The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-26
-BedqaiIt.
3 UIA GILL.

Suppose ! We're to show YOU as one Of
my treasures, this old bedquilt. How
YOU, my dear young reader, would widen
your eyes in surprise or turn away in
disgust and contempt! Or if you We're
too polite for strong demonstrations, you
might suggest gently that it would be
well for me to make glad the heart of
the rag-gat erer or the paper-maker
with these good pounds of linen, cotton,
and wool. should not wonder at this.
You have not the ''anointed eye.o But
to me this ragged quilt is the key to
doors that open in the enchanted past.
| spread it out over my white counter
pane, and as ! look the village dis
appears. Here and there are implanted,
gambrel-roofed. or one-story house rises
before me along the road from which
the forest has a little retreated for the
old forest is not yet driven from the
valley to go flying he!ter-skelter up the
mountain-side, like a scared regiment,
but stands stalwart and grand on the
hither side of the river. There is still
an occasional cry of wolves in the dense
woods behind the hills opposite us, and
it is rather "risky business" the hus-
bandman says, :" to keep sheep;" but
they can raise turkeys and geese, and all
other marauding bipeds, to their hearts
content, Witht ut quarrelling with their
neighbor; there is plenty of elbow
room; they live generously and hospit-
ably. Does your neighbor want a piece
of your grounds for your gangway ?
Use it freely, friend, what is that
between thee and me?" Dear old souls,
they never dream of the nice work they
are making for their great grand-chil-
dren y There are log houses still, nest
led about in the woods, off d" the main
road" with bridle-paths leading around
by the doors; which paths may or may
not become highways. Children laugh
these log homes there are christenings
and funerals here, merry-makings and
MORNINGS; apple orchards are just
being planted which are to serve the
next generation, but there is already
abundance OF fruit such as it is; grabbed
and wild it would seem to our palates.
Looking at this forlorn rag of a bed
quilt, ] see all this and more. For be-
hold; this central piece of calico, two
yards square, dark ground Illuminated
with two serrated white leaves and a
trefoil, was my grandmother's gown
when she was in the prime and pride of
life, with her dark-eyed SONS and daugh-
ters about her over it she Wore the
scarlet cloak, the Veritable red riding
hood, as she sat on the pillion behind
her husband, riding over these pictur-
esque hills and along the road overhuna
by the forest, across the river, four miles
to church; perhaps ] ought to say t
Meef''lg, lor his was a good old Purltal
dress. Il might Lave been worn at tn
very Tune When themessenger from Lex
lngton entered this Westinghouse il
haste, Whispering, hoarsely, "Thereha
been blood shed - Il was then fresl
and actually beautiful, almost as gloss,
as silk and see how fine it is in textur
fine, as compared with the home-mad,
lining. Every thing in this world o
fashions, is coarse Or fine, vulgar or gen
teel, by comparison.}
1t went to cuttings and tea-parties
this dress, which WAS woven across TIL
sea by cunning hands which have bee,
changed to English daisies for near
century! Year after year it was onl
worn Oh state and festival occasions
then it came to commoner use at last
was taken apart for a bedquilt. An
now there We're the planning, the cuttin
and fitting, the piecing, and finally tt
quilting. All! if Carlyle's :" time ann
hilating hat'' We're come in fashion
He says, "Were a halter to make fe
of this sort, (Fortunatus' wishing-cal
for mankind, what Il world we shou