The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-04-30
A KNOT In THE SKEIN
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THEY made a pretty picture. did

THEY made a pretty picture, did
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 a bril-
liant skein of wool upon her chubby
little hands.
Hurry up, Grandma" said Dot, with
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 bail.
Dot stood first upon one foot, then
the other, like a barn-yard fowl, and
gave at intervals a tremendous sigh as
evidence of her WEAKNESS.
"You's 'zasperatin'." she at last
broke ut; really and truly, drandma,
vou's old 'zasperatin' hisself."
''What?" 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?"
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. | never gasped the old lady.
l pretended TO be intent upon the
work before me. Yet could scarce re-
frain from laughing aloud.
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"
iucautiously 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 We'll, 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 your
fingers. Hold up your hands. dear.
and we will soon be through" and on
vent the old lady, plaeidly and slowly
winding as before.
Dot for a 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 saw her
s,yly drop a 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 brought
her spectacles down from her fore
head. and peered at the skein Of wool
There's snarl," she said, dear,
dear. how did that Gomez"
Its an awful hard knot" cheerfully
said Miss Dot, after grandma had made
several attempts to disentangle the
snarl. Il dess you had better get it all
right, Grandma, and Wen wind the ball
mother time"
( "Oh, no, Dot, Wen get it all right
now" replied grandma, with jerk.
Snap went the strand. Several min
utes were consumed in Strengthening
the skein, and grandma carefully knot.
ted the broken threads together before
resuming her winding.
The sounds of laughter and jump
ing outside the window came borne in
upon the stiffness of the room An.
other petulant movement from Dot.
81 is so nervous, can't hold still.
she next exclaimed, impatiently tug.
ging at the wool.
Dear, dear, another knot" cried
grandma, peering over her spectacle:
at Dot. why, at this rate, we will
never get through"
But at last il was done, and away
scampered Dot, every vestigs of i'll
humor banished from her pretty face
Grandma's glance met mine.
THE wool is for her own stockings
quietly said she, as if in answer to
something she read in my eyes, "and
l intend these knots shall teach her {
lesson which mere words would fail tc
accomplish. Youthful experience, il
rightly impressed, may serve TO guarG
the future from sterner ones"
The old lady's favorite expression, 81
know" played about her firmly
closed lips, but she gave no utteranct
10 them as with ball in hand she sal
gazing upon the pictures Of the past
pictures whose lights and shadows
were reflected in her own dim eyes
in the fitting smile upon brow or lip.