REPORT ON NEEDLE -WORK. 43 



eighty years of age, and it was very beautiful. There were 

 sofa-pillows, banners, and many other articles, so nicely imi- 

 tating, that they could scarcely be distinguished from, the 

 real Japanese work ; an elegant lace handkerchief, so deli- 

 cately manufactured that one might imagine it was the 

 work of the cloistered nun, and imported from France. The 

 walls of the hall were tastefully draped with sewed and 

 knitted bedquilts, all of them denoting a degree of patience 

 and skill to which only woman can attain. Some of those 

 quilts are very curious and ingenious in design, as " the 

 Rising Sun," " Log Cabin," '' Old Maid's Whim," and " Scotch 

 Plaid." It is all needle-work, and accomplished in the lei- 

 sure hours, not as labor, but recreation ; and, while the busy 

 fingers ply diligently the needle in labors of love and amuse- 

 ment, thought is not idle. How many plans and projects are 

 visioned and invented for the future of the dear little ones 

 while the mother sits sewing and knitting ! It requires 

 patience and perseverance to execute an intricate piece of 

 needle-work: therefore it strengthens the patience, and de- 

 velops the intellect. It prepares the mother to help and 

 encourage the boy to persevere, and, by patience and per- 

 sistence, to overcome difficulties and hinderances in maturing 

 the plans and bright hopes which she has fondly dreamed 

 during her busy hours. 



Needle-work includes the old-time knitting-needles, which, 

 with their music, give us the good " blue-mixed " yarn stock- 

 ing, and the nice warm mittens, with which no modern in- 

 vention can compete. The crochet-needle, with its rich and 

 gorgeous-colored worsteds, is an industry fascinating and 

 profitable, well worthy of encouragement. On the table 

 could be seen specimens of the worsted-work, — socks, hoods, 

 and shawls. Those articles are manufactured by very many 

 of the young ladies in the county, and it is a source of con- 

 siderable revenue. One agent residing in Boston has paid 

 for worsted-work in Edgartown, in the last fifteen 3Tars, 

 over fifty thousand dollars, aside from the money paid by 

 other agents there. How much has been paid in other 

 towns in the county, I am unable to state. 



In most of our large cities may now be found a decorative 

 art society; and conspicuous in its exhibitions may be seen 

 specimens of porcelain and china painted by hand, also 



