Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-07-10
The Knittlng.wOrk Party.

The Knitting-wOrk Party.
Long ago, in the days when your grand
mother was a little girl, she had been beg
giug her mamma to let her invite some Of
her schoolmates to supper.
" It is such busy time" said Mrs. Sattcr-
lee don't you see how much spinning
have to do? How can | stop to cook a sup
per for a dozen little girls?'
90, but mother can cook it myself. I'm
ten years old, and know how to make GIN
gcrbread aud cup cusiards.'
" Aud what will you do for bread }'
90, there's always bread enough. Little
girls don't eat much, and twelve wouldn't
make any difference, you know :"
" But what will you give them for sauce
The dried apples are all gone. aud | can't
spure any preserves | am saving these for
sickness"
Peggy thought moment
Well, they can have molasses | like
m GLASSES ever aud ever so much"
Mrs Sa'teree looked amused
There mother, know you'll say yes
We won't trouble you Wen play out in the
barn'
d" But there's your knitting" said Mrs
Satterlee, hesitatiug, You know I'm in a
hurry about your fathers socks"
Yes, mother, o, yes. Why can't it be 0
knitting party I've just thought. I'll
ask the girls to bring their work, and ther
we'll measure yarns. Now, won't that b,
grand ~
Well, Peggy, I've a great mind to say
yes, for that sounds to me like very sensi-
ble kind Of party Go aud see if your sis
tiers are willing to help you and if they are
and you won't trouble me, don't know as
care"
d" Oh, thank you, thank you, mamma,
cried Peggy, skipping of in great glee to th'
gitchen. Lets see, | made some cup Gus
taFd. once, aud what was the rule? believe
I it was three eggs aud some milk :"
A happy child was Peggy, as she wen
from house to house, asking the girls to he
" knitting party Every body was charm
ed and every body came, Of course, aud ar
rived by two o'clock, or earlier.
Mrs Sltteree stopped her work long enough
to put marks with red thread into each girIi
knitting.
There" said she, " at four o'clock II
come and sec which has beat. | must be tn,
one to Judge, for there isa difference in your
yarn some is finer than others. Now | will
leave you, and | hope you'll have nice
time"
As they sat very busy with their knitting
they heard from time to time the tende
bleating Of lamb in the barn.
That's my little cossat," said Peggy
' I'll show her to you, when we get don
knitting"
But what's the use to wait ?" said Persi
Russell Let's run out and look, aud righ
back again"
The lamb just then began to bleat louder
aud n very touching tone, as if she fel
lonesome, aud was calling for company
With one accord the girls started for the
door, all but Peggy.
Well, run along, If you want to, sai
she; I'm come in a minute
"Oh, but we don't want you to keep OIL
knitting; 'twouldn't be fair"
Z" | won't knit another stitch. What d
you suppose just want to sweep up tn
hearth don't you see p
Peggy's eyes were shining with brigh
, but wicked light If she could only pic
out the mark her mother had put in her work
and sew another in, lower down A blac
satin work bag was hanging on a nail, by tn
T window, aud ia the bottom was needleboo
= with the very reedle and red thread Mr.
Satterlee had used to put in the marks.
The girls ran out without the slighte
suspicion of any thing wrong but Peggy
, heart beat so, she could scarcely make Il
: stitch. She put it in almost an inch belo
. the right place -ah deeeitful Peggy Ian
70 picked out the first stitch with pair Of sci
- sors. Then she swept the hearth, just fir
= ing the broom at it, and ran, trembling, OF
q to the girls They were SO delighted with II
!, amb that they did not notice anythir
?, 3 strange about Peggy.
l. Come" said she, as fast as she could tai
= /: "et's 90 right back, and when it's o'cloc
we'll come out again, aud play Ring, Roun
! Rosy and Hide and Coop and every THU
4. else"
The children were quite ready to go bac
= and for half an hour, their fingers flew merril
We won't look at other folks work
said Peggy, nervously, but keep our ey
right on our own. Why, Persis Russell, he
fast you do knit !"
The clock in the next room struck four
"There, now, ifmother doesn't remember
Mrs. Satterleo did remember. She car
10 with pleasant smile for all the little gr
and they brought her their knitting wor
with blushing faces for children in those da
we're more bashfu than they are now.
Mrs. Satterlee took the thirteen pieces
knitting work, and laid them all down
ge,her Little Polly Lane had knit the LEI
OF any one, which was not strange, for S
c was the youngest Nancy Shaw came mex
- then Ellen Rice, aud Phebe Snow. PER-
Russell was the oldest, and known to be
very smart girl. Her stocking was seam'
and she had knit longer piece than Ma
Jane Cullen, another smart girl; but stran
to say, not a single one had done as well
Peggy.
Mrs. Saiteree was surprised. She had l
N supposed Peggy could knit as fast as Per
Russell, who was twelve years old but hi
- was peggy's stocking right before her !;
was fner than Persis Russel's and yet /
mark was half an each lower down. " W.
I'm sure didn't expect this" sail Mrs. s
teree but shall have TO give it up Il
Peggy has beat. You may come here q