The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1925-01-30
Knitting for
Nerves
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS
(cspyrisht)

(Cspyrtsht)
"V GU have simply got to take UP
! knitting" said the great nerve
specialist. Get some wool, q pair Of
needles and 60 down to Atlantic City
and sit on the board walk and knit"
me knit certainly would look
cute sitting on the beach like some
Aunt Jemima knitting pink wool.
And all the idlers stopping to roar At
me. No thanks"
David pulled his six feet Of strong
manhood impatiently out Of the chair.
The specialist only sat calmly look
ing at him.
you prefer. then, my young fel-
low, to end your days In q homo fer
neuresthenics, babbling forever about
spring blossoms or trying to dnd q
nice easy place to jump OF the roof"
The doctor became more serious
Don't be coward about life. Face
1t out. Perhaps short summer Of
knitting, just simply giving your
hands something to do. will set yeu
on your feet"
David laughed. His nerves were not
quite gone and, after all, life had
heaps to offer. He would be Z sport
and obey the Doctors orders Any
thing was better than the state no
was In. Only yesterday he had shrunk
from crossing the street alone and
nothing could induce him to 70 into
the subway. Certainly knitting was
preferable to that mangled state of
nerves.
So David packed his case, told his
sister al about it and she gave him
good advice a. well ~ knitting needles
and wool.
But the brainstorm that was the
most brilliant Of her career was her
suggestion that David put on Aunt
Efie's clothes when he came from his
bathhouse.
@Her bonnet, with the strings to tis
1t on and her great cloak and ample
skirts-why David you could sit on
the sand and knit prize jumpers and
no one would even cast q glance at
you"
you're the prize brick, Sis,"
laughed David. 'T'l put Aunt Emsa
clothes on and knit till I haven't q
nerve left"
Consequently, the old lady sitting
daily on the white sand attracted little
or no attention. David gradually
learned to knit mechanically.
It was Elsie's wee dog that first up
set the apple cart Of calm thought
The dog, dashing about in quest o1
fun, found David's woolly ball, began
playing and ran Joyfully or across
the sand.
And David, because he always kept
rather stationary when wearing Aunt
Efhe's clothes, just sat and watched.
And Elsie, seeing the old lady's pre-
dicament and the havoc being wrought
with the wool gave chase after Fid0
II was then that David's calm de.
serted him. Elsie, In drenching and
most nifty Of bathing suits. in hot
pursuit Of a small dog, caused not
only burst Of laughter from David
but also heavy heart throb. Elde
with fair hair blowing about In the
breeze and as graceful ~ q nymph
made David tensely conscious that
there were bits In the feminine world
distinctly wonderful
After q nnal desperate plunge tAl
small dog was captured.
Davld's heart beat fast. The girl
was approaching him to offer IN
apology.
I'm so very. very sorry," she said
In the sweetest Of voices 'Ftdo d
always doing something awful"
'But this is not awful" David
quickly told her and when Elsie
Jumped back startled at the great
boom Of his voice he realized that b,
WAS supposed to be lady.
"But he has unraveled all you
lovely knitting" Elsie managed to Say
and looked ruefully down at 4 mer,
strand OF what had been q fairly vel
formed sweater. Couldn't I knit 4
back for your / will slip into my
bathhouse and get into my frock ant
come back here. You VIII waitr' sh,
questioned.
"I certainly WILL" David agreed Will
q slightly modified voice.
AZ soon as she was out Of sigh
David arose, dashed into his own BATH
house and emerged In the most trim
Of white hannels.
He seated himself On the exact sps
and waited.
When Elsie appeared he knew tha
his nerve cure was making TIRE
mendous progress and would continue
to do so so long as Elsie would hell
him to pass away the shining hours
She was dressed In the daintiest sill
jersey suit he had ever seen and he
fair hair, now confined, lay in hug
coil about her head.
She stopped in disnsay at seeing th'
big man sitting where the old lad.
with the knitting had been. Somehow
Elsie had expected to make good he
offer to knit back the sweater.
She was about to turn away, wheI
David drew from his pocket q grea
ball of wool and aimed II straight q
Fido. That wise little animal took hii
&hot :