The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-06

had been described. "a quaint place exa-t-
ly fulfilling Horace's Injunction. Near the
house let there be spring Of water and
a wood close by. " The date 1892. was on
the front OF the cottage. We found that
We had thirty-fve minutes for our stay
there
A woman scrubbing the floor rose at
once. pulled down her sleeves, and then
looked the real lady that she was she
saw the urgency Of our case and quick.
gentle aud obligiug. lost not a moment 10
waiting on us. She showed the linen.
seven or eight kinds in the piece. and
then the standardization small cushion
covers and table mats. through tray cloths.
covers for stands. tables and bureaus and
drapery for pictures. up to bedspreads and
portieTes. The prices OF many we're high
up in the pounds. but not too high for the
work upon them, and. the main thing. they
found ready sale at these prices among
| the summer visitors.
There were oriental borders copied on
large scale. from the little Oriental
| squares that we import Persian patterns
! Kensington patterns and stitches. Greek
| lace. etc.-all kinds Of stitches all pat
| terms in white and in colors.. in all threads,
| silk, linen. worsted and gold. / remember
some large pansiss outlined with gold, pur-
| board ground. Another exquisite thing
had the linen checked of with drawn work
and the squares in the border embroidered
| with pinks in Kensington stitch-white
flowers and green leaves. This was fin
| ished with a silk fringe and the price was
| three pounds.
Much Of the work was done in the Lon
don schools of embroidery under the pa
tronage Of the Princess Louise. but the
| linen was the product Of the cottage
wheels and looms and was of different
| shades Of grey or ecru. from the natural
color Of the fax through various degrees
Of bleaching down to almost white.
Mrs. Pepper with quiet rapidity. emp
tied for Us the drawers of a beautifully
carved old oak bureau-all the things diff
ferent and each drawing from US admiriag
explanations. but while my young com
panions we're entirely absorbed in the
sight l kept darting away to the other
things in that delightful little room. In
the fireplace was a jar of wild flowers. oak
leaves. and red cornell berries and on the
walls a photograph Of Mr.. Ruskin and a
certificate from his own hand OF the puri-
ty and honesty of the linen and his will
ingness to have it called the Ruskin lin
en-. framed autograph also Of Mr.. Rus
kin over the mantelpiece-a large sheet Of
paper closely covered with writing but
in hand so rapid and contracted that 1t
would have taken long to puzzle it out;
it was about the dignity and happiness
coming from the venerable arts Of spin
ming and weaving
The very photograph Of Giotto's "Weav-
ing" which had been the only guide for
repairing and putting together the Old
loom brought out Of its fifty years decay
and oblivion in a Viendal cellar. was on
the wall. and four pictures in a row Of
Penelope and other spiuners and weavers
of history and postry-Longfellow Pris-
ella. one Of them. There vas carved oak
furniture black with age and very pre-
cious, and samples Of the work Of the pres
ent time. for wood carving is another re-
viyed cottage art; and for finishing en-
chantment. Mr. Ruskin had often been in
that very room.
didn't forget the sheeting: I coulI
look and admire though I couldn't have
any. | asked for it-another drawer
opened and a piece taken out-abOut
dozen yards. It was very coarse. very. but
after the instauts shock, I asked the
price; SIS. but it was single width.
and I had had nothing but wide linen
in mind, though, as I reflected afterward
no hand loom was ever made that would
weave wide sheeting. But I put the next
question: Was it for sale?
Oh yes. Why didn't I say instantly Il
will take SO many yards, and bring of
my prize exultingly2 Well I couldn't col
lect my thoughts, my good fortune was so
unexpected; the price for two breadths
was The same as eleven shllings a ya-d.
$40. so far I could reckon. but | Couldn't
| think how many yards l should need nor
how much it would cost-as for using the
English currency quick. I cannot 90 it,
| Besides I had been flying about that room
watch in hand. till now il was nearly time
to 20 out over an unknown road. and meet
the coach which we must not keep waiting
| ! had boiled up with delight at finding
that / cOull have the linen. still its I'M
deuiable COarseness had cooled me of a
little and taer what time was there to
have it measured of and how could We get
the great heavy bundle 10 the coach. Com
Lon sense said: Don't do in haste what
you msy regret at leisure
When my c0mpanion had a lone chance