The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-16

times even tnelT own llVluS. OHe
young woman in the western part OF
New York State who is so lame as
! the result of an accident that she can
not even walk or even move out OF
her chair without assistance earns
| six dollars a week by teaching a class
of little girls to sew and mend, says
the New York Sun.
"I just had to do something,' she
explained to the reporter. while !
am very fond of reading and am fitted
to teach school, after my accident I
! had to give up that ambition. l was
also fond of dancing and often used
to say that if I couldn't get a position
in the public schools l would teach a
dancing class. Maybe this idea Of
teaching led me to think Of a sewing
class.
after 1 was well enough to sit up
and began to feel strong again l con-
suited mother on the subject, and as
she didn't object I sent out little cards
inviting twenty little girls of my &C
quaintance to spend the following
Saturday afternoon with ME. 1t was
the last week, in November that l
wanted them to help me dress twen-
ty-one dolls that l intended present
ing to a mission Sunday school for its
Christmas tree.
There may have been n or two
who didn't like the idea of spending
the afternoon sewing, but If so they
were soon won over by the enthusi-
asm of the majority. / had all the
garments cut out with a threaded
needle stuck in each set, and each
set with the dol which was to wear
it lying peacefully beneath the pile.
7 planned the party to last two hours
and at the end of that time our one
maid of all work appeared at the
door with a large covered tray.
"Of course this "a another cause
for excitement. The tray was placed
on a table at my elbow and when I
removed the cover there were tea
cakes and little cups of custard with
a spoonful of whipped cream for each
little seamstress.
while they were all delighted and
scraped their cups pretty clean 1 no.
ticed that the majority were anxious
to finish that they might get back to
work on their doll clothes. Knowing
that they would be more interested
in making the dolls dress than its
undergarments, I had stated at first
that the dress was to be left for the
last.
eff you could have seen those little
fingers fly trying to finish the under
garments in time at least to begin
the dress that afternoon! That vas
quite impossible, however, ever with
the larger girls who had had some
experience with the needle, and when
time came for them to go, instead Of
my having to urge them to return the
next week to finish the sewing they
all begged to be allowed to come.
MANY of them wanted to come
Monday after school, but I insisted
that they wait until Saturday. At
least half an hour before the ap-
pointed time they were all seated in
my sitting room working for dear
life. That day all the dresses were
begun, but none of them was finished.
On the third Saturday all the dresses
were finished.
Those who got through first
turned in and helped the little tots,
who of course had less experience.
Each garment had been inspected by
me, and on many of them I had done
considerable of the work, but when
one remembers that the youngest of
my guests were less than five it would
be only natural for me to give them
some help to keep them from becom-
ing discouraged.
when the last doll was dressed
and packed away ready 10 be sent to
the Sunday-school several of the larg-
er girls asked me if 1 wasn't going
to get more to dress. You should
have seen the anxiety with which my
answer was awaited.
That was the moment I had been
expecting and hoping for. Very care
fully I explained that while I would
not have any more dolls tc dress for
the mission school ] had determined
to open a sewing class to begin the
first Saturday after the new year. I
went into my plans, explaining my
charges for the course of sewing and
mending, and what expected my pu-
pills to accomplish.
Every one Of the twenty was eager
70 have her name enrolled at once,
but l explained that they must first
consult their mothers. You know
how impatient children are once they
get a notion in their heads. That
night VIC had a stream Of visitors, the
parents coming TO ask about my sew
ing class.
"~Following the suggestion of my
mother l made my age limit from six
10 ten. and had it distinctly under
stood that each child was to be fur
nished with her own sewing box and
materials. | began with twelve and
now l have thirty. While ! have had
offers Of twice as many, l feel that it
is best for me not to try to overtaX
my strength.
Il begin with threading the needle
and taking the simplest stitches. My