The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-02-26

tens, see. Mr.. Miles said that the
man was anxious for some more the
last time he was in town, SO they viii
10 like hot cakes"
"There's ten pair In there, and wish
you'd tell Mr.. Miles 70 get two pounds
Of yarn and the rest in money, and then
you keep IL down here, and I'll get II
little az a time, so they won't notice 1t.
John and Jane wouldn't think / ought
to do so much knitting il they knew"
She added, with queer little smile
That was one OF Grandma Lanes gala
DAYS. They came about once in two
weeks in the pleasant weather; when
the snow was on the ground the times
between her visits was often n month,
and sometimes longer Then the closely
packed bag which was supposed by
Jane to hold only the knitting work
upon which she was engaged, held
sometimes 40 pairs OF mittens Of vari-
Gus sizes. These, as we have seen, Mr..
Miles carried TO the town, several miles
away and disposed OF them, for her, re-
ceiying a price per pair, and always an
order for more.
| Grandma Lanes bright, firmly-knit
mittens were always in demand by GER
| tain class of people who had by agreea-
BILE experience come TO value them at
their true worth These customers of
hers had been known TO say that one
pair OF Grandma Lanes mittens would
| outwear three OF those ordinarily for
sale at the stores In town, and though
the price was pretty high il was not
three times as high.
So il will be seen that expense as well
as quality was on grandmas side.
81 declare" said she, as she pinned
her shawl and made ready for her walk
home, "rve eaten so much gingerbread
and drank so much tea that l don't
knows / shall ever get home"
"Oh. yes you will" laughed Mrs. Miles
Now come again, grandma, do, before
the snow gets so deep you can't get
here"
Yes, I'll try to, and say, Jennie, tell
the yarn in.-well, just where he did the
other, you know"
"All right, will"
| And then the old lady began her short
| Journey, and when il was ended put
her knitting work bag away with her
bonnet and shawl and spent the even
ing in loving submission to the wants
and wiles of her three grandchildren.
This routine had been closely fol-
lowed for all the three years OF her life
in her sons home knit, knit, knit, tend
baby and make an occasional visit al
their next neighbor's-a and, looking
back over the time, she could not say
that ii had been unhappily passed.
For" she was wont to say to Jennie
| Miles, "the children are the best little
things, and Jane-well, there's good
deal worse women than Jane"
Time passed till three more years had
been added 10 the three Grandma Lane
had spent in her sons home when we
were first introduced to her.
Baby John was no longer called baby,
because yellow-haired little girl held
that position and he was wearing pants
In the faces Of John and Jane Lane
many care lines could be traced, which,
when we first knew them, were not so
plainly defined Indeed, the change in
grandma herself was far less noticea-
bic. She still sat at her endless knit
ting and sometimes hummed the tune
OF an old song as an accompaniment.
She seemed so light hearted and care
free at times that Jane felt aggravated,
feeling al the same time her own burden
press so heavily.
For mercy's sake" she snapped one
day as grandma sat singing Black
eyed Susan" and clicking her knitting
needles swiftly az the same time, 81
wish | could sing and be so gay as you,
mother; here's john and me all broke
up over this mortgage business and you
singing and knitting just as happy as
can be-"
Jane shouted this out at the top OF her
clear voice, and grandma stopped sing
ing aud knitting instantly.
Anything new, Jane?" she inquired,
gently. HAS anything been done about
the mortgage lately?'
Nothing, only Il is to be forecloscd
next week and the place sold from un-
der us, that's al, returned Jane, bit
terly.
Grandma looked sober enough now.
"How much is it, Jane2' she asked,
quietly, wincing at the sharp reply in
James highest key.
Five hundred dollars! You know
we've only been able TO keep mp the in
terest, with all our extra expenses"
Jane meant the new babies and such
matters by the extra expenses but
somehow grandma took 1t otherwise
and sighed rs she heard the words.
After that she sang no more, but put
away her knitting aud helped about the
dinner and the children, and looked as
sober as even Jane could wish.
But after dinner she put on her things
and took her knitting work bag and
started for Jenny Miles house
Jenny, it's come" she said, as she
sank into her accustomed seat "What
I've been expecting for six years. You
know Johns place was mortgaged for
$500 its full Value: or 10 tell il another