The Washington herald., 1913-08-24

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these days of mills and machine-made
clothing. spinning is no longer considered
as among the duties of women, and The
title of spinster is rapidly becoming obso-
lete
Time was when all single women, girls
and sboys were required to spin. In those
days each family had Its; spinner and
many had several Under the super
vision of director. these spinners were
organized into divisions, or ssquadrons, .
as they were called; and there were no
siothful laggards in their number Neither
wealth nor social standing of parents
excused children from this work. Like
death, ii was mighty leveler. All were
leveled to one kind of labor, and by this
leveling all were. in turn. elevated to
independence. 4
They spun and wove the very, clothes
they wore, and thus became home
living and home-loving race. The lives
of the women were home-centered, prac-
tically the, only cause in those days for
Womens intercourse with any of the
outside world except, of course, her
nelghborly acquaintapces, being shop
ping, dressmaking, SC But even these
causes scarcely existed in country COM
munities a century ago.
Work All Day Long.
And so it is with these two remarkable
old women of Eltin. They sit at their
looms day in and day out, unmindfuI of
the outside world, while everybody is
earnestly engaged in setting everybody
else right. =
The old-fashioned hand-loom Is TODAY
more or less, of curiosity, and there are
many of the younger generation who have
never seen one. Much skill on the part
Of the weaver is required to operate one
OF these looms, and even with. the most
expert weaver the production is SLOW The
invention Of the power-loom and the won
derfuI growth Of wooden manufacture
have crowded out the spinning wheel and
the hand-loom. Homespun- clothing is
rarely, II ever. seen, while the home
woven rag" carpets which. fit so snugly
to the floor, look so clean and smell so
sweet, are only for the favored few.
The affectionate regard which the Elkin
women have for their spinning wheels
and looms was at one time found among
all Southern spinners and weavers. Their
machines are family heirlooms that have
been handed down from generation to
generation, and they are treasured by the
two good women like relics. Indeed, they
will readily assure. an interested visitor
that they bear feeling of affection for
t,Ieir looms that is akin to the love for
human companion.
Picturesque Appearance.
Seated at their treasured looms, the two
aged women present a very picturesque
appearance indeed. The old-fashioned
hand-loom is so constructed that when
the weaver is seated upon the permanent
seat attached to il the breast OF the loom
is just little above the waist line of
the weaver, who sits with feet resting
upon the treadles There are three dis
tinct motions in hand-weaving-frst, the
forming of the shed, that is, separating
the threads of the warp, as the threads
which run throughout the length of the
finished fabric are called, which have
been wound upon the warp-beam and
placed in the loom. into two or more
series, raising a part and depressing the
balance, leaving a space through which
the weft or filling is passed: second. the
passing of The shuttle containing the bob
bin or filling through the shed so formed
either by hand or mechanical means;
third. beating up this thread OF filling
left in the shed by the shuttle against
the one which preceded 1t. The process