Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-09-05
MRS. BlTvIERBYSCRazY QUILT.
BY Amelia SULLIVAN.

Mrs. Batterby was model wife and mother.
cause after careful observation and deep con-
sideration of the subject, I am convinced tina
a woman who allows herself to fall under the
baleful spell Of "crazyo patchwork, becomes
surely and swiftly lost to every other influence
and Needless Of every appeal either to hel
conscience Or her affections. ~.
Well, Mrs. Batterby was dear little roly-
poly OF q woman, with dark blue eyes, and O
soft gurgling laugh that was perfectly infec,
hous, and which had the added charm of sud
denly bringing into view two rows of little
white teeth and some hitherto unsupported
dimples. Her bright brown hair waved natur.
ally on either side of her smooth white fore.
head, and Mr. Batterby who had the reputa.
ton Of being quite connoisseur il
snowy, brilliant women, thought there never
was anything III these days Of bangs and friz-
yes, SO exquisitely feminine, and bewitching
and suggestive Of home and happiness, as
that tiny white parting in his wife's bounteous
brown hair, and the little ripping waves on
her white brow. However, he simply re
marked that he "liked that way of wearing her
hair and let it go at that. In his instantane-
Gus mental conceptions of her there was al.
ways distinct in his mind, her bright, loving
glance, her pretty brow and hair, her dark
dress and white apron, and plump, white
hands; and generally he thought of her with a
baby in her arms. They had boon married
ten years, and there had been three children,
SO that Mr. Batterbv had good cause to re-
member his wife as holding q babe.
Such a woman it was who fell victim to that
"crazy quilt" mania, which is now insidjously
undermining tho moral and intellectual charac-
ter of the females in all ranks Of life through
out the whole country.
Tt was Nine pumpernickel, who, being her
self demented, introduced tho contagious mania,
into this hitherto happy household. Who is
Nine. Pumpernickel? Everybody asked that
the moment they saw her With her gray hair
coiled like = coronet Oh her well-poised, head,
and her air of good breeding, and her lively wit,
and her gracious manner one almost expected
to hear she was a duchess But in reality
she was only woman Of defeated possibilities.
She might have been world renowned pian-
list if she had been born to poverty She might
lave been u Senator's wife if she had married
her first love. Sho would have been 4 great
writer if she had been better talker, and she
would have been celebrated as wonderful
conyarsationalist if she had been born to wealth,
and in Boston, instead Of spending her first
twenty years in learning and teaching music in
81 Western State.
But despite her disadvantages Nine Pun
pernlckels consciousness of her own superior
ity to criticism never deserted her, and never
failed to impress, with more or less intel-
sity, those with whom she came in contact,
So when Nine Pumpernicl.el opened her
valise, and from every part of it came tumbl-
ing out silk rags, snippings and clippings OF
every shade and shape, she said in her gay
way:
81 travel like an aesthetic ragman It's my
crazy quilt You must have one. They ara
elegant" And Mrs. Battery Immediately de-
cided to have one
That night, when Mr.. Batterby, who as one
of Chicago's prominent men, had been re-
quested to attend "a ratification meeting" down
town, arrived homo at 1890 p H., he looked
over the banisters into the dining roona and in
voluntarily exclaimed:
''Up yet? Why, what in the world are you
dolng:'
Well might he e1claim.
The floor of the room into which he looked
was strewn with rags: the dining table was
strewn with them; and bending over the table,
arrayed in loose wrappers, their cheeks
flushed and their hair dishevelled in their
eagerness, were his wife and her guest, pulling
about and tossing around the heap Of silk
scraps.
s'Oh, I'm making crazy quilt" abstracred-
ly returned his wife, scarcely raising her eyes
from her work 'Mme Pumpernickel is helping
me plan squares"
Mr.. Batterby looked on moment, his habitual
abiding sense of a man s inability to comprehend
the mysterious workings Of the feminine intel
lect enabling him to maintain becoming CON-
posture ofmanner
sSWell, good night!' he said, with the air of one
who was giving up q problem
But as he turned to go his eyes was caught by
the familiar pattern Of one silsen fragment He
drew it from the heap
'sMy old necktie! another Of my scarfs!"
''Now, Gustave!" cried Mrs. Batterby, snatch
ing it away; '.you gave up wearing that years
ago!"
ssHere is one boughtin Paris" said Mr.. Bat
terby, giving another pull at the pile, and bring
ing out a rich blue satin scarf
And she is 80 close and stingy with them
she won't cut one!'' cried Nine. Pumpernickel,
ga ;y.l{are Nina pru,,srr;o,,s, Til o;v. ,,o,,
this for your quilt very CALAMITY responded
Mr.. Batterby, handing over the bright silken
ribbon.
"Ohr inyoluntarily gasped his wife Thy
Gustays and I've been saving that to use in
some such way as this these five yearsi'
"Oh, thank you Mr.. Batterby! Now l shall
always have something to remind me Of you in
my quilt Now you see how your wife feels
abort it: But shall not divide with herr"
mo, You keep it ALL" jocuosely advised Mr..
Batterby, keeping up the joke; and he betook
himgelf to bed, leaving the two women delving
into the rags,
They finished their squares, though Mrs.
Batterby had to let the baby cry q little while,
till she pieced out a corner; but there was not
the same cordially between them as before Mr..
+Batterby's entrance. Mrs. Batterby's good
sence was all that restrained her from jealousy.
4 She knew what 3 belle and filrT Nine. PUN
perniekel used to be, and really she was
mentally saying, "gray hairs and wrinkles
would not prevent her being a coquette yet.
Will she really take advantage of Gustave's
fun and carry away that scarf she knows Twas
boarding." -
But Nine Pumpernickel, who had keen
sense of humor, and read Mrs. Batterby's mind
like book really did carry the scarf away to
her room and vallse, and poor little Mrs. Bat
terby (who lay awake that night planning
squares, and thought about that beautiful tie,
and Gustaves reckless generosityjneyer saw
again the treasure Of which her husband and
her guest had SO ruthlessly despoiled her.
Immediately after breakfast the next morn
ing the two women sat down TO their work
Il s.I'm going to let Mary dress the baby and
pick up the house. I'll just let things go, and
devote myself to you
eyes, and we'll see how many squares Of
your quilt we can finish while I'm here
eve must go to the opera matinee this after