Galaxy Star Quilt Block

     I found the pattern for this paper-pieced, 9" Galaxy Star block at Quilters Cache:  http://www.quilterscache.com/G/GalaxyStarBlock.html.
     In these diary entries, Hattie has a date to the Chautauqua with Frank George, who later becomes her husband.  Anna is Hattie's 12-year-old sister, and Howard is her (almost) 19-year-old brother.  Betty is Frank's sister.  
     The Chautauqua Movement - traveling shows and local assemblies that flourished in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries - provided popular education combined with entertainment in the form of lectures, concerts, and plays, and were modeled after activities at the Chautauqua Institution of western New York (Merriam-Webster On-Line Dictionary).

Wednesday, August 9, 1916 (written Thursday) -
"I didn't stop to look at the clock as I came in but think it was about midnight.  As Mother was leaving on the early train, I knew I couldn't sleep until breakfast was ready so piled in without any preliminaries.  The night was surely grand!  The hot winds had cooled somewhat, although not enough for me to feel the need of a coat, and the moon is more than half full.

"I got to go to Chautauqua to see Lulu Tyler Gates in "The Fortune Hunter" - I have been wanting to hear her for years.  She surely is a queen - a handsome woman.  She was in the drug store eating when we were.  The Alpine Yodlers were rather funny.  I drove the car all the way there and back and got along just fine.  Frank says I'm getting good enough to take Mother for a ride.  

"When Hester came to give Anna her lesson, she told me they were going to have a party for Stub and Fern tomorrow night and wanted me to tell Frank.  The girls are each to take a linen towel and the boys furnish the eats."

Thursday, August 10, 1916
"It seems as though I write all my accounts a day late.  I am writing this on Friday, but it was Friday when I got in last night, so I thought it just as well to wait until later in the day.  I went down and set the sponge at almost one A.M.  But oh!  It was such a perfect night, I could have stayed out until daylight. 

"Mother left on the 7:20, so of course I am promoted to 'boss' and believe me, I've had my hands full.

"Howard occupied the back seat tonight.  We did some tall rushing and met the train.  Frank's cousin from Kansas City came in, and we took her and Betty home before we went to the party.  The crowd was waiting for us and went down as soon as we arrived.  I had a pretty good time, but I don't like to play such rough-house games as Drop the Handkerchief, Three Deep, etc.  I lost one of my treasured hairpins during one scramble, but Frank found it - for which I am truly thankful. . . We did have the most fun eating.  We had maple nut ice cream and chocolate, burnt sugar, and angel food cakes.  Fern and Stub seem extremely happy in their little nest, and Fern has changed the looks of the bachelor quarters extremely." 

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post:
http://www.starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2012/03/nonsense-quilt-block.html