was nothing cut out except a black dress for the
missionary's wife, and she did not like to strain her eyes working
on black.

"Let me cut something out," said she in her brisk manner; "I have
come here to be useful. What is there needing to be cut out?"

It was Flora Clark who replied, and I always suspected her of a
motive in it, for she had heard about her jumbles by that time. She
said there was a little pair of gingham trousers needed for the
missionary's five-year-old boy, and Mrs. Jameson, without a quiver of
hesitation, asked for the gingham and scissors. I believe she would
have undertaken a suit for the missionary with the same alacrity.

Mrs. Jameson was given another little pair of trousers, a size
smaller than those required, for a pattern, a piece of blue and white
gingham and the shears, and she began. We all watched her furtively,
but she went slashing away with as much confidence as if she had
served an apprenticeship with a tailor in her youth. We began to
think that possibly she knew better how to cut out trousers than we
did. Mrs. White whispered to me that she had heard that many of those
rich city women learned how to do everything in case they lost their
money, and she thought it was so sensible.

When Mrs. Jameson had finished cutting out the trousers, which was in
a very short space of time, she asked for some thread and a needle,
and Flora Clark started to get some, and got thereby an excuse to
examine the trousers. She looked at them, and held them up so we all
could see, and then she spoke.

"Mrs. Jameson," said she, "these are cut just alike back and front,
and they are large enough for a boy of twelve." She spoke very
clearly and decisively. Flora Clark never minces matters.

We fairly shivered with terror as to what would come next, and poor
Mrs. White clutched my arm hard. "Oh," she whispered, "I am so sorry
she spoke so."

But Mrs. Jameson was not so easily put down. She replied very coolly
and sweetly, and apparently without the slightest resentment, that
she had made them so on purpose, so that the boy would not outgrow
them, and she always thought it better to have the back and front cut
alike; the trousers could then be worn either way, and would last
much longer.

To our horror, Flora Clark spoke again. "I guess you are right about
their lasting," said she; "I shouldn't think those trousers would
wear out any faster on a five-year-old boy than they would on a pair
of to