St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-04-15
The New Sails.


1t was delightful day for indoor
employment, from the fact that it had
rained steadily for several hours, be-
ginning early in the morning. | had
been writing long time. All was still
in the house, save the low, monOtonous
hum of my faithful maid in her room,
and the ticking of the clock. Suddenly
the stiffness WAS broken. The front
door was thrown wildly open. | heard
quick footsteps in the hall below, and
then come up the stair. 80, Auntie
are you so very, very busy do won
der if you couldn't please stop writing
for a few minutes p cried my little ten
year-old nephew, running into the
room.
"Certainly, can stop writing for a
few or many minutes. What can | do
for you, George p asked, while lay
ing down my pen.
''Well, auntie, you see these, and
this" he said, holding up two bits of
white muslin in one hand, and a soile1
bit-almOst to blackness-in the other.
81 want two new, clean sails made out
of these two white pieces. This dingy
sail is only for pattern to go by.
You won't mind if this pattern to go by
is all so stained, will you ? You see the
boat upset 'Eis just dry water and
ground on it, so you needn't be
afraid it will rub off on your hands,
auntie."
OF course l didn't "mind," nor
wasn't :'afraid" George sat beside
me, watching with intense interest
every stitch l took in his all-important
sails.
Il don't s'pose ought to have felt
Sc badly when nobody would make
them and | don't s'pOse | ought to
trouble you either" he said, apolOget-
ically: but now is the time for boats
when there is so much water. Do
please look out of this window, auntie.
Isn't that beautiful, beautiful brook ?
But we will have to hurry with our
sails, for before we know it all the
lovely brooks in the streets will have
run down in the sewer. Then, farewell
| boat sailing"
| ful, beautiful brook" | only saw Il
muddy, turbulent stream of water in
the street gutter.
Il wanted mamma to make them,
he continued, "bnt she said she
wouldn't be bothered with me, because
| was forever wanting something fixed
or made. She said she wouldn't touch
my pattern to go by, anyway. Mamma
is so terribly neat. Then, ran in the
girls room. They wouldn't make them
neither. They said that brothers were
continually asking sisters to make
things that girls were not inteI ested in
| do think Fanny might have made
them. She was only reading a book
She wouldn't leave off, for she said she
was just where the girl was to be mar
ried or buried, forgot which.
begged Anna to help me with them
She was knitting with some wOrstet
work. She said she hadn't any time tC
spare. | think she could easily have
stopped knitting the worsted work fol
few minutes, don't you She wouldn't
Well, then / ran down to Cousin
} Mary's. (YOu know she lives so neal
by. and | was in such a hurry.) Sh1
was stitching on the sewing machine
aud she said she couldn't stop to make
!, me any sails, wells, pals nor nails.
So | thought | would run away NJ
here as fast as ever | could and see i
: YOU wouldn't make them. | was mos
sure you would
1t was only twelve or fifteen minutes
work. When they were finished, Geor
: gle grasped them and ran qHickly dow
in the street. In moment after, b.
t rushed back into the house and, com
ing halfway up the stair, cried out:
40, auntie | forgot all about t.
thank you. If yOu should ever wan
5 any errands done, I'll do them for you
: I'll do them willingly, because you ar
all alone"
I While sewing, with great rapidity
I on GeOrgie's sails, it was all | cOul'
. possibly do to appear cheerful and keeI
the tears back. He never mistruste'
a any thing of the kind, however, for
D was, seemingly, as interested in then
. as he. But the very moment he wen
i out of the room, laid my head on tn
< writing desk. Then, when he said
; ''-because you are all alone"
v wept bitterly; for | was thinking of
), tall, manly form, of bearded face in
B, distant city, and | could not but e1
b claim, 90! that my boy were a DO
q again -
l wonder 50, that mothers ever fret
I At little children clinging to their gown
= Or that the footprints, when the days are wet,
u Are ever black enough TO make them frown.