important.” Allison returned to the letter:
I probably shouldn’t say anything just yet, but I think Peter’s on the verge of asking me to marry him. If he does, I’ll want you to be one of my attendants .
Write back soon and tell me all about Webster County. I want to know about everything you’re doing .
Your best friend for always,
Sally
Allison was pleased to hear that Sally and Peter might be getting married soon, but she couldn’t help feeling a pang of envy, wondering if she would ever become a bride. She moved over to the desk across the room and took out a writing tablet and a pen. Returning to the table, she wrote a letter to her friend:
Dear Sally ,
It was good hearing from you. I’m glad things are going well for you and Peter. Be sure and let me know when he asks you to marry him. I miss you a lot, but I’m making some newfriends here, too, which helps me not to feel so homesick .
Things are so different from what I’m used to in Lancaster County. They drive only open buggies, which is fine during the warmer months, but I have to wonder how they manage during the cold winter months .
Aunt Mary is going to teach me to sew, but we’ll have to see how that goes; I’ll probably make a mess of things. I still prefer doing outdoor things better than household chores, but maybe I’ll learn to like some domestic things, too .
A young man named James gave me a ride home from a young people’s gathering awhile back. Don’t tell anyone, but he gave me my first kiss. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but it felt good to know he found me attractive enough to kiss. I’ve always felt so plain, and since I’m a tomboy, I didn’t think anyone would ever want to kiss me .
“Lunch is about ready now,” Aunt Mary said, touching Allison’s shoulder.
Allison quickly folded the letter, slipped it into an envelope, and jumped up from the table. She would finish writing later.
Chapter 6
K eep your legs pumping while you hold the material just so,” Aunt Mary said as she showed Allison how to use her treadle sewing machine.
It looked easy enough when Aunt Mary did it, but when Allison tried, things didn’t go nearly so well. On her first attempt, she either pumped the treadle too fast or too slow. Then when she thought she had the hang of things, she pushed the hand wheel backwards and stitched right off the piece of cloth.
On Allison’s next attempt, she stitched the end of her apron to the material. “I don’t know how that happened,” she muttered, pulling the thread from the scrap of fabric. “Makes me wonder if I’ll ever get the hang of things.”
“Try it again,” Aunt Mary encouraged. “I’m sure you’ll get it soon enough.”
Allison pumped up and down with her feet as she guidedthe wheel with one hand and directed the cotton material with the other. When the thread snapped, so did her patience. “I’m no good at this!” She pushed her chair away from the machine and stood. “I’d rather do something else, if you don’t mind.”
Aunt Mary put her arm around Allison. “You’ll catch on if you give it a chance. The more you practice, the better you’ll get.”
Allison shrugged. “Can it wait until later? It’s such a nice day. I wouldn’t mind going fishing if there’s someplace nearby—and if I can borrow someone’s pole.”
“There’s a pond up the road that has some good bass in it. I’m sure Harvey wouldn’t mind if you used his pole. But I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go fishing alone.”
“I’ll be fine. I go fishing by myself a lot back home.”
“Maybe so, but I’d feel better if you took one of your cousins with you,” Aunt Mary insisted. “Dan’s out in the garden pulling weeds with Sarah, but I’m sure he’d be happy to join you at the pond for a while.”
Allison figured it wouldn’t be so bad to have her ten-year-old cousin tag along.
I probably shouldn’t say anything just yet, but I think Peter’s on the verge of asking me to marry him. If he does, I’ll want you to be one of my attendants .
Write back soon and tell me all about Webster County. I want to know about everything you’re doing .
Your best friend for always,
Sally
Allison was pleased to hear that Sally and Peter might be getting married soon, but she couldn’t help feeling a pang of envy, wondering if she would ever become a bride. She moved over to the desk across the room and took out a writing tablet and a pen. Returning to the table, she wrote a letter to her friend:
Dear Sally ,
It was good hearing from you. I’m glad things are going well for you and Peter. Be sure and let me know when he asks you to marry him. I miss you a lot, but I’m making some newfriends here, too, which helps me not to feel so homesick .
Things are so different from what I’m used to in Lancaster County. They drive only open buggies, which is fine during the warmer months, but I have to wonder how they manage during the cold winter months .
Aunt Mary is going to teach me to sew, but we’ll have to see how that goes; I’ll probably make a mess of things. I still prefer doing outdoor things better than household chores, but maybe I’ll learn to like some domestic things, too .
A young man named James gave me a ride home from a young people’s gathering awhile back. Don’t tell anyone, but he gave me my first kiss. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but it felt good to know he found me attractive enough to kiss. I’ve always felt so plain, and since I’m a tomboy, I didn’t think anyone would ever want to kiss me .
“Lunch is about ready now,” Aunt Mary said, touching Allison’s shoulder.
Allison quickly folded the letter, slipped it into an envelope, and jumped up from the table. She would finish writing later.
Chapter 6
K eep your legs pumping while you hold the material just so,” Aunt Mary said as she showed Allison how to use her treadle sewing machine.
It looked easy enough when Aunt Mary did it, but when Allison tried, things didn’t go nearly so well. On her first attempt, she either pumped the treadle too fast or too slow. Then when she thought she had the hang of things, she pushed the hand wheel backwards and stitched right off the piece of cloth.
On Allison’s next attempt, she stitched the end of her apron to the material. “I don’t know how that happened,” she muttered, pulling the thread from the scrap of fabric. “Makes me wonder if I’ll ever get the hang of things.”
“Try it again,” Aunt Mary encouraged. “I’m sure you’ll get it soon enough.”
Allison pumped up and down with her feet as she guidedthe wheel with one hand and directed the cotton material with the other. When the thread snapped, so did her patience. “I’m no good at this!” She pushed her chair away from the machine and stood. “I’d rather do something else, if you don’t mind.”
Aunt Mary put her arm around Allison. “You’ll catch on if you give it a chance. The more you practice, the better you’ll get.”
Allison shrugged. “Can it wait until later? It’s such a nice day. I wouldn’t mind going fishing if there’s someplace nearby—and if I can borrow someone’s pole.”
“There’s a pond up the road that has some good bass in it. I’m sure Harvey wouldn’t mind if you used his pole. But I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go fishing alone.”
“I’ll be fine. I go fishing by myself a lot back home.”
“Maybe so, but I’d feel better if you took one of your cousins with you,” Aunt Mary insisted. “Dan’s out in the garden pulling weeds with Sarah, but I’m sure he’d be happy to join you at the pond for a while.”
Allison figured it wouldn’t be so bad to have her ten-year-old cousin tag along.
Similar Books
