ANOTHER SKIMPY CHRISTMAS -- DAY 7

I got Shirley a pair of brushed wool gloves which she needs for going out these winter nights. Henry Shockley comes along and takes her to the singing bees, play practice, etc. Luella Miller started it by asking him to do so, and he seems to remember easily. Well it is nice she has a way to go and no harm done. – Ina Dobson, December 1932

It was Monday and should have been washday, but once again, Ina was changing the rules. It had turned so cold that she decided it was neither practical nor wise to wash. And anyway, Shirley had returned home from Portland with clean clothes, so Ina would simply wash out a few things by hand and call it good. Then they could work on the doll and other Christmas projects.

Now that the doll’s face was finished, the head could be sewn to the body. Ina carefully pinned and basted and then stitched slowly with the treadle machine. Then it was time to stuff the doll, so Shirley retrieved clean soft rags from the cubby hole under the stairway and began to cut them to bits.

As they worked away, Bertha breezed through the door and joined them in the work. “I thought maybe you could use more rags and another pair of scissors today,” she said. Ina took a break from the snipping and clipping to put a pot of tea and a plate of cookies on the table.

They were enjoying a good gossip while they worked, but they were interrupted by the appearance of an old Model T rattling over the hill and into the yard. “Now, who is that?” wondered Ina aloud.

But Shirley recognized the car and the young driver. “It’s Henry,” she blushingly replied. After greeting him hospitably and offering coffee and cookies, Ina thought it best to leave the young people alone so that the nervous young man could speak his piece in private. She excused herself to the kitchen, but Bertha didn’t take the hint.

“Bertha, I need your assistance in the pantry,” called Ina.

“Whatever for?” asked Bertha, a trifle miffed. How could she keep her finger on the pulse of the community if she didn’t listen in? Standing out of Henry’s view, Ina motioned insistently to Bertha, who finally responded. Ina closed the door between the rooms and began to prepare supper while Bertha sat at the kitchen table and chattered away.

Henry didn’t stay long, and after he left, both Ina and Bertha rushed into the dining room to hear the purpose of his visit.

“He’s going to pick me up for the “literary” at the schoolhouse Wednesday evening,” said Shirley. Of course, everyone knew about the literary society that the schoolteacher, Miss Dorothy Johnson, had started. Shirley was pleased to have a way to go because she did so enjoy socializing with other young adults of the community. The assigned reading was first chapters of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol in preparation for discussion, Henry said, and Shirley assured him that she would be prepared.