Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-19
SPINNING WHEELS.
A Trend Toward Taking Them ur
Again as Fad.

Along some aHcestral line nearly ey-
cry American woman can find some
charming great grandmother, who
wore paint and patches, who powdered
her hair. used The spinning wheel, rode
on a .pillion and knitted with huge
needles that were warranted to do as
much execution with the hearts of adj
miring SWANS as with the worsted they
fashioned into hosiery, gloves and
headwear.
1t is this which makes the spinning.
wheel a joy forever, if not a thing of
beauty. The humble invention is q
stock ornament for a parlor or boudoir,
an old-fashioned dining room or even
a kitchen. 1t comes into vogue every
ten or fifteen years, and then. is put
away to await a return of the old ro
mantle feeling. -- g.. r
In some parts Of the country there
are still spinning wheels in daily en-
ployment. A few must be n century
Old. 1t may be noticed that these
stanch pieces of the carpenters hand
icraft are strong, heavy and somewhat
awkward. They have not the artistic
finish of the neatly turned and carved
wheels which are found in 50 many
deStIesllc pdIlOTS. SOIile VI THESE
tic wheels are so delicate and dainty
that they would break the moment
they We're set to work at making
strong, thick thread.
This difference does not discourage the
modern young woman who is confront
ed by dire dilemma. She must have
a spinning wheel because it is roman
tic and historic, and then the wheel
must be an object of loneliness 10
match the furniture in the boudoir of
her own style of loneliness. Between
these two alternatives the poor wheel
does not have much of show. The
funniest thing about this revival is
that it has been brought about by the
class which never works and would not
know how if it tried to-.
Our great grandmothers were very
busy damsels and danes. The spin
ming wheel was no ornament, but q
very serious matter of daily life. They
made the machines spin by the hour.
while they reeled off the thread that
they were to knit or weave. The well
educated woman of those years was a
spinner, weaver, dyer and tailor all |
com bined in one. / wonder how many |
of their fair descendants can emulate
them in these lines? sj..s.. r.. ..s-.s
Nevertheless, they have brought |
about a Furnishing manufacture of an
tique wheels, and many of the organi-
cations have adopted the wheel with |
or without the distaff and treadle as /
a club badge or a coat-of-arms for
their club paper.
In the finishing Of the modern stage
the humble spinning wheel holds a
prominent part. 1t would be difficult |
to give Faust" without one in the CEN
tire of the stage, where poor Marguer-
lite sings, smiles, hopes, dreams and
weeps, and in the barnyard dramas it
is even today more important than the
cow or the well where the
'old oaken bucket" brings up spark
ling CrotOn from the cellar under the
stage. Enterprising photographers
keep one as a stock property along
With the drop curtain, representing a
classic temple or the canvas logs on
which young ladies pose as Maud Null
err resting. - si'>t t+tta
One of the oldest things about the
wheel, anent the fad, is that
he average owner never takes the
rouble to learn how to work the ma
.hine. She plies it in both directions.
caves off the connecting cord and even
,oes SO far as to decorate it with rib
IONS in a way which would prevent it
yer being put to practical use.