The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-13
OLD HOME INDUSTRIES.
INTERESTINGOoRRESPoNDENCE ON HOME WORK FOR WOMEN.

of Braiding Hats Brings Out an In-
 teresting Reply From a Waterbury
 Woman on Covering Buttons as it
 Was Once Followed.
 A curious story of the long ago tell
 ing how people used to make money in
 their homes appeared in the Spring
 field Republican. It is as follows:
 To the Editor of the Republican
 Reading of the Arts and Crafts Club of Beichertown in a recent Republican brought this true story to mind, sto-
 ry of an old-time industry that may
 interest the young people of to-day who are compelled to leave the pleas ant and safe shelter of the home and go abroad for lucrative employment. When 1 was young," said a. bright Connecticut woman of eighty-coun-
 try born and bred-"my grandmother
 went to eastern Massachusetts on a visit, where she found the women and girls braiding palmleaf hats for the southern market, and what does grandmother do but learn to braid, and come home on the Norwich and Worcester stage bringing a big bunch of palmleaf and the proper informa- tion for our storekeeper, who was her son-in-law, to go into the business of putting out palmleaf to be braided into hats.
 The new work was as ketchin' as the itch, as one of our neighbors ex- pressed it, and grandma taught all the women and girls who came to her from far and near, She had no other com pensation than the satisfaction of be- ing helpful to her neighbors, and she was helpful. My uncle's little village store became a mart, and he even sent out peddlers carts that were gen. eral stores oni wheels, all about the countryside. Looking back I can see how whole families came out to meet ing, respectfully dressed from the pro- ceeds of the braiding, and even girls were sent away to school and fitted for teaching and young men were put through college by the money earned in the same way. Mortgages were hSNN'N paA etAQ sllu3 llltlG DdlIh dGCOuHLS started by the rustic, rustic, rustic of white fingers, while the hat laid upon the lay, and grew and shaped itself i like some living plant The braiding of palmleaf, however, much as it may now be derided, never made an aban- doned farm and something new in the | way of profitable work that could be put out in families to occupy the leis- | ure of the women and children would | be the saving of the farming conmu- nifty and help other families to have heirlooms as we'll as our family.
 Ours came about in this way: When grandma would be bustling around with her braiding, her daugh- ters would say: Why do you braid hats, mother, when there is no necessi- ty for it?' To which she would reply, 'To set an example of industry, to be sure to my family and nelghbors.
 At length they began teasingly to ask what she was intending to buy with the money she was earning. but as she really was not in need of any, thing it was hard for her to decide. One day however, she saw in her sons store very large shining brass kettle, and as the price came within the limit of her braidlng money she bought it.
 What do you want of it, grand mother?' we begged to know.
 It is substantial, it will never go out of fashion. It is something that I can leave to show that 1 was never ashamed nor afraid to do what I could for my family or for my neighbors.'
 I've have the kettle yet, in good and if our family ever ar- rives at the distinction of fully obtain ing coat of arms, we will have it bear kettel for crest.
 ANNIE A. PRESTON.
 Wilmington Conn, Aug. 3, 1906.
 This interesting story, says the Wa terbury American, brought out reply from a Waterbury woman who signs herself, "Ootogenarian." This was Mrs. J. S Baldwin, a sister of Mrs. A. 5. Chase, and those who know Mrs. Baldwin will be doubly interested in her contribution to the literature of old nome industries. This is Mrs. Bald wins article as published in the Re- publican:
 To the Editor of the Republican-I nm greatly interested in the article in ! recent Weekly Republican concern l ng an "old-time industry" I well re- member when the braiding of palm I eaf hats was practiced in nearly every lome in my own town, and In all the owns in Hampshire county, and I SUD- ] 'ose throughout the state of Massa- ] l can give you the name of { Ln aged woman, now living, who has a ] arge bank account and owns valuable ( cal estate in thriving town, and ac- ] this property solely by ( raiding hats. Of course she has been l careful and saving and has wisely invested the money, she has earned by ( Ter industry Her right hand will ' tot forget" for her worn and crippled c ngers testify to her long and perse- V ering labor. She still keeps materials ( n hand and occasionally braids a hat c or needy boy O This palm leaf bralding reminiscence O f Your correspondent has brought to s ly mind another industry of olden ? lines. It was that of covering buttons g nd was well nigh as universal as was he braiding of hats. Idle mills were b ct in motion turning the button a 1olds, and the stores sent the materi- C Is to the homes, paying a penny a S ozen for the work-not an extrava- ant price, surely, and "store pay'' at s hat. Peddlers' carts brought the but I on material to the homes. and the u