The Lamar register., 1907-07-24
THE SPRING
SEWINeLUST

Every spring l go perfectly mad
over sewing things" said The Widow.
"and every summer finds me with my
money ail spent and nothing to wear"
"A In Flora McF'lImsy. OF Madison
square?'" queried The Girl.
mo. I mean It literally" The Wild
ow replied.
you see, there used to be children"
she continued. with u far away look In
her eyes, and always In the spring
made all their little dresses for the
summer. And so. even yet, the long
Ing to sew comes up in my soul every
spring like perennial In the garden.
Just as soon AZ the shop people be.
gin to MI their windows with pretty
lawns and dimities. the madness be-
gins. or course. there aren't any
babies any more for me to make things
for. but Just the same I can picture
dainty gowns and can fancy myself ar
rayed In frocks 80 simple that know
perfectly well I can make them myself
for half what they would cost to have
made.
80. the frst bright day that comes
20 shopping: and pretend to delib-
crate wisely over everything. while all
the time I am Intoxicated with the
prospective Joy OF making clothes. and
sm merely trying to prolong my &C.
stasy.
After time select delicate pink
lawn and u dress length Of white
dimity with blue corn flowers on It,
and another with green leaves and
stripes. and l get linen and pique and
crash to make half u dozen dresses all
white: and ! buy yards and yards OF
lace and spools and spools of thread
and lots Of braid and many paper pat
terms. and pair Of new scissors: and
I'm In such frantic haste to begin to
sew that carry half my bundles with
me: and on my way home | rent
machine with all the attachments
and tell the sewing machine people
that II positively must be delivered i'm.
mediately.
For weeks I sew madly. with occa.
sionaily sprints over to Sixth avenue
TOR more lace for this or more inser.
ton for that: and every time some
other piece Of goods lures me. and
buy enough for another frock or
waist or something; and always the
sext day the balance Of the same goods
In advertised at bargain sale and
sold for n third less than paid.
After the machine Ia taken away.
and all tho scraps are thrown out and
everything In once more In calm re-
pose and the furniture Is no longer dis
guised by frills and Innings and paper
patterns and things. there'n be . waist
discovered with sleeves only lightly
tasted n: thcre'n be . skirt minus u
waistband or with = hem or facing UNI
stitched: and something will be too
short and something else will be too
Tong: and the things made from pat
terms that did not allow for seams
will bo big enough for the fat lady ut
Coney. and those that did allow for
seams will be too small for any nor
nal woman that weighs hundred and
forty pounds-meAning yourself
"Well. every year II ends the same
Way-by the time the fever to sew has
left my money 10 all spent. and there
l1nt . single thing that I can wear
aAd maintain my seif.respect. The
maid gets some. the laundrcss gets the
rest. and I get through the summer
somehow. with one or two cheap ready.
made gowns. bought as malSeshift.
and not . single pretty. dainty frock
TO my name.
Every summer declare I'll never
DO It again. but every spring that same
madness for sewing grips my vitals.
and IT'S the same ridiculous spree all
over again.
I've conceived . plan though for
Iris year-I'm going to make dear.
cute little baby things-they won't be
nearly 20 expensive. and l can send
them to the chiidren's home or hospi.
tai or something"
The next time The Girl found The
Widow she was sitting amid heaps of
snowy lawn and reels Of lace edging.
and the pattern" was = tiny little
frock. all yellow from age. and torn
- BY . child at play.
But The Widow did not sew-shs
buried her face In the wee garment
and sobbsd.
And the spell Of the sevinsiust was
broken.