Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-08-04
sEWING on A RIJrToN.

Marian" called mamma from her
chamber. will you sew the button on
grandpa's coat, please? My head
aches so can't"
Wont another time doe" answered
doleful voice from the depths of
book. 1--we just come to the last
chapter, and it's so exciting!"
mo, dear" said mamma; grand
pa is going to town in few minutes,
and must have his coat. He saved
the button. 1t is in one of the peck
ets.'
Marian often sewed on grandpa's
buttons. She was proud of knowing
how. Only, today, she would rather
finish her story first. Reluctantly, she
got her work-bag, threaded big
needles with coarse black thread,
found the button in the pocket. and
taking the coat in her pink bingham
lap, began to sew.
But her head was still full of her
story, as she took the first stitches.
Then she came to herself with
start.
"Oh, dear!" she exclaimed in dis
may, 1--WE sewed clear through the
coat! And I've put the knot on the
wrong side instead Of on the right,
under the button"
But she was so anxious to get back
to her book that she would not stop
to cut it off and begin over again.
Through and through the four holes
of the button, and way through the
cloth to the wrong side, flashed her
needle. Then she fastened the thread
on the wrong side, too in big stitches,
and shipped it. off. 1t was quicker to
do 1t that way.
There" she said, cts on"
But she never had sewed on one of
grandpa's coat buttons like that be-
fore. Not stitch ought to have been
visible on the wrong side any more
than on the right. Marian knew that.
But it won't show" she assured her.
self.
THANK you. my DEAR said grand
pa. as he hurried on the coat. ST
don't believe every little girl can sew
on a button as well as you can" And
he rushed off to catch his train.
Marian sat down with her book
again. But she didn't enjoy the chapter
as much as she had expected. Grand
pas last words haunted her. She
hadn't sewed on that button as we'll
as she could
"Captain!" a voice hailed grandpa
on the city street. I'VE want you to
get your picture taken"
What for?" demanded the Cap
tain, startled.
ITO put in the paper" explained
his friend. "They are going to give
history Of our regiment Memorial
Day, and your picture must go with
that" For grandpa had been the
hero of his regiment.
The Captain objected But the
other prevailed, and he unwillingly
found himself before the photograph.
er's camera. Just as he sat down, he
unbuttoned his coat and threw back
the lapels. He felt more comfortable
so.
"An excellent likeness" every one
said, and Marian was eager to see the
Memorial Day paper. There was the
fine old face she knew SO well, and
there
ooh" Marian caught her breath
with a gasp. There were all those
clumsy stitches for every one to see.
"And I thought they wouldn't show"
| she sobbed; because they were on
the wrong side, ! thought 1t wasn't
any matter"
ITS all right" comforted grandpa.
~ don't care about few threads"
But Marian was not consoled. She
cut grandpas picture out Of the paper
and pinned it up where she could see
it every day. And after that, when
she felt like heing careless about
thing because she thought 1t wasn't
going to show, look at those pic
tured stitches was enough. They
made her do her very best-Alice NJ.
harrington, in Sunday School Times.
JENNINGS TALK TO "NEWSIES."
In winter Hugh Jennings is a law.
yer in Scranton and in summer he
manages the Detroit ball nine. On
a recent occasion he talked to the
newsboys, difficult audience. Many
a prominent citizen who has sue.
ceeded in acquitting themselves
| gracefully everywhere else has been
glad to leave that platform after an
inglorious finish to his speech. But
Jennings made one OF the neatest of
speeches, with baseball as his text.
'jf course, he got welcome! I'VE