Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-05-05
Pins and Needles. a Love story.

Emery Hill was located in Elsie's
~workbasket, and was inhabited by nee
dies of all kinds ard sizes. / know
these needles never went to sleep. How
do | know that? Because they never
shut their eyes, and how could they
go to sleep without shutting their eyes?
And know. too, that all | am going
to tell you about them happened in
the night. 1t did not happen in the day
time. so Of course ii must have hap
pened at night-some moonlight night,
when the needles looked very bewitch-
ing in their steel-gray costumes. and
when their golden eyes sparkied as
they told the Cambria Needle of their
adventures during the day.
1t was always the Cambria Needle
in whom they confided. for she was the
only one who was not proud of what
she could do. and who would listen
kindly to their long stories. She had
reason to be proud, too, for she could
hem more beautifully than n Of the
others, and do it very rapidly. The
Basting Needle, however, would not
grant this. She felt that rapidity was
her speciality. She was a nineteenth
century affair. and knew how to do
effective work without wasting any
time over 1t. The ladylike Cambria
Needle would not dispute the question
withher, ever granting that her stitches
were more snowy; but in spite of that
she chung to her own way of working.
and was thorough and patient in all
that she did.
The Shoe Needle felt that she was
superior to every one else because OF
her strength, for she could be pushed
right through leather and not break.
None Of the others were equal to that!
The Zephyr Needle felt that strength
was not the thing to be proud OF, for
she had a large eye and was able to do
artistic work. She also felt her blunt
ness to be another trait that helped her
prove her superiority. But the other
Zephyr Needles disputed this, for they
felt they were a point ahead of her
because of their sharpness.
The Darning Needle was proud of her
usefulness; no wasting of time over
fancy work for her! Number Eight
could do at least eight different kinds
of sewing. How the Cambria Needle
did wish she had been called Number
Eight. for then perhaps she could have
done more than one kind; and she
thought quite sadly that il a Pin ever
should come again to visit Emery Hill
he would never look at her, she was so
small and had so little ability.
Now it happened that this very even
ing a Pin did arrive at the Hill, a fine
Brass Pin with a large, bright head.
OF course he will admire strength
more than anything else. he is so big
himself, "murmured the Shoe Needle.
Not at ALL" whispered the Darning
Needle. Usefulness will appeal to him
most, for he is evidently bright"
You are both wrong" whispered the
Basting Needle, quite audibly. "for any
Pin with such a we~ll-developed head
must be able to appreciate my aspira-
tlOnS anu duNdnCeu lueaS.
Dear me-" thought the sweet little
Cambria Needle. Il do hope he'll not
overlook Number Eight, for she "a
gifted"
And so 1t was very exciting. and grew
more so as it became evident that the
Brass Pin was growing more and more
devoted to the Cambria Needle.
He has taken her to walk in tho
moonlight three times" said one nee-
die. And ! heard him say, will Won
marry me?'" said another. And sure
enough 1t was the Cambria Needle he
married, and they lived happily ON ton
OF Emery Hill ever afterward and
were noted for their polished man
ners.
We'll, said the Zephyr Needle. who
was noted for her blunt remarks ..sbe
was certainly better tempered than ,nv
OF the rest OF us. and perhaps that was
the reason he admired her most.-M.
II. Fink.