[Figure 7. Wool Spinning-Wheel]
“I must needs be out of thy way, Mary Jane, and will spin in thy mother’s room to-day.”
But Grandmother soon returned, holding the baby in the crook of her left arm. She seated herself near the fire and unwrapped many layers of soft woolen covers from little Samuel. Dipping her elbow into the basin of warm water at her side, she found it just right and bathed the baby quickly, wrapped him again in the folds of the flannel, and retied his little cap. She then put him in the cradle, and called Thomas to rock him to sleep.
Mary Jane told her brothers and sisters what she expected of each of them before she pulled out her rolling-board and started to make pie-crust.
Abigail banged the churn dasher up and down and thought eagerly of the pewter and brasses to be polished.
“Thomas, methinks the wee child must be asleep. Stretch up to this churn dasher and prove yourself a dashing knave,” she said.
