Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-11-03
THE CITY SEWING CIRCL
Needles and Tongues.

AS HOlly entered Jne oAaWS par
lor, an appalling array Of well
dressed girls appeared, each pro
yided with a dainty reticule, bas
ket or bag, and each tongue going
a good deal faster than the needle
while the white fingers stitched
sleeves IN upside down, put flame
jacket together hand part before
or gobbled botton-holes with The
intentions Of life.
"You're dear to come so early
Here's a nice place for you be-
tween Belle and Miss Perkins,
and here's a sweet little dress to
make unless you like something
else BETTER" said Fanny, receiving
her friend with warmth, and plac.
ing her where she thought she
would enjoy herself.
"Thanl you, I'll take an un-
bleached cotton shirt, if you have
such a thing, for it is likely to
be needed before a camtric
frock," replied Polly, subsiding in
to her corner as quickly as posi-
bic, for at least six eyeglasses were
up, and she didn't enjoy being
stared at.
Miss Perkins, grave, cookbook
ing young lady, with an aristocrat-
ic nose, bowed politely and then
went on with her work, which dis
played two diamond rings to great
advantage. Belle, beng Of the
demonstrative sort, smiled and
nodded, drew up her chair and be-
gan a whispered account If TriX's
last quarrel with Tom. Polly list
ened with interest while she sewed
diligently, occasionally permitting
her eyes to study the elegant in
tricacies of Miss Perkins dress, for
that young lady sat like statue,
quirking her delicate fingers and
accomplishing about two stitches a
minute. In the midst Of Bellies
story more exciting bit of gossip
caught her ear, and she plunged in
to the conversation going on across
the table, leaving Polly free to list
en- and admire the wit, wisdom and
charitable spirit Of the accomplish
ed young ladies about her.
There was a perfect babel Of
tongues, but out OF the confusion
Polly gathered scraps Of fashion
able intelligence which somewhat
lessoned her respect for the dwell
lers in high places. Ore fair crea-
ture asserted that Joe Somebody
took so much champagne at
the last Ball that he had to
be got away, and sent home with
two servants. Another divulged
the awful TACT that Carrie P's we'd
ding presents were half of them
hired for the occasion. A third cir
culated a whisper to the effect that
though Mrs. Buckminister wore q
thousand dollar cloak, her boys
were not allowed but one sheet to
their beds. And a fourth young
gossip assured the company that a
certain person never had offered
himself to q certain other person,
though the report was industrious
ly spread by interested PARTIES
This latter remark caused such q
clamor that Fanny called the meet
ing to order in a most unparlia-
mentary fashion,
"Girls! girls you really mi st
talk less and sew more, or our So
ciety will be disgroced Do you
know our branch sent in less work
that any of the others last month,
and Mrs. Fitz George said she
didn't see how fifteen young ladies
could manage to do so little ?"
"We don't talk a bit more than
the old ladies do. l just wish you
could have heard them go on, last
time. The way they get so much
done is, they take work home and
make their seamstresses do it, and
then they take credit for vast in
dustry," said Belle, who always
spoke her mind with charming can
dor
"That reminds me that mamma
says they want as many things as
we can make, for it's q hard win
ter, and the poorare suffering very
much. Do any of you wish to take
articles home, to do at odd times ?"
said Fan, who was President ofthis
energetic Dorcas Society.
"Mercy, no! 1t takes all my
leisure time to mend my gloves and
refresh my dresses" answered
Belle.
81 think if we meet once week
it is all that should be eXpected~of
us, with our other engagements
Poor people always complain that
the winter is hard, and Te never
satisfied" remarked Miss Perkins,
making her diamonds sparkle as
she sewed buttons on the wrong
side of a pink calico apron, which
would hardly survive one wash
ing.
Nobody can ask me to do any
more, if they remember all I've got
to attend to before summer" sad
Trix, with an important air "l've
got three women hard at work, and
want another, but every one is SO
busy, and ask such abominable
prices, that I'm in despair, and
shall have to take hold myself,
I'm afraid"