Which Way Did He Go?

    

TQL challenged  you in the February issue to use your imagination.
The man is missing from the Bird of Paradise quilt top on page 55, even though he was in the picture when the newspaper templates, above, were made. Why? You had so many creative answers it was challenging for us to select three favorites!
Each of our clever winners will receive a copy of the beautiful new book QUILTS: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum from the publisher, Rizzoli.

The Scandal!

Daily True American, April 3, 1863

After being tried for murdering James Lippincott, of Poughkeepsie, Charles Batchelder escaped from prison and subsequently tried to commit suicide.  On April 3, Batchelder paid the fearful penalty of death.  Great excitement prevailed in the city during the day.  The culprit made no confession, and met his fate with great courage.  The End

(ripped from the headlines, names changed to protect the guilty)

by Candy Prudhomme

 Some Things Never Change

Sarah gazed at the unfinished quilt top. 

The only unfinished block was Johnathan's. She realized that he wasn't coming back. She hadn't heard from him in over a year. Becky's husband and Joanna's brother had returned from the war. He should have been home by now....  

Her heart breaking, Sarah decided to finish the quilt anyway. She would use the Hannibal elephant block she designed when the circus passed through town last spring.  Elephants never forget, do they?  

As for Johnathan.....he survived the war, but refused to ask for directions and got lost on his way home! 

by Deborah Bloom

 Good Husband

Robins, redbirds,

emus, too –

A hen, her cock-a-

doodle do.

Cat and hound dog

bark and mew –

Of owls and ponies,

not a few.

Peacocks, blackbirds,

in they flew –

An elephant ! Oh,

what a zoo!

So when a caller

came to woo

And said, my dear, what

can I do?

By this I found his

love is true –

He’s busy out there

scooping poo.                                  

by Pat Mitchell