The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1901-08-03
HoMRsPUN LIN TREASURES
Great Stores of Garnaen fl and IS e err.
chi cts Preserved Nv Women
An East Pennsylvania III

The distribution to the heirs of old
Mrs. Bashore Of j i'll Filled hi ut caps,
IA calico sun bonnets, SIS calico and
bingham aprons, 27 homesp pun che
misses, 56 calico hand kerchiefs and q
variety Of other artic les Of female at.
4 tire was not hing unusual in the hill dis
tricts Of East Pennsy lVania early
every elderly woman there takes pride
in the handmade garme nts she &c &c:
cumulates. An elderly resident OF Mil
lersburg has six large drawers filed
4 with handmade linen garments she had
spun out Of fax and made up in the last
so years, says the New = ork Sun.
These old women in the hill districts
d live with their children and have very
little to do. All have spinning wheels
and they are experts in the manipula-
! ton 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. Il i 1. S& #ss5
81 Thousands Of substantial linen gar
ments, yellow with age, can be found
in a days travel hereab bouts if the Wis
itor is known. The old women would
not think of parting or selling with
any thing they make. Their handiwork
is well preserved and looked over once
a month, on a Sunday while the others
are at church. sg
!. = The old women do not care so much
z Is - n al 1o1 fr
bequeath to their heirs, if they have
plenty Of such garments to devise. In
some instances the old women have
each article marked with a slip Of pa
per, upon which is written: This is
for Mary Ann. y -, '''This is for jacob for,
Sarah Eliza, for little Maggie, for Ma
linda Antarctic, and so on. In the case
Of Mrs. Bashore all her accumulated
wearing apparel was willed to her four
nieces. Not long ago old Mrs. Swensen
died. She left seven drawers filled with
linen sheets, pillow cases and a large
variety of old linen homespun gar
ments. When the first drawer was
opened card was found on which was
written: Cali in this drawer goes to
Title" Title was her daughter. Every
drawer contained such card, and one
written line showed to whom it was to
go. Yet every heir was specially en-
joined by note found in the old lady's
Bible that "Not stitch is to be sold of
what freely give, because my fingers
have made these articles only for you,
my dear" q,
.- & . ~ ~
With few exceptions such articles are
rarely used, but are1held as keepsakes.
Some young housewives can show
drawers full Of homespun linen which
has been handed down from genera
ton. Some Of the linenis worn through
at the folds. The other day aged Re
becca Akers died. Each of her three
daughters received two drawers Of
linens. Nearly all the garments are
ago. eatoWels and sheets are coarse,
homespun, home bleached and wide Of
hem. = stt II 55.#E n ~, 52
An oddity are the long gray wool
stockings knit by the old women in the
style in revolutionary days. Some of
the hosiery was so large that the stock
ings could be worn over the shoes in
snowy, weather. It is common thing
to find a linen burial shroud in old
women's effects, they. having made
their, grave habiliments with their own
hands years ago, including stockings,
gloves and cap. e e