/ was then taken from the reel and ready for dyeing. For colors, onion skins were used to give orange and yellow shades, beets and sumac buds gave red, green was from carrot tops or other greenery, goldenrod blossoms gave a bright shade of yellow, moss and birch bark gave 'a fawn shade, hemlock and alder bark boiled with mass resulted in brown. After the dyeing process, it was ready to be woven. Though many women did their own weaving on a loom usually kept in an upstairs room, or in a barn loft, sometimes a professional weaver would come and weave the cloth for several families. It was then ready for sewing into clothing or bedding.

FROLICS-BEES—QUILTING PARTIES

Though there was much hard physical work in the old days, many sociable hours were spent at the frolics and bees, which had a twofold purpose-to get necessary work done, such as house or barn building, and the evenings after were given over to music and dancing, after the women had provided the hard workers with bounteous dinners and suppers. The ladies often gathered on their own for quilting and hooking mats, ac— complishing a great deal of work while at the same time enioying a sociable afternoon and evening.

AUTOMOBILES

Because horseless carriages frightened horses and caused runaways and accidents, automobiles were forbidden on the Island until about 1912. In 1913 there were 26 cars and trucks on the Island. But horses were very frightened, and 6 runaways in one day were recorded in Summerside. A law was passed that automobiles could only be driven three days a week. Farmers then knew when it was safe to drive to town with their horses. This law ended about 1917, but on market days some roads were forbidden to automobiles. First car in Central was bought by Robert Barrett.

MAKING SOAP

During the year the women saved fat and grease for making soap. On soap making day, a big pot was put over an outdoor fireplace. Into the pot went all the fat and grease that had been saved during the year. Lye made from soaking hardwood ashes in water was added and when the mixture was thick enough, it was poured into tubs to cool. If hard soap were needed, salt would be added to the boiling mixture. When the soap hardened, it was cut into squares.

HOUSES

First homes were made of logs with the spaces between filled with mass and chips. Some were thatched with birch bark, some were roofed with boards, and some were shingled. The inside walls were usually covered with boards, a few were plastered. There were only three or four windows, and they were hot in summer and cold in winter, as the only heat

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