The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-12-14
Ihn Art of Patching

heiu recently one 0i those exhibitions.
half market and half museum, ia which
the soul of the canny Scot delights
There was u display of the corqucsis of
Scottish houSewifcry over the accidents
that befail apparel; in other words. al
department was devoted to the exhibit
ton of skillful work in patching and
darning. Your Scot likes 10 have his
attire of the best material and the
women believe in wOOlens that will
hold water and silks that will stand
without assistance. Then, when the
garment is made. it is expected to last
almost lifetime. and an accidental
rent is regarded as something that calls
for repair aud not for renewal. Here.
accordingly, is shown an India shawl
in which n long slit had been burned.
Skillful hands have worked carefully
over the fabric. and so faithfully has
the pattern been followed that ut dis
lance OF yard the place where the
shawl was darned could not be discover
ed. A fine swallow-tai coat. in the skirt of
which IN obtrusiye nail had made
havoc. has sguaet' "'ch so dcftIy in
serted as to bc iG&rh L. save to the
krencSt vision. C5st' slken hose i'm
elaborate patterns. ,hrsncd in u hundred
places. defy the cb, eSt inspection of
the curious who de.lir io find where
the holes really wefe. 50 in hundreds
OF diverse instances displayed in this cX-
hibition the genius of Aberdeen house
wives for economy has enabled them To-
rescue from the ra"bag valuable mate
rial whose defects might he hidden on
~ by dexterons patching. They cult
waite this art As an incidental develop
mcnt of the same native ShrewdnesS
that prevents their husbands and broth
ers from rushing hastily into an impor-
taut enterprise and makes the thrifty
Scot IN exemplar of provident vet not
avaricI0uS economy.
The great majority of American
women do not believe in this sort G;
taing. If in all the multitudinous
county fairs that yearly possess our
land there should be set apart q space |
tor the exhibition of darning or patch |
ing there would scarcely be found any !
one crcdulOus enough to believe that !
entries OF meritorous work of this kind !
would be made. The matron of an |
American household manages things far |
differently. Whatever shows signs of |
ward appearance. is too often ruthlesslv !
consigned 10 the old-clothes heap. to- be |
exchanged ere many DAYS for a l0-ccnl |
waSlI-basin or 4 shect-iron Sicw-pan. |
SO firmly fixed among American wo-
men has the theory become that Il hole |
Is better than patch, because one NAV |
he the result OF accident, while the |
other IS 4 confession of conscious par |
simony. that YOU may see almost anv !
day on the streets young damscls, ma-
lure mairons-aye. and gray haired !
grandmuiherS ~ wcil--whOSe silkcn at |
tire on close inspection displays a ted
tale raggedneSs here or there. which |
speaks in mute eloquence OF common |
carelessness. To these women. he they
viyaciOns or demure. gracious or aScel-
H.. darned spot is condemned in lis
existence even rs the blood on the gull
" fingers of Macbcth'S wife, while 4
paich is dreaded a. though it were q
flaming bar sinister, telling Of unspeak-
able disgrace.
The essential unsOnndneSs of these
opinions, not only when held BY the
gcnllcr sex with regard 10 the humble
patch. bu, also when applied to that
array of small economics by which the
frngal-minded increase their store
without decrease of comfort. is appar-
ent when they are considered with ref
erence either to immediate or prospect
i've good. When achievement takes the
place of carelessness there is ALWAYS
gain to the individual. The future has
certain and tangible in store.
too. for those who waste not. There
has taken root in the American con-
sciouSne>s general conviction that in
dependence of fortune can only be Sc
cured by some grand stroke. some bril-
liant conception which at once discloses
how the flower ease may be suddenly
plucked from the nettle toll So fatal
an error deserves only to be cast ont,
root and b:anch. TO save. steadily,
consistently. and with sclf-,irn nj. will
Ia better for the master of IN American
lone than 20 live up TO his income. cX-
pcc:in% meanwhile that some scheme
will De hit upon that will bring returns
unparalleled. And the American house.
wife may amply commend her own
judgment ii. in studying the manifold
phases of household economy. she i'm
tales the example Of the Aberdeen
women. who have put into such skiIiful
! Practice the despi>el science of patch
inc.