I 1I 1 f i I i ONE AFTERNOON t J BV SYDNEY DAYRE What a lovely great piece of dress flannel i I Yes isnt it It was left from Kittys I last winter dress and mother gave it tome If I to-me It will make a full suit for my J i doll you see I Im going to cut it out I i just as soon as I finish this saccuie so I want you all to lay your heads together as I to how it is to be made A serious discussion on tho weighty I subject followed Sue and Helen and Janet had come to visit Marian and all i had agreed that the damp cloudy November 11 I No-vember afternoon could be passed in no I I way so pleasantly as in sewing for their I I dolls c Such big girls playing with dolls many would say Yes their mothers were of the opinion that girls of twelve to fourteen i four-teen might spend their time and talk with i I I many worse thing than dolls and had encouraged them to make good needlewomen needle-women of themselves in that way Correct Cor-rect measurements caref l basting and I i neat stitching were always insisted upon 4H j in every piece of worK Marian skipped down to the kitchen to press Janets sacque and as she carefully I care-fully opened the seams wetting them a little was startled by a sound which did not appear to belong there Why Bridget whats this she I asked in wonder going up to two chairs r I which stood against the wall with their lacks turned out HOh what a cunning I I fellow I Indade miss its just kapin him here I a bit I am the whiles me sister rins round 11 I I thryin to get days wurrucks for its her J j J silf has no one to be lavin him wid but i i the two at home thats not much bigger I than himself at all j I The darling I wonder if hell be I I afraid of me She raised the year oldS old-S baby who had been smiling up at her from Bridgets shawl laid on the I two chairs delighted that he did not seem to object to her attentions Dear me Why isnt he cold Look Bridget do you think hes got enough clothes onTo on-To her surprise Bridget sat herself down in the middle of the kitchen floor and cried f I I I Niver a bit he has The fatherrest I I his poor sowl Iwas kilt wurrikin on the railroad tin weeks come Saturday night I an its mesilf hasnt the wan cint lift afther the payin for the bringin him here where the mither might get wurruck i and its all she can be doin yit to put I the bit in their mouths and pay the rint 0 the room lave alone clothes an the t winthers comin fastthe poor crathurs A sob came between every sentence as Bridget wiped her eyes and shook her head in woeful absorption in her sisters j S trials I I 1 trialsDear Ii I Dear me Dont cry Bridget i Thingsll come out right Iknow Well 11 talk to mamma about it Marian felt I very anxious to comfort her but hardly i1 knew how Bridget I want to borrow 4 I the baby for a while Forgetting sacque and flatiron she hurried up stairs with a few reflections I reflec-tions on the different things winter means to different peepleto her flannels I flan-nels and furs skatiug sleighrides and I warm fireside to the oorrags suffering I suffer-ing cold and hunger I Girls look here Ababy 1 A precious little curlyheaded cunning J I cun-ning I Dimpled little darling Do letme take I 1 him Martha Stop Hes going to to cry and no wonder with the chatting you all make There pretty Bless him see that little II lip go upI up-I III ll Here Janet stuck a piece of candy I IWi ltR in his mouth which acted like a charm I 11 for he winked and blinked and sucked I I and smacked his lips as if in great astonishment J liJ as-tonishment and approval iI1 P Thats it Now girls look at this i I childs clothes Marian took off an old I cape which was wrapped around him and listened to the exclamations which came at sight of the thin cotton slip and the bare little feet i And winter coming on What are we j going to do about it e After a moments reflections Janet 4 took her tape measure and passed it with a very businesslike air around the babys waist then held up the piece of dress flannel to show its liberal size Splendid Girls lets dress this baby He isnt so much bigger than our dolls iL II There was a chorus of enthusiastic agreement Helen looked at the clock > I 1 See now we have two hours and a half before it gets dark Lets take fifteen I I teen minutes for planning and then well 1 make things fly I j followed and A very brisk discussion then Marian made rush to her mothers I i room returning shortly with a bundle of i i underwear which she had seen thrown 1I into the ragbag as past mending II I I only thought of making shirts of them girls she said measuring with fingers dexterous with long practice but I do look there is plenty for a petticoat for I i the mite I lI II First half hour Shirts cut out and tf well under way in Marians hands Petticoats Ij I Pet-ticoats in Sues Dress cut out and fitted ri r Janet basting portions of it and working at the machine Dolls pining in neglect I 0 Elaine ignominiously bundled into a crowded workbasket Princess Beatrice lying on the bed with face downward Louisa Alcott hidden under scraps of old flannel and Eugenic indignantly gazing straight at the ceiling from her place on I the floor in the corner with an expression expres-sion which might seem to mean This for a Paris doll j Second half hour One shirt finished and Bridget called and Baby restless k given directions to feed and return him account to come into the room but on no Skirt of dress finished Third half hour Baby hilled to sleep machine Petticoat finifche by sound of i = < > io 1ii second feliirt finished MdRn taking qUict measurements of babes head with view to cutting out a hotid of a piece of bright cashmere to bo lined with a double thickness of old flannel Waist of dress finished Fourth half hour Mamma cines in i severely cautioned against awakening the baby Warmly interested in what is going on approves of Marion taking two pairs of last winters woolen stockings stock-ings and cutting the legs down into stubby stub-by socks Sleeves of dress finished and the garment is put together with many exclamations of Cunning i Fifth half hour Hands moving faster than ever Buttonholes made and Princess Beatrice ruthlessly robbed of the buttons on her best cloak Stockings finished and a hasty account taken of money in each pocket results in sending send-ing Janet out to buy cheap little shoes Just getting twilighty Marian claps her hands with a triumphant whis por Too bad to disturb the little fellow fel-low but we must have him dressed before be-fore his mother comes Perhaps we can do it without awakeningJiim But at the first attempt baby opened his blue eyes in a stare and then his little lit-tle rosy mouth in a roar which struck his mistresses of the robes with dismay There now Was it frightened death poor little sing 1 It was if screams meant anything The shirt was received with contempt as Marian slipped it on with nervous hands each other girl trying to help with a pull down or a jerk up The petticoat was looked upon as an abuse and the dress asa as-a crowning insult Do bring the candy Sue said Marian Ma-rian hot and out of breath trying to button but-ton the dress as Janet and Helen worked each at a chubby little foot But rebel liously baby choked on it and kicked and turned black in the face until every girl sprang up in terror just as Bridget opened the door and his mother ran into the room It would have been aggravating if it had not been such a relief to see that little rascal the moment he got into his mothers aims With a big tear on each cheek he turned and smiled as if he had meant it all for a joke Tears in the mothers eyes too as she poured out in a low voice a string of Irish blessings which every one pretended not to hear as Helen hastily sewed on the hood strings made of a sash contributed by Louisa Alcott without her being consulted con-sulted in the matter and the others began be-gan clearing up the room Then baby submitted like an angel to a roundof kissing and went away with a crow and a laugh Its better than dolls at length said Janet very earnestly as the last flannel rag went into the ragbag Yes ever so much There was a pause during which Ma rians mother came in to suggest tea It was a cup of cold water given in his name she said softly But mamma there are two more children I mean Lets give a Saturday to each proposed pro-posed Helen But theys too big to dress in rags and doll scraps Never mind said mamma when your nimble fingers are ready well see about something for them to work on Congregationalist