Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-12-27
THE QUILTING BEE.
GEORGIA SKETCH, BY BErsY HAMILTON.

One night in the Christmas old Miss Rober'-
son she GIN a qulltin. It sot into rainin' that
mornln', but l amt never seed no sort of
weather that could back down this settlement
from gwine to party.
Pap lowed if they knowed it would rain tad
poles and pennywinkles they'd go to frolic.
whether they was axed or not. But if any of
EN- goes thar drunk, and gifts to cuttin up, it
don take long to AK EN- off, in perticler if
Buddy and ky Robertson is about. One teller
tried it thar that night. He was drunk, and
lumber as dlsh-rag, a-windin' all over the
house, and tried to set up to- Sissy Tucker.
She wheeled on her heel and left him Then
he sot in to cussin, and he got tuck out by the
year-Buddy he mighty quick showed him the
big road. 1t made Mol Freshours monstrous
mad; she lowed, SISSY Tucker sighted Skimp,
and when she sighted Skimp Wigginsoker she
sighted her betters."
We uns mought have walked over thar that
night, but we didn't want to git our Sunday
shoes ruint in the mud SO Buddy he taken us
IN the OK waggln, and we had power OF fun,
for Jinsy Whellock was along.
She came home with me from Atlanty, Geor-
gia, when l went over thar to see Cousin
Caline Mason, and she never was at ouiltin'
in her life. When we fust got thar the house
and pi-a-zer was jam full, and it looked like
they was all gethered at meetln and waitin
for the preacher. You mought have hearn a
pin drap, they was all so still, and settin' up
stiff like they was afeared to move. Theo had
the benches Outen the school-'o use sot around
agin the wall, and a-settin' on EN- thick as bis
cults in oven, the gals all on one side Of the
room, and the boys on t'other. The gals had
thar heads combed slick as rbbins, and thar
faces full of skin powders.
If Bud Hamilton can't stir and mix a crowd
together. nobody else needn't try. The old
folks was all in ''tother house across the
PLACER a.quiltin', and left the young folks to
thar selves. They was waitin' for the
fiddler, but the minute Buddy got in he sot 'em
all to playin' kissin' games He tied knot in
the cornder OF his handkerchief, and let in to
hlttin ky Robertson over the head.
"Contented or discontinued, Ike ?-say quick,
or I'll beat you till you tell me-
''Discontented."
What'u content you?''
''For all hands to play Johnny Brown"
Il don't want to play that; it's got kissin in
it. and NAV don't low me to kiss, says Mandy
Strong.
''Well, you nns ken start you up a game of
thimble over thar i'll the cornder. All them
that's in favor of playin Johnny Brown Till
the fiddler comes jine hands in the ring
says Buddy.
I'm disconnected agin." says Ky.
''What III content you?'
"For Miss Arninty to stop quiltin, and
come out t'other house in here and jine the
play"
That sot the whole gang to gigglin', for they
knowed he didn't want her, and was maxim
fun. Miss Arminty' is sharp nose. long
neck old maid, that goes ever whar, whether
she Is wanted or no, and talks about ever thing
AID everybody. Everbodys business is hern;
she is too idlesome and do-less to have any OF
her own. Her tongue is the occasion of heap
of devilment in the settlement. l never lets
her hear ME say nothin, if l can help 1t. She
is shore to tell it, ard git it all twisted so by
the time you hear it agin you are ready to
swar you never said it.
tuck Jinsy in ''t'other house" to see the
quilt. The room was most full of old women.
, and dim with terbacker smoke from thar cob
pipes. Miss Gooden and NAV and Aunt Nancy
| and old Miss Strong was dom some good HON
| est qulltin, but t'others was doin' more talkin
than work.
Old Miss Freshours had left the quilt bekaze
her feet was cold, and drawed a three-egged
| stool up in the cornder, and slipped her feet
outen her shoes, and stuck em to the fire to
warm. She was tellin' dream she had about
the comet and the world a-comin to a eend,
and it was miracklus everybody held thar
breath and never batted thar eyes. She had u
| big snuff mop in her mouth, and as she talked
| she spit Oh the hath
| Old Miss Green sot right fernenst her on
t'other side of the fire, chin in her hand. and
| elbow on her knee, putin away at her pipe.
She is monstrous fat, weighs over two hundred.
| She doctors the whole settlement on roots and
barks and yerb-tea mixtrics, and they say she
| can't be beat maxim OF pine-pitch plaster.
| The fiddler had come, and dancin' was gwine
on in t'other house. We could hear Ky Roller
sons big mouth calm, ''Balance an .'Swing
corners, ''All promenade Old Miss Fresh
ours is a terrible old sinner, but she is agin
dancin. Her feet is none of the httlest She
crossed her knees, and GIN monstrons big
! spit Of snuff over III the FIRE (most put it OUT
and lowed: N q religious tons. "WaSl. All