Providence, May 17. Monday laſt, eighteen young ladies aſſembled, with their ſpinning-wheels, at the houſe of Captain Jonathan Treadwell, and ſpun 40 ſkeins of good linen yarn.
May 22. A correſpondent deſires us to mention, that at Johnſton, a few days ſince, four induſtrious young ladies, by "laying their fingers to the ſpindle, and their hands to the diſtaff," completed, in one day, the ſpinning and reeling of 21 fifteen-knotted ſkeins of good linen yarn. Would to God, that the Gentlemen at the head of our political affairs in this State, were half ſo zealous in encouraging our own manufactures, as the fair ſex are; who, at preſent, deſervedly bear the palm, as friends to their country.
"Spinning Bee. On the 1st inſt. aſſembled at the houſe of the Rev. Samuel Deane of this town, more than one hundred of the fair ſex, married and ſingle ladies, moſt of whom, were ſkilled in the important art of ſpinning. An emulous induſtry was never more apparent than in this beautiful aſſembly. The majority of fair hands gave motion to not leſs than ſixty wheels. Many were occupied in preparing the materials, beſides thoſe who attended to the entertainment of the reſt,—proviſion for which was moſtly preſented by the gueſts themſelves, or ſent in by other generous promoters of the exhibition, as were alſo the materials for the work. Near the cloſe of the day Mrs. Deane was preſented by the company, with two hundred and thirty-ſix, ſeven-knotted ſkeins of excellent cotton and linen yarn, the work of the day, excepting about a dozen ſkeins, which ſome of the company brought in ready ſpun. Some had ſpun ſix and many not leſs than five ſkeins apiece. She takes this opportunity of returning thanks to each, which the hurry of the day rendered impracticable at the time. To conclude and crown the day, a numerous band of the beſt ſingers attended in the evening and performed an agreeable variety of excellent pieces in psalmody. "The price of a virtuous woman is far above rubies, * * * She layeth her hands to the ſpindle and her hands hold the diſtaff."
Cumberland (Portland, Me.) Gazette, May 8, 1788, copied by Edw. H. Elwell, Esq., editor of the Transcript.
When spinning-wheels ceased to be used altogether, we are not able to say. Probably they were not in use for any great length of time after the opening of the present century; but possibly in some country places they were used down to the time of the War of 1812, and even later. We are informed that in some remote places in Rhode Island and in Maine spinning-wheels are in use to this day; but these are exceptional cases.
The "Massachusetts Centinel," April 30, 1788, has this advertisement:—
