The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-10-31
THE ALERT ONES.
LEARNING SOMETHING HERE
AND THERE.
Work That Woman is Doing.


which is SO simple and so womanl,
one wonders it was not thought O
sooner. The weaving OF baskets seem
a commonplace enough occupation a
a means of support, yet Its discovery a
such was made only the other day, ant
by Misses Mabel and Stella Campbell
two young women scarcely out of thei1
teens. Miss Mabel gives q pIeasan
account of their beginning and success
"The idea," she explained, "firs
came to my sister five years ago wher
she was visiting Aiken, S. e. OF
course every one who has been to Aiken
remembers the little baskets made oil
pine-needles which are made and
brought to the hotel for sale by the
country women. Well, Stella visited
one of these Cracker women and learn.
ed how the baskets were made. The
following year went out West
the far West-in the Indian country,
as teacher In the family OF a promi-
nent ranchman. There were plenty of
Indians about, and I saw many beauti-
full baskests. At Christmas l sent
Stella the prettiest that could be
bought, and when she wrote she sug-
gested thatI learn how the BASKETS
were made. did and became very
much interested both In the curing of
the grasses and In the numerous pat
terms which myself invented. Then
I sent Stella a package of the grasses
and dozen baskets of my own manu-
facture.
"It was then the first money was
made. My sister combined the Indian
and Southern materials into basket
of her own designing. This she offered
to fashionable florist, who took it at
once and paid a good price for it. OF
course, Stella followed this up by work.
ing all her materials into baskets,
which she readily sold. Naturally,
when came East with my employers
last winter every available crack and
,revice of my luggage was filled with
The various glasses used by tho Indians
n their basket-weaving. Later In the
season I accompanied the family to
Florida, where acquired some new
hints on basket weaving. On our way
oack We stopped at Ashville, N. c., and
learned something more. So, you
ee, it was quite natural for us to think |
If basket weaving as a means of earn
ng money. After considering the
natter seriously we consulted several
lorists, and received so many orders
hat we decided to turn our whole time
md attention to the work.
II think it is a field where WON en-
nay earn a comfortable living. We
ave already received orders tor twice
8 many baskets as we could have
eady for the autumn trade If we at
empted to do the work alone. Last
eason we employed two girls as assist
nts. This season we will certainly be
ompelled to engage several more. I
m convinced that ready sale for such
askets will be found in any large city
here flowers and fancy candies are
old.
"Our 'plant-you must not think
+ it as a factory, because the fact that
II of our work is done by hand IL one
t its greatest merits-is q pleasant
tile cottage in the country, just near
nough to the Adirondacks for us to
njoy the scenery and not far enough
way from railroads to make transpor-
alton difficult.
"Like everything else, the work re-
uires to be learned but it is not diff
ult. The chief requirement., it ap-
ears to me, aside from the mechanical
is the ability to invent
CIV shapes and combine the various !,
;raws ana colors into original designs"
A new remedy for biliousness is now
q sale at E. T. Whitehead & Co.'s
rug store. It is called Chamberlain 3
m r. 4