The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-08-08
TROUBLESOME KNOTS


Mover Can 10 ssnO0tlsed Out.
They made 4 pretty picture. did grand
mother and little Dot. GRANDMOTHER
sat in her low rocking-chair, with her
glasses pushed back above her FORE
head. and before her stood Dot holding
outstrctched brilliant skein Of wool
upon her chubby little hands.
Hurry up, Grandma" said dot, with
a slight frown. ..you's SO SLOW"
Grandma took no heed, apparently.
hut went on with tho utmost precision.
Slowly tic yarn rceled over the chubby
thumbs. slowly went on the winding
about grandma's ball.
Dot stood first upon one foot. then
the other. like barn-yard fowl. and
gave ut intervals a tremendous sigh rs
evidence OF her WEAKNESS.
.You's 'zaspcr,tin'." she a: last
broke out: really and :ruly. Grandma,
you's old 'zasperatin' hissclf.'
WHAT cried the startled old lady,
who had been intent or her winding, or
perhaps lost in II rcveric Of other days;
"wlat is that You arc saying. Dota'
Il said you was \ 'z,speratin' old
poke replied dot. firmly. j is most
tired to deaf. aud there yon go on
windin jcs' as ii you was asleep
We'll, ncser. gasped the old
lady.
] pretended to DO intent upon the
work before me. yet could scarce re-
frain from laughing aloud
Tired. eh' 'quericd grandma with a
twinkle in her eye; well. VIC will soon
he through, and you can lie down and
rest"
NO. I'm going out to jump rope"
incautiously said Dot. with Willie and
Rose. They're jumping now, don't
sou hear en- drandma?
...h. you are going to rest your
weary limbs by jumping rope,
replied grandma. .'Weli. So that you
won't nc entirely used up. suppose you
sit on this chair" pulling one beside
Dot.
Dot sulxily complied. but rs she did
50 dropped her hands in fcigncd weari-
ness.
..Scc." cried grandma, 'you are
letting strands of the wool slip over
your fingers. Hold up your hands.
dear. and We will soon be through"
and on went the old lady p!acidly and
slowly winding rs before.
Dot fnr u space looked the picture
of youthful resignation, but soon her
Impotence returned.
Hurry np." she cried, vehemently.
You're enough TO desperate the pa
ticncc OF job" and again l saw her
slyiy drop loop or two from her fin
gers, as she moved restlessly upon tho
chair.
Grandma looked ut her rcprovingly.
but fastened somewhat her move
Inents. There was Il pause presently in
the winding. Tho old lady brought
her spectacles down from her forehead,
and peered at the skcin of wool.
There's snarl." she said, dear.
dear. how did that Gomez
1T an awful hard knot" chccrf,.lly
said Miss Dot, after grandma had made
several attempts 10 disentangle the
snarl. Il dess you had better get it
all right. Grandma, and we'll wind the
sll mother time"
.Oh. no. Dot. we'll get it all right
row. replied grandma with jerk.
Snap went the strand. Several min
utcs we consumed in Strengthening the
skein, and grandma carefully knotted
the broken threads together before re-
Stunning her winding.
The sounds OF laughing and jumping
outside the window came borne in upon
the stiffness Of the room. Another pet
ulant movement from Dot.
II is SO nervous. ! can't hold still"
she next exclaimed. impatiently tug.
ging at the wool.
''Dear, dear. another knot cried
grandma, peering over her spectacles
at Dot "Why. ut this rate We will
never get through.
But ut last it was done, and away
scampeced Dot, every vestige Of ill-hu-
NOR banished from her pretty face.
Grandma's glance met mine.
1.-The wool is for her own stockings"
quietly said she. as il in answer to
something she read in my eyes. land
intend those knots shall teach her q
lesson which nero words would fail t.
accomplish. Youthful experiences. II
rightly impressed. may serve to guard
the future from sterner ones.
The old lady's favorite expression.
IL know" played about her firmly
closed lips. but she gave no utterance
to them as with ball in hand she sal
gazing upon pictures Of the past.
pictures whose light and shadows were
reflected In her own dim eyes, in the
lifting smile upon brow or lip.
Well. il grandma had been slow in
winding the ball, it was more than she
was in lessening it again. How fast
her needles few! Early in the morn
ing, late ut night went on the knitting.
Dots eyes watched the progress OF The