Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-08-26
DROPPED STITCHES.
A Difficult Matter to Take Them Up Aga
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.
"What are you doing, grandma
making all those funny-looking long
Sits in your work?"
I'm knitting what we call railroad
stitch, dear-don't you see? When l
reach the last row, l drop some stitches.
l drop two, then knit five, drop two
more, then knit five, and so on. See?
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:
''Come here, Bobby, and see grandma
Bobby, too, watched the process with
=
''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, Il 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.
care you right sure, Bobby?" asked
Grandma Grayson, in a tone that made
Bobby pause. When Grandma spoke
in that way, Bobby was quite sure she
meant something
Fright sure of what, grandma"
"Ri CHIT sure that boys don't drop
stitches, and try to pick them up oc-
casionally."
"Why-yes," in a hesitating way.
cat least, think am. L don't know
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 disjointed,
uncertain way in which Bobby spoke;
but as she knew what he meant, it was
all right.
81 do mean something else. There
are more ways of dropping stitches
than one, Bobby; and let me tell you
when any one drops a stitch accident
ally it is one of the hardest matters in
the world to take it up So 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 face.
For instance, grandma?" he ques-
toned.
"Well, for instance. I know of a
boy who spoke hastily and disrespect-
fully to his mother this morning, be-
cause she wanted him to do a per-
fectly proper thing when he wanted
to do another. To be sure, that boy
very seldom does such a thing, but he
did it. All! Bobby, that boy dropped
a big stitch then. To be sure, he
stopped it, and took 1t up. and re-
pented and apologized, and his moth
er forgave him; and no one would ever
know he had done the wrong but his
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 lip
trembled.
"And [ know a little boy who
thoughtlessly left litter of chips on
the front doorstep at four o'clock In
the afternoon, after promising he
would clear it away. To be sure, he
did clear it away at five; but it was
after his mother had been grieved at
his thoughtless disobedience, and after
his mothers visitors had received the
impression that the mother must be an
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 not
clear away the impression that the
strangers got of the little boy
mother
Bobby's lip trembled more and more,
while Tessa's eyes grew big and black
with sympathy.
And / know a little girl" said
grandma, apparently determined to
teach a thorough lesson while she was
about it. who does not always mind
y
she does it she drops a stitch.
1t was Tessa's turn to grow red.
lone of the most dreadful ways to
drop stitch is to tell lie or stea
something. One little lie told, one lit
tie stitch dropped-it is so easy for the
stitch to run all the way down, as
one little lie follows another. Dc
you know, Bobby, how many, many
cases we hear of young men in banks
| and other places of trust, taking thou
sands of dollars? Well, they DOM
take it all at once. They take litsle
| first and then the stitch runs down
! clear to the bottom, because they have
/ not the courage to take it up and be-
| gin over again. Now, I'm not going
| to preach any more, but let me tel
you one thing: If you do drop stitch.
confess it all to M mamma. and she will
show you the best way to take it ur
and make your life whole again.
II know what she'd say" answered
Bobby
"What, dear?''
"She'd say: Tell your Father ir
Heaven all about it, Bobby dear, ther
mamma will do all she can to help yor
to do right. My mammals a trump
she is"
Grandma smiled at the boyish wa.
of putting his appreciation of hi
mothers goodness, but she knew
was honest, so she closed her littl
sermon with kiss, and went up-stair
for her afternoon nap, feeling that sh