Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-08-21
R4MMOoKs.
BY M. A.A.

my friend Mrs. Brown, TO find her reclin.
ing In q hammock which was swung In
her front yard under the shade Of two
tall trees. had long wanted hammock,
but Alexander said he couldn't aifold
any Buoh nonsense, and | felt almost
personally aggrieved to See my neighbor
swinging there so lazily. 81 don't see
how you can find time 10 swing in
hammock in summer, with 30 much work
as there Ia always to be done on farm"
said 1, with shade Of reprimand in my
tone. "You aren't sick, are You ~
"0h, no." replied Mra. Brown, rising
IS abe spoke al have only been taking
my afternoon nap"
"Aflernoon nap |" exclaimed l. al
never expected TO hear you, Mrs. Brown,
OF all women in the world, talk Of after.
noon maps, and out doors at that. Have
you had fortune left you, that you osD
afford to neglect your work ~
"0h dear, no." she replied laughing
''but am trying to acquire one."
swell, Il you have found way Of
making a fortune by lying in hammock,
| wish you'd share your secret with your
neiRhbors."
''Just try the hammock" said Mrs.
Brown. "There, isn't that comfortable ~
"Indeed it ia but | never could make
money lying here. How can you 2"
"You know that the greatest wealth
for farmers wife is health and strength.
have found by experience that can do
more work II take rest after have
the dinner-work done up, and before
begin anything else; and have also
found that l can rest twice as fast out
here under the trees as / can in the house.
So hurry up the work, then change my
dIess, come out here, and lie looking up
at the sky and the green leaves whisper
ing overhead, until ! forget everything,
and wake up after q time with the wind
blowing so sweetly over my tired head,
and carrying away all my troubles with
1t ; and l get up so rested, and do lots OF
work before supper"
at is perfectly delightful" said l,
looking up into the tree; "but hammocks
are so expensive" added l, regretfully.
"0h, not go very. This only cost
dollar and quarter, with all the fix
lures"
"But what IL yoU had only the quarter,
and the dollar was entirely unsttain.
able" ..-.s4
81 would still have hammock. We
have four"
"Fourl Why, that makes five dollars
invested in hammocks."
"Indeed, do not believe that we have
/ spent over two dollars for the four.'
"How that can be 7 l wish you'd make
that riddle plain"
81 will. Come with me, and we will
i 90 and see Bessie's."
We found that Young lady very costly
reclining in her hammock orooheting q
mantel lumbrequin.
ooh, yes IN tell you how made it,
she answered politely TO my inquiry. ~
bought about three yards of bedtickinR
l cut off two yards for the length. oui
Of what was left made two strips about
four inches wide, and as long as the
hammock, and sewed one on to each edge
Of the two ysrds. / then out the edges
into scollops, and bound them with red
made tuck the whole length Of bott
sides, about three inches from the edges
and big enough to hold the ropes which
were to hold up the hammock. theI
hemmed the two ends, and ran in pieo,
OF broom handle just as long as the ham
mock was wide. Bought some rings ant
hooks, fastened the hooks to some rope
which we're tied to the limbs Of the trees
and the rings to the ropes OF the hammock
and the whole thing was done"
"And we'll done too, and so pretty, >
said l; thinking Of girl about Bessie
age who would enjoy such hammock.
"This Of Bessie's is more expensiv
than Nell's or Rob's," said Mrs. Brown
1--WE will 60 and see theirs" "Yol
see," said she, as we walked along
"Nell and Rob both wanted to be il
Bessie's hammock, or in mine, so muol
Of the time that We found 1t expedient t
make them each one."
In the back yard we found Miss Ten
yeaT-old reading book sittin
| in hel hammock, and swinging by touch
ing the ground with her feet. She laughe
y when her mother said we wanted to SO
her hammock. at is funny one, Mrs.
Smith, but l think 1t is Just lovely
Papa made It,"
l did laugh, but thought it very nice
, for imagined that might compass sue
a one for myself, or for Katie, who had 8
few girlish pleasures. II was made {
two coarse bags left whole. The bottom
OF the bags were laced together wit
twine as you would lace pair of shoes
A hole was made in the corners of th
bags and then they were strung on ropel
These ropes passed through holes in th
onds Of two pieces Of hard wood and eao
outer end Of the bags was laced throug
, holes along the length Of these pieoei
These pieces of wood kept the ropes apal
, and stretohed the bags 80 that reall
comfortable hammock was made. trie
it, and thought it just as nice to rest
as Bsssie's. snow, you Just come an
, , See nine" said Bob, who was staudin
! near. SIT ia boss, tell you ~
~ think Nellie's is boss" said
! laughing. s....- .--..-.
"Yes, but mine is 'bosser.' made
myself--l did, out Of two barrels and
clothes line.'
"Tell me how you made it, Bob"
"Well, sir" said Bob, thrustine h
; hands in his pockets and surveying h
0 work with pride, 81 took two for
D barrels and knocked them to pieces an
pulled all the nails out. Then took N
rope. had to have twice as much 70,
as Nell had for hers, cause you see
/ goes tonr times the length. got my for
pieces the length | wanted, then la
ny slaves down all the same side ur
: then | began as far from the ends as
thought would be about right, ar
, crossed two pieces Of rope and put Il
a end OF one stave in, and cross ID the ToI
again, and put in another stave, and 80
, went on crossing the ropes, and putin
in the slaves, until had one side don
Then made the other side the same wa
= and strung her up, and there she is. |
i takes rest on 1t every incoming. Ma 10
. me have this old blanket to spread on |
! and | wouldn't trade it for the best sto
! hammock ever was"
. Alexander" said / the next day
noon, "if you could go over and see M
Brown abJut the reaper to day, l que
you could make that arrangement yc
a wanted to. Mrs. Brown thought yeste
day you could"
Ihsd apurpose In wishing him to 60
q noon, and the result was what hi
hoped. He saw Mr.. Brown taking b
!, incoming in the hammock and conclud,
:, that they were very nice things for me-
= So We have hammock which he hi
= possession OF whenever he ia at the hons
but and Katie have = good many res
in II, too. 1t swings under the
"a apple tree by the kitchen door, and som
4 times when Rm 80 nervous shat feel
y If should fly, l just drop everythir
4 and rest few minutes out doors fund
green apple boughs," and 1 never 10
j; time by 80 doing. l have learned he
"a to swing in my hammock and do n
"a weeks mepding. When it rains '
n bri1a 1t on the porch, and Katie and
4 sit in 1t together and watch the olou
!. gathering in MASSES and dlschargii
their wealth Of moisture upon the field
/, Sometimes Alexander comes, and II of
: 70 get up and give the hammock 10 hi,