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Java Data Mining: Strategy,
Standard, and Practice
The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Data Management Systems
Series Editor: Jim Gray, Microsoft Research
Java Data Mining: Strategy, Standard, and Practice Information Visualization in Data Mining and Readings in Database Systems, Third Edition
Mark F. Hornick, Erik Marcadé, and Sunil Venkayala Knowledge Discovery Edited by Michael Stonebraker and Joseph M.
Edited by Usama Fayyad, Georges G. Grinstein, Hellerstein
Joe Celko’s Analytics and OLAP in SQL and Andreas Wierse
Joe Celko Understanding SQL’s Stored Procedures: A Complete
Transactional Information Systems: Theory, Guide to SQL/PSM
Data Preparation for Data Mining Using SAS Algorithms, and Practice of Concurrency Control and Jim Melton
Mamdouh Refaat Recovery
Gerhard Weikum and Gottfried Vossen Principles of Multimedia Database Systems
Querying XML: XQuery, XPath, and SQL/XML in V. S. Subrahmanian
Context Spatial Databases: With Application to GIS
Jim Melton and Stephen Buxton Philippe Rigaux, Michel Scholl, and Agnès Voisard Principles of Database Query Processing for Advanced
Applications
Data Mining: Concepts and Techniques, Second Information Modeling and Relational Databases: Clement T. Yu and Weiyi Meng
Edition From Conceptual Analysis to Logical Design
Jiawei Han and Micheline Kamber Terry Halpin Advanced Database Systems
Carlo Zaniolo, Stefano Ceri, Christos Faloutsos,
Database Modeling and Design: Logical Design, Component Database Systems Richard T. Snodgrass, V. S. Subrahmanian, and
Fourth Edition Edited by Klaus R. Dittrich and Andreas Geppert Roberto Zicari
Toby J. Teorey, Sam S. Lightstone, and Thomas
P. Nadeau Managing Reference Data in Enterprise Databases: Principles of Transaction Processing
Binding Corporate Data to the Wider World Philip A. Bernstein and Eric Newcomer
Foundations of Multidimensional and Metric Data Malcolm Chisholm
Structures Using the New DB2: IBM’s Object-Relational
Hanan Samet Understanding SQL and Java Together: A Guide to Database System
SQLJ, JDBC, and Related Technologies Don Chamberlin
Joe Celko’s SQL for Smarties: Advanced SQL Jim Melton and Andrew Eisenberg
Programming, Third Edition Distributed Algorithms
Joe Celko Database: Principles, Programming, and Performance, Nancy A. Lynch
Second Edition
Moving Objects Databases Patrick and Elizabeth O’Neil Active Database Systems: Triggers and Rules For
Ralf Hartmut Güting and Markus Schneider Advanced Database Processing
The Object Data Standard: ODMG 3.0 Edited by Jennifer Widom and Stefano Ceri
Joe Celko’s SQL Programming Style Edited by R. G. G. Cattell and Douglas K. Barry
Joe Celko Migrating Legacy Systems: Gateways, Interfaces, & the
Data on the Web: From Relations to Semistructured Incremental Approach
Data Mining, Second Edition: Concepts and Data and XML Michael L. Brodie and Michael Stonebraker
Techniques Serge Abiteboul, Peter Buneman, and Dan Suciu
Ian Witten and Eibe Frank Atomic Transactions
Data Mining: Practical Machine Learning Tools and Nancy Lynch, Michael Merritt, William Weihl, and
Fuzzy Modeling and Genetic Algorithms for Data Techniques with Java Implementations Alan Fekete
Mining and Exploration Ian Witten and Eibe Frank
Earl Cox Query Processing for Advanced Database Systems
Joe Celko’s SQL for Smarties: Advanced SQL Edited by Johann Christoph Freytag, David Maier,
Data Modeling Essentials, Third Edition Programming, Second Edition and Gottfried Vossen
Graeme C. Simsion and Graham C. Witt Joe Celko
Transaction Processing: Concepts and Techniques
Location-Based Services Joe Celko’s Data and Databases: Concepts in Practice Jim Gray and Andreas Reuter
Jochen Schiller and Agnès Voisard Joe Celko
Building an Object-Oriented Database System: The
Database Modeling with Microsft® Visio for Developing Time-Oriented Database Applications Story of O2
Enterprise Architects in SQL Edited by François Bancilhon, Claude Delobel, and
Terry Halpin, Ken Evans, Patrick Hallock, and Richard T. Snodgrass Paris Kanellakis
Bill Maclean
Web Farming for the Data Warehouse Database Transaction Models for Advanced
Designing Data-Intensive Web Applications Richard D. Hackathorn Applications
Stephano Ceri, Piero Fraternali, Aldo Bongio, Marco Edited by Ahmed K. Elmagarmid
Brambilla, Sara Comai, and Maristella Matera Management of Heterogeneous and Autonomous
Database Systems A Guide to Developing Client/Server SQL
Mining the Web: Discovering Knowledge from Edited by Ahmed Elmagarmid, Marek Applications
Hypertext Data Rusinkiewicz, and Amit Sheth Setrag Khoshafian, Arvola Chan, Anna Wong, and
Soumen Chakrabarti Harry K. T. Wong
Object-Relational DBMSs: Tracking the Next Great
Advanced SQL: 1999—Understanding Object- Wave, Second Edition The Benchmark Handbook for Database and
Relational and Other Advanced Features Michael Stonebraker and Paul Brown, with Transaction Processing Systems, Second Edition
Jim Melton Dorothy Moore Edited by Jim Gray
Database Tuning: Principles, Experiments, and A Complete Guide to DB2 Universal Database Camelot and Avalon: A Distributed Transaction Facility
Troubleshooting Techniques Don Chamberlin Edited by Jeffrey L. Eppinger, Lily B. Mummert,
Dennis Shasha and Philippe Bonnet and Alfred Z. Spector
Universal Database Management: A Guide to Object/
SQL: 1999—Understanding Relational Language Relational Technology Readings in Object-Oriented Database Systems
Components Cynthia Maro Saracco Edited by Stanley B. Zdonik and David Maier
Jim Melton and Alan R. Simon
Java Data Mining: Strategy,
Standard, and Practice
A Practical Guide for Architecture,
Design, and Implementation
Mark F. Hornick
Erik Marcadé
Sunil Venkayala
Preface xvii
Guide to Readers xxi
Part I – Strategy 1
vii
viii Contents
4.3 Regression 89
4.4 Attribute Importance 91
4.5 Association 93
4.6 Clustering 97
4.7 Summary 100
References 101
xvii
xviii Preface
Acknowledgments
We first want to acknowledge the Java Data Mining expert group
members who participated in the long process required to produce
the JSR-73 standard. Their unwavering support through weekly con-
ference calls and face-to-face meetings over the 4 years of the stan-
dards development is greatly appreciated. We also acknowledge the
additional contributions of Hankil Yoon, Ka Kit Chan, Jim Dadashev,
and Somesh Marepalli to the Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK)
implementation, and Marwane Jai Lamimi to the Reference Imple-
mentation (RI).
We are very grateful for the general and specialist input provided
by Frank Byrum, Jim Melton, and Osmar Zaiane on the developing
manuscript. Over the past year, their detailed comments on both
structure and content were a tremendous asset. We thank Jacek
Myczkowski and Don Deutsch for their valuable comments on the
final manuscript, as well as their support of the standards efforts for
JSR-73 and JSR-247 at Oracle. We thank the JDM expert group mem-
bers Michal Prussak, Alex Russakovsky, and Michael Smith who also
provided valuable comments on the final manuscript, and David
Urena and Samy Mechiri who contributed to the source code used in
Part III of this book.
Of course, all remaining errors (which we expect exist despite care-
ful review) are entirely our responsibility.
We offer our appreciation and gratitude to the wonderful people at
Morgan Kaufmann Publishers as they guided us through the process
of book writing and publishing. We thank Jim Melton, one of our
reviewers, for putting us in contact with Diane Cerra, our talented
and patient publisher, to begin this journey. We thank Diane, Asma
Palmeiro, Misty Bergeron, Marilyn Rash, and Bruce Siebert who
worked to make this book possible.
Guide to Readers
xxi
xxii Guide to Readers
about concepts to understand the JDM API and how to develop data
mining solutions.
Part II will familiarize developers with JDM concepts and the API.
Readers of this part are required to know the Java language, Object
Oriented Programming, the Unified Modeling Language and XML to
understand the Java examples, API design concepts, JDM XML
schema, and web services. This part introduces JDM concepts using
examples, describes the design and usage of the Java API, and illus-
trates the Java Data Mining XML schema and web services interfaces.
Part III describes the use of the JDM API in practice with sample
applications and detailed code examples both for the Java and web
services API. It also provides JDM vendor implementation details
and explains the process for other data mining vendors in adopting
the JDM standard.
After reading this book, we expect the data mining knowledge
gap between developers and data analysts will be greatly reduced to
help them communicate more effectively when developing a data
mining solution.
"Emily!" said her mother, rousing her little girl from a sound sleep, as
she spoke; "Emily! Do you know it is nearly eight o'clock?"
"Oh! it is time enough, mamma," said Emily, starting up as she
spoke; "it struck eight o'clock before I was out of bed yesterday
morning; and yet I was in the school-room some minutes before the
bell rang."
"But if you trifle in that way, it will be nine o'clock before you are out
of this room," continued her mother; as Emily, taking hold of her
little night-gown, instead of a frock, began to practice her dancing
steps. "You see, my dear, you have yet only got your stockings and
shoes on; so, at this rate, it will certainly take you more than an
hour to finish your dressing."
"Oh! indeed you are mistaken, mamma, you will see how soon I
shall be out of the room," and roused to recollection by this
remonstrance, the rest of her dressing was very quickly finished. Her
breakfast too was despatched with equal rapidity. "Now I am ready,"
said she, starting from her chair, and putting on her little brown
beaver hat as she spoke; "and now for my coat; but stop," she
continued, throwing her coat carelessly over her arm; "I have not
my bag: Where is it, I wonder? Oh! I remember! I left it in the
piazza when I went to look what sort of a morning it was;" and off
she went, dragging her coat, which still hung over her arm, after
her; and on the piazza she found her bag, mittens, one of her
books, and slate, all lying as she had thrown them out of her hand,
to run after some trifle that had at the moment attracted her
attention; but as she took up her bag with the intention of putting
her book and slate into it, her favourite kitten, which had followed
her to the piazza, running after her coat as it dragged after her
along the floor, now caught at the bag, and tugged and scratched at
it, as if it had been intended entirely for its amusement. This was too
congenial with Emily's own frolicsome disposition to be resisted, and
there she stood, at one moment drawing the bag away, and the next
throwing it back again to the sportive little animal. And we must be
permitted here to pause and describe our little friend, as she looked
while thus engaged. It was one of those fine mild mornings, which
of late years we have so often witnessed in the very depth of winter,
and the sun, which had just risen, sent forth his beams to gild the
landscape behind her, defining her figure more clearly by the
contrast. To the eye of fancy and affection, that rising sun might
have been thought to represent her whose orb like his own was just
rising; and though a few mists yet obscured the bright rays of mind
which had already begun to beam, yet no one could look at the face,
which, though not formed according to any of the acknowledged
rules of beauty, was bright with innocence, animation, and
happiness, without feeling assured, that as it gained its meridian
heights, it would shine forth with pure, unclouded lustre, and
prepare the way for a clear and glorious evening. Though Emily, as
she thus stood, presented a picture that a painter might study, it
was but of short duration, for whilst she yet played with her
favourite, the clock struck nine, and at once recalled the little girl to
a recollection of her folly. "Oh! what shall I do?" she exclaimed. "It is
nine o'clock, and I am not ready. Get away, kitty! do not come near
me again," she continued, as the kitten, which had received no
warning from the stroke of the clock, still tried to catch at the strings
of the bag whilst she was putting in its usual contents; "get away!
for if you had not come near me, I should not have staid so long. I
should not have been tempted with any thing else. Oh! how hard my
coat is to get on this morning. I cannot tell what is the matter with
this hook and eye! it will not fasten. Yes! now it is fastened and I
must run." But though poor Emily did run, and put herself into a
most violent heat; and though she went into the school-room puffing
and blowing, the words, as she entered, of "Miss Emily Osman—you
are too late," told her at once that all chance of visiting her friend
Mrs. Cassy was over.
A few tears chased each other silently down her cheek, as she took
her seat at her desk, and for the rest of the day it was little effort to
poor Emily to be silent and attentive. Julia tried a thousand ways to
excite a smile, but in vain; for the idea that she had not only
deprived herself of so much pleasure for the morrow, but had
disappointed her mamma and appeared ungrateful to Mrs. Cassy for
her kindness, weighed on her mind, and every now and then filled
her eyes with tears. "Do not cry, Emily, I beg of you," said Julia, as
they returned home together, after the school hours were over, "I
am quite sure your mamma will let you go to Mrs. Cassy's, after all. I
feel quite certain of it, for you know this is almost the last day we
have to be together; and I am sure she could not find in her heart to
deprive you of the pleasure for such a trifle."
"No! my mamma never changes her mind after she has promised me
any thing," said Emily, "and I am glad she does not, because it
always makes me sure that if I am good I shall get the reward I
expect."
"Oh! well, but she may change her mind just about such a little trifle
as that, after all," returned Julia.
"I am quite sure she will not," was Emily's quiet reply, and the
friends parted, as their roads now lay in different directions. As Emily
entered the house, she felt almost ashamed of meeting her mamma,
and she blushed at the idea of the reluctance which she felt; but she
soon found that, for the present at least, she was saved the pain of
seeing her, for she was told that a very short time after she went to
school, her mother had been sent for to a very particular friend, who
was dangerously ill, and that she was not yet returned. Emily always
thought the house very forlorn and dull when her mother was not in
it, but now that she was out of spirits herself, she felt it more so
than ever, and she hung about listless and uneasy, and unable to
enter into any of her usual amusements. She tried to sing, but her
voice was husky and out of tune. She began to practise her steps,
but it was impossible to dance without music, and Emily that day
had no music in her soul. She took out her baby, with the intention
of amusing herself with it, but it brought to her recollection the
pleasure she had expected to enjoy in playing with Mrs. Cassy's
baby the next day; and she put it aside, and forgot that she had
expected entertainment from it. Even her little kitten, which, from its
fondness for play, seemed to be so nearly allied to herself, played
with a ball of cotton, or ran after its own tail, round and round the
room, in vain; for Emily only recollected that it was it that had
tempted her to the neglect of her duty in the morning. "I wonder
when my mamma will come home," said she to herself, as the short
winter's day began to draw to a close. "I wish she would come that I
might see her, and hear her say that she forgives me, and will not
punish me any further than by not letting me go to Mrs. Cassy's. I
hope she will not look grave at me, for that will be worse than all. I
wish she would come that I might know at once what she would say.
Oh! perhaps that is she," added the little girl, starting up and
running to the window at the sound of the door bell; but it was too
dark for her to see who it was, and she was returning to the fireside,
when the room door opened and the servant brought in a letter,
which he said was for her. "For me!" cried Emily, in great surprise;
"who can have written to me? I never received a letter in my life
from any body." A lamp, however, was lighted, and the letter
opened, which proved to be from Julia, and, after spelling and
puzzling over it for a considerable time, Emily at length made out the
following epistle:
"My dear Emily,
"I have just heard that your mamma is not at home; and
I wanted to come round to you, but my aunt would not
let me. But I have sent you the ticket for good conduct,
which I got to-day, and you may call it your own. It will
not be cheating, you know, because you did behave very
well at school, and then we shall meet at Mrs. Cassy's to-
morrow, which will be delightful; for you know it is almost
the last day that we can be together, before I go away.
"Your affectionate friend,
"Julia."
Julia, who was nearly two years older than Emily, had written this
letter with much more ease than her friend could read it. She, at
last, however, succeeded in deciphering it; and, after having made
herself fully acquainted with its contents, she took the ticket which
was enclosed in it, and putting it very carefully by, as deliberately
put the letter into the fire. From that moment Emily's face began
gradually to brighten, her voice became less husky, and though she
did not jump and skip about as she was in the habit of doing, yet
she ceased to stretch and yawn, and wish the evening was over; and
her countenance, though more thoughtful than usual, was
expressive only of composure and satisfaction. The return of her
mamma, which she had sometimes wished for and sometimes
dreaded, now appeared to have become of less importance to her,
so that on finding, by her usual bed-time, that she was not yet come
home, she went very contentedly to bed, and was soon wrapped in
a sound sleep. Her first object, on waking in the morning, was to
ascertain whether her mother was yet returned, but finding that she
was not, she prepared to spend some more hours alone. Emily,
however, though a very little girl was able not only to read, but to
understand what she read; so that she could easily find amusement
from the variety of little books with which her mamma had supplied
her; and this made the morning pass over very comfortably, till
about twelve o'clock, when she began to feel very anxious for her
mother's return. It seemed a long time since she had seen her; she
did not remember, ever in her life having been so long absent from
her before, and she sighed and wondered when she would come. At
length she heard some one open the front door, and come along the
entry; and her little heart began to beat at the idea of meeting her
mother. The door opened, but instead of her mamma, Julia entered,
very prettily dressed, and evidently prepared for her visit.
"Why, Emily!" she exclaimed, as she came forward, "not dressed yet!
I expected to find you ready to go."
"Go where?" asked the little girl.
"Why, to Mrs. Cassy's to be sure. Where else could I mean?"
"You know I am not going to Mrs. Cassy's."
"Why not? has your mamma found out that the ticket was mine?"
"I have not seen my mamma since yesterday morning. She has
never been at home yet."
"Then why are you not going? You have no need to wait for her to
give you leave to go, when you know she said you should go if you
could bring her a ticket for good conduct, each day; and you can
show her one when she comes home."
"Yes! but not one of my own."
"Yes! it is your own, for I have given it to you."
"But it is not gained by my own good behaviour."
"But you deserved to have one, for you never behaved better in
school, in your life, than you did yesterday morning. You only lost
your ticket for being a very few minutes too late, and therefore, it
will not be cheating at all, to tell your mamma that you behaved
well." Happily, however, for Emily, there had been so much pains
taken to impress upon her mind, from her earliest dawn of thought,
a nice distinction between truth and falsehood, that she was not to
be deceived by this false reasoning of her friend, whose mind having
been less carefully guarded, had adopted the error, so common with
young people, that equivocation is not falsehood. Julia imagined that
she would be as unwilling to tell an untruth as Emily herself could
be, but she did not consider that a habit of equivocation is as
obnoxious as falsehood itself, to that nice sense of honour, which
can alone preserve the mind pure and untainted. She had not been
taught, with sufficient care, to know, that, though she told a part of
what was true, she was yet equally guilty of the crime of falsehood,
as long as what she said was dictated by a wish to deceive. Emily,
though so much younger, had, therefore, arrived at much greater
maturity in the art of reasoning, and had imbibed, even at that early
age, an ardent love of truth, and a keen contempt for the meanness
of deceit; and she replied, in a quiet but steady voice: "Though I did
behave well in school, I should still be cheating, if I made my
mamma believe that I got a ticket for good behaviour, and that
would take away all the pleasure of the visit;" and, as she spoke,
she took the ticket from the place in which she had deposited it,
with the intention of giving it to its right owner; but, whilst she held
it in her hand, the parlour door opened, and Mrs. Osman entered
the room. The moment Emily saw her mother, the recollection of her
own fault rose to her mind, and checked the pleasure with which she
would otherwise have welcomed her return, and the constraint of
her manner was immediately observed by her watchful parent.
"What is the matter, Emily, my dear?" asked she anxiously. "I see by
the ticket in your hand, that you have succeeded in gaining your
promised reward, and yet you do not appear to be in your usual
spirits." Emily's countenance became still more agitated, whilst the
colour of her face and neck, the skin of which readily told, by its
varying hue, the different fluctuations of her feelings, proved that a
severe conflict was passing within. To allow her mother to remain in
the error of supposing the ticket to be her own, was impossible: yet
how was she to explain the fact of its being Julia's, without exposing
the fault of her friend? for she knew that her mamma's first question
would be, "what had she to do with Julia's ticket?"
"What is the matter, my dear?" again asked the anxious mother, "is
there any objection, which I am ignorant of, to your going to Mrs.
Cassy's to-day?"
"Mamma, I have no right at all to go," replied Emily, almost
trembling with agitation as she spoke.
"Why not? You got your ticket yesterday I see."
"No, mamma, I did not! This is not my ticket."
"What ticket is it then? for I have all your others." Emily was silent,
and her agitation increased to a degree that was very painful to
observe; but Julia, who possessed a mind, which, though some
noxious weeds had been permitted to spring up in it, was yet
adorned with the rich and beautiful flowers of generosity and
affection, saw and understood her distress, and determined to
relieve her even at the pain of exposing herself; and therefore said,
"I will tell you, ma'am, all about it; for, although it was not very good
in me, it was so very good in Emily, that I know you will reward her
for it." She then related the circumstance of the ticket very simply,
without attempting either to excuse or extenuate her own conduct,
though she did full justice to the integrity and honourable behaviour
of her friend. Whilst Julia was speaking, Emily watched her mother's
countenance with an expression of great anxiety, and the moment
she had ceased, she turned to her and said, in a timid and
supplicating voice, "Mamma, do not be angry with Julia!"
"As Julia is now to be so short a time among us, Emily, I will take no
further notice of her conduct, but will leave it to the animadversions
of her own breast," replied Mrs. Osman, gravely.
"But you will let Emily go to Mrs. Cassy's," said Julia eagerly. "You
will surely, Mrs. Osman, reward her for behaving so well."
"I hope, Julia, that though Emily is so young a child, she yet knows
too well that it is her duty to be honest, to expect any other reward
for being so, than that which she has already secured to herself."
"But it is so trifling a fault that she lost her ticket for," remonstrated
Julia.
"It was indeed a trifle, and her having so very nearly succeeded this
time, gives me hopes that she will be wholly successful the next
time."
"O! yes, I am sure, ma'am, if you will let her go to-day she will be
more careful the next time."
"I am of a different opinion, Julia," replied Mrs. Osman, smiling;
"and believe that this lesson, which I now hope will be of service to
Emily as long as she lives, would be lost entirely, were she not to
suffer the punishment for her fault that she knows it deserves."
"But ought she not to be rewarded for being good too? and if she is
not allowed to go she will have no reward at all."
"Oh! yes, I shall," interrupted Emily, who read, in her mother's
countenance, the approbation which she felt of her conscientious
conduct, "I shall have reward enough."
"Yes, Emily," replied her mother, "you will have the best of all
rewards, a self-approving mind; and I should be sorry to weaken its
effects by seeming to think that any further reward is necessary for
your having done your duty." But Emily showed that she did not
consider any thing more necessary to reward her for the part which
she had acted, and she saw her friend go to pay her visit to Mrs.
Cassy without a sigh; for though exceedingly sorry not to
accompany her, she felt an inward consciousness of having acted
properly, that made every thing appear cheerful and pleasant around
her. The day passed delightfully, therefore, though no particular
pains were taken to amuse her; for her mother was afraid, if she
indulged in any extraordinary expressions of approbation, she might
lead her little girl to imagine that she had performed some wonderful
act of virtue, instead of having merely done her duty. What Emily
had done, however, had been done purely because she knew it to be
right, and not for the sake of admiration or reward. The approbation
of her own conscience was all that she required; and, with such a
companion, she felt no difficulty in spending a delightful Christmas
day. Her voice, when she sung, had never, to her own ear at least,
sounded so well; nor had her feet ever before fallen so lightly on the
floor, as they did when she skipped about; and as to her little kitten,
though it had brought her into trouble, it was now forgiven, and
they ran about the room together, as if trying to show, by their light
and sportive movements, how graceful and beautiful a thing is the
union of childhood and innocence.
M. H.
THE LITTLE GIRL AND HER KITTEN.
THE KITTEN.
THE QUILTING.
"Only think, Charlotte," said Marianne Glanvil, on entering the
chamber where her sister was endeavouring to get through a warm
afternoon in August, by lolling on the bed in a loose gown,—"Susan
Davison has just been here with an invitation for us."
Charlotte.—And pray, who is Susan Davison?
Marianne.—The daughter of farmer Davison up the creek. We met
her at Trenchard's the day we were obliged to drink tea there.
Charlotte.—I wonder how you can remember their names, or
theirselves either: I am sure I do not know one of these people from
another, and I never wish to know.
Marianne.—But this Susan Davison is really not so bad. She is
diffident enough, to be sure, but is rather less awkward and uncouth
than the generality of country girls.
Charlotte.—To me they are all alike; I do not profess to understand
the varieties of the species.
Marianne.—Well, I was going to tell you, that after a sitting of half
an hour, Susan Davison, as she rose to depart, uttered an invitation
to her quilting to-morrow.
Charlotte.—And what is a quilting?
Marianne.—Now, I am sure you must have heard of quiltings. It is
an assemblage of all the females in the neighbourhood, for the
purpose of quilting, in one afternoon, a whole patch-work bed-cover.
Charlotte.—I shall certainly not go. I never quilted any thing in my
life, and I hate the sight of a patch-work bed-cover.
Marianne.—But my father and mother were in the parlour, and
promised at once that we should both go.
Charlotte.—How vexatious! Was it not enough, after being educated
at the most genteel boarding school in the city, and accustomed only
to polished society, to be brought to live at this remote place, where
my father has thought proper to purchase an iron-foundry, but we
are required also to be civil to the country people, and interchange
visits with them? I almost think my father intends being a candidate
for the assembly next election, or he never would take the trouble to
make himself agreeable to the farmers and their families.
Marianne.—You know, he thinks it is always desirable to be popular
with our neighbours.
Charlotte.—That is what I shall never be, unless my neighbours are
popular with me.
Marianne.—Now, for my part, I like very well to astonish them by
the elegance of my dress, and by my various accomplishments. I am
going to put my lace sleeves in my new palmyrene frock, purposely
to wear at this quilting.
Charlotte.—It is well worth your while to take that trouble, when the
worst dress you have is too good for such company. I shall do quite
the contrary, to let them see how little I care for them.
Marianne.—Then you will displease my father.
Charlotte.—Is it necessary that he should know it? I am sure my
mother will never tell him, and for her own part, she never opposes
us in any thing. However, if I must be at this quilting, I shall take
care to make the time as short as possible, for I will go late and
come away early.
Marianne.—Susan Davison said, she hoped we would be there by
two o'clock, which I suppose will be the usual hour of assembling.
Charlotte.—Two o'clock! Go to a party at two o'clock! Why the wild
Indians could not be more uncouth on such an occasion!
Marianne.—I doubt whether the wild Indians have any quiltings. But
go we must, as my father and mother at once accepted the
invitation for us.
Charlotte.—How unlucky that they happened to be present!
The next day, between one and two o'clock, the Miss Glanvils saw
numerous young girls ride by on horseback, on their way to Andrew
Davison's which was about two miles from the iron works. "Now,"
remarked Marianne, "these poor girls must have hurried to get their
dinners over before twelve, that they might have time to be drest
and mounted by one o'clock."
"But why," asked Charlotte, "do they all wear striped linen skirts with
silk bodies and sleeves?"
"Oh!" replied Marianne, "you surely know that those are their riding-
skirts; a sort of petticoat made of thick homespun linen, which they
tie on over the skirts of their silk frocks to keep them clean while
riding."
"You seem to be well versed in all their ways," said Charlotte,
contemptuously.
It was five o'clock, however, before the Miss Glanvils were ready to
set out for the quilting, as Charlotte took her usual afternoon's nap,
and Marianne occupied two hours in dressing; arraying herself in her
straw-coloured palmyrene with lace sleeves, and ornamenting her
hair (which was a mass of curls) with a profusion of yellow flowers
and gauze ribbon. She put on all her jewels, and sewed her white
kid gloves to her lace sleeves, which were confined at the wrists with
three bracelets each. She had embroidered silk stockings, and white
satin shoes, and threw over her shoulders a splendid scarf of various
colours. This dress she had worn at a boarding school ball, shortly
before the family removed into the country. Nothing could be a
greater contrast than the appearance of the two sisters as they got
into the carriage; for Charlotte persevered in going to the quilting in
a pink gingham, her hair merely tucked behind her ears with two
side combs.
Their mother slightly disapproved of both their dresses, but as soon
as they were gone thought of something else.
In a short time the Miss Glanvils arrived at Andrew Davison's, and
found the quilting going on in the vast stone barn, which had been
put in order for the purpose. They were conducted to the barn by
young Davison, the farmer's eldest son, who had assisted them out
of the carriage, and were met at the entrance by Susan, who
received them with much respect, as being the two greatest
strangers of the party. The guests were all sitting round the quilting
frame busily at work. They looked with some surprise at the two
sisters so very differently habited, but no remark was made, even in
a whisper.
Charlotte declined taking a chair at the frame, saying, she knew
nothing about quilting, and seated herself in a most inconvenient
place at the head of the quilt, very much in the way of a young girl
that could not draw out her arm in consequence of the vicinity of
Miss Glanvil, who saw that she incommoded her, but made no offer
to move. Marianne, however, advanced to the frame, and dislodging
three or four girls, who rose to make room for her and her immense
frock, which was flounced far above her knees, she took out of her
reticule an elegant little ivory work box, and laying down beside it a
perfumed and embroidered cambric handkerchief, and a tortoise-
shell fan, she most pompously set to work with her gloves on. She
found this way of quilting very inconvenient, and as her gloves could
only be taken off by ripping them from her sleeves, she begged,
with an air of the most condescending affability, to be excused from
the quilting; and then removed to a seat beside her sister. Charlotte
threw herself back in her chair, and putting her feet on the bars of
another, sat drumming with her fingers on the quilt and humming a
French song.
The other guests, though they all had too much civility to stare as
steadily as the Miss Glanvils expected, stole occasional glances of
surprise and curiosity at the sisters; one so overdrest and affecting
so much condescension, the other insulting them by coming in
dishabille, and setting at defiance even the most common rules of
politeness.
There sat at the quilt a very pretty young girl, with her dark hair
curling on her temples in natural ringlets. She wore a white muslin
frock, with a worked cape, and a broad pink ribbon on her neck,
which was beautifully white. Her figure was very good, though
rather plump than otherwise, and her cheeks had the bloom of
roses. She seemed to be acquainted with all the company, and
talked pleasantly and sensibly to every one, without any air of
superiority, or any affectation of graciousness. She quilted
assiduously and neatly, and assisted with great skill in the various
operations of rolling, stretching, and pinning the quilt. The sisters did
not distinguish and did not ask her surname, but they heard every
one call her Fanny.
Shortly after the arrival of the Miss Glanvils, the two younger
daughters of farmer Davison, on a signal from their sister Susan,
went to a table which stood in a corner of the barn, and removing a
cloth which had been lightly thrown over it, disclosed several large
custards and three sorts of fruit pies, peach, plum, and apple. The
pastry being already cut up, was very soon transferred to as many
plates as there were guests, every plate containing a piece of
custard and three slices of pie, one of each sort.
These plates were handed to the company on small waiters, by Jane
and Mary Davison, while Susan remained near the quilt and invited
her guests to eat; every one being expected to taste all the varieties
on their plate. The Glanvils exchanged significant looks.
"Is it puff-paste?" said Charlotte, speaking for the first time, and
touching a piece of pie with the point of her knife.
"I believe not," replied Susan, colouring, "none of our family
understand making puff-paste; but I know mother did her best to
have this as short and crisp as possible. Please to try some of it."
"I thank you," answered Charlotte, coldly, "I am very careful of my
teeth, and I am afraid to risk their coming in contact with hard
substances."
She commenced on a piece of the plum pie, but pointedly avoided
the paste, eating out all the fruit, and conspicuously laying aside the
crust. Marianne, however, found the pastry so palatable, that she
could scarcely refrain from eating the whole that was on her plate,
and she was not surprised to overhear the young girl they called
Fanny, praising it to another who sat next to her.
The presence of the Miss Glanvils evidently threw a restraint on the
whole company, except Fanny, who, to the great surprise of the
sisters, appeared perfectly at her ease all the time, and not in the
least awed by their superiority.
"Who can that girl be?" whispered Marianne to Charlotte.
"Some vulgar thing like the rest," answered Charlotte.
"I do not think her vulgar," said Marianne.
"I know no reason for supposing her otherwise," rejoined Charlotte.
"You know the proverb, 'Birds of a feather flock together.' See how
familiar she is with all of them. She knows every one of their names.
She must have been born and brought up with them. By their talk
she has been here since two o'clock."
About sunset the quilt was completed. The chalk-marks, and the
clippings of thread, were then carefully brushed off; a dozen scissors
were employed in ripping it from the frame, and two dozen hands
afterwards spread it to the full size, and shook it till the lofty roof of
the barn echoed the sound; which sound brought in near twenty
young men who had been lingering about the barn-door for the last
half hour, none of them having courage to venture within, except
Susan Davison's two brothers. They were all clean shaved, and in
their best clothes; some even had their hair curled, and the Miss
Glanvils now found occasion to whisper and titter at the costume of
the country beaux, particularly at their very fine waistcoats.
Soon after, one of the little girls came to announce that supper was
ready, which intelligence was repeated by Susan to the Miss Glanvils;
and her two brothers now came forward, each with a low bow, and
offered their arms to conduct the young ladies to the house, as they
had been previously tutored by their sister. The Miss Glanvils,
however, took no notice of the offered arms, and the young men,
much abashed, walked silently beside them. Fanny, escorted by the
old farmer, who had accosted her at the barn-door with great
cordiality, joined about midway in the procession, and they all
walked to the house, where supper was set out in the largest room.
The table was of immense size, with at each end a waiter, containing
an equipage for tea and coffee; Mrs. Davison presiding at one and
Susan at the other. The centre ornament was a roast pig, flanked by
dishes of stewed fowls, and the rest of the table was covered with
plates of pound cake, gingerbread, short cakes, doughnuts, rusk,
preserves, apple-sauce, fried ham, cream-cheese, and sage-cheese;
there being always four plates of each particular article, that a share
of all the various good things might be within the reach of every one
at table. William and Thomas Davison, assisted by several others of
the least bashful and most alert of the young men, stood behind the
chairs with waiters in their hands, and helped the females; their
father being the only man that took a seat at the table.
The Miss Glanvils sat together in solemn state; Marianne carefully
employed in defending her finery from the expected inroads of the
various things that were handed about in her neighbourhood; but
very much inclined to eat heartily of many of the tempting viands
that were before her, had she not been checked by the disapproving
looks of her sister.
It was with difficulty that Charlotte consented to be helped to any
thing, and uniformly after tasting it laid each article on the side of
her plate, as if unfit to eat. After she had taken a sip of tea she drew
back with a look of horror, and declaring it to be green tea, and that
she would not drink a cup of it for the world, she pushed it away
from her as far as possible.
She then requested some black tea, but unluckily there was none in
the house; and Mrs. Davison, much disconcerted, apologized in
great confusion, saying, that as black tea was not used in the
neighbourhood, she did not believe there was any to be had at the
store, or she would send and get some. She then asked if Miss
Glanvil would take a cup of coffee, but Charlotte replied that though
extravagantly fond of coffee in the morning, (always drinking three
cups,) she could not possibly touch it at night.
"Did you never drink green tea?" asked the farmer. "Certainly," she
replied in a disdainful tone, "I drank it always till black tea became
fashionable."
"Then," said the farmer, smiling, "if you have been drinking it all
your life till very lately, perhaps you might, if you were to try, make
out once more to swallow a cup of it on a pinch, and be none the
worse for it."
Charlotte looked much displeased, and sat back in her chair,
obstinately determined not to touch the green tea. Of course all the
Davison family felt and looked extremely uncomfortable, and they
would have been glad when the Miss Glanvils finally rose from table,
which they did shortly after, only that the rest of the company
thought it necessary to follow their example, and the feast prepared
with so much care and trouble was concluded in half the usual time.
The female guests were conducted to an adjoining room, while the
supper table was cleared away and then re-set exactly as before for
the young men.
Singing being proposed, Fanny was invited "to favour them with a
song." She consented at once, and inquired which of her songs they
would have. The simple and beautiful Scotch air of the Bonnie Boat
was named, and she sung it with a sweet clear voice and excellent
taste, though no attempt at ornament. The Miss Glanvils exchanged
glances and whispers.
The two young ladies were then respectfully requested to sing.
Charlotte refused at once, declaring that it was impossible to sing
without an instrument: but Marianne, eager to display her
knowledge of fashionable music, complied readily, and gave "Una
voce poco fa," with what she considered wonderful execution. As
soon as she had finished, Charlotte perceiving that the company,
though greatly amazed at first, had become much fatigued by this
unseasonable exhibition of Italian singing, and that it had not given
the least pleasure to any one, ill-naturedly proposed to her sister to
try "Di piacer," which she also got through, to the great annoyance
of the young men who had long before come in from the supper
room, and who were certainly not of a class to relish such songs as
are unintelligible to all but the initiated.
A black man now appeared with a fiddle, and took his seat in one of
the windows; there was a reinforcement of beaux, and the Miss
Glanvils found that a dance was to be the next amusement.
Marianne remarked, in a group of young men that had just entered
the room, one of remarkably genteel appearance and extremely
handsome. "Charlotte," said she, "look at that young gentleman in
black, talking to Tom Davison."
"I see no gentleman in the room," replied Charlotte, "and I do not
know Tom Davison from the other clowns."
"Oh! but this, I am certain, is really a gentleman," said Marianne, "I
wish he would ask me to dance."
"What!" exclaimed Charlotte, "would you actually join in a dance
with these people? Could you stand up with them and give them
your hand? And above all things, would you make one in a country-
dance, for of course they know nothing about cotillions?"
"Yes I would," answered Marianne, "with such a partner as that
young gentleman in black. And then, when they see my French
steps, how ashamed they will be of their own shuffling and
prancing."
Just then, Tom Davison, observing Marianne's eyes fixed with
evident approbation on the stranger in black, brought him up and
introduced him to her as Captain Selman; and on his requesting the
pleasure of dancing with her, she immediately consented with great
satisfaction. Tom Davison then, with a low bow and a look of much
embarrassment, ventured to make the same request of Charlotte,
who refused with an air of such unequivocal contempt, that the
youth determined in his own mind to leave her to herself for the
remainder of the evening.
The musician made three scrapes on his fiddle as a signal for every
one to take their places. "Of course," said Marianne, "we go to the
top," and Captain Selman led her to the head of the country dance
that was forming, while she lamented to him the sad necessity of
being obliged to join in such a dance, saying that she must depend
on him to give her some idea of the figure; and adding that he
would find her an apt scholar, as she was always considered very
quick at learning every thing.
The musician gave a loud stamp with his foot, and then struck up
New-Jersey; but observing that Charlotte stopped her ears in horror,
Marianne begged of her partner to go and ask the man if he could
not play something less barbarous. The man replied that New-Jersey
was the dancing tune he was most used to, but that he could play
the Morning Star and Fisher's Hornpipe quite as well. Marianne said
that she had heard her mother speak of dancing these things when
she was a girl, and therefore she was sure they must be abominable.
At last, after much sending of Captain Selman backwards and
forwards, and proposing tunes which she knew the poor fiddler had
never even heard of, it was ascertained that he thought he could
play "The Campbells are coming," having catched it, as he said, the
last time he was in town.
Captain Selman undertook to instruct the company in the figure,
which he did with great good humour, and they actually learnt it with
a quickness that surprised Marianne. She went down the dance
exhibiting all her most difficult steps, and affecting a wonderful
gracefulness in every motion. However, when she got to the bottom,
suspecting that this display had not excited quite as much
admiration as she had expected, she professed great fatigue, and
threw herself into a chair, declaring she could not dance another
step; and knowing that in consequence Captain Selman could do no
less than stand by and converse with her till the set was over.
"I do not see Susan Davison dancing," said Marianne, "she has been
sitting all the time beside my sister. She is rather a pretty girl; I
wonder none of the young men have taken her out."
"I made my bow to her soon after I came in," replied the Captain,
"but she declines dancing this evening, alleging that, being in her
own house, she is unwilling to take a place that might be occupied
by one of her friends."
"I suppose," said Marianne, abruptly, "your next partner will be the
young person they call Fanny, as she is certainly rather well-looking.
There she is, about the middle of the dance, with a broad pink
ribbon round her neck. Indeed, though my sister is of a contrary
opinion, I should be almost inclined to think this Fanny something of
a lady, only that she is so sociable with these people. To be sure, I
have tried myself to be affable this evening, but I find it such an
irksome task that I believe it will be my last attempt. Now it seems
quite natural to this said Fanny, which proves, as my sister Charlotte
says, that she is in reality no better than the rest. We think she must
be the daughter of one of these country store-keepers, and that she
has now and then had the benefit of a fortnight's polishing in the
city, while her father was buying his spring goods."
Captain Selman smiled, and was going to reply, when Charlotte
joined them, saying in a most peevish voice, "Marianne, do you
intend staying here all night? If you do, you must stay by yourself. I
have just heard our carriage drive up, for I charged William to come
for us early, and I am dying to get away."
Marianne, who would willingly have stayed longer, was about to
remonstrate, but finding that the Captain had escaped from her side,
she felt less reluctant to go. Charlotte made her exit without
ceremony, but Marianne purposely loitered till the dance was over,
that she might make her departure the more conspicuous, and
produce a great effect by her elegant manner of taking leave. She
then walked up to Mrs. Davison, and overwhelming the good woman
with curtseyings, bowings, compliments and flourishes, she left the
room, accompanied by Susan, to the chamber in which their shawls
and calashes had been deposited.
They were put into the carriage by Tom Davison, as his last effort of
civility. And it was resolved next day by the family in council, that the
Miss Glanvils should on no future occasion be invited; for, as Mrs.
Davison remarked, they held their heads quite too high, and their
airs were unbearable.
As they drove home, Charlotte, in the most unqualified terms,
expressed her disgust at the quilting-party, and every thing
connected with it. Marianne acknowledged that the whole concern,
as she called it, was very ungenteel, but still not quite so bad as she
had expected. She said that in her opinion Captain Selman would be
presentable even in good society, and expressed her surprise at
finding an officer at a quilting.
"Pho," said Charlotte, "he is only a militia captain, of course."
"No," replied Marianne, "I am very sure he is no such thing. If he
were a militia officer, he would undoubtedly have come to the party
in full uniform, booted and spurred, with epaulette, and chapeau and
feather, his sword at his side, and his sash spread out over his body
as broad as possible, and pinned up in a peak before and behind, as
I have heard my mother describe their costume. No, no; this officer
is in the regular army, and from something he said, I know he was
educated at West Point."
"Well," said Charlotte, "I doubt his being a man of fashion after all. I
observed him, after he left you, speaking familiarly to that Fanny as
if they were well acquainted. However, he did not seem to ask her to
dance, but he paid that compliment to one that sat near the door, a
poor bashful-looking girl, the worst dressed and least attractive in
the room."
The next day but one was Sunday. The church, which was about
three miles off, had been shut up, undergoing repairs ever since Mr.
Glanvil had removed to the iron-works, but it was now again opened
for worship, and the Glanvil family all repaired thither in their
carriage. On this occasion, Charlotte was as elegantly drest as her
sister; for having satisfied her perverseness by going in dishabille to
the quilting, she determined now to astonish the congregation by a
great display of finery at church.
As they passed up the middle aisle, the eyes of the Miss Glanvils
were attracted immediately to a handsome pew near the pulpit; in
which pew they saw Captain Selman, accompanied by Fanny, and an
elderly gentleman and lady, both of remarkably genteel and dignified
appearance. The two sisters, at the same moment, pulled each
other's sleeves significantly. They thought the service very long, and
as soon as church was over, Marianne asked her father if he knew
the occupants of the pew that was lined with blue moreen. He
replied, "They are the governor and his family. They have been
travelling all summer, and only returned last week. I called yesterday
to see them as I passed their house, which is about five miles from
ours." "Is it possible," exclaimed Charlotte, "that Fanny can be the
governor's daughter!" "Is Captain Selman the governor's son?" cried
Marianne.
"No," replied Mr. Glanvil. "The governor's name, you know, is Milford.
Captain Selman is the son of Mrs. Milford's first marriage, and Miss
Fanny Milford is his half-sister."
At the church-gate the governor's carriage was waiting beside Mr.
Glanvil's, and Mr. Milford stopped with his family to introduce them
to Mrs. Glanvil and her daughters. The Miss Glanvils looked much
embarrassed. Charlotte was ashamed that Miss Milford should have
witnessed her unamiable behaviour at the quilting, and Marianne
was shocked at recollecting the freedom with which she had talked
to Captain Selman of his step-sister. Their confusion was so evident,
that the Captain and Fanny, when introduced to the Miss Glanvils,
avoided making any allusion to having met them at farmer
Davison's.
But little was said on either side, and the disconcerted sisters were
glad to take refuge in the carriage.
On their way home, Charlotte expressed her surprise at the
condescension of the governor's family in deigning to be on visiting
terms with the farmer's.
"And why not?" said Mr. Glanvil. "Andrew Davison is a good citizen,
and a respectable, sensible and worthy man; and his children,
though he has wisely forborne to make any attempt at giving them
what is called a fashionable education, are by no means coarse. The
old-fashioned plainness of decent country people is not vulgarity;
and if they are ignorant of the conventional forms of city society,
they generally make amends by having a large share of that natural
civility which springs from good feeling; and it is easy in our
intercourse with them to avoid imitating such of their habits and
expressions as are at variance with our standard of refinement. As
fellow-citizens, their rights are the same as ours, and, like us, they
call no man master. Not one of them would bend his knee to any
monarch upon earth.
"Governor Milford has lived in this part of the country nearly his
whole life, and is, of course, acquainted with all the old settlers, of
whom Andrew Davison is one. And he has very judiciously brought
up his family in the mutual interchange of civilities with all his
respectable neighbours, knowing that nothing is ever lost by
cultivating the good opinion of those among whom our lot is cast."
"I suspect, after all," said Charlotte, ill-naturedly, "that the
governor's affability, and that of his children, originate in the
expectation of securing the votes of farmer Davison and his sons at
the next election."
"You are entirely mistaken," replied Mr. Glanvil. "Governor Milford
and the Davisons, though old friends, are of opposite parties. They
did not vote for him at the last election, and he has declined being a
candidate for the next."
Next day, the Glanvils were visited by the governor, with his wife and
daughter. Captain Selman did not accompany them, having set out
to return to his station. Mr. and Mrs. Glanvil were not at home, but
the young ladies overwhelmed the Milford family with civilities;
Charlotte, in particular, was absolutely obsequious in her attentions.
Upon farther acquaintance, they found that Fanny Milford had been
educated in the city, and was quite as accomplished as either of
themselves, though she had too much good sense to make any
unseasonable display. Her example was not lost upon Marianne, who
improved greatly by occasional intercourse with this amiable girl. We
wish we could say the same of Charlotte; but pride is of all faults
one of the most difficult to conquer, as it is seldom found except in
persons of weak understanding. Sensible people are never
offensively proud.
ELIZA LESLIE.
THE LITTLE RUNAWAY.
Down in the glade, where nibbling sheep
In verdant pasture stray,
A little boy was seen to keep
His weary-footed way.
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