The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-02-29
miscellaneous.
For The AgiS and ateHigencer,
FIFTY YEARS AGO.


At the time of which / am writing almost
every family kept sheep, and the manufactur-
| ing of the wool after it was shorn from the
| the sheep was an important part of the work
of the women and girls of that day. The
| wool after being carefully washed, dried and
| picked was made into rolls by hand cards,
spun into yarn on the spinning wheel (Which
was seen in every house then knew and
| reeled into hanks, on n reel which was turn
cd by small crank or handle, and struck by
means ola hammer in the works, when the
required number Of threads for a cut-one
hundred and twenty were run on. The yarn
being then ready for weaving was taken to
the looms, of which there were u sufficient
number in every neighborhood to do the re.
qured amount of work. Tie weavers ran
| these looms by hand. Sometimes room of
the house was appropriated to the use of the
looms, and in other cases small house was
built for the purpose. Thus the flannel or
linsey, which last had cotton warp, was
made. The material, except so much as was
used white for blankets, &c, was then colored
to suit the taste of the owner, either by dyes
made from banks of white oak, hickory,
maple or walnut trees, sumac berries, cop
peras, madden and logwood, or sent to the
dyer, who had learned the trade and was anX-
ious to display his skill The home made
goods were then sent to the fulling mills,
which were run by water power from
whence it came home ready for use
In large families of good circumstances the
travelling tailor was called in to make the
suits for the men, as was also the shoe maker,
who with his kit of tools was installed for
the time in the kitchen of the farm house,
which often was the largest room in it. The
cotton for summer VICAR and for the warp of
the lnsey was bought in cases, at the time
| am writing Of but have often heard my
mother say that in her youth it was spun by
hand from the raw material
The flax from which the linen goods was
made was raised by the farmers. 1t was
sown and cared for until the seed was ripe,
when it was pulled up by the roots, the seed
beaten off and the flax spread out to be ex-
posed to the rain and sun until the bark of
the stem should become tender when it was
broken, hacked and cleaned. The coarser part
of the two was separated from the fine, and
it was spun into linen thread by means of an
attachment to the spinning wheel, in which
was inserted rack with the flax wound
| around it. The rack was little bush most
ly dogw0od, with several branches coming
out of the main stem, near the same place.
The stcm was cut offa few inches below the
branches, which were cut back to the length
of 10 or IL inches, their ends fastened togeth-
| er, and around this cane-like affair the flax
was wound. To find n suitable bush from
which to make rack was q source of much
amusement and fun in my childhood, and
many a searchmy playmates and myselfhad
for them.
Knitting was another very important part
of the family work during part of the year
The yarn when spun was doubled and twisted
and prepared for stockings Little girls were
| carly taught to knit. Old ladies did much of
the knitting and it was no uncommon sight
to see some of the grandfathers helping with
the knitting needles. | well recollect sitting
| by my grandmolhcr's side, when child of
| five or six years, and she and measuring
our yarn and having knitting race to see
which could knit the fastest.
The men and boys wore long stockings at
that day, and there was much knitting re-
quircd. Besides it was made source o. re-
| venue. Hundreds of pairs were sent to the
cities and towns yearly, from some families
Children could thus help to clothc themsclve :,
and also learn habits of industry.
There is one article of dress | must men
ton, the neck gear of the old-time gentleman,
which was mostly large handkerchief, fold
ed diagonally about two inches wide, put
twice around the neck and tied in bow in
front. In winter n large knitted or woven
comfort of gay colors was often used. have
now in my possession handkerchief yard
square, of very fine white muslin, which was
worn by my father fifty years ago.
| MEMORY.