Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-09
A GIFT FOR GRANDMA

anu, with the assistance OF MARY, CnS
cook, she was trying to keep her faith
er from feeling lonely.
The days seemed long to the little
girl, there was no school at present,
and Myra missed the busy life of pre-
pairing lessons. She also missed the
pleasant hours she passed with her
schoolmates and loving teachers when
she was at sc..ooL
One rainy morning she gathered all
the stockings and darned them neatly.
Then she mended the torn places in
the sheets and pillow cases, and yet
the noon hour had not arrived, so she
went down to Mary's kitchen to ask
her advice how she should spend her
time and be useful
Mary thought a few moments, then
she cried: Miss Myra, why don't you
make a pretty morning sacque for your
sgrandma? 1 know she will be de-
lighted"
The little girl danced around the
kitchen crying: 81 will surprise my
dear grandmother when she comes
home. 1 have a nice large piece of
pretty white material left from my fine
white dress: 1 will ask paper to bring
pattern home and 1 will begin it
tomorrow"
Myras father was delighted when
she told him what she intended doing.
The pattern for a morning sacque was
sent home at once, and the little girl
had been so carefully instructed in
cutting that she had very little trouble
ir understanding just how to lay the
pattern correctly on the goods and then
cut it out
Myra carefully tucked the back and
fronts of the sack on her hand sewing
machine, in tiny tuckS, and now the
present for grandma began to look
very dainty, and she ran downstairs
singing when her father came home to
lunch.
The next morning she hemmed and
tucked a long, straight piece of goods
that was intended for a ruff1e, which
was to be sewed all around the sacque.
This work occupied the entire morn
ing, for Myra felt that she must be
particular and make everything look
strong and neat.
Then, on the following morning, she
made the sleeves. They were also
tucked at the wrist and finished with
a tiny cuff.
At lunch her father said, "Why,
Myra, how happy you look" and the
little girl replied, 'I keep. thinking all
the time L am sewing how happy
mother and grandma will be when
they come home and find out how use
fully 1 have employed my time. I
play all afternoon, and kake rides with
my little friend Ethel, but in the morn
ings I sew at grandma's present
Myra sewed the back and fronts of
the sacque neatly together just as the
pattern directed, felled the seams, fit
ted the sleeves and finished with a bias
band; and then came the difficult task
of sewing on the ruff1e.
Myra had never sewed a ruff1e on
anything; this was something entirely
new, but she commenced with q brave
heart, but, try as she would, she could
ms lyn fhn 1ff1a 1Only 1.iObf What
was the matter with it?
Finally she became so discouraged
that she threw herself on the lounge,
crying: 81 cannot get it right! How
disappointed I ami"
Just then she heard footsteps come
lightly up the stairs and into the sew
ing room, and there stood her cousin
Jennie, who was a year Older than
Myra. "Oh, Jennie" cried the little
girl "do you know how to sew a ruffle
on a morning sacque?" Jennie replied:
II have just made a white apron for
myself Mother showed me how to
put a ruff1e around that. How glad I
am for now can help you, and you
shall not be disappointed. We will
get right to work"
Then Jennie showed Myra how to di-
vide the ruffle into equal parts. gather
it by hand and sew it on. When the
lunch bell rang Myra was singing with
happiness. When the little girls ran
down to the dining room they found
letter from grandma, saying:
Dear Myra: Your mother and will
come home tomorrow afternoon. We
have a present for you. Your loving
GRANDMOTHER"
"Oh, Jennie" cried Myra, "I am
afraid cannot finish grandma's pres
ent." Then Jennie, who was a dear,
unselfsh little girl, said: 81 was going
for q hOat ride this afternoon with
some of my friends, but I will send
them word I will remain with you"
Myra worked hard all afternoon and
with Jennie's help the band which fin
ished the ruffle was first neatly basted
on and then stitched with the hand
sewing machine. When Jennie went
home late that afternoon Myra kissed
her and thanked her tenderly for her
great help.
The next morning the little girl was
very busy; there was grandma's room
to dust until it was spotless, and the