Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-03-27
ARMENIA'S RAG-CARPET.
EY SUSAN ARCHER WEISS.


with her carpet.
"a rag-carpet, eh?" said the deacon,
with interest. well, my mother used
to be great hand on rag-carpets; but
sence her day they seem pretty nigh to
ha' died out. Seems to me wimmen
amt as keerful and saving nowadays
as they used to be. Now, II ever get
married." he said, with his dry smile,
"I'll expect Mrs. Deacon to make the
rag-carpet the first thing Almost"
"Then don't ask Susie for me, please,
deacon" said Lizzie, archly; for we
both hate g-carpets-they're so ugly.
You won't think so when you've
seen mine," said Cousin Armenia, with
confident nod; "and anyway, it'll
save SIS out o nothing, and that's
consideration.
The deacon looked approvingly at
the woman who could make S15 out Of
nothing. He was good man, general
ly liked and respected, but bore the
character of being rather "closer"
than there was any necessity for, see
ing that he was we'll off, and with no
family to support-for the deacon was
a bachelor.
When Cousin Armenia had used up
all her material she discovered to
her dismay that at least one-third
more was required. So she went again
over the house, collecting everything
before rejected that could be made
available Colored hose and corsets
were pressed into service-bits form
erly considered too small were care
fully collected and stitched together.
The very rag-bag itself, when emptied,
was seized upon; and even grandma's
old red flannel dusting-rag did not es-
cape. The rag-carpet became a stand
ing joke with US.
There's a pair Of leather shoe
strings for your carpet, Armeny,"
grandpa. would observe, drily, "and
some raveled rope-ends in the barn, if
you're mind to have en-"
But Cousin Armenias soul was not
to be put down by sarcasm, any more
than it had been dismayed by difficult
ties. The carpet progressed, and about
the same time Lizzie and began to
discover various articles of our cloth
l-ip c~mtaEilg, which upon rigid inves-
tigation We're l.sound reduced to strips
in Cousin ArmeniasSS carpet bag balls.
Among other things wert'>- the green
lining Of cashmere skirt-sreen Delng
one of the "skeerce" colors; a Turkey
red curtain, which was to have been
mended, and done duty in Toms room,
ana a pair Of "grandpa's trousers"
which, though not yet condemned to
the attic, Cousin Armenia had pro-
nounced entirely too shabby for fur +
ther wear, and so utilized in her om-
nivorous carpet.
Grandpa said little. but. as grand
ma informed us in confidence, became
very particular in putting away his
clothes. and instead of leaving his coat
hanging behind the entry door or over
a chair night. always carefully de-
posted it behind his bed or under his
pillow.
One day the deacon happened in"
when Cousin Armenia was piecing to-
gether quantity of very small scraps
wherewith to exc out her carpet.
You make pretty close work of
them leetle rag-tags, Miss Armeny," he
remarked in his slow way.
.Yes, make pint of never throw
in away anything that can be put to a
use," she returned, complacently. "But
I'm dreadful scrimoed for rags
enough to finish of my carpet in time.
Mebbe, deacon. you haven't any old
vest or such that you'd be glad to get
I'D of, eh?"
The deacon said he'd look, and tie
next day he sent over some well-worn
silk neckties and Observation-Disclosures,
for which certainly no other use could
have been found, save that which he
himself suggested, Of putting EN- on a
pole to scare the crows with"
We laughed at the idea of silk car
pet; but Cousin Armenia. without a
word, carefully incorporated them in
her work
After this she canvassed the village,
importuning her friends for "old
clothes" and the tailors and dress
makers for selvages.
And so in time, to the relief Of every
b ,dy concerned, sufficient quantity
of material had been provided, and
| the carpet was sent to be woven at
neighboring farm house.
Meantime, we had been busted IN
other preparations for John and his
bride, and when these were all COM
pleted, nothing remained save to put
down Cousin Armenia's new carpet.
Lizzie and I rode with her to the
farmhouse to get it. and on seeing it.
had to acknowledge that it was as
near pretty as rag-carpet could be.
Still it was ugly, for how can a rag
carpet be made to look like anything
but coarse and common?
We spent that night at friends In
the country; and next morning return
ing home, Cousin Armenia triumphant
ly ordered her carpet to be carried up
to Johns wife's room"
Lizzie and followed. l opened the
door and stopped short at sight of
pretty, bright-cclored, three-ply car
pet lying in the middle of the floor.
why, it's Mrs. Hacketts carpet"
Lizzie exclaimed; "the very one that
we wanted to buy when she broke up
housekeeping.
YES" said grandma. little du-
biously, coming up behind us, 1t
seems that Tom, when he heard how
much we wanted it, that day that he
went away. stopped at the Bradleys,
and told ALI to get it for him, and All
never thought of doing anything but
keeping it until Tom came back, as ne
did yesterday just after you left Here