The National tribune., 1897-07-29
..And Men and Women
Live Near Natures Heart.
Bv JOHN McELROY

By JOHN
CHAPTER I.
| Miriam Tnrule was spinning On the big
! wheel"
TO say that she was so engaged was to
say that there was a fine exhibition OF
| womanly beauty and lovehness.
Nothing that a comely woman can 90
| is better calculated to display her to fine adj
! vantage than this art Of our grandmothers,
| which is still practiced by the women Of the
| primitive people who dwell in the remote
| valleys and "coves" Of the southern Aile-
ghauies. -
Two kinds of wheels are used for spinning
the little wheel" at which the spinner
sits and works with treadle, to spin fax /;
and the =" big wheel" on which she spins
wool. She has the wool carded into long,
| soft, feecy rolls" basket-full OF which
are at her feet. She picks up one, draws its
end to thread fastens this to tie yarn
already on the spindle, gives the large
wooden wheel a sharp %hin with stick In
her right hand, that sets the spindle hum
ming pleasantly, and walks back ward, skill
fully drawing the roll out into long
stretch Of evenly twisted yarn, which, when
| finished, is deftly wound up on the spindle,
as she walks forward again, and picks up
another roll 10 repeat the operation.
All over the mountainside Miriam Inrnle
had a fame Ms a skillful spinster, to which
even her reputation for beauty was subordi-
nate Those simple nfohntaineers admire
beauty, as all the world does, but character
and personal QUALITIES coflht for FAR more
than good looks or grace Of form. The
antique ideas Of our race survive there ii
all their strength.
A man is esteemed for his courage,
strength, industry, honesty, kindiiness A
womah's standing is based upon her domes-
tic virtues, and her skill in the Kitchen, at
the spinning wheel and at the loom. 1t rs
well for her to be beautiful, but still better
to be def with the spindle and shuttle
No woman, Young or old, in all the Chin
capin Cove or tho country roundabout,
conld surpass or even equal, Miriam Ihrule
in the nhfnber Of hanks !" of fine, strong,
perfectly even yarh that she could spin In a
week. Spinning is even more an indication
of character than handwriting. The good
spinner must not merely be minded to dc
her work well, but she must have force of
character TO keepin that mind every minute
while she is engaged in her task. IF she be
a fitfnl, emotional person this viii inevita-
bly, show itself IN her work. In her mo
nlents OF tfoughtfulness ana care her yarn
viii be c.osely twisted, even and smooth.
But her 1apses Will be recorded by Jumps,
knots, thicker and thinner stretches, and
other flaws very pnsightly in the weaver's
and knitter' eyes. That Miriam InIule was
so good spinner was; demonstration that
she was yonng woman Of not only a good
deal of pride, which showed itself in de-
sire to excel in her work, but of an unusu-
ally firm, equable temper, free from moods
and vagaries. ~
So much for her major qualities. AS to
her minor ones: She, was an uhcommonly
tall young woman, slender as mountain girls
are prone to be, 1.-the and quick as they are
certain to be, with fine curves showing
through her lnsey gown. She had mass
of reddish-brown hair, held in compact
knot by high horn comb; a broad, full
forehead bright blue eyes which had the
habit of looking very direct and fxedly at
any one; q Symmetrical, inely-chiseled face,
full Of expression, and quite as full of
freck les.
Turkey eggs simply don't show up with
my face toward the end of the Summer" she
used to say frankly. " could spare 'em
more freckles than they have. and not miss
en The only way l could have more
freckles a be to either make the freckles
smaller or grow my face bigger"
Withal, she was joy to the eye of the
lover Of beauty, as intent upon her task,
she swept back and forward on the porch,
young does in the free woods of the neigh |
boring mountains. The cheerful hum Of the |
spindle rose and fell to the rhythm Of her
movements.
In tie yard before the house the lilacs |
were greeting the bright Spring sun with a |
burst of fragrant bloom. The bank beyond |
the road was white as brides robes, with !
the newly opened flowers Of the red puccoon. |
Birds sang cheerily amid the perfume |
breathing buds OF the hickories, and the air |
was filled with new, fresh JOY of living |
Spinning tiine was generally singing |
time. The elderly and more devout women |
sang the hymns they had learned at the
Methodist meetings. The younger sang the
quaint old English, Scotch and Irish ballads, |
which their forefathers and foremoi hers |
brought with them over the sea more than |
a century before. Barbara Allen,n "The |
Piznn Sarpint," Sweet Dundee" "Chevy |
Chase" aud similar folkrsongs echoed from |
the rocks and cliffs Of the Cumberlands as 1
they had been revei eiberating from the Gram |
plans and the Cheviois since d time whereof |
the memory of man runneth not to the con- |
trary. al55t ~ -. |
NIiriam's heart was blithe as that of the |
thrush in the neighboring thicket, VINO was |
making inelodious love to his mate as they |
joined in their nest-buildihg labor. She |
broke ont in strong contralto, sweet and |
liquid as flute tones, with the words Of the |
absurd old Scotch ballad, Barbara Allen"
All in the merry month OF May
When green buds they We're swelling,
Young Jenny Grove on his death bed lay,
For love o. Barbara Allen
He sent his man unto her then !
To III. town where she was dwelling.
90 haste and cone to my masler dear.
your name be Barbara Allen"
Slowly, slowly rase she up.
And She CAME where he was a-lyfng;
And whe,t she drew the. .cprtaiu by, a4t,..
Says: "Youn. man. Think you are a-dying." |
10 It's am sick aud very very sick,
And it's all for B,lrbari Aei.n
80. lie better for ti.e .ye' pc never BIZ, t-
Tho your henrQs bio ID WAS a-spilling"