of it.

I was always, as I have elsewhere admitted, very clumsy with my hands,
counting five thumbs to the hand. Knitting and embroidery, at which my
sister was so clever, I could never do with any degree of skill. The
blue peacock with the red tail that I achieved in cross-stitch was not
a performance of any grace. Neither was I very much downcast at my
failures in this field; I was not an ambitious needlewoman. But when
the fad for "Russian lace" was introduced into Polotzk by a family of
sisters who had been expelled from St. Petersburg, and all feminine
Polotzk, on both sides of the Dvina, dropped knitting and crochet
needles and embroidery frames to take up pillow and bobbins, I, too,
was carried away by the novelty, and applied myself heartily to learn
the intricate art, with the result that I did master it. The Russian
sisters charged enormous fees for lessons, and made a fortune out of
the sale of patterns while they held the monopoly. Their pupils passed
on the art at reduced fees, and their pupils' pupils charged still
less; until even the humblest cottage rang with the pretty click of
the bobbins, and my Cousin Rachel sold steel pins by the ounce,
instead of by the dozen, and the women exchanged cardboard patterns
from one end of town to the other.

My teacher, who taught me without fee, being a friend of our
prosperous days, lived "on the other side." It was winter, and many a
time I crossed the frozen river, carrying a lace pillow as big as
myself, till my hands were numb with cold. But I persisted, afraid as
I was of cold; and when I came to Vitebsk I was glad of my one
accomplishment. For Vitebsk had not yet seen "Russian lace," and I was
an acceptable teacher of the new art, though I was such a mite,
because there was no other. I taught my Cousin Dinke, of course, and I
had a number of paying pupils. I gave lessons at my pupils' homes, and
was very proud, going thus about town and being received as a person
of importance. If my feet did not reach the floor when I sat in a
chair, my hands knew their business for once; and I was such a
conscientious and enthusiastic teacher that I had the satisfaction of
seeing all my pupils execute difficult pieces before I left Vitebsk.

I never have seen money that was half so bright to look at, half so
pretty to clink, as the money I earned by these lessons. And it was
easy to decide what to do with my wealth. I bought presents for
everybody I knew. I remember to th