. Days of the colonists . n red and blue thread. Persishad just learned her ABC from the old horn-bookJared had studied before her, and here were all of theletters in cross-stitch. Why, thats a sampler, Persy. Didst never seeone? No maam, I never. Whats it for?In Massachusetts households of 1636 there wassmall time for fancy work. Tis to show how many different stitches youknow and how neat you can do em, said the mother,smoothing the linen on her knee. Madam Winthropgave me this piece at Groton afore ever we left oldEngland, for a sampler, and she showed me the stitchesI didnt know. Be a good
. Days of the colonists . n red and blue thread. Persishad just learned her ABC from the old horn-bookJared had studied before her, and here were all of theletters in cross-stitch. Why, thats a sampler, Persy. Didst never seeone? No maam, I never. Whats it for?In Massachusetts households of 1636 there wassmall time for fancy work. Tis to show how many different stitches youknow and how neat you can do em, said the mother,smoothing the linen on her knee. Madam Winthropgave me this piece at Groton afore ever we left oldEngland, for a sampler, and she showed me the stitchesI didnt know. Be a good girl and mind thy rock, andthou shalt learn needlework i time. Persis thought that she might have to wait for thatuntil all the children were grown up. Jotham was five,Esther was three and a half, and Ebenezer just learn-ing to walk. Ebenezer went with her to feed thechickens and helped pick up chips, and when she andJared shelled corn Jotham and Esther built cob-housesfor Ebenezer to knock down. A pioneer baby seldom 78. SITTING WHERE SHE COULD JOG THE CRADLE WITHHER FOOT, PERSIS BEGAN TO SPIN. —Page 79 ^ \t^ \C \ PERSIS WHITTEMORE, SPINSTER 79 got all of anybodys attention for any length of time. Sitting where she could jog the cradle with her footif the baby waked, Persis began to spin upon her dis-taff, or rock, as her mother called it. She could notspin very well yet, but she worked as carefully as shecould, and thought about the sampler she was to em-broider some day. Many things were to happen beforethat day came. Persy, said Jared one morning, as they drovethe cows to pasture, letting them feed on the new springgrass along the way, d you know, father says weregoing to the Connecticut with Mr. Hooker. Persis opened her blue eyes wide. She had neverbeen outside New Town, where she was born; she hadnot even been to Boston. She had heard that , their minister, and some of the neighborswere going to the Connecticut valley when the groundwas settled enough to make
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectuniteds, bookyear1922
