Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-08-05
HOMESPUN LINEN TREASURES
Great store. OF Garments ana key.
chiefs Preserved by women
In East PennsyIvasis.

-
The distribution to the heirs Of old
Mrs. Bashore Of III frilled night caps,
- calico sun b%onneis, 81 calico and
bingham aprons. % homespun che
misses, SO calico handkerchiefs and a
variety of other articles of female at
tire was nothing unusual in the hill dis
tricts Of East Pennsylvania. Nearly
every elderly woman there takes pride
In the handmade garmeB;s she ac-
cumulates. I'm elderly resident Of Mil
lersburg has six large drawers filed
with handmade linen garments she had
spun out Of flax and made up in the last
so years. says the New York Sun.
These old women in the hill districts
live with their children and have very
little to do. All have spinning wheels
and they are experts In the manipula-
iion of flax. Here and there are ancient
looms to weave their linen thread. The
old women have nimble fingers for
drawing threads, for knitting. for
crocheting and for sewing. Their de-
signs are primitive.
Thousands of substantial linen gar
hitNANs N'slpN WIN NEts NNl W. lbunu
in a days travel hcr"abouts IL the Wis.,
itor is known. The old women would
not think Of parting or selling with
anything they make. Their handiwork
is well preserved and looked over once
a month. on a Sunday while the others
are nj church.
The old women do not care so much
10 fhax haknRft hatuan1g 80 I.IluR. -.
bequeath to their heirs. II they have
plenty Of such garments To devise. In
some Instances the old women have
each article marked with n slip Of pa
per, upon which Is written: "1his Is
for Mary Ann" This Is for jacob" for
Sarah Eliza, for little Maggie, for Ma
linda Almaretta, and so on. In the case
OF Mrs. Bashore all her accumulated
wearing apparel was willcd to her four
nieces. Not long ago old Mrs. Swcnsen
died. She left seven drawers filled with
linen sheets, pillow cases and n large
variety Of old linen homcspun gar
ments. When the first drawer was
opened n card was found on which was
written: ".All In this drawer goes to
Title" Title was her daughter. Every
drawer contained sue n card. and one
written line showed TO whom u was to
go. Yet every heir was specially en-
joined by n note found In the old lad,'s
Bible that Not a stitch is to be sold Of
what ! freely give. because my fling r.
have made these articles only for you,
my dear"
With few exceptions such articles are
rarely used, but ore held as keep axes.
Some young housewives can show
drawers full of homespun linen which
has been handed down from crutra-
ton. Some of the linen Is worn through
at the folds. The other dav aged Re-
becca Akers died. Each Of her three
daughters received two drawers ~
linens. Nearly all the garments are
made on n pattern m n century
ago. The towels and sheets are coarse
homespun, home bleached and wide OF
hem.
An oddly are the long gray wool
stockings knit by the old women in the
style in revolutionary days. Some Of
the hosiery wa so large that the stock
ings could he worn over the shoes in
snowy weather. II is n common thing
to find a linen burial shrOud In Old
women's effects, they having made
their grave habilimcnts with their own
hands years ago, including stockings,
gloves and cap.