Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-03-20

/. ~ When little May was five years old her
mother gave her, for birthday present,
four bright knitting needles and ball OF
wersted, and began her first, stocking fo1
her. Little May watched her mother knit
B ting, and thought it looked very easy,
pleasant work. Presently her father came
in and called her mother, who at once laid
down the stocking and left the room. May
called atterher as she was going through the
door, to know if she might go on with the
stocking. Her mother said I" Yes" with
out listening to her, and May took up the
stocking, went out of doors, sat down un-
der tree, and began to knit. The first
row, which her mother had begun, went
smoothly enough, but when she had finish
ed it she did not know what to do next, and
looked about for some one to help her.
80 The Spider would be sure TO know, for
he does much more difficult things than
this, said she; SO she went to look for q
spider. She soon found one, spinning a
beautiful round web on rose BUSH s.
ooh! Spider" said she, will you show
me how to knit my stocking ?"
Let me look at it, said the Spider SO
May showed it him. e ~ fe,
You see have done this row." said
she, smother did the rest; and now don't
know how to go on, or where to put my
thread"
"Threadl / see no thread" said the
Spider /" and what are those great pokers
for@ aateg q 'ai'' ''f
"These are knitting.needles, not pokers, u
said May; "pokers are much bigger here
is my thread" and she held itstraight be-
fore the Spiders eyes. Jss aH''gR
"Do you call that thing thread ?" said
the Spider, disdainfully; "I call it a rope
IAnDf brine oh,
All take care (as May turned her stock
ing round), "you will spoil my web if you
touch it with your pokers. l am too busy
to talk to you, so good day When you
learn to work with proper materials per-
haps 4 may help you," and the Spider be-
gan tospin again.
You rude creature said May, "my
thread isnot rope, and my needles are
not pokers you know they aren't, and
YOU only call them so because you don't
know how to knit"
she he I" laughed the Spider.
So May walked on with her stocking in
her hand. and presently sat down by 9
brook that flowed through the copse. A
little Mouse peeped at her with his bright
eyes. 3" What are you doing? ?" said May
Making nest" said the Mouse. h
"Do you know how to knit ? " said May
HNo," said the Mouse; /" but what il
this? running up to Mays knitting
which she had laid down by her side
con! this is just what want" and he
showed his sharp seeth.
ooh, don't!" cried May; "you will
spoil my stocking, and it is not good to
eat" a@&e
"Only little bit" pleaded the Mouse.
81 have been looking all day for something
soft for my nest, and l can't find any
thing. " a ~ g
'.That is very sad" said May; 81 will
unwind my ball of worsted, and give you
little BIT off the other end; and she be
gan TO unwind it. @
'tAhl" quoth o Maggie, flying down
from an elm-tree, 81 if you are going to dc
that, you may as well give me some too
for j am building my nest in yonder tree
'fYou shall have some, if you will have
>atience," said May, gravely. But if you
ouch my wool before it is unwound you
liant have q Bit"
every we'll" said the Mouse: /" then
III come back when you are ready" and
ran into hole. ~ -. : ees sss. a9n
But the Maybe, who was inclined for 9
'ssip, seated herself on log Of wood
,ar, and every now and then May felt 9
arp pull at her worsted, but when she
cAed up to see who was tine offender, the
sgpie was always quietly seated in the
what fc can you do with such quantit,
fwool9" said the Maybe, at last. "Yor
light build twenty nests with it, though
are say you want rather big one"
81 am not going to build nest" sale
lay, "but to knit some stockings, an(
iother says they take a great deal o
7 Z 1 e - :. q 8 n n
"What are stockings ?" asked the Mag
"Things to put on one s feet to keeI
hem warm" replied May "Don't you
set get very cold without anys" 7see
"No," said the Maybe; "not this warn
Ieather. Sometimes the frost is rathe
harp at night, and then tuck one of my
let under my feathers like this "-(anl
ae tucked UP one of her legs). "Whl
ont yousdo SO too? II would save you
reat deal of trouble"
81 don't think it would be very comfort
OLE" said May. aAt l.s'1
ooh yes, it is" said the Maggie; "jus
y. Look. herela one leg at time, ant
men that Is warm tuck up the other in
ead."
"But," said May, balancing herself OF
ne leg, 81 feel as if i should tumbl,
)wn."
"No, you won't" said the Maggie. ct
~ practice every day, you will soon ge
led to it."
AT that moment something gave May
read such violent jerk that the bal
w out of her hand. She stopped f
ok it up, but it rolled away. She raj
ter it. to catch it, and found that tn
agpie. was at the other end of it, an,
as flying away with the stocking in he
,outh. se4
"Stopi stop p cried May you've go
y seocking.n Sg OFT - - s-s'~~4
But the Maybe only few faster, and poo
tay sat down and cried. ~ s -7gd
"What is the matter?" said the Mouse
coping out of his hole.
"Ohi" sobbed May, !" tie Maybe la
Glen my stocking, and all my needle
1t this one, which l had in my hand
i'd my worsted has rolled away"
"Why," said the Mouse, 81 thought yo
I'd unwound it." a
81 was just going to-" said May; "but
as listening TO the Magpie." >
'Ah y said the Mouse, "those chatter
Ixes are not to be trusted. Now let u
ok for your worsted."