Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1899-01-04
MISS PECKITT,
OUR DRESSMAKER.

vi our mousse 10 sew. one ocNeu
- Il my frocks and she sewed my
pinafores and sat among her tapes and
pins and yard measures telling me old
stories that no one else cared about, for
Miss Peckitt had no relatives, and had
always, as she said, kept herself TO
herself.
And of all her stories the one l liked
best was the one about the pincushion.
1t was large, heavy cushion, and |
wondered why Miss Peckitt always
brought 1t with her when she came for
the day.
at has brick inside TO keep 1t
steady when pin my work to IT, she
said; land l carry it with me because
1t was the last thing my young man
made for me-
ooh, did you ever have young man!
Do tell me about him.
At 10 years old one Is not discreet.
I suppose Miss Peckitt was not inclined
to be hard on youthful indiscretion.
She threaded her needle and began:
1T was when was young girl
She could not have been more than
30 at this time, but to me she seemed
UNNECESSARILY old, as I said:
cts long time ago, then" as sym
pathetically as could.
YES" she said, "a long time. He
was the son of farmer, and we was
counting ever since we was quite little
things and went to Sunday school. But
1t was not to be-" a
"What happened?"
"Why, his father died, my dear, and
when 1t came to looking into things 1t
was found he'd borrowed money on the
land, and the interest hadn't been paid.
So, then, my Willie said he'd pay the
interest and all, II they'd only wait.
But they wouldn't-and the old place
was sold up-house and buildings and
the beasts, and the land with the stand
ing crops. They may say It's law, but
1t amt Justice"
She bit off her thread sharply and
said 1t was shame.
$50 1t was-a black shame. My Will
lie would a paid them every penny II
they'd only a waited But no; they
sold the old place, and 1t fetched more
than they looked for, and there was
near 1900 over, and that they gave to
Willie, as was only fair. And after
the sale was over l saw nothing Of him
for two days, and then he came to me
looking like dog that the boys are
after with stones.
I'm off, says he; with this bit of
money I'll make fortune over In
America, which Is free country, and
I'll come home for you, my girl. or I'll
write you and you'll come to me-
IF 1t was to the worlds end says 1.
"Then he gave me this pincushion; it
seemed funny present, being quite
plain, as you see, and 1t had big stitch
es, but sewn strong, and l almost
laughed as took it. | was glad after
that l hadn't laughed, for Willie he
says:
Blossom, my dear, do you know
what makes 1t so heavy?'
$50 l said. no, l didn't.
"Its n brick out of the old south
wall at home says he, where the yell
low rose is, and where the apricots fruit
so free, and It's covered with bit of
silk gown my mother was married in
It's faded. but you can see the rose
sprigs on 1t yet. You'll keep 1t for my
sakeg"
"Well?" asked, for Miss Peckitt had
stopped abruptly.
"Well, that's ALL" she said, shortly:
she never come back. but l know he
was true-and he would ha' come back
If he's been living, and the Lords will
be DONE" she added.
did you keep the piece of the old
dress| l asked, when 1t Wore out and
you ripped it off? l should like to see
it."
al never ripped it off," she said; II
covered 1t with bit of damask. mean
ing TO show 1t to him fresh and bright
when he come home; but dare say it's
worn out now, underneath. with all the
needles and pins I've stuck in it-worn
out
Time did not stand still in our vii
lage. A bicycle factory reared Its gaunt
ugliness by the church, and the moss
grown well was replaced by n galvan-
lied iron pump. The old families moved
away, and new people came; smarter
people, in their grlmcrack way, who got
their dresses made in the county town,
and despised Miss Peckitt's old-fash-
Toned patterns. was finishing my edu-
cation in France and Germany. When
! came home hardly knew 1t. Almost
my first visit was paid TO the little
white house with the green ratings.
1T will do the poor thing good to see
you," said my mother. Il fear she is
horribly poor. She gets hardly any
work now. And she won't accept any
thing she does not earn