The sun., 1901-02-08

t A KNOT in THE SKEIN !
7 BY Mrs. Chas. G. Marble.
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THEY made a pretty picture, did
ofra n RI runfhar and 1ittlA dot

above her forehead, and before her
stood Dot holding outstretched bril-
liant skein of wool upon her chubby
little hands.
"Hurry up, drandma,' said Dot, with
q 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 barn-yard fowl. and
gave at intervals tremendous sigh as
evidence of her weariness.
"You's 'zasperatin," she at last
broke ut; "really and truly, drandma,
you's old 'zasperatin' hisself."
"What2" cried the startled old lady,
who had been been intent upon her
winding or perhaps lost in reverie of
other days; "what is that you are say
ing, Dot?"
~ said you was '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, 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
a twinkle in her eye; "well, we will
soon be through, and you can lie down
and rest"
"No, I'm going out to jump rope"
incautiously said Dot, with Willie and
Rose. They're jumping now, don't you
hear 'em, drandma?"
"Ah, you are going to rest your
weary limbs by jumping rope" re-
piled grandma. swell, SO that you
won't be entirely used up, suppose you
sit on this chair" pulling one beside
Dot.
Dot sullily 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 youi
fingers. Hold up your hands, dear
and we will soon be through" and or
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
thence of job" and again I saw hel
slyly drop a loop or two from her fin
gers, as she moved restlessly upon thu
chair.
Grandma looked at her reproyingly
but hastened somewhat her move
, ments. There was a pause present..
! in the winding. The old lady brough
her spectacles down from her fore
. head, and peered at the skein Of WOO
There's snarl," she said, "deaI
dear. how did that Gomez"
ats an awful hard knot" cheerful
!. said Miss Dot, after grandma had mad
Z several attempts to disentangle tn
y snarl. II dess you had better get it al
y right, drandma, and well wind the bal
mother time"
"Oh, no, Dot, we'll get it all righ
pow," replied grandma, with jerk.
y Snap went the strand. Several min
II utes were consumed in straightenin
s. the skein, and grandma carefully knot
ted the broken threads together befor
resuming her winding.
The sounds of laughter and jump
d ing outside the window came borne i
10 upon the stiffness of the room. AL
.e other petu,ant movement from Dot.
u II is so nervous, / can't hold still,
J. she next exclaimed, impatiently tug
q = ging at the wool.
= "Dear, dear, another knot" erie
grandma, peering over her spectacle
at Dot. "Why, at this rate, we wi
never get through"
But at last IL was done, and ava
ia scampered Dot, every vestige of il
humor banished from her pretty fac'
Grandma's glance met mine.
ID "The wool is for her own stockings,
Y. quietly said she, as if in answer t
" something she read in my eyes, ian
u I intend these knots shall teach her
:. lesson which mere words would fail
y accomplish. Youthful experience,
in vightly impressed, may serve to guar
,f tine. future from sterner ones"
". The old lady's favorite expression, :
o, know" played about her firml
u, closed lips, but she gave no utteranc
te to them as with ball in hand she So
. gazing upon the pictures of the past
!, pictures whose lights and shadow
~ we're reflected in her own dim eye
T. in the fitting smile upon brow or lip.
W - ----
Is Well, if grandma had been slow
y winding the ball, it was more than 81
81 was in lessening it again. How ia
~ her needles flew! Early in the NOR
10 ing, late at night, went on the knittin
as. Dots eyes watched the progress OF Il
IN, stockings, and her admiration was
bounded over their hue.
.'Red stockies. and red hood, 81
red mitties! My, it pears Sundi
won't ever come!"
"Crimson," corrected grandma; n
IN red" But it mattered little to "
what the color was named when S
roc drew the bright stockings upon b
sh chubby legs and over them again
ru- pair of shining new shoes.
rk, "You will be proud of these stoe
or ings," said grandma, on Saturday nigl
err as she rounded the toe with bit
~. ais white wool, "because you helped me
ui- wind the wool, you know, Dot" .
M ~ "Yes," assented the little one, Will
ex, lw, proud air, wasn't l dood, grandma
~ sand you so tired, too," went
ex grandma, ignoring her question.