The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-04-17
It behind his bed or under his pill.

IL CCiIlllt Ills DCtt VI ulliC1 ulo plI'
low.
One day the deacon "happened
in when Cousin Armenia was
piecing together quantity Of very
small scraps wherewith to eke out
her carpet.
You make pretty close work Of
them leetle rag-tags, Miss Ameny,"
he remarked in his slow way.
Yes; l make a pint of never
to win away anything that can be
put to a use," she returned, com
placently. But I'm dreadful
scrimped for rags enough to finish
off my carpet in time. Mebbe, dea-
con, yor haven't any old vest or
such that you'd be glad to get rid
of, eh?"
The deacon said he'd look, and
next day he sent over some we'll
worn silk neckties and pocket
handkerchiefs. for which certainly
no other use could have been found,
save that which he himself suggest
ed, of putting 'em on a pole to
scare the crows with"
We laughed at the idea of silk
carpet; but Cousin Armenia, with
out word, carefully Incorporated
them in her work.
After this the canyassed the vii.
lage. importuning her friends for
old clothes,' and the tailors and
drcssmakers for "selyeges."
And so in time, to the relief of
everybody concerned, q sufficient
quantity Of material had been
provided, and the carpet was sent
to be woven at neighboring farm
house.
Meantime, we had been busted,
in other preparations for John and
his bride, and when these were all
completed, nothing remained save
to put down Cousin Armenia's new
carpet.
Lizzie and rode with her to the
farm house to get it, and on seeing
it, had to acknowledge that it was
as near pretty as a rag carpet could
be. Still it was ugly-for how can
a rag-carpet be made to look any
thing but coarse and common?
We spent that night at a friends
in the country; and next morning
returning home, Cousin Armenia
triumphantly ordered her carpet to
be carried up to Johns wife's
room.."
Lizzie and followed. l opened
the door, and stopped short at q
sight Of q pretty, bright-colored,
three-ply carpet lying in the middle
of the floor.
"Why, it's Mrs. Hackett's carpet T.
Lizzie exclaimed; the Every one tina
we wanted to buy when she broke
up housy keeping"
"Yes," said grandma, little dub.
iously, coming up behind us, sit
seems that Tom, when he heard
how much we wanted 1t, that day
that he went away, stopped at the
Bardley's and told Alf to get it for
him, and Alf never though of doing
anything but keeping it until Tom
came back, as he did yesterday,
just after you left. Here he is now, u
as Tom came bounding up stairs.
three steps at time.
Lizzie and I sprang to meet him,
but Cousin Armenia received his
greeting with the air of a deeply
injured and indignant person.
Il don't see the use of having two
carpets in one room," she presently
remarked, coldly.
And Tom had to explain how he
had not had time to make up his
mind about the purchase of the car.
pet until he had actually driven off
in the stage-coach, when, stopping
at the Bradley's he had arranged
with Alfred to get it for him, but
forgot to say it must be sent to
grandpa's. And as for Cousin Ar
menia's carpet, he was innocent of
its existence, nothing ever having
been said to him about it.
"Well,' said Cousin Armenia,
"I've had allmy labor and pains for
nothing. The idea," she added, indig.
nantly-"the idea ofspending fifteen
dollars on q bedroom carpet, when
one just as serviceable could be had
for nothing" and she looked proud,
ly at her work.
"For nothing, Cousin Armenia"
inquired Tom.
"For skeercely anything. The
weaving did cost about four dollars;
but that don't count"
"And the thread for the woof?'
suggested Tom.
"Well, that might be a few dol,
lars more" she admitted.
And q rather uneasy light came
into her eyes. She left the room
abruptly.
Then Lizzie said:
And the good clothing destroy
ed, and the time spent on prepar.
ing those rags, and the hiring OF
wagon to 60 for the carpet-what
do these amount to-"
TO say nothing of the new dress
that must be bought for Kitty Leary,
and the new curtain for Toms
room," l added. why, altogether,
these two carpets must have cost
about the same, and Cousin Arme'
MIA has made nothing by her econo
mical idea"