The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-03-20
Continued from Pdge 1,


until he had knitted one. But by that
time he had come under the spell of
the occupation. He certainly said, 81
told you sol' when he had done, but
then he added. MY dearp'
was so surprised l could not speak.
The next day | began a new piece Of
knitting while sitting beside him and
caught him once or twice watching me
with interest.
Wouldn't you like to go out, my |
dear" he said at last. Have ride
A good gallop, you know, will freshen
you. "
"Oh. but-you will be all alone" l !
exclaimed, scarcely able to believe my |
ears, so altered was his tone.
"Oh, never mind mel' he answered,
speaking more like a gentleman than l
had ever yet heard him. 81 can amuse
myself-somehow. "
rose and was taking my work away
with me-
Leave it," he said peremptorily.
"Here-put it down here beside me. "
| had no sooner done so than he took
it up with fine affectation of absent
mindedncss, which did not, however,
conceal his inward satisfaction.
When | returned from my ride, my
knitting was apparently lying as | had
left it, but noticed that rows and rows
had been added to it, and my GRANDPA
Their was so complacent for the rest of
the evening that, try as he would TO be
natural, he once or twice so far forgot
himself as to say civil things to me.
The next day he again Unanswered so
as to be left alone with my knitting,
and very soon it became evident that
the gentle occupation was having n be-
nign effect on his disposition. AS he
only pursued it i'll secret, however,
much of the good it might have been
doing him was lost, and / was casting
about in my mind for some means of
daring him to knit openly when Pro-
fessor Grim, another highly irascible
old man, came to stay with him. My
| grandfather had been bad enough before
| he learned to knit, but Professor Grim
was worse. In every way, | think, he
was the most Objectionable old man
ever met. Even my grandfather, under
the refining influence of his last hours
surreptitious knitting, confded to me
quite amicably that he dreaded his com.
ing.
Lets teach him to knit, slipped
from me unawares.
Then my heart stood still, for l fear
ed 1 had spoiled everything. but to my
intense relief my grandfather actually
smiled, and what it is when the domes-
tic tyrant fairly smiles those who do
know need not be told, and those who
do not cannot imagine.
I'D like to see you teach him" he
said
ooh, l couldn't, of course" l an
swered automatically. But dare say
you might"
He grumped at this, but l could see
that he was not i'll pleased, and the first
time he and | and Professor Grim were
alone together he began, Il say, do
you know what that puss "-meaning
me-"had the impudence to swear l
couldn't do?'
"Eh? WHAT" snapped Professor
Grim.
"She said couldn't knitH'
"Well, and could you?"
Gould IT. my grandfather echoed
irascibly. "Of course l could. Here
Just let me show the-eh--professor. "
l handed him my knitting, and as he
adjusted the needles he observed, II
flatter myself | can do more by long
chalk than you give me credit for-more
than you can, too for l bet anything
you couldn't knit
Couldn't if tried?" the other old
man retorted in tone Of extreme exas-
peration
II should just like to see you!" my
grandfather said sarcastically and then
started to work, dropping stitches all
the way along under the pretense of be-
ing able to do it without looking at it.
II am quite sure Professor Grim
could knit as well as you can if he
chose" ventured demurely.
"Of course | could" said the pro.
lessor.
"Here, let him try, my grandfather
cried holding the knitting out to him.
''Oh, no, that's not fairl" l interpos,
ed. HE must have all the advantage:
that you have had-a new piece OF
work and me to teach him"
well, with all that, l bat pair OF
socks of my own knitting he'll not sue
coed in learning" my grandfather as
serted.
Dome" said the professor, with de
termination.
got needles and wool and began al
once to teach him, holding his knobbly
old knuckles in position as one does
with child. He liked his lesson very
much and said something quite poetica
about my hands in an undertone which
my grandfather did not hear. He real
ly made wonderful progress. too, ant
was altogether an apter pupil than my
grandfather had been. The latter sooI
began to assert in an aggrieved tone
that it was evident he was going to lose
his bet and he had better begin those
COMPOUNDED socks, but / could see that
be was overjoyed because the bet gave
him a fine excuse to knit as much as he
liked. Very soon the two settled to
work together day after day as a matter
Of course, and it was delightful to see
them, their white mustaches bristling
with smiles, their conversation good
humOred and their whole attitude kind
ly and considerable
My pupils are out in the garden now
either sitting together socially in groups
or in happy solitude, each occupied
with his own pet piece of knitting and
all looking so benign that my heart
goes out to them, and when l compare
III. II, IL.