Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-06-28


Aunt Philura in Boston Tines.
Mis- Stufilebean was over here the
other day and spent the day with rue.
The menfolks was over TO the Griggs'es
and so we had considerable time TO visit.
She was piecin' bedquilts. That wom-
an is always piecin' up bedquilts. Her
house is running over full of bedquilts.
Risin' star bedquilts, settin' sun bed
quilts, horseshoe 5edquilts. basket bed
quilts, log cabin bedquilts, L bedquilts,
999 pieces-no-two-of- EN- alike bedquilts,
hit-or-miss bedquilts, puzzle bedquilts
and 1 don't know how many other
kinds of bedquilts that woman has got
i'm her house. And she always takes her
company clear thro' the house and
makes 'em look at her bedquilts, as
proud of 'em as if they were foreign
bricky-brats. Why, I've known that
woman to let her menfolks' shirts 90 till
they wouldn't hang on their backs with
out being tied on), so she could piece
bedquilts
AS was sayin' she was piecin' one
that day. She begun to talk about 'em
right off. Says she:
1--WE got the cutest new pattern for q
Queen Victory quilt. | got the pattern
from Mrs. Grigs. She's just been up to
Canada. She says they're all the go
there"
II didn't know as bedquilts ever
WENT says !. Though, come to think
of it, they have been goin' ever since l
knew you. Have you got the one done
you was on jest before 1 went awayp'
''Oh yes" says she. 'All done and
quilted. You'd ort to have been here to
help quilt. 1t had jest 1928 pieces, two
inches square and no two of 'em alike.
When get Queen Victory done I'm go
in to make one of 1888 pieces an inch
and half square, in 1883 different
shades Of red and blue, if can find
| EN-"
"How are your menfolks off for shirts
and overalls this spring." said in dry
tones.
Poorly" says she. IL amt Lad
time to make their new gingham shirts,
and they've had to put on their las. years
ones that are all out at the elbows. This
ere quilt when it's done, will have a
picture of Queen Victory in the middle
on Turkey-red background"
"Who is Queen Victory" says for
l was feelin' just mean enough to want TO
corner her.
why, she's-she' dunno what
her other name is. I'll ask Mis- Grigs,
if you want to know" says she, pickin'
up three-cornered yellow piece of cal
leo and SEWN it TO pink and green
square.
"What is she queen off" says |.
"Wal, now, didn't ask-of Canada,
| 'spose. Could get a fe'' pieces of
that blue sprigged muslin Molly lad last
summer to set right in here, Miss Win
ter? Them blue pokydots would be
jest what want for Victory's eyes"
II amt the woman to refuse Victory
her eyes," says drily, takin' myself
upstairs to Molly's closet to look up the
pieces. had to go somewhere to re-
lieve my feelin's. and the thoughts l
thought of my country-women, while l
was on my knees in that closet, want
pious ones. When / come back, she
looked up thro' her specs and says she:
'Why don't you piece up an album
,, quilt or puzzle quilt, Miss Winter?
! You must have lots of little pieces"
''For one reason" says /. 'I've
. given away so many of my calico pieces
within few years to them that was bed
, quilt, crazy that couldn't piece one
without begin the pieces. l made up
my mind years ago." Invent on, "that
life was too short to spend cuttin' up
: new calico into little pieces for the sake
of SEWN 'em together again. There's
too much readin' l want to do; too
!, much real thinkin' for fairly bright
, woman to tend to; too many things /
. want to study into, and even if there
wasn't too many poor and sufferin'
ones round me without respectable win
ter clothes to their back or chance of
their ever KNOWN anything, for me to
! ! piece many bed-quilts. 1t would be a
: wicked waste of time for me-"
Say" says she. interruptin' my flow
; of eloquence, would you put this strip
l for her nose in of red calico or this dove
colorP'
Saws L; There is them shif'less ones
who have always got along with tucks,
that have yet found time to read and
inform their minds. Such ones could
tell you who Queen Victory is, and what
empire it is on which the sun never sets,
1 that she rules over. There is them
shif'less ones who sleep under comfort
! ables-warm enough, too-that yet find
time to read the newspapers and knows
wha is goin' on in her own country, at
least, to say nothin' of other portions of
the globe.
"Say, if you was goin' to have new
orange and pea-green bingham this
summer" said Miss Stufflebean, as 1
paused, seemin'ly so far away from her
could scarcely hear her, show should
,, you have it made. You've jest come
, from the city. How were they wearin'
ginghams most, when you were in Bos-
. tonp" says she
II should have it cut swallow-coat-
; tail fashion," saws I, comm down to
,, earth with solid thud, with tight
pants and a cane. The folks / saw
dressed in that style seemed to be the
ones with minds nearest to the bedquilt-
J piecin' level-what they had"
She was most COED mud to be mad,
and was jest castin' about for some-
thin to say to smooth things over, when
heard a step on the verandy, and there
was Elder Jones at the door.