltuiDcT Is tO wear
badge, which is a black bee, with
wings enameled according to nature,
worn with tri-color ribbon, a little in
front of the left shoulder. This badge
was designed by Mrs. Ann S. Stevens.
1t is understood that the bee is to be
made of gutta.percha, and little lar
ger than life size.
Advisory and organizing committees
were appointed in each State. The
Committee for Michigan is composed
of Mrs. Senator Chandler and Mrs.
Senator Howard, of Detroit; Mrs.
Representative Kellogg, of Grand Rap
lids, and Mrs. Representative Baldwin,
of Pontiac. t,rfJrf tfN3 1I
Altogether this meeting was one to
be long remembered by all who were
present. The association, if sustained
and adhered to in the spirit In which it
was organized, and in the true spirit of
the pledge, cannot but have a fayora-
BILE effect on the finances of the coun-
try. 1t is to be earnestly hoped that
the ladies Of town and country through
out the Union will join heartily in the
grand work Of retrenchment and re-
! form.
For Everybody.