I hope the Good Father did not mind my sewing a little on Mary Frances' frock after I had read the prayers. I was careful to do it in private for fear of offending a weaker brother.
We started out in the buckboard at three, taking the three little frocks for the children and a nice dark calico shirt-waist suit for the poor mother. The drive was charming. Stopped to see Louise M., who is so faithful in trying to carry on the Sunday-school. Her little log cottage was as clean as possible and she showed with great pride their potatoes just dug; she and her husband insisted on giving us some; they were very large, some of them weighing two pounds.
Her little log cottage was as clean as possible.
Went on to the Lewis's; found them very cheerful and just eating their midday meal. I went into the hut and so saw what it was, a very large spider full of hominy. That seemed the only thing, but they were perfectly content, their hunger being appeased by the abundance and heat of the meal, for it was steaming, not cooled unnecessarily as our food is by being transferred from one receptacle to another. The spider had the place of honor in the middle of the table. Each one was helped to a pan of hominy from it, and then retired out of doors to eat it.
They were all delighted with their frocks. I had collected some few men's garments for the gaberlunzie who owns the flock. But when I produced the calico frock for the wife she just overflowed with joy like a child. After many expressions of delight and satisfaction she retired to a corner to put it on, saying:—
"I'm sure, Miss Patience, no one could say I'm not a-needin' it, fo' I ain't had a chanct to wash this frock I got on till there comes a red-hot day, fo' I didn't have a thing to put on w'ile I'm a-washin' it."
When she appeared in it she swelled with pride and said:—
"The pusson that made this frock must-'a' measured me w'en I was a-sleepin'. No dressmaker could 'a' fit me so well."