The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-13
Getting Ready for chrls..na..

Getting Ready for Christmas.
Yes, that is just what we found
them doing, on the nineteenth day OF
August, too. Two ladies, six little
girls, and one boy: getting up a box of
luxuries, we will call them, for an or
phan asylum.
"You certainly are taking time by
the forelock this time"
"Yes," said one of the: ladies ;;awhen
school commences the children have
no time for sewing. we wanted the;
orphans to have one box that contain
ed something besides necessary CLOTH
ing" x
One of the ladies was making bow
cravats for the thirty or more boys.
They were very nice-made OF old
era vat ends, pieces of silk and satin, q
little stiffening, fastenedwith hook
and eye-just rs since as q thirty cent
store cravat.
The other lady was cutting and bast-i
ing for the little girl. They had I'M
is6ed several needle books, furnished
them with needles. and 8 few with
thimbles. Work baskets Of paste board,
covered with pretty cloth several va
rieties of penwipers; darning bags OF
.atteen, the fiat part Of the crown OF an
old straw hat for the foundation, and q
full big stitched upon it, makes 9
darning bag acceptable to any one.
For the little nursery tots there were
little harness made of (now, you need
not tell every onel an old red flannel
skirt. This was cut in strips, golded,
lined, and stitched until it made pretty
good harness fora listle two-footed
horse to pull against; with a few tiny
sleigh bells to give a merry JINGLE
Cloth ball; did not see finished
ball, but they were to be good, gener-
GUS sized balls; six pieces, at least
six inches long. Cut papers and cover
with pretty, bright, contrasting coiors
filled with cotton, and a small tin box
with shot, form AL accompanying Jin-
gle for the sleigh bells.
One little girl who had been sewing
quietly finally gave sigh of satisfac.
ton, then the next instant mOurnful
10, my"
"What is the matter, Mary"
30, have sewed one piece OF my
ball wrong side out" ),
Sure enough but 1t was soon ripped
and she went bravely to work again,
sewing it right.
The young gentleman was presentf
but not busy. L. ~
"What does P-do y, we inquired.
HE makes scrapbooks, and mounts {
pictures on stiff pastetoard for sliced
pictures. We are out of pictures, so
he has nothing to do to-day"
Little Lucy was delighted to think
that all of the children would have
something to play with.
Don't you know, mamma, two chill
dren can play with one set Of harness,
but lot of them can play with one
BALL"
There was funny thing about the
sewing; not one little girl was sewing
with a thimble. There may have been
other articles, I do not remember this
is enough to give any one suggestion.
1t was all such a bright idea; doing
Christmas work in the summer time;
EN- mploying the children teaching them
to think Of and work for the orphans;
many things of the scraps.
The only outlay, so far, had been for
the sleigh-bell and the narrow ribbon
to tie the needle books and drawstrings
for the darning bags. 1 do not know
where the shot came from. Would
not small rocks do as well? One lady
thought they might charge each moth
er ten cents for teaching her little girl
to sew, and use the money for the
necessary expenses.