Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-06-09
The New Covenant.


''For three years, or during the war, we pledge
ourselves to purchase no foreign article of dress"
The question is asked, what will be includ-
ed in the list of prescribed articles? For at
first thought it is not so easy to say what are
foreign, and what are domestic manufactures
We can assure our fair readers that a wide
range of tasteful as well as useful fabrics are
still left for them to choose from. Silks
would substantially be prohibited, for but
few are yet made in America but beautiful
worsted and cotton goods, such as mousse
lines-de-laines, challines, challies, alpaccas,
indeed almost every description of dress
goods worn, except silks, are of home produc-
ton, even large proportion of those digni-
fed by foreign names; and an incidental ad-
vantage Of such movement will be the call
ing of things by their right names in future,
and a laudabe pride in the finish and excell-
ency of American fabrics. Beautiful ban-
ket-shawls are now made here, and soft and
durable merinoes, fannels, bamoral-skirts,
delicately tinted muslins, berages, and thin
fabrics too numerous to mention. Ribbons
would to great extent be prohibited, vel
vets entirely, and some fair damsels may be
alarmed at the thought of hideous bonnets
denuded of these appendages Such we will
console by the information that all kinds of
straws are made here, and the greater part
of the so-called French artificial flowers
What style OF trimming was ever prettier
than the tanciful bouquets and wreaths of
straw-work so much in vogue a few years
since; and we may rest assured that the in.
genuity of our manufacturers, and the taste
of our milliners once stimulated will be ade-
quate to furnish forth a bonnet pretty and be-
coming enough for the most fastidous critic
And we can safely promise that every sensi-
ma will nd inf
more bewitching than any ever worn before.
Then for winter use there are the soft, pretty
felt hats, and better than these the hats of
brOadcloth which two or three winters ago
were substituted for velvet, and pronounced
very dlStlngue and elegant and from this ma
terial leaves and fruit and flowers might be
easily produced, which when once made, the
fashion would be universally admired.
There would be no lack of tasteful and ev-
en- elegant fabricks for dresses, shawls, bon
nets and cloaks and if few of the dainty
knicknacks SO commonly used to give an air
and finish to these garments, must be dispens-
ed with, when once severe simplicity of style
has become the fashion, all would learn to
tolerate, and even to admire it. And with
the glow Of conscious rectitude frightening
their hearts and flushing their fine cheeks,
the beauty of our country women will be en-
But this is a low view to take of subject
so important. In a time like this, when such
momentous issues are at stake, let every wo-
man rise above the thoughts of personal adorn-
ment, s,and resolve to devote herself to the
work of doing the duty of the hour; let a
high and holy purpose to do all in her power
to produce healthy, sound and patriotic state
Of feeling in the community, and to make all
selfish interests subservient to the claims of
her country and her God, actuate and inspire
her. And so we shall become worthy of the
blessing of the most High, and may hope to
receive it, and to be saved from the financial
evils which are threatening us.
OLD DR.. BEECHER's FIRST CARPET-My wife
introduced the first carpet at Easthampton,
l.. |. Uncle Lot gave me some money, and l
had an itch to spend it. Went to a vendue
and bought a bale of cotton. She spun it
and had it woven; then she laid it down,
sized it, and painted it in oils with border
all round it, and punches of roses and other
flowers over the center. She went to New
York for colors, and ground and mixed them
herself The carpet was nailed down on the
garrett floor, and she used to 60 there and
paint She also took some common wooden
chairs and painted them, and cut out figures
of gilt paper and glued them on and varnish-
ed them. Iney were really QulIe PleIty. OIu
Deacon Tallmadge came to see me, stopped
at the parlor door and seemed afraid to come
in. "Walk in, Deacon" said l. "Why,
can't" said he, '''thout steppin' ont" Then,
after surveying it while in admiration,
Dive think ye can have all that and heaven
too ?'-Dr. Lyman Beee1ter's Autobiography
HEAT FROM THE STARs.-It is a startling fact
that if the earth were dependent alone up
on the sun for heat, it would not get heat
enough to keep existence in animal and veg
| etable life upon its surface. 1t results from
the researches of Pouillet that the stars fur
nish heat enough in the course of the year to
melt crust of ice seventy-fve feet thick
almost as much as is supplied by the sun.
This may appear strange when we consider
how UNNECESSARILY small must be the amount
! of heat from any one of those distant bodies
But the surprise vanishes when we remember
that the whole armament is so thickly sown
with stars, that in some places thousands are
crowded together within space no greater
than that occupied by the full moon The
| eye cannot see more than a thousand at the
same time in the clearest heaven, vet the
number is probably infinite. From the first
to the sixth magnitude inclusive, the total
number of visible stars is 3I2S.-Dr. Lard
! 7ler.