PIECES OF LAUGHTER AND FUN (10 page)

"I don't actually have to do it all alone. But I want to earn my part. Ma and the boys don't think I can earn any money, but I'll show them."

"Well, good luck," Sarah Jane said. "If I think of some way, I'll let you know."

We walked the rest of the way in silence, but my mind was busy searching for ideas. I was only half listening as Miss Gibson read the Scripture for the morning.

"Trust in the Lord ... wait patiently for him ... and he will give you the desires of your heart."

There was the answer! Trust in the Lord. I knew all about doing that. We had been taught that God takes care of his children and gives them everything that is necessary. A new suit for pa was necessary, wasn't it?

But wait patiently? That would be the hard part. I wasn't very long on patience. I usually wanted things to happen right away—or sooner. I could just see that suit in the catalog.

"Mabel." Miss Gibson's voice broke into my thoughts.

"Yes, "I've spoken to you twice now. Where has your mind been?"

"In the catalog," I blurted out, and then turned red as everyone laughed. "I mean, I was thinking about the Sears catalog. I'm sorry. I'll listen now."

At recess time, Miss Gibson came over to where Sarah Jane and I sat on the steps. "Did you see something in the catalog you wanted, Mabel?" she asked me.

"Yes, ma'am. I want a suit for my pa."

Miss Gibson looked thoughtful. "That's a pretty big order. Where will you get the money for it?"

"That's what I don't know," I replied. "But there must be something I could do to earn it."

Miss Gibson nodded. "I'm sure there is. You'll think of something."

All of January went by, and I had not earned a single penny. Reuben brought home ten cents he had earned helping a neighbor mend harnesses. Roy got five cents for sweeping out Mr. Clapp's store.

"He wanted to give me candy," Roy reported. "But I told him I needed the money."

Ma had sold some eggs, and made a dress for the minister's wife. Altogether she had a dollar and a half.

"$1.65," Reuben counted. "We're not getting there very fast, are we?"

"It's $1.65 more than we had at the beginning of the month," ma reminded him. "We'll keep working and praying about it."

In February Mrs. Carter gave me a nickel for going to the store for her. I had to make three trips to get everything she wanted, but it was worth it. Joyfully I handed it over to ma.

"That's good, Mabel. Every little bit helps. We have almost three dollars now. You mustn't be too disappointed if we can't earn it all. We'll do the best we can."

"But, ma," I protested, "the Bible says if we trust in the Lord, he'll give us the desires of our heart. We're trusting him, aren't we?"

"Yes, of course," ma replied. "But remember, God doesn't always answer our prayers the way we expect him to. He gives us what is best for us. Money may not be his best."

I couldn't think of anything that would be better, but I didn't say that to ma. Every so often when pa was in the fields or the barn, I would take down the jar that held our savings and count it again.

"If you think that money will multiply because you count it every day, it won't," Roy advised me. "You'll just wear it out."

"I will not!" I retorted. "It doesn't hurt money to count it."

"Doesn't help it any, either," Roy teased.

March passed slowly, and then April arrived with heavy spring rains. After it had rained for two Saturdays in a row, I complained to ma.

"How can I go out and find errands to do in this kind of weather? It isn't good for anything."

"Except to help the gardens and fields to grow," ma reminded me. "Nothing that God sends is useless."

The next week a rainstorm did help solve our problem. Sarah Jane and I were spending the afternoon at her house. Just as we had gathered all our things together to go to the creek to play, it began to rain.

"Oh, bother!" Sarah Jane exclaimed. "Now what shall we do?"

"Why don't you play in the attic?" her mother suggested. "You can use the clothes in the old trunk to play dress-up, if you like."

"We can make up a story to go with it," I added. "Come on. That's much more fun than going to the creek."

We hurried to the attic and lost no time in selecting dresses and hats to try on. Sarah Jane even found an old pair of high-top shoes that just fit her.

"It's too bad your feet are so big, Mabel," she said smugly. "I guess I'll just have to wear these."

"That's all right," I replied. "I'll use the parasol. It's prettier anyway."

After prancing around the attic for a few minutes, another thought occurred to me.

"Maybe I can find some long gloves in there to go with my parasol."

After routing through a couple more dresses, I lifted out something heavy. It was made of a woolen material.

"Hey, look at this," I called. "What is it?" Sarah Jane came over to look. "It was a great coat of my grandfather's."

"My, it's big," I marveled. "I never saw so much cloth in one coat."

"My grandpa was big," _Sarah Jane informed me. "My mother said he would make two of anyone she ever saw. No one else has ever been able to wear his coat."

I could hardly get my breath for excitement. "Oh, Sarah Jane, do you think your mother would sell it to us?"

"Sell it to you? Whatever for? Your pa could wrap it around him three times. He would sure look silly in it."

"No, no. He wouldn't wear it like that. Ma could make him a whole suit out of it! She can do anything with a needle and thread."

"We'll have to ask. Ma might want to sell it."

But she didn't. "Oh, my. I couldn't take money for an old coat like that. I can't imagine what anyone would want it for. But if you think your mother could use it, you may have it."

"Oh, thank you!" I cried. "I just know we can use it. I'll take it home right now."

"You'd better wait until it stops raining," Sarah Jane suggested. "Wet wool doesn't smell too good, you know."

She was right, so I waited impatiently for the weather to clear. Then Sarah Jane helped me roll the coat into a bundle I could carry.

I hurried as fast as I could, for the coat was really quite heavy. When I finally arrived at our yard, Pa was starting toward the house. Quickly I detoured around to the barn and went in. The coat would be safe under some hay until after supper.

Ma watched me anxiously as we ate. "Aren't you hungry, Mabel?"

"No, not very."

"Your cheeks are flushed. Are you feverish?"

"I don't think so, ma. I feel fine, really I do."

Fortunately, she said no more. As soon as we were alone doing the dishes, I whispered to her. "There's something in the barn you have to see, ma. It's an answer to our prayer!"

Ma looked surprised, but she didn't question me. As soon as we were finished, we hurried out to the barn. I laid the big coat out on the straw for her to inspect.

"Sarah Jane and I found this in a trunk, ma. Her mother said we could have it. You can make a suit for pa out of it, can't you?"

Ma was so astonished that she couldn't speak fora moment. "Why, Mabel, I believe I can! Isn't this wonderful? We can get buttons for it with the money we've saved. We'll even have enough money left over to buy a fine linen handkerchief."

Ma hugged me, and together we took the coat to the house.

"Monday we'll start taking the seams out," she said. "I'll brush the pieces good and air them. When they are pressed neatly, they'll be as fine as any yard goods. I do believe we can have it ready for pa's birthday."

And it was. On the third Sunday in May, pa proudly left for church in his new suit.

"I don't know where you got enough money to buy anything as nice as this," he said to us. "I didn't see one this fine in the catalog. You didn't sell one of the cows, did you?" he teased.

"Never mind, pa," I said. "That's our secret. I can tell you this much, though. We trusted in the Lord, and waited patiently for him. Then he gave us the desires of our heart!"

"WE SURE DO have a nice teacher this year," I said to grandma shortly after school had started in the fall. "I thought Mrs. Bingham was the best last year, but Mrs. Dorman is just as good."

"I'm glad," grandma replied. "School is always so much nicer when you like your teacher. I never had the experience of changing teachers every year. Ours usually stayed five or six years or more."

"Was Miss Gibson your favorite one?" I asked. "You've told me a lot of stories about her."

"Yes. I think she probably was. She certainly had a lot of patience to put up with all the foolishness we got into.

"We always looked for things to take to her—or something to surprise her with. But we were pretty limited in our offerings. There wasn't money to buy things, so we had to use our imaginations....

The second year Miss Gibson was our teacher, Sarah Jane and I were in the third reader. The school wasn't large that year, only about 15 students. But we all loved Miss Gibson.

One day the sixth-reader class was reciting at the front of the room. As usual Sarah Jane and I listened in.

"Shakespeare was born in 1564," Miss Gibson told them. "There is some argument about the day. Some people say April 23 and some say April 26. I would like to think it is April 23, because that's the day I was born. I'd like to share a birthday with a famous person. But it's probably April 26."

At recess time, Sarah Jane and I discussed what we had overheard.

"Now that we know the date, we should plan a big birthday party for Miss Gibson," I suggested. "Don't you think that would be fun?"

"Oh, yes," Sarah Jane agreed. "I won't forget her birthday, either, because Caleb's is April 26. Maybe he shares a birthday with Shakespeare. It depends on who's right about the date."

"I think we should let Miss Gibson have it."

Sarah Jane nodded. "I think so, too. Caleb wouldn't care if Shakespeare had been born right on our own farm, let alone on his birthday. Where shall we have the party?"

"If we're going to invite a lot of people, we'd better have it here. There are fifteen of us in school. We'll all bring our families so that will be a big crowd."

"That's a good idea," Sarah Jane said. "We can decorate the room with streamers and all the spring flowers we can find."

"And we'll make a big banner that says Happy Birthday, Miss Gibson. Won't she be surprised?"

"She will if we can keep the little kids from telling her. We'll have to threaten them with a thump on the head if they tell."

"We can't do that," I argued. "I think they'll keep the secret when we let them know how important it is. The first time Miss Gibson is out of the room, we'll announce it."

Our chance came that afternoon. We were studying quietly when Miss Gibson stood up. "Children, I've just found that I left some of your papers at home. While you're working,

I'll go back and get them. I shouldn't be more than a few minutes, so you are on your honor."

As soon as the door closed and we were sure Miss Gibson was out of hearing, Sarah Jane jumped to her feet.

"Listen, everyone. We want to have a surprise party here at school for Miss Gibson on her birthday. If someone in each family bakes a cake, we should have plenty. I think my folks and Mabel's will make the ice cream. It will be at seven o'clock in the evening on April 23. Don't forget the date. And whatever you do, don't let Miss Gibson know about it!"

Sarah Jane fixed her eyes on the front row of beginners. "It's a secret. Do you promise you won't tell?"

They nodded solemnly.

"All right. We'll talk later about decorating the room. Remember, not a word!"

She sat back down. By the time Miss Gibson returned, everyone was working quietly. On the way home after school, Sarah Jane and I continued our plans.

"I'm not worried about the cake and ice cream, but what are we going to give her?" I asked. "I don't have any money to get anything, do you?"

Sarah Jane shook her head. "I never have any money. Do you suppose we should ask our folks for some?"

"I don't think so. These should be our gifts to Miss Gibson. Besides," I added, "pa doesn't have any money for things like presents. I'm sure we can think of something to make her."

That night at supper, I brought up the subject.

"It's going to be a wonderful party," I told ma and pa. "Miss Gibson will be so pleased. And it's really going to be a surprise. But I have to decide on a present. What do you think I could do, ma?"

"I know what I'm going to do," Roy put in. "I'll give her the bookends I'm carving."

"That will make a nice gift," ma said. "Mabel, how would you like to make a pretty apron? I'll cut it out for you if you want to stitch it."

"Oh, yes, ma! She'll like that. Do you think I can get it done in two weeks?"

"I'm sure you can if you work on it after school every day. We'll start this evening. How about you, Reuben? Do you have an idea for a gift?"

"Do you remember the picture of the schoolhouse I drew? Do you think that would be all right?"

"I think that would be just the thing," pa said. "Get it out, and I'll help you frame it." On the way to school the following morning,

Sarah Jane and I compared notes.

"The apron is all ready to start sewing on," I said. "I'll begin as soon as I get home. What are you going to make?"

"I wanted to do a sampler for her, but ma thinks that will take too long. I can't think of anything else to do."

"Why don't you hemstitch some towels? They would go nicely with the apron."

"I don't know how to hemstitch!" Sarah Jane exclaimed. "If I learned on Miss Gibson's towels, it wouldn't be a very pretty present."

"Just put in a plain hem, then. You already know how to embroider. You could put her initials on them."

"That sounds good. Let's hurry home as soon as we can and get started."

For the next week I worked every afternoon on the apron. Some days Sarah Jane brought her towels over, and we talked as we sat on the porch steps sewing.

"This is one thing we've planned that isn't going to go wrong," she declared. "I can't think of a thing we've left out, can you?"