Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-17
The pool Of
Pink Silk

Ruth was only ten years old, but she
was quite a seamstress. With mothers
help in cutting and fitting, she had
peced all the blocks for quilt which
covered her own little bed. She had
helped sew many long seam in sheets
and pillow-cases. She had hemmed ever
SO many dish-towels. Besides all this
"grown-up sewing her dolls had good
wardrobes, which were almost entirely
the result of their little mothers careful
needlework.
Now she could be trusted with some
very important sewing Aunt Ellen was
making beautiful silk quilt for the
living room couch, and she told Rutn
that one whole strip should be her
work. Even the pieces were to be scraps
Of Ruth's own hair ribbons and bits of
silk and velvet which had been used to
trim her own dresses from the time
when she was a wee girl.
There was SO much pink color In
these pieces that auntie gave her a
spool of dainty pink silk to use in her
needle. 1t was a proud little girl who
carried her work basket out on the
upstairs porch" as she called the
kitchen roof, and began her sewing.
It was a warm afternoon in June.
Ruth worked away very happily for
block to auntie, who praised the
straight, even seams and small stitches.
Then mother called her to stay with
Baby Jay, and the work basket was
left on the room. After tea, when Ruth
went to gather up her work, the spool
of silk could not be found.
Never mind, DEAR" said her aunt. 1T
can't be lost, because there is no place
for it to fall, except into the water
pipes, or on the ground below. Whene
you find it you may finish that block
you began so nicely"
Now Ruth was girl who took the
words of other. people very seriously,
Just as they were spoken. So she really
imagined that the silk block could not
be finished until the missing spool was
found.
How she did hunt for that spool of
silks! She polked her finger through
every opening in the pipes: She search
ed the ground below, and she finally
told mother and auntie that the fairies
must have carried it away. They smiled
at the idea, but they had no better ex-
PLANTATION to offer, for they had joined
in the search.
A few weeks later Aunt Ellen went
away for her vacation. School began in
and every one seemed 10
forget about the spool of silk.
The night after Aunt Ellen's return
there was a severe wind storm. Build
ings were unroofed and many branches
torn from trees and bushes. There had
been light frost a few days before,
and after the storm the trees looked
quite bare.
Aunt Ellen was the first one of the
family to come down stairs in the
There lay the finest branches
of her great lilac bush torn and shat
tered by the wind. AS she picked them
up small cup shaped object fell tot
the ground. She smiler. then laughed
aloud as she carried it into the house.
20 Ruth" she called. as the little girl
came downstairs, "did you ever find
your spool of pink sik?'
mo, Auntie, the fairies must have
carried it away, cause looked every
where"
"Well, you are right grille. The fairies
did carry it away. Just come here and
see where they put it," And Aunt Ellen
held up a queer little nest which had
the dainties kind Of pink silk lining.
why! Why! Is that my spool OIL
silk" gasped Ruth How did it get
there, and all knit in like that?"
''The fairies" replied Aunt Ellen, still
laughing. These particular fairies were
Mr.. and Mrs summer ellOWDlrd. Iney
are very fond of pretty silk Innings for
their houses, and they supposed, Of
course, that the spool Of silk was put
on the roof for their use. Just think
how they must have worked to weave
it so beautifully, and what nice lining
it made for the baby birds cradle!"
Ruth was too much astonished to say
much, but her serious little mind i'm
went back to the silk quilt.
May finish the block now, Auntie?"
she asked. "You said I might when we
found the spool Of silk"
Aunt Ellen laughed again. Eyes, you
dear little niece!" she exclaimed, giving
her "bear hug" We'll get a new
spool Of silk this very day, while Mrs.
Summer Yeliowbird is away, and we'll
use it all up before she gets back"
Our County Fair - BY |