Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-03-27

Tom?"
wouldn't it depend somewhat upon
the number of yards, grandma? sus-
gested Tom, who was putting on his
great-coat in the hall.
"Well, say five breadths of yard
wide, each five yards long" said grand
ma, In business tone.
"a carpet Of five yards square-2o
yards, at 60 cents per yard-Sl5, an
nounced Tom, promptly.
Grandma looked up at him admiring-
ly through her glasses.
"It's a good thing to have head for
figures. AS for me, never could put
two and two together. But we'll have
to give up that carpet, I'm afraid,
though it's great bargain. Mrs.
Hackett gave full $50 for it, and had
it only one year, shut up in her parlor
where it was scarcely trod upon. I'd
like to get it for Johns wife's room;
but we've too many other uses for
money just now"
''What a pity?" said Lizzie, who was
sitting on the window-sill, dangling
one foot just above the floor. THE
room will look so bare and COM
fortress without a carpet. and John is
so anxious to have everything nice for
Alice.
"Wouldn't the parlo- carpet do?' in
quired Tom, demurely. Il heard YOU
say it was getting too shabby for the
company room"
"No, 1t wouldn't do at ALL" answered
Lizzie, sharply. How would the par
lor look with a bare floor at Thanks
giving and Christmas?'
"And Sunday evenings" said l, in
dignantly.
"Oh," said Tom, brushing his hat,
81 had forgotten that. No, certainly.
Young Mr.. Smith wouldn't find it COM
Portable; nor the doctor either.
They might be afraid Of catching cold,
and go away early"
81 think I hear the stage, Tom,
said Lizzie, leaning flushed face from
the open window.
Tom kissed us all around, and went
out with his valise TO meet the stage.
He was drummer to the biggest man
ufacturing firr.-in--th to|HNand was
always coming and going.
Tom would be pack in six weeks
In time to meet John and his wife, on
their arrival at the old homestead.
John was making good match, and
he and his wife were to stay with us
all winter, while his own house was
being built, about mile distant, and
we were all anxious to have everything
nice for Alice.
Liz and I, waving Tom last adieu
from the porch, returned to the sitting
room.
Cousin Armenia had laid aside her
knitting and, seated in low chair in
front of grandma, was leaning forward
and talking, with that keen light i'll
her gray eyes which always bespoke
some new idea or inspiration.
"You see, Aunt Dorothy, 'twould be
sheer extravaganza to give SIS for a
carpet for a bedroom. Now, when /
was girl, l made two splendid rag
carpets; and though it's twenty years
ago, I've not forgotten how to do it
Suppose l jest set to work and make
one for Johns wife's room?'
"a rag-carpet?" said Lizzie, dis
dainfully.
"Yes, child, a ras 'arpet. II twas
called by some high-soundins name, |
suppose folks would like it better. If
Alice is the right sort, she won't turn
up her nose at a ras-carnet. specially
if it's new and bright ~ rag-carpet
can be made to look handsome; and,
anyway, it's better than none
But where will you find the ma
terial?"
"Oh, I'll be bound to find rags
enough! There's plenty Of old clothes
hanging in the garret, and the rag
chest anl scrap-bas are full; and the
neighbors won't begrudse me what old
scraps they have no use for.
Grandma looked doubtful, and Liz
zie a little scornful; but Cousin Ar
menia seemed quite elate over her
idea. And being one of those active
and determined spirits who lose no
time in carrying out plan as soon as
it is conceived, we were not surprised
to find her, next day, already to work
upon her proposed carpet.
First she visited the attic and over
hauled the big rag-chest, and exam
ined all the half-worn and cast-o!f
clothing hanging about. Then she
went over the whole house and ran
sacked every box and closet for any
thing that could be appropriated to
her work.
The next few days were spent in
washing and freshening up the various
articles, and in ripping and tearing
them into shreds, which were then
rolled into great balls, according to
their color.
All the rag-carpets that I had seen
were woven in a mixed medley Of
colors, without order or arrangement;
but Cousin Armenia showed herself
possessed of an artists eye and an
aesthetic soul.
"The browns and grays and all the
other neuter tints," she said winding
Aer strips about all old ironing-board
in the attic to illustrate her pattern,
"are to make up the ground color.
Then come red and blue stripes; be-
cause, you see, one always has most Of
those two colors; and in the middle of
each a narrow stripe of green and vel
low, which are skeerce colors to get.
I'd like little purple; but that's what
you hardly ever come across
If you could get the purple" said,
"you would have all the colors of the
rainbow, and one would call your car
pet the Iris pattern
She anDeared struck with this idea.