The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-03-07
!: KNOT IN THE SKEIN
By Mrs. Chas. C. Marble. }
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grandmother and little Dot.
Grandmother sat in her low rocking
chair, with her glasses pushed back
above her forehead, and before her
stood Dot holding outstretched brill
liant skein of wool upon her chubby
little hands.
.Hurry up, Grandma said Dot, with
a slight frown, you're so SLOW"
Grandma took no heed, apparently
but went on with the utmost precision.
Slowly the yarn reeled over the chubby
thumbs, slowly went on the winding
about grandma's ball.
Dot stood first upon one foot, then
the other, like a barn-yard fowl, and
gave at intervals tremendous sigh as
evidence of her WEAKNESS.
''You's 'zasperatin',' she at last
broke ut; really and truly, drandma,
,you's old zasperatin' hisself."
"What?" cried the startled old lady.
who had been been intent upon her
winding or perhaps lost in a reverie OF
other days; what is that you are say
ing, Dot?"
Il said you was a. 'zasperatin' old
poke" replied Dot, firmly. II is most
tired to deaf, and there you go on wind:
in jes' as if you was asleep
"Well, I never" gasped the old lady,
I pretended to be intent upon the
work before me, yet could scarce re-
frain from laughing aloud.
Tired, eh?" queried grandma, with
twinkle in her eye; "well, we will
soon be through, and you can lie down
and rest"
mo, I'm going out to jump rope y
incautiously said Dot, with Willie and
Rose. They're jumping now, don't you
hear 'em, drandma 2"
"Ah, you are going to rest you,
weary limbs by jumping rope" re-
piled grandma. 'Well, so that you
won't be entirely used up, suppose you
SIT on this chair pulling one beside
Dot.
Dot sulkily complied, but as she did
SO dropped her hands in feigned weari
ness.
See" cried grandma, "you are let
ting strands of the wool slip over youl
fingers. Hold up your hands, dear
and we will soon be through" and OF
went the old lady, placidly and slowly
winding as before.
Dot for space looked the picture Of
youthful resignation, but soon her i'm
patience returned.
Hurry up she cried, vehemently
You're enough to desperate the pa
tence of job" and again l saw hel
siyly drop loop or two from her fin
gers, as she moved restlessly upon the
chair.
Grandma looked at her reprovingly
but fastened somewhat her move
ments. There was a pause presently
IN the winding. The old lady brough
her spectacles down from her fore
mead, and peered at the skein of wool
There's snarl," she said, ''dear
GEAR. how did that come?''
ITS an awful hard knot" cheerful,
saio MISS Dot, after grandma had mad.
several attempts tc disentangle tn,
snari. L dess you lad better get it al
right. drandma, and Wen wind the bal
mother time"
oh, no, Dot, well get it all righ-
now, replied grandma. with a jerk.
snap went the strand. Several min
u'es were consumed in straightenin.
ine skein, and grandma carefully knot
eed the broken threads together befor,
fesaming her winding.
ne sounds of laughter and iump
ing outside the window came borne !,
upon the stiffness of the room. An
otner petulant movement from Dot.
! is so nervous, l can't hold still
sne next exclaimed, impatiently TUG
ging at the wool.
Dear, dear, another knot" erie,
grandma, peering over her spectacle
a Dots why, at this rate, we viii
never get, through"
but at last it was done. and avn,
eampered Dot, every vestige of nj
amor oanished from her pretty face
nrandma's glance net mine.
Ahe wool is tor he, own stockings.