“It’s
a miracle, that’s what it is. Don’t you think so, too, Ivamae?” said Mrs.
Boehm, raising her voice so that Ivamae (Grandma Findley) could hear. “It’s a
miracle what Ina and Bertha accomplish. The costume for the Gingerbread Princess
is beautiful, and just look at those six gingerbread boy costumes. However did
they do it!” And there were knowing glances all around.
Six
country housewives sat down at Ina’s dining room table. Each had her own sewing
kit, but Ina put out extra needles and thread. Each had trims to share –
rick-rack, lace, and bits of this and that – and these were placed in the
middle of the table for all to use. Before they started, Ina read the Christmas
story from the Gospel of Luke.
Then
they set to work, and as they worked they gossiped. One said that she had heard
that Mr. Smith (Shirley Anne’s father) had found work in Seattle and that they
would soon return for the little girl and their belongings. Ina affirmed that
she knew this to be true, feeling an inexplicable pang of sadness which she
pushed to the back of her mind.
At
noon, the ladies paused to eat their sandwiches and enjoy Bertha’s cookies. At
2:00, Jack pulled into the yard with the sleigh and suggested he should take
them home soon so as to have them all home before dark. In fact, the sky was
already dark. It looked like it might snow again.
As
the seamstresses bundled up to leave -- all of them talking at once -- they thanked Ina
and Bertha for this lovely day. They agreed that the opportunity to gather and do something for the school was special. And each said she would be at the Gingerbread Pageant Friday afternoon.
Ina’s
heart warmed as she surveyed the little gingerbread boy costumes, every one of
them beautifully embellished. What fun! Tomorrow she would have Jack deliver
them to the schoolhouse when he picked up the mail. KW
2 comments:
Such success! They sure make it seem easy. It took us so long just to hem drapes! It's not that it feels like a long time--more that you look up and hours have disappeared.
So true! In reality it just doesn't happen like this. A case in point: I had intended to illustrate this story with dolls in costumes -- and other things. It just didn't happen because there wasn't time. (There's always next year. Perhaps next year we'll have a pageant.)
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