. Ruth of Boston; a story of the Massachusetts Bay colony . d cometo call the New Town. We girls \vere more than disappointed, however,when told that only lads would be allowed to enterthis college, and then not until having gained a certainamount of knowledge elsewhere; but yet it was a matterin which we could take pride, that there should besuch a school formed when only six years had passedsince wre began to build the to\vn of Boston. RAISING FLAX * It wrould be strange indeed if I failed to set downanything concerning the flax which we spin, becausesave for it we would have had nothing of
. Ruth of Boston; a story of the Massachusetts Bay colony . d cometo call the New Town. We girls \vere more than disappointed, however,when told that only lads would be allowed to enterthis college, and then not until having gained a certainamount of knowledge elsewhere; but yet it was a matterin which we could take pride, that there should besuch a school formed when only six years had passedsince wre began to build the to\vn of Boston. RAISING FLAX * It wrould be strange indeed if I failed to set downanything concerning the flax which we spin, becausesave for it we would have had nothing of linen exceptwhat could be brought from England. There is noquestion but that every one who reads this will knowexactly how flax is raised and spun into cloth; but yetI am minded to explain, because we girls of Bostonhave more to do with raising flax than with any othercrop. It is sown early in the spring, and \vhen the plantsare three or four inches high, we girls are obliged to 122 RUTH OF BOSTON ^mm ^Iwil * &t fir \ » - <«» _ O»-- - 1*^™. ^. weed them, and in so doing are forced to go barefoot,because of the stalks being very tender and thereforeeasily broken down. I do not believe there is a child in town who fails togo into the flax fields, because of its being such workas can be done by young people better than by olderones, who are heavier and more likely to injure theplants. I have said that we are obliged to go barefooted;but where there is a heavy growth of thistles, as isoften the case, we girls wear two or three pairs ofwoolen stockings to protect our feet. If there is any wind, we must perforce work facingit, so that such of the plants as may by accident have PREPARING FLAX ,123 been trodden down, may be blown back into place bythe breeze. Wearying labor it is indeed, this weeding of the flax,and yet those who come into a new world, as have we,must not complain at whatsoever is set them to do, forunless much time is expended, crops cannot be raised,and we c
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