The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-05-17
Things Made Over.
BY KATE W. mANmroN.

AAAASe A4duO OfO-'
BY KATE W. HANILToS.
"Ia! if the cinnamon amt out and
/ don't believe there's sugar enough
neither" announced Molly, the very
small help that graced Mrs. MoOre's
kitchen.
Lucia turned, with her hands in the
pie-crust, to look at her; for, of course,
this important discovery had not been
made until Lucia had her calico apron
on, her sleeves rolled up, and her hands
deep in the flour. Molly had genius
for that sort Of thing. She stated the
result of her investigations now as cheer
fully as if she had been a second Chris
topher Columbus, and the empty sugar
box another America.
1t did not strike Lucia quite as pleas
antly. Aside from being always en-
gagged in a guerrilla warfare against this
propensity of things i'm general to be out,
She did not altogether fancy having TO
pause in her occupation while Molly
made trip to the village store and back.
dispose I'd better go after 'em," sug
gested Molly, with beautiful serenity.
Lucia surveyed the dim patch of sun
shine that fell through the window upon
her white table, looked up at the ceiling
and down at the painted floor, and una
bic 10 conjure any plan for making pies
without the missing articles, answered,
rather rdiscOntentedly-
"Well.u
Itwas Saturday, and to the tired young
teacher, busy with her school all the
week, Saturday meant good deal. At
least ii always seemed beforehand as if it
might mean a good deal, though, when
the time really came, a host of common,
uninteresting little things usually
crowded in, and the grand possibilities
were crowded out She knew of nicer
things to do with this day than 70 chop
il up into pies; only that the pies were
wanted, and somebody must make them.
But while Molly was taking a short
route TO the store, around every availa-
BILE point of interest, she slipped upstairs
into an old armchair, and took a book
TO console herself during the enforced
pause.
Chair and book were by the open fire
in a plain, faded, cherry little sitting
room, where Aunt Samantha, brown,
strong, hOmely-faced, with a skein OF
black thread wound around her neck,
and n brass thimble on one finger, bent
over a table covered with cloths, pat.
terms, and pincushions, while the paler
less positive-loOking Mrs. Moore sal
sewing by n window. Presently Lucia''
story ran suddenly into am old moral
and she drew herself up cOmbatively.
BE content with the things that yOI
haven Well, that's easy enoughi It'
being content with the things that yoJ
haven't, that's the trouble" she medi
tated, beginning to count up, almos
unconsciously, that Improbable part 0
her possessions that consisted only il
wantings.
Well. nowr' said Aunt Samantha
shifting her pattern from one end of tn
cloth TO the other, and surveying it frs
over her spectacles and then unde
them. ''You see, when put it in thi
way it's the least bit too short, ant
totber way it's jest leetle mite to-
narrern
81 guess it'll have to be pieced, Sa
mantha," remarked Mrs. Moore, in
quiet tone.
1t seemed as if the words had grow
so familiar to her lips that they almos
said themselves, thought Lucia, with
faint smile. "And no WONDER" she ad
ded, nodding her brown head at the sen
tence in the book, "for everything is tO'
short at one end, or too narrow at on
subsequently, it's both. Nothing eve
comes i'm full, abounding measure; ant
it takes an immense amount of twisting
anu DlttAIE 10 Etb Il ItS lttidult liit- pat
tern out of this world, anyhow
"Well," said Aunt Samantha, brisklN
setting her spectacles again, and catch
ing up her scissors, "tain't no grea
matter. To be sure, its a kind Of com
fort when you're about thing to hav,
il come out whole and save 50 many
seams; but it won't show when its al
done"
aI wonder if it won't?r unused Lucia
at seems TO me q smooth, unbrokeI
web might be fairer, even while all i
done, than a life patched up out of odd
and ends, like bed-quilt."
II was Iucia's winter cloak that Aun
Samantha was so busily "making over
but that operation had been performed
so many times that it had lost every
vestige Of novelty, and the girl felt mor'
interest in her reflections than in hel
garment. She had worn it long anC
short, circular and sacque, upside down
and wrong side out, for winters too fal
nack TO be worth recalling. WheneYel
tle idea Of getting a new one had pre-.
aeIlteu itself, something had promptly
stepped IN the way. This time il was
shoes for the children
MY SHOES are so old and sick fhey're
all {urmn paler' exclaimed pann,,
eEnlolung the little worn toes all rubbed
Whl1e; 30 Lucia's Old cloak was forced
to make another revolution. -0ie'O
You needn't be a mite worried abou,
that plecln', child; I'll be sure IN e,et q
out as slick as can be" announced Ann
samantha, ene,ouragingly, observing 70,
the fire was looking over The iooI. a. ~, ioS
stead of at it. ID"
"DOn't doubt it, Aunty. You,va don,
it so many times that my faith on III
subject passed into certainty lon0 aoo o,,' I;
laughed Lucia, abandoning her sea, .
sound of the rushing and cIatter;nc, . .
MOlly's feet below. But, somewov ~, y
laugh was one that brought sigh from ON
the tender heart at the window 'iOii
"Afost-sO-out o. breath-can,t ton
hardlyr' painted Molly, greeting tb,
waiting cook. "Takes me-good While