Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 4.djvu/25

 A RETARDED FRONTIER 9

The art impulse of the women seems to find its chief expres- sion in these textile fabrics. The patterns are spread by imita- tion up and down the valleys, the old traditions being constantly modified by suggestions from the mill goods of the towns.

WEAVING ON A HAND-LOOM

There are, besides, inventors and authorities who make innova- tions and set fashions going. In one cabin, among a dozen brilliant linsey " kivers," we found one with yellow, white, and red stripes — a veritable Roman blanket. It was quite unlike anything we had seen on our journey. The only suggestion as to the origin of the idea was the simple statement of the maker that she thought the colors " would look pretty." In another case a woman spread out for our admiration a quilted coverlet of store cotton. On a ground of blue she had sewed large con- ventional red figures. It was so utterly different from the other things we had been shown that we expressed surprise and curi- osity. With a smile of triumph she let us into the secret. She had copied the jig-saw scroll work on one of the more preten- tious houses in the nearest county seat.

The whole subject of domestic industry, especially the tex- tile side of it, can just now be studied to great advantage in eastern Kentucky, and it seems unfortunate that someone is not taking advantage of this opportunity. Every year, with the