The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-09-08
DROPPED STITCHES.
A Difficult Matter to Take Them Up Again
So That They Will Not Show.

DROPPED STITCHES.
A Difficult Matter to Take Them Up Again
So That They Will Not Show.
Grandma Grayson sat by The library
fire knitting. Little Tessa crept close
to her side to watch the ever-new, ever
old process. She loved to watch grand
mas nimble fingers.
"Wnat are you doing, grandma
making all those funny-looking long
Sits in your wOrk?'
"rm knitting what we call railroad
stitch, dear-don't you see? When |
reach the last row, drop some stitches.
| drop two, then knit five, drop two
more, then knit five, and so on. SeeP
Then, when the dropped stitches have
all '.run down." as we call it, it leaves
those long loose stitches you think so
funny"
Tessa gazed intently. Presently,
she heard Bobby's whistle in the hall.
Bobby was Tessa's "big BROTHER"
though but twelve years old, because
Tessa was only six. She was devoted
to him, and always wanted him to
| know all she knew. So now she called:
"Comc mere, Bobby; and see grandma
drop stitches, and let 'em run down."
Bobby, too, watched the process with
great interest for few moments.
.'Grandma," said Tessa, directly, 81
thought it spoiled work to drop
stitches?"
$50 it does, dear, ordinarily. I'll
show you how to take them up when
you drop them accidentally"
"Well," said Bobby, 81 guess I'll 60
on and get my boat. Boys don't drop
stitches, SO they don't have to know
how to pick 'em up;" and he prepared
to turn away to take up his whistling
where he had left off.
"Are you right sure, Bobby" asked
Grandma Grayson, in tone that made
Bobby pause. When Grandma spoke
in that way, Bobby was quito sure she
"meant something"
Fright sure of what. grandmae"
"Right sure that boys don't drop
stitches, and try to pick them up &C.
casionally."
"Why-yes," in q hesitating way,
Eat least, l think am. don't kn$sE
just what you mean. Boys don't knit
-leastwise, most boys don't-but you
kind O. look as if you meant something
else"
Grandma smiled at the disiointed,
uncertain way in which Bobby spoke;
but as she knew what he meant, twas
all right.
~ do mean something else. There
are more ways of dropping stitches
than one, Bobby; and let me tell you
when any one drops stitch accident.
ally it is one of the hardest matters in
the world to take it up 50 that it does
not show. We may go back and try
over and repair the wrong; but the
long fine line that shows the path where
we have been wrong always remains
where we can see it, if no one else
knows it A light began to dawn on
Bobby's face.
"For instance, grandma he cues
toned.
"Well, for instance. ! know of 9
boy who spoke hastily and disrespect.
fully to his mother this morning be-
cause she wanted him to do q per.
fectly proper thing when he wanted
to do another. To be sure, that boy
very seldom does such thing. but hi
did it. All! Bobby, that boy dropped
a big stitch then. To be sure, h,
stopped it, and took 1t up, and re
pented and apologized, and his moth
er forgave him; and no one would evel
know he had done the wrong but hi
mother and himself; but they will al
ways be able to tell where the stitch
was dropped and taken up again"
Bobby flushed crimson, and his Ii,
trembled.
"And l know a little boy WHIT
thoughtlessly left litter of chips OF
the front doorstep at four o'clock il
the afternoon, after promising hi
would clear it away. To be sure, hi
did clear it away at five; but it wa
after his mother had been grieved a
his thoughtless disobedience, and afte
his mothers visitors had received tn,
impression that the mother must be al
, exceedingly careless housekeeper-
when it was all the little boys fault
after all. That stitch ran way down
and clearing the dirt up at five did no
clear away the impression that tn,
strangers got of the little boy
mother"
Bobby's lip trembled more and more
while Tessa's eyes grew big and blacl
with sympathy.
"And know a little girl" sait
grandma, apparently determined t,
teach thorough lesson while she wa
about it. who does not always min,
when she is spoken to, and every tim
she does it she drops stitch"
1t was Tessa's turn to grow red.
"One of the most dreadful WAYS {,
: drop stitch is to tell a lie or stea
something. One little lie told, one lit
tie stitch dropped-it is so easy for tn
stitch to run all the way down, a
one little lie follows another d,
you know, Bobby, how many, man
cases we hear of young men in banks
and other places of trust, taking thou
sands of dollarsp Well, thew dom
take it all at once. They take it'll,
first and then the stitch runs dow
clear to the bottom, because they hav
not the courage to take it up and be
gin over again. Now, I'm no. goin,
to preach any more, but let me tel
you one thing: If you do drop stitch