Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-07-16


ing. And having good time, too.
Pleasant Town Is too attractive to
leave after a few days stay. In ad-
dition we are having some Of those
rare days in June-those days when
there are wonderful flashes Of light
ming. when the thunder rolls as il God
Almighty was setting off the powerful
cannon OF heaven, and the rain comes
down in a pour against which UNI
brellas are no protection. These are
the rare days In June, but not the un.
usual ones. The poet can make verses,
but we know what we have to endure.
and the constant drip Of the rain is the
sound most familiar just now. The
consequence is, we sit around and knit
and sew and tat and do fancy work for
the church basket. In between there
10 little talking. AS far as l am
concerned, i have great liking for
doing nothing. / like to watch the
tiny, sharp needle flash in and out of
the linen, when it is managed by an
expert sewer; find fascination in
the rapid movement Of the ivory knit
ting needles, while am speilbound by
the quick throw here and the other
throw there of the pearl shuttle. Joy
In idleness. 1t is good thing in the
country simply to live To live and to
let other people do the work. or
course, one has. to listen, but one
needn't make any special exertion and
can by special providence only hear
that which Is pleasant.
To-day we are sitting around in the
living room with that agreeable but
selfish feeling that comes to people
who are sheltered while somebody else
is being drenched with rain.
MANS NOBLE EFFORT.
lam threading needles. That doesn t
sound as il 1t were work, but it is. As
do it, ! think how awkward man
is about threading needle. He takes
the needle and poises it well enough,
but he gives no thought to the thread.
He aims 1t at the eye of the needle
and il balks; then be tries again.
With the same result. Then he points
the thread and intends the needle to
slide on it. He only learns, through a
woman, to take sharp pair of scissors
and cut the thread bias il he wants to
succeed in what he has undertaken. I
am threading needles for a young
woman who is hemstitching a tea
cloth for the church basket. Some.
body else is making iron holders. Why
oor't they make holders for curling
ion.of Somebody else is knitting lace
era somebody else is crocheting slip.
pers Isl
And that reminds the woman who is
knitting lace to say this !" am Demo.
crat, but l confess that l have a very
kindly feeling towards Mrs McKinley
You know she is an invalid, and vet
her beautiful white hands are never
idle. They are always crocheting soft
slippers for the feet Of those who find
the path in life difficult And then,
too, have heard from friend of her
great kindliness and consideration to a
young woman who was so crippled that
she only moved about in a chair. All
life was viewed in this way, but this
brave soul was always cheerful. No
matter how i'll Mrs. Mckinley was she
never let this girl. in her grieyous
state, forget that she had kind friend
and a comfortable home to come IL
If ever the world grew too hard or her
work as an artist became impossible.
THE MAJORS PICTURE.
81 happened to be in Washington
;one year when this unfortunate little
lady was extremely happy: she had
'done picture of Major Mckinley in
pastels which satisfied her, and she
was going to send it to Mrs. Mckinley
for Christmas gift. In answer to il
there came q letter which made the
invalid artist very happy, and later on
some thing else arrived that made her
life bit easier, though to be quite
honest she had never thought of any
payment for the picture She simply
longed to show in the best way pos.
sible her gratitude to woman who
had been more than kind to her. fol
she made her feel that she always had
good friend. The invalid artistF She
will never paint another picture. A
few months ago her eyes were closed
forever, and the poor little body has
been given to that earth from which i,
came, but / am sure that whateve,
you may think your future will be hers
is free from pain and she is happy, -
After this threaded five needles
that weren't needed, and everybody
worked quickly and with that curious
shame that we American women have
of showing that our hearts have been
touched. Then the girl who was tat
ting announced, IL hear that those
horrid white stockings are coming into
fashion again. For my part they never
make me think of anything else but
the pictures In the old numbers ot
"Punch''-low black slippers without
heels and having silk ties crossed or
the instep were worn. There is {
dowdy look about a white stocking,
A black one suggests woman of goot
taste; a red one, il it matches til,
81 or or shoe, is a proof that il.
wearer has an idea in the way of har
mofy and heliotrope stocking hint
that woman is little individual
but white stocking-we il makes
the ankle look larger and adds nothin.
to the shape of whatever is above thC
ankle Fancy when people used I,
wear back velvet stockings!
QUEEN BETH's STOCKINGS.
Somebody who knew said the frs
pair of knitted stockings ever mad,
were orange in color and presented t,
Queen Elizabeth on New Years day
She thought they were fine II sh,
could rise from her grave | wopde
what she would think of a pair | saw
the other days The toe, sole and hoe
of each stocking were woven of tn,
finest black silk, but the rest, witt
the exception of the very top, was o
thread lace. Over the instep danced
cupids, and above them circlng tn,
legs were rows of roses wrought out il
the very finest work. These are TO b,
gRrtered with ribbons below the knees
for suspenders would tear them. But
oh dear, how many people would b,
surprised if they could rise fror, tbeii