The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-09-04
DROPPED STITCHES.
A Difficult Matter to Take Them Up Again
SO That They VIII Not Show.

SO That They VIII Not Show.
Grandma Grayson sat by The library
fire knitting. Little Tessa crept close
to her side to watch the ever-new, over
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."
"1'm knitting what we call railroad
stitch, dear--don't you seep When 1
reach the last row, drop some stitches.
drop two, then knit live, drop two
more, then knit five, and SO on. SeeP
Then. when the dropped stitches have
all run down." rs 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
drop stitches, and let 'em run down."
Bobby, too, watched the process with
great interest for few moments.
"Grandma," said Tessa, directly, II
thought it spoiled work to drop
stitchesp"
$50 it does, dear, ordinarily. I'll
show you how to take them up when
you drop them accidentally"
"Well," said Bobby. II guess I'll go
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, Bobbyp" asked
Grandma Grayson, in tone that made
Bobby pause. When Grandma spoke
in that way, Bobby was quite sure she
"meant something"
fright sure of what, grandmap"
"Right sure that boys don't drop
stitches, and try to pick them up oc-
casionally."
"Why-yes." in a hesitating way.
cat least, l think am. don't know
just what you mean. Boys don't knit
! --leastwisc, most boys don't-but you
kind O. look as If you meant something
else."
Grandma smiled ut the disjointed,
uncertain way in which Bobby spoke;
but ms she knew what he meant, it was
all right.
IL 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 1t is one of the hardest matters in
the world to take it up 50 that it does
not show We may 60 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 ques-
toned.
swell, for instance. 1 know of a
boy who spoke hastily and disrespect-
fully to his mother this morning. be-
cause she wanted him to do 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 l know little boy who
thoughtlessly left litter of chips on
the front doorstep ut four O'Clock in
the afternoon, after promising he
would clear it away. To be sure, he
did clear it away Mt 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 boys
mother"
Bobby's lip trembled more and more,
while Tessa's eyes grew big and black
with sympathy.
"And l know little g'rl," said
grandma, apparently determined to
teach II thorough lesson while she was
about it. "who does not always mind
when she is spoken to, and every time
she does it she drops stitch"
1t was Tessa's turn to grow red.
"Onc of the most dreadful ways to
drop stitch is to tell a lie or steal
something. One little lie told, one lit
tic stitch droppcd-it is so easy for the
stitch to run all tho 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 dollarsp Well, they don't
take it all at once. They take little
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 tell
you one thing: II you do drop stitch,
confess it all to mamma, and she will
show you the best way TO take 1t up
and make your life whole again"
IL know what she'd say" answered
Bobby. a t.lt
"What, dearp''
'She'd say; Tell your Father in
Heaven all about 1t, Bobby dear. then
mamma will do all shc can to help yol
to to DO ?. right My mamma's a'tramp'
Grandma smiled at the boyish way
of putting his appreciation of hi
mothers goodness, but she knew !
Il IL IL