The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-12-24

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ting wool and fax ready for their use |;
and if there had been four of US one
must have been idle, and mother abhored
/ idleness."
"Maybe you think you know what
spinning and weaving are, but you would
change your mind if you had seen Thank
fuPs and Keturah's work. Such webs of
toweling and tablecloths, all of the hand
somest patterns, flowers, and diamonds,
and stars; your snowdrops don't COM
pare with them; and the counterpins
(grandma meant counterpanes) and blan-
kets, and cloth for the family wear-but,
dear me, can't tell you half the things
Thankful wOve and Keturah spun.
don't know but there is as much work
done now as there used to be, but it's of
different kind. Now it is riding, walk
ing, and fixing up for callers, and going
to the opera, balls and concerts with the
beaux. But beaux were as plenty in
those days as now, yes and plentier, for
then wives were a help instead OF ex-
pense; and now where man can not
afford to marry, then he could not afford
to remain single.
"We used to call the young men
sparks can't tell why, unless because
they made fame in the girls cheeks.
Blushing is one of .he lost arts. We do
not see much of it nowadays"
"Fie, grandma" says /. "a pun and
a sarcasm in the same speech. You
would do for sensation writer" added
maliciously.
"Do not interrupt me, or I will not
finish my story. Where was !"
| IL
She frowned slightly, but proceeded: :
"Jerusha was what would be called
now firt. She had lots of sparks, and
dreadful life she led them, encouraging
one moment and frowning the next. She
was full of fun, but dignified when 0cca-
sion required. She liked Ephraim Will
liams best of all, but she was very care
full not to let him know it.
"But Thankful was different. She
was calm and gentle, and never cared for
any one but Jabez Arden, nor appeared
to. -
"They kept company for long time
and never had but one falling out that /
know Of and that was just before Squire
Doolittle's Junket.
az remember we'll the day and all about
it, for it was my first party, as girls say
now, and / was halt crazy with excite
ment, for Abel had promised to take me,
and ] was to wear white dress just like
my sisters. They had been out bleech-
ing and were just as white as the snow.
They were woven of linen, and shone like
satin when they were ironed. / don't
Just remember what there was to do be-
sides, and as / can remember everything
else well enough, / think it must have
been deal as it is now, more fuss than
any rate mother said we need not do our
tasks that day. and it was late for break
fast ween Jabez came in, but we were at
the table.
"IIow do you doY saysfather: sting
ing cold, aint it? Won't you set up and
take bite?'
"Ne, but I'm much Obliged says
Jabez.
"'Do set up said mother; Thain't got
anything fit to eat, but maybe you can
make out if you try
"After good deal Of urging Jabez
drew up, and father heaped his plate,
and mother said rs she passed the rye
cakes and biscuit, They amt nothing
like so good as your mothers, Jabez'
"But Jabez said they were the best he
ever eat. What are you smiling at,
child? 1t was considered good manners
then to say you hadn't anything fit to
eat, and for the other company to praise
it, and Jabez was always very polite to our
house, and mother thought him proper
nice.
"They talked about threshing and sled
L =. I. .~,, H. (.
was some time before he got chance to
ask if we were going to the Junket at
Squire Doolittle's.
81 don't know what possessed me to
do as l did, but said right off, Yes, we
are all going. am going with Abel, and
Keturah is going with Ephraim if she
don't change her mind, and Silas Dean
has asked Thankful
$50 he had, but Thankful refused be-
cause she expected to 60 with Jabez, and
knew it as well as any one, only liked
mischief.
"The girls looked mad and SO did Jabez
when / mentioned Silas, because Silas
wanted Thankful, and of course Jabez
was Jealous; and he took it that she had
promised to go with Silas, and so never
asked her himself.
"Father scolded, and Keturah said I
ought to be made to stay at home to pun
ish me, but Thankful never said a word,
only knew she felt badly. When got
a chance so Keturah wouldn't see me, i
told her was sorry. She said it wasn't
any matter.
"Silas heard somehow that she was not
going with Jabez, and so he asked her
again, and Thankful said yes this time.
She didn't seem to care about going, but
she was very anxious to look well. /
didn't understand it, but she was beau
tiful when she was dressed for the party.
Her gown, as / told you before, shone like
satin, and the stars woven on it seemed
to twinkle. / suppose you think they
must have looked rial dOwdyish, or
would now, but the dresses are made
very much now as they were then. They
wore kind of tunic very much like your
overdresses, and the sleeves were made
tight to the arm with deep ruflies over
the hand and round the neck. Thankful
wore mothers silver comb in her hair,
that was rolled to the top of her head,
and blue ribbon was tied around her
neck. She had dark brown hair and
| large, sau eyes, u nVtle nOutn, Win wnlte,
even teeth, and her form was tall and
slender. She would be called beautiful
now, but then Keturah was considered
the handsomest, for her hair was black
and curling, bereycs brightandsparkling,
and her cheeks as red as roses. She wore
gold beads around her neck, and her hair
in curls, but aside from that they were
both dressed exactly alike.
"I thought myself grand in my white
gown, but when Thankful lent me her
red shoes, felt proud, tell you, and
there never was happier girl than the
one mounted behind Abel on old Dob
bin TO go to the Junket at Squire Doo-
Titles
"When we got there ] was almost be-
wildered. There seemed nothing but
lights and girls, and brass buttons; but
- - IL 81.