to America for some."

"Well," said I, "that shows what I said. Let there be only a hearty call
for an article, and it will come. These spirits of the vasty deep are
not so very far off, after all, as we may imagine, and women's unions
and leagues will lead to inquiries and demands which will as infallibly
bring supplies as a vacuum will create a draught of air."

"But, at least, there are no ribbons made in America," said Miss
Featherstone.

"Pardon, my lady, there is a ribbon-factory now in operation in Boston,
and ribbons of every color are made in New York; there is also in the
vicinity of Boston a factory which makes Roman scarfs. This shows that
the faculty of weaving ribbons is not wanting to us Americans, and a
zealous patronage would increase the supply.

"As to silks and satins, I am not going to pretend that they are to be
found here. It is true, there are silk manufactories, like that of the
Cheneys in Connecticut, where very pretty foulard dress-silks are made,
together with sewing-silk enough to supply a large demand. Enough has
been done to show that silks might be made in America; but at present,
as compared with Europe, we claim neither silks nor thread laces among
our manufactures.

"But what then? These are not necessaries of life. Ladies can be very
tastefully dressed in other fabrics besides silks. There are many pretty
American dress-goods which the leaders of fashion might make
fashionable; and certainly no leader of fashion could wish to dress for
a nobler object than to aid her country in deadly peril.

"It is not a life-pledge, not a total abstinence, that is asked,--only a
temporary expedient to meet a stringent crisis. Surely, women whose
exertions in Sanitary Fairs have created an era in the history of the
world will not shrink from so small a sacrifice for so obvious a good.

"Here is something in which every individual woman can help. Every
woman who goes into a shop and asks for American goods renders an
appreciable aid to our cause. She expresses her opinion and her
patriotism; and her voice forms a part of that demand which shall arouse
and develop the resources of her country. We shall learn to know our own
country. We shall learn to respect our own powers,--and every branch of
useful labor will spring and flourish under our well-directed efforts.
We shall come out of our great contest, not bedraggled, ragged, and
poverty-stricken, but developed, instructed, and rich. Then will