Page:Saxe Holm's Stories, Series Two.djvu/308

298 making narrow scarlet edges around some of her tidies and mats. Captain 'Lisha had made the mistake of buying pounds instead of ounces, and the shop-keeper had refused to take it back except in exchange for other goods; whereupon Mrs. Bennet, not wanting any other goods, and wanting the money very much, had lost her temper, and carried the unlucky worsted home with her.

"It 's pretty bright," said Mrs. Bennet, "but I don't suppose the soldiers 'll be very particular about colors; and we 've got it, that 's a good deal; 't won't cost anything. I guess you 'd better set up a pair."

So Tilly set up the red stockings; and after her hard day's sewing was done, she used to take the bright knitting-work and go out and sit on the rocks and knit, till her mother lighted the lamp in the kitchen, and her father lighted the lamp in the tower. Then she would go in and sew again till nine o'clock. While the women sewed, Captain 'Lisha read them the newspaper. Since the war began, Captain 'Lisha sailed to town every day; rain or shine, blow high or blow low, his newspaper he must have. In the old times he had not cared if he did not get it for a week; and sometimes when they had accumulated, did not even take the trouble to bring the whole pile home, which was a sore trial to his wife and daughter.

And this was the way the red stockings were knitted,—at short intervals of twilight on the