The Women’s Department of the Feb 2, 1893 edition of the Ridgeway Journal was edited by Mrs. C. T. Jaqua, Editress and contained this adorable little story:
This piece was written by “Laura” and detailed how she and her grandmother worked on tying a quilt. Her grandmother had already completed the “calico” (what we would now call the quilt top) so they took it into the parlor “where the carpet was very clean” and spread out on the floor in preparation to be tied. Before they could start, however, “There was a crack at the front door that let in lots of cold so grandma said we must stop that. She got strips of thick cloth, and I got two table knives. With the knives we pushed the cloth in the crack and then the cold wind quit coming in.”
Grandma taught Laura how to tie the quilt and they worked together until Grandma had to stop to fix dinner. They finished it and then Laura wrote: “She will finish the comforter on the machine and then baste a binding of a width of calico across the end that will be at the head of the bed and keep the comforter from wearing out so soon.” Laura had to ask for help with the “big words” and finished her little story with: "I see the Journal let Mr. Hazelbrush get his big sister to spell his large words and little sister to spell his little words, so I hope no one will mind because I asked grandma about the big words in this. I hope you will print this and not mind me being so small. Laura.”
Unfortunately, there is no way to know who Laura or Grandma were as no last names were printed.
