The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-11-13
NJ sno1s s#iVs q fsasEiar
(By Roland r. Patten)

tention was called to a button of
peculiar construction. 1t was pro-
vided with points which could be
pressed through the cloth and bent
over, thus obviating a necessity for
needle and thread. AS buttons were
continually going the way of all the
earth, the idea appealed to me.
toted two or three of them around for
year or two but. somewhat like the
game you see when you don't have
any gun, the occasion for their use
never arrived. | have been fairly !
fortunate; never had much hard luck
as to buttons Once in a while one
would come off my waistband but. as
y0u all know, by doubling up a bit,
fellow can get along temporarily with
one or two less than the usual num-
( Der.
On the morning of October 10th l
struck a problem that couldn't be
y compromised that way. Had planned
to attend the annual session of the
/ Maine Press Association, which open
ed at the Falmouth Hotel in Portland
at 10 o'clock. This necessitated my
getting up in time to drive to Water
vile for the 5:35 train. Had planned
: to wake at four but oversight a bit.
The day before | had taken my blue
serge suit Vintage of 1929 to have 1t
pressed. Brought it home with me
in the evening but did not take the
precaution to look it over. There it
lay, the next morning, nicely folded
ready for me to put on. The press
ing had not taken all of the shine off
the elbows, but the trousers were
i nicely creased and in general, the
70 haI n
pristine glory. | thrust myself into
the trousers and, as is my custom,
reached behind to attach the suspen-
ders. A moments wandering along
that waistband brought to light the
fact that one button was gone and
another broken. This disaster occu
pied by mind so exclusively that |
did not at the time search any fur
Their. &c. all by myself, in those
early morning hours, | held coun- I
Gil of war. The normal waistband
equipment Is six buttons. | could
have spared one, or even two, if they
were alternate. With one entirely T
gone and the next one to 1t badly
broken, did not dare set out for
Names metropolis Anything can be
accomplished If you have plenty of
time. Robinson Crusoe, you remem-
Der, from almost nothing, made him
self a whole suit. What | was to
do, however had to be done in a rush
for my train left Waterville in less
than an hour. |,
One, of my early remembrances is of
certain wooden box, oblong in
shape, perhaps three inches deep
beautifully rTTte AS rong ago as
can remember. this used to be around
the home in Monson, filled with but
tons 1t has survived the vicssi-
tudes of fifty years and is still with
me. | had seen 1t not so very long
since and it was located without much
difficulty. Then it appeared that the
kind of buttons | wanted had become
very rare. My memory of early days
was to the effect that they were most
plentiful. Yet perhaps | had not
had occasion to observe closely. How
ever, | found something that would do
and then my need was for thread and
a needle Remembered seeing some
thread in drawer in the sewing ma
chine. Went to the room where this
was, opened the drawer in question
and there was a couple of quarts of
spools carrying threads in variety
of sizes and all the hues of the rain
bow. 1t was really an attractive
sight but didn't at that moment take I
time to study it. Selected a big
black spool and hunted for a needle. I
There were pin cushions all over the
place. with plenty of pins but no
needles. At last, o JOY! | found a
needle in a receptacle on one of the
dressers. Best of all it had some
white thread in it. Not as much as
! would wish but | made up my mind [
to use it as far as 1t went. Well, /
details are not necessary. | sue
ceeded In sewing on one button with
that threadt | got it placed bit too
high so that a rim showed above the
waistband in about the shape of a
new moon. This. however being an
aesthetic objection, rather than a
practical one, | did not regard as inn
portant.
After o. King the job just COM
pleted discovered that several other
buttons were broken, one so badly |
that I did not dare risk it, The |