INDUSTRIES AND FIRESIDES. 221 



Stockings were knit from this, and the " click click "' of 

 the knitting needles was in ever}' home the occupation of 

 those moments when the toiling women could sit down to 

 rest. Such stockings were rough to the skin compared 

 with our smooth factory-knit hose, but they were warm 

 and sufficient. 



From yarn also was woven the cloth for other gar- 

 ments. Some families of Cohasset during last century 

 had looms for weaving, but usually a special weaver took 

 their yarn and made it into such cloths as were desired, 

 keeping a certain percentage of the yarn for his labor. 



Blankets made from some of this homespun yarn wore 

 "like iron "; the same ones that kept a boy warm in his 

 first years would last until old age wore out him, but left 

 the blankets intact for another generation. 



Soft cotton sheets were then unknown and very few 

 were the linen ones, perhaps not a dozen in the whole 

 community previous to the year 1750. One of the well- 

 to-do families had but one sheet noted in its inventory as 

 late as 1730. 



The finer qualities of lamb's wool were saved and used 

 for the under-garments, while the coarser were good enough 

 for blankets. Without sheets those blankets were a little 

 scratchy at best ; but the more intimate under-garments 

 revealed the quality of wool and the presence of pes- 

 tiferous burrs that are almost inseparable from the wool 

 fiber. The tender skin of many a boy has writhed under 

 the scratching shirts of homespun made from the coarse 

 wool of Cohasset sheep. But nature toughened the cuti- 

 cle of each generation until the pain of the inuring pro- 

 cess was passed. The outer garments were less bother- 

 some by their coarseness and more durable. Shawls and 

 dresses of homespun were dyed various colors or woven 

 into checks from different colored wools. Coats and vests 

 and pants of a dull gray color made from homespun wool 

 were the universal attire of men, except on Sunday at 



