Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-07-06

Western pioneers, and the song of the
wheel was heard in the cabins Of the
settlers at all times and seasons. In
summer the wool was spun for winter
clothing, and the flax for thin garments
was spun in winter. Only few years
ago it was stated that the brown jeans
"a fayorite material for mems suits
were still made by the old, slow process
in the rural districts of the Cumber-
land Valley, the art having become
hereditary. And as late as 1920 women
in the country towns of New England
manufactured great part of the fam
lily clothing, keeping the dye-tub in the
chimney-cOrner. The art of dyeing
primitive times, and Daniel Webster's
adventure in his school days, when he
sailed out in suit of fresh blue home
spun, was the sad experience OF many
another youth. A sudden shower was
fatal to snowy linen, for the rain soon
washed the color from the coat into the
shirt.
The Southern women of Revolution
AIRY times were very much troubled by
depredations of Indians and Tories,
who not only helped themselves to all
the clothing they could find, but even
stole cloth from the looms, and many
OF the sufferers were at their wits end
to know how to keep their families in
trim. Some OF them made rough
loom between four trees in the forest,
and there secretly worked in pleasant
weather, covering the loom and web
with cOw-skins when it rained. And
the poorest but most ingenious matronS
gathered the beautiful silk of the milk
weed and spun it in with flax for gar
mentS.
women have proved themselves as fer
tile in eXpedients as their grandmoth-
ers, and spinning wheels have been
better known of late years at the South
than in any other part of the country.
Before the war they We're often seen
in the houses of the small planters,
kept in constant motion by the negro
women, who spun yarns of cotton, flax
| and wool. Many of the older women
were very accomplished spnners,
while others did the carding, the doub-
skeins. These yarns were woven into
cloth for the slaves, who were furnished
with new garments at Christmas and
at one other time during the year. The
planters proud wives and accomplished
daughters often cut homespun suits for
days together, which the slave women
afterward made up into garments.
But during the war the spinning
wheel. all over the South had a new
! lease OF life, for not only the slaves,
but their owners, must be clothed. and
the few factories at the South could do
little toward supplying the immense
demand for clothing. The forest trees
and shrubs yielded dyes, as in earlier
days, and delicate ladies were obliged
to learn how to spin, dye and weave.
In those industrious Southern homes
the mournful whir of the spinning
wheel was the first sound which greeted
ones ears in the morning, and the last
at night. The spinning was done in
the dining-rOom, and in the kitchen
the clumsy old-faShioned loom was
kept Here We're turned out the heavy
jeans for the men, the plain unbeached
homespun, and the checked, plaided
and striped goods which formed the
clothing of the women. Il well re-
member my pleasure, says Southern
lady, 'when | had two new homespun
dresses. \ calico seemed almost as
unattainable as a silk
Everything was cut and made in the
family, and there was no sewing-lna-
chine to tighten the labor. We dwell
ers north of Mason and Dixon's line
have little conception OF the devices to
which these Southern women were
driven. From the undyed wool of
black sheep a thread was spun which
they knit into gloves, and the ladies
cut up their old black silk dresses,
relics Of happier days. and raveled out
the pieces. Then some deft old aunty
carded the silk with white cotton and
spun it; the result, a gray silky thread.
was knit into pretty and strong gloves.
Those days which so sorely tried
mems (and women's) souls are happi-
ly dead; but the spinning-wheel de-
serves Immortality. To be sure, it's
days of usefulness are over; but there
it stands, a perpetual reminder of the
industry, ingenuity. thrift and patience
of women in all ages and countries
Harper's Bozar.
An Ingenious Piece Of Mechanis m.