Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-03-25
extraordinary quilt.

we cup Tue lOllOWluH huuOIOuo uc-
scription of patch.bed quilt shown at
the National Exhibition lately held at
Buffalo, from the Buffalo Express:
Over the same side of the hall, little
nearer in the booth of the diamond
thread cutter, is to be seen the chef
d'ouvrc, the particular glory of the en-
tire exhibition. No one who spends a
half hour studying this work of art
(which we hate to call patch bed quilt
will dispute our award,
The exhibitors themselves are unani-
nous in expressing the same opinions,
and indeed there is no change for two
opinions on the subject Every one who
has seen it will bear witness to the So
berness of our language. The bed quilt
is not intended to be useful, but orna-
mental, moral and instructive. The
scope of the subject taken for illustra-
ton is somewhat ambitious, as it covers
tie history OF the creation of man, the
temptation and fall of Adam, the story
of Cain and Abel, and even takes in the
finding of Moses in the bulrushes The
fine moral tone of the treatment given
this work by the artist is seen most strik-
ingly, perhaps, in the approved appear
ance Of Adam and Eve in comparison
with their usual simple outfit. Eve has
a beautiful red dress with crinoline, a
tidy apron and handsome switch of
solid hair Adam looks rather rakish
in green trousers, an orange coat and a
wide-awake hat. He has a knowing
look, too, Jas fhe was telling Eve that she
couldn't make him believe that the yel-
low cabbage she was offering him was an
apple-not any.
The green ankle worm hanging over
the limb of the tree is the original snake
mentioned in the Scripture. The apples
on the tree are very rare Species not
grown nowadays. In the right corner
OF the quilt the lion and the lamb are
about to lie down with each other in
perfect amity. The lion in scarlet
tail, and the striped appearance of the
sheep, are greatly admired by the editor
of the Buffalo Live Stock journal, who
says he never saw anything like them
before. The horse is also represented,
but he looks bilious.
This may be owing to the green and
yellow spots of which he is composed;
but we don't pretend to criticise The
most spirited scene on the spread is in
the left hand corner, where Cain has
just settled his brothers business for
him with club. The club is beautiful.
Coroner Vaughan says that Abel looks
deader than any corpse he ever sat on,
and yet Cain seems to be expected to
see him get up again, for he is just
4 4. tol, h al.
the young men look real spruce in their
yellow coats and green trousers--really
genteel and one-priced, as it were. In
another part of the quilt is to be seen a
game chicken roosting with confidence
on a gentleman fist. A sewing ma
chine man says this is the dove of
peace, but we don't know what it means.
Moses in the bulrushes is, in many
respects, the strongest feature in this
grand historical quilt. The river is
faithfully represented by yellow, green
and red stripes of cloth, which gain a
remarkable realistic effect by the intro
ducbion of two red Goldfish. Moses is
seen ensconsed in cradle, which is
rocking between FIVE bulrushes. Pha-
roah's daughter, with parasol and red
dress, stands on one side Of the stream
while hand-maiden in green gingham
stands on the other side holding her
stomach.
She is either laughing violently or else
has bad case of collie. 1t is not per-
fectly clear which. Up above all these
instructive scenes float roosters and
pigeons, and singular to relate, the
American eagle. This seems to be a
gross anachronism-putting our bird of
freedom, clad in the national coat of
arms, in the Garden of Eden; but it is
justified, perpaps, by the poetic license
which pervades' the whole quilt.
Our readers will excuse our dwelling
on one thing of beauty at such length;
those who have seen will bear with us,
at any rate. 1t is a masterpiece which
holds all our finer sensibilities spell
bound. Strong men stood before it and
wept bitterly, while little children cried
when they caught a glimpse Of it, and
wanted to be taken home. The only ap-
preciative visitor was lady who de.
clared with some heat that she thought
It showed very bad taste in colors, and
that it was q sheer waste of time to make
"such stuff" Some people are born
entirely devoid of the aesthetic element.
We saw see that quilt, and-die.