The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-01-05
When Tom
Sewed
a.
By Jane Osborn

Zpunured reet down the ro,d of+or
paving left Molly, he heard q suhduad
put high-pitched whistle. It came
from the direction of the side door of
Pie Gardner house, and. turning hack
- sd" emerging from the grape ar
that clustered around the door
Ene pony, stopped figure of Molly's
pncie. The uncle was reckoning to
tom 10 return, and because the uncle
peld one lean finger to his lips. Tom
fnew ne was to return stealthily. So
rom crept back in the moonlight as
quietly as night-prowling cat till he
STOOD within few inches of the old
imam.
Can you knit?" asked the uncle.
"knit-what do you mean knit?"
"Nhat do l mean-knit-I mean
knit-worsted work, on needles, of
eourse."
swell, I should think not"
"Can you use a sewing machineT'
Certainly not"
tom had reasons Of his own to
want to impress favorably Molly's
*nncle-whO was also her guardian
put he did not intend to perjure him.
self by claiming accomplishments that
he did not have.
"Well, can you thread needles and
sew on buttons"
"Yes-I suppose can" Tom admit
Ted, slowly remembering the bach
Flor buttons that he had in time past
been constrained to sew on for him
self.
"All right" the uncle said, with EVIL
dent satisfaction. 81 can knit and
1.-THE minister can cut out garments as
fgood as anyone, and son John can
run the sewing machine. Now, here's
Ewhat we're going to do, and since you
4 would be doing your share, In order to
help out Molly, guess you're not go
ling to back out. You see, my wife
Molly's Aunt Maryland my son
Johns wife and the minister's wife
and Molly-well, they are running the
Red Cross society here in Dobb's Cor
b ners. Well, times have been pretty
busy here. What with canning and
4 all, it was pretty hard for the wom-
EN- folks. War times seem to come
hardest on the women, if they're pa
F triotic, like our women folks are"
M "What's that got to do with my
III sewing buttons on?" asked Tom.
"Wait till I get to it, can't your"
snapped Molly's uncle. Saturday
Il there is to be the big send-off parade
In the big city, and seems as If my
Matty and Toms wife had set their
hearts on seeing the boys start or
and, of course, the minister's wife and
Molly just had to go. And what IS
more. they all had planned to get on
n box of things for the Red Cross.
We'll. as I said, tomatoes ripened
sooner than they expected. and there
were a powerful lot Of grapes this
wear. and the preserving sort OF put
things back. And now, If they go IN
to that parade Saturday, they never
will get that box packed, and my MAT
nv and the rest are almost worried
sick about it. They've got to get IL
off Monday morning. OF course, the
minister's wife wouldn't want to see
them finish up on Sunday. so tney
have decided they will work till MID
night on Saturday. Well, here is my
n,en. Tomorrow (Friday) evening l
can tell Matty am going down 10 the
store TO sit awhile, and the minister
can LOT ON he has to talk to one OF the
e,ders. and John can tell his wire ne
cot to negotiate in the next county
pbout those cows he is thinking oi
hnvine. and you can tell Molly "na'
s,ou choose. If she was counting Oh
seeing you that night. ana we can
hll get together down at the heau'
cnarters and we can finish them gar,
rnants I'D. We can get there by nan
nost seven. and we can work until
eleven, without having the women sus-
n,cious. That Is three hours anu
t,oIf for four men. That's fourteen
s,orrs I guess we can finish up III
-. lime oil right. Women waste q
Ieal of time talking, ana II we Jua,
fake our pipes, we can peg risn' "A
without stopping at all"
rom unwilling as he was to De re-
.-dad as an expert needieman'
-eod and sealed the agreement VIII
hoortv hand shake. and went OH -
h,s lodgings in the village, lesn -
.ne+ because of the little speech o. %
na,,v,s uncle he understood the oiu
hotter than he had ever done DO
fore. .r.d Friday night
.ne hare little room over the stor pre-
a. had been set aside for the heS S
lies H. headquarters in the village ~ .ss
.tsr Molly's uncle had picked . aat
n a.s with a pass-key, they soon s SC,
!" cork by the light OF s'ea'' Wv
oil lamp. .+,v easy fol
49, nad man, and the yarn caugns to- ..
tn e .a,loused knuckles. but ne SET nun
sl I,. to work on an uncompietea nan
se en With a will. and soon was p Liz
yer .aw on his corn-cob pipe to tne rytm
- click of the slow-movins w ~
Inie The minister cut QUIZ pa
s"~as and bed jackets win ne es,,rs,
% 9 hummlng the quick mea ns.,n,
ns' an old.fashioned camp mee. IL.