The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-11-11
FOR RAINY DAYS.
Bessie's Pleasant WAY of Making Sunshine
When It Rained.


When 1t Rained.
ats so lonesomel' sighed Maud, with
ayawn. 81 think rainy DAYS in the coun-
try are Just the horridest of anything,"
Out-of-doors everything was drenched,
and still the rain kept falling. In the
road the water stood in dimpling pud
dies, and little brooks raced merrily
along the cutters; the maple trees We're
dripping and not bird would sing;
the roses in the garden looked washed
out and discouraged, and the morning
glories had shut up. Altogether, Maud
was hardly to be blamed that she felt
out of humor, and so stood at a window
pointing.
$50 horridr' said she. isn't it, Bess?"
"Why, no. said Bessie, brightly; Il
don't think it is
Bessie sat at mother window busy as
q bee over box of gay-colored bits of
silk and worsted and perforated paper.
Maud was Mrs. Mavhew's little girl,
and Bessie was Mrs Bakers little girl,
and they were both out at Grandma
Testers.
'fWhat're You doing, Bess?" asked
sMauu, Will Suuutll III beFcSJ-
Bessie laughed and shook back her
hair. cut short. like boys, and curling
in crisp little rings all over her head.
I'm making things for Christmas"
said she.
Things for Christmas" echoed Maud
in great amazement.
81 mean Christmas presents" ex-
planned Bessie, laughing still. In point
of fact, there was almost always
laugh hiding behind the red lips of
Mrs. Bakers little girl. ready to burst
forth at the slightest provocation.
'Papa and mamma and Aunt Say and
Uncle Ben and all our folks say they
like to have things / make myself the
best; and when Christmas really comes
there's always SO much to do can't do
anything. It's real fun to make 'em,
too, rainy days, when you can't do any
thing else, and when you hurt your
ankle and have to stay in-the way
did last week
Miss Maud went straight over to Bes-
sizes window. The unhappy little
frown was gone from her forehead. and
the corners of her mouth were begin
ming to lift.
81 think it would be fun" said she.
slave you got any done? What're you
making? Don't you s'pose l could?"
''Of course, if you want to- laughed
Bessie. ''rve got some things done,
and I'm making cushion for Aunt
Says toilet table now. See?"
She lifted handful of six-sided bits
of stiff paper, and let them futter
down into her lap again like minia-
ture snow-storm.
.'Humphr' said Maud. ard like to
ssnow whatever you're going to do with
those things?"
''Tll show you" and Bessie pro-
eeeded to cut bit of silk a little
larger than one of the paper hexagons,
which she covered with it, basting the
edges down neatly on the wrong side.
''rm going to make the middle one
blue" SAID she.
"Now what?" asked Maud
Bessie's scissors shipped and her
needle flew, until presently she had six
little drab silk hexagons beside her
blue one. I'm going to make the next
row around drab." said she.
Cow did you learn?" asked Maud.
"prudv Palmer, said Bessie: and
then she began to sew. with dainty
short stitches. her six drab hexagons
round her blue one. Its over and
over. just like my patchwork. said she.
Snow the next row I'll make blue,
and when | get it large enough I'll
cover the top of a cushion with it. and
-. I : l. !
some blue ribbon round it. and give it
to Aunt Say Christmas: and she'll hold
UP both hands and say: Perfectly
lovely" How Bessie's black eyes
sparklod with fun!
.'Oh, | want to make one." cried
Maud.
well, You cam" said Bessie. "and
twill be a lot more fun If there are two
OF rs. I'm going to make a sofa pillow
for grandma, just this way only bigger
pieces and stuff it with life-everlast-
ing. Theirs lots of it in the pasture"
Now it was Maud's turn to laugh. be-
cause it sounded SO funny to talk bout
stutfng pillow with life-everlasting,
you know"
Lets look at your other things"
eaid she; and Bessie ohliginglv skipped
away upstairs to return almost in the
same minute with tiny mahogany
box which her Uncle Ned had brought
TO her once upon time from over the
sea. and which always formed part OF
her luggage wherexershe went.
Nov. whatA this?" asked Maud,
presently. land who is it for?"
Its for papa" answered Bessie.
sand its shaving-booll
Because it's SO thin?"
.'Oh. no. But 1t was thin enough.
although it contained ffty-two pages.
one for each week in the year, of soft.
white paper. The covers were of per-
for2ted paper. white, too. and lined
with scarlet silk. and bound with scar
let ribbon. and tied at back and front
with scarlet bows. and there was a
pretty embossed picture on each cover.
The leaves are to shave on" said
Bessie and when he tears them all
out / II tie in some more, and keep IL
full ali the time Isn't It niece"
splendid" sai5 Maud, enthusiastic
caily. Now. whose doll IS this?7
Bessie giggled. That's for Ferdi-
nand. said she,
"Whx-ee.' said Maud. hell be