but Ruth and Nancy seldom accompanied
them these days. Ruth had school to attend daily, and Nancy was painting
a portrait for a famous stage beauty who had offered her an attractive
price for the work.

The girls, with Mrs. Fabian, had gone again to New Jersey, after their
great investment that day in Van Styne's place; but they drove on to
Baskingridge that day, and stopped at several ancient farm-houses to
ferret for old things. At one of the places, they secured some very old
glassware, also odd pieces of Staffordshire, and a well-nigh complete set
of old Wedgewood dishes.

At another house they got a set of old brass fire-irons and a crane with
all the hangers and pots complete, just as it had been removed from the
brick fire-place and thrown up in the attic.

At the third house, Polly became enamored of a wonderful sampler, and
several very old silhouettes--the latter, very different from the kind we
are familiar with. As these old relics were in the attic and were
considered valueless, she got them for a very small sum.

While Polly was bargaining for these trifles, Eleanor was in the
grandmother's room looking at several marvelous patch-work quilts. The
old dame told Eleanor the story connected with each quilt; and one, the
unusual one of silk pieces, as well as worsteds, patched in with calico,
velvet and other odd materials, was said to be made of a collection of
famous bits from gowns worn by the ladies of Revolutionary Days.

How the old grand-dame ever came into possession of such a valuable
quilt, was beyond Eleanor's comprehension. Then Polly and the house-wife
joined her, and Polly was shown the quilt.

"How very interesting," remarked she.

"Yes, and I'll tell you how it came about," explained Mrs. Johnson.
"We've always lived on this place, and when the Army passed this way, our
folks helped out in all sorts of ways.

"During the winter that General Washington and his Lady were stationed at
Morristown, there was lots of doings all about the county. You'll read in
the history of Lady Washington, how she was entertained by the first
families about here--the Fords, the Footes, and others.

"Our great-grandmother was a fine needlewoman and went about to the
houses making gowns and cloaks for the ladies. She always saved the
scraps of silk and stuff that was wasted, and of these she patched
several quilts. On the back of each bit of these materials, she pasted
little book-muslin tickets that had t