Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-13

dinings IN
Zion settlement sixty years ago was Aunt
Betsy's quilting. Aunt Betsy was the best
housekeeper in all the neighborhood she
was stately lady, who had been a widow
Tor many years, yet had unmarried sons
and daughters who kept a social at
mosphere about her. An entertainment at
her house was never an ordinary affair
her farm was rich, her orchards large
ana every variety of farm products stood
upon her pantry shelves Her wheat loaf
was the best of the neighborhood: her tur-
Keys were the largest and the latest of
.heir klno' her rice, the product of her own
iarn' mad been declared again and again
70 De superior to anything of the sort this
sue the swamps of South Carolina, from
which state Aunt Betsy had emigrated
when young wife into the wilderness of
s'i nnessee. her apples. jellies. preserved
fruits We're the envy of her neighbors.
Zion Settlement was a Presbvtar;or
neighborhood. and made up largely Of kins.
people; therefore. Invitations were not
limited. The entire neighborhood was con-
sidered invited on the simple announce
ment of the quilting
On this particular occasion, DR.. Tyndale
the old pastor. and young Mr.. Fairchild
VINO mad been recently called to assist him.
arrived quite early, yet found themselves
preceded by goodly company. The mar
rieo men sat upon the long piazza in front
OF Aunt Betsy's well-built. hewed-log farm
mouse. The two preachers and the elders
naturally fell into one group; the others
slightly apart. The young men and the
boys appropriated the shade of the oaks
which stood in the yard, the girls and the
mothers busily piled needle and thread
over the box quilt which was attached to
four wooden frames, set up on the backs
of four chairs, in the center of the long
sitting room. A ripple of talk like the hum
Of bees ran through the group.
On the piazza, the crops. the improve
ments and theology were discussed; the
clearings and the scknesses were chatted
about. until DR.. Mayfield, the neighborhood
physician, was craftily drawn by some of
the young men into "reminiscences of his
old home in South Carolina and OF the rev.
dictionary war. The doctor and the old
pastor had borne honorable part in that
struggle. They had suffered taunts and i'll
treatment from tory and British; had been
held prisoners at "Ninety-six.'' and taken
part in the battle Of Kings Mountain
The doctor possessed fund of army anec-
dotes of which his neighbors never grew
weary.
The boys under the trees enjoyed pranks
and fun, and slyly telegraphed messages
to the girls through the open windows sat-
isfied with even this mode Of communica-
ton, as they could do no better.
Around the box-quilt the chatter Of voices
discussed weavingsquiltings, marriages and
sickness, gardens and poultry, and-the
young minister. Mr.. Fairchild had recent
ly arrived, in obedience to a call" and
was unmarried: hence the girls felt at lib
erty to take part in this discussion. The
mothers expressed the opinion that DR..
Tyndale and the elders had been fortunate
in their selection. Aunt Betsy. who was
good authority on a sermon as well as on a
good dinner, declared she had never heard
anything better than Mr.. Fairchilds ser
mons. in any Presbyterian synod Of South
Carolina; and Cousin Polly Skipworth, es-
pecially commended his Talks to the
Young Folks.
Rose Madden, the belle Of the neighbor-
hood. archly broke in with the informa ton,
he had found the road over to DR.. May
fields directing the point Of her needle
and a meaning glance to the doctor
daughter Jean, who sat at the farther end
OF the quilting line. The suddenness Of the
thrust caused Jean to quicken her fingers
over the line she was quilting, but re-
manned silent. why not?' responded sew
lit would be pretty state OF things If the
young minister was not allowed to visit In
his congregation.
True" said Rose, with the slightest tone
of malice in her voice, but they do say
that his horse is I'm the habit of walking
out of DR.. iyndale's stable, and is often
found at the back of DR.. Mayfield's woods.
two miles of"
I'm tell you what's the NATTER said
sharp cunning, black-eyed Rebecca Wither-
spoon, that horse didn't stop in Mr. Mad
denis front lot, as he ought to have done,
on his way to DIR. Mayfield's woods.
There was an eXplosure OF laughter about
the quilting frames
Promptly at II O'Clock dinner was an
nounced. And such dinner! 1t was after
ward confidently asserted. no such dinner
ever before had been spread in Zion Set
Element" Aunt Peggy solemnly declared
that Iii banged anything she had ever
seen
Late in the afternoon the box quilt was
finished.
The tall wooden clock that stood in the
corner Of the sitting room noiselessy turn
ed about its hands and the young, smiling
face that the old clock maker had painted
on the dial seemed to grow happier as the
day grew longer. But still older time
keeper on the outside had his more posi-
tive way of marking the passing day.
The sun had dropped into the tree tops.
the quilt clipped out of the frames
and declared to be satisfactory in ever!
respect. The heads OF families prepared
to go home. There was busting and run
ming about, horses We're saddled and gates
were opened. The two ministers, after
expressing warm thanks to Aunt Betsy for
her hospitable entertainment, took their
departure; but there was perceptible
tiutter of excitement among the young
people that indicated there was something
still to come. Smiles and significant tab
leaux We're interchanged. The meaning
soon came out. Aunt Betsy, in reward
for their nimble fingers and the extra
stitching in of her own name into the
quilt, had invited the girls to stay and
have a "candy-pulling" after night; the
boys, of course, were necessary to see the
girls home. therefore were expected to
remain.
Sixty years ago manners were simple
enjoyment real. and coming pleasure sweet
and fresh as the rosebud that rose-fas hion
breathed itself into the air.
Nimrod Mayfield whispered to John Jones
son of one of the deacons, to mount his
mare ''Wildfire." ride over to Jack Will
iams-five miles off-'and tell Jack of the
frolic." BE sure he said, in low meaiI-
ing whisper, ito tell him to bring
his fiddle but to be very quiet about II
or the jig will be up" Jack was the neigh
borhOod minstrel, and passionately fond OF
dancing
So, confdentially instructed, the willing
messenger left to carry out his instruc-
tions.
In this rural Presbyterian neighborhood
dancing was held to be veritable inven-
ton of the evil one John Calvin exer-
csed here his lawyer function as well as
his priestly office. Indictments though