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coarse cotton. Mrs. Ljdia Taylor also sent one ; Mrs. Samue 

 Holmes, a nice knit skirt. I have one in mind now, knit some 

 hundred and twenty-five years ago, also a shawl and hood ; 

 all of "homespun" white yarn, they look as though they might 

 last as long as they have. Of course they were yellow with 

 age. Mrs. C. L. Damon sent two crocheted skirts, which looked 

 very nicely : we've no doubt of their excellency. 



There were no silk quilts in our Department this year ; 

 through a mistake they were transferred to the Fancy Depart- 

 ment. There were a sufficient number of patchwork quilts to 

 more than fill the space allotted. Susan W. Stetson had one 

 with a border of very small squares, which were excellently 

 sewed, as well as ornamentally arranged. They were perfectly 

 fitted, and that makes a nice looking quilt. Miss Emma Stet- 

 son and Miss Emily A. Ewell both sent nicely joined and 

 sewed quilts. A quilt by Mrs. Harriet Bates, aged seventy-five, 

 was beautifully made ; also Mrs. Ruth Peterson's, aged fifty, who 

 brought a basket patchwork quilt. We are glad to have an 

 opportunity to men' ion a mistake in her award, instead of 

 thirty cents it should be eighty. She sent several others. Mrs. 

 J. S. Oakman, eighty-one, whose interest has not abated, sent 

 spreads and comforters ; both nicely made. Some patchwork 

 excellently made, by a lady eighty-six, was very pretty. We 

 did not know her age at the time of the award. 



Of all the articles sent to the Domestic Department, nothing 

 was more deserving of notice than a nightdress, made by Mrs. 

 Betsey Turner, of Hanson, aged eighty-one. The gathers were 

 perfectly even, sewed to the bindings, a stitch to every gather. 

 The back-stitching, so nicely done ; button holes evenly made, 

 and of a size; the edging sewed overhand. If at eighty-one 

 she can sew like that, what must it have been at sixteen ? It 

 is ever to be remembered that eyes who use " helps to see" 

 cannot do such nice work as those who have no such need. 



