The Philipsburg mail., 1899-10-20
The Village Darning-Needle.

"Oh, what shall l do? What shall
DO? I've lost the village darning-nee-
del" cried good Mrs. Dickson, wiring
, ing her hands. 1t was bright July
day in the year 1915, soon after the
signing of the declaration of indepen-
dence; but the people of Mystic had
not heard of that great event. 1t took
days, sometimes weeks, for news to
be carried to towns that were far away
from the large cities and seaports. The
news of the loss of the village darning-
needle was a great blow to the good
wives of Mystic. Out they ran, some
to scold poor Mrs. Dickson, who had
lost it while on her way home from the
MILL and some to look for the needle
which was, of course, a great deal
more sensible. The village was long
way from any place where new darn
ihg-nee0ies could be bought, and
women did not go shopping in those
days. They stayed at home and spun
what goods they needed for clothes and
bedding, instead of going to buy it.
So it happened that just at that time
there was only one darning- needle, and
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was sent, carefully wrapped up, from
one house to another. And now Mrs.
Dickson had in some way let it fall
from her apron while jolting along on
horseback from the mill. Three miles
of forest road along which she might
have dropped it! 1t was deal of
space in which to hunt, but hunt they
must. or stockings could not be mend
ed! All the children, and all the
women, yes, and some of the men,
turned out to look for the village darn
ing-needle that bright July day. Mean
time, the news of the declaration of in
dependence had reached another viii
lage fifteen miles nearer to the city
than Mystic was; and after the people
there had got over their first excite
ment, and had settled down to plan
ming how they should celebrate the
Fourth of July properly, even if it
was few days late, some one proposed
that the news be sent on to Mystic.
All the boys in town were eager to go,
but Paul Davenport was soon chosen,
because he had the swiftest horse. and
was known to be a brave and fearless
lad. 1t was no uncommon thing in
those days to meet with Indians in that
part of the country, and one had to de-
pend mainly on brave heart and
fast horse then. Paul felt very i'm
portant as he rode out of the village
and started on his journey. 1t was
such lovely day that it seemed as if
nature was really smiling for JOY Most
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he could hear the songs of birds and
the chatter of squirrels as he rode
along. Fortunately Paul met no one.
Few people travelled far from their
home in those days. At length he
came out of the woods upon the high
way that led to the village. He had
made up his mind to ride straight to
the green, dismount there, and tell his
news with all the ceremony it ought
to have He entered the village flying,
but strangely enough, he saw no one.
The fields were empty, and no house
wives were out on the doorsteps, or
spreading their webs of linen to bleach
in the yards. Doors and windows
were wide open, but no faces looked
forth. Paul leaped from his horse and
went to one of the houses to look in.
Everything was in order, and baby
lay asleep in it's cradle.
1T could not be raid by the In
dians," thought the boy as he went
out. "They would not leave a child,
and, besides, there are no marks of
battle around" Just then he heard a
faint sound of shouting. For a min
ute he was frightened, thinking it was
perhaps band of Indians; but, as he
looked, he saw on the edge of the vii
lage a crowd of women, boys and girls,
with few men carrying on their
shoulders a little girl. The children
were capering about and shouting,
"Hurrah! Hurrah! Ruth found it!
Ruth found it," When Paul got up
to the crowd he found what was going
on 1t was the party of searchers for
the lost darning- needle. They had not
had to go very far, for before half
mile had been searched, the bright
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