The _vamp_, also, has been changed,
Only one-half appears,
The cause of which can be explained
In less time than number years.

When we the lower corners take,
And match them well in fact,
The _centre_ we at once do make,
Which guides the following act--

[Illustration]

The act of uniting _quarter_ and _vamp_,
With _paste_ or _cement_ for sewing,
Is done with care, as in this cut,
The fitness of things is showing.

The centre mark on the vamp we'll use,
To get the quarters placed best,
By putting the vamp upon the two,
One-half inch above to rest.

One _end_ is reached, but not the last;
This _end_ from _flax_ or cotton
Is made by some men very fast,
If the _flax_ is not too rotten.

[Illustration]

The work which we have now passed through
Could all be done by standing,
Having a _board_ to cut upon,
And _one_ the _paste_ commanding.

But now we wish the scene to change,
And begin the _ending_ act;
Which comes first to him who would arrange
The _threads_, indeed, intact.

We roll the _thread_ upon our _knee_,
To untwist and break with ease,
And place the _cords_, one, two, and three,
So that the points are formed, if you please.

[Illustration]

By having the _points_ one below the other,
The _thread_ kept free from a knot,
We will avoid whate'er there is to bother,
While the past may be forgot.

We will let that be just as it may,
If wrong we'll try and mend it;
For surely there will come a day
When after _awl_ we'll send it.

[Illustration]

With the _thread_ arranged, as we've described,
Twisting is quite in order;
The figure now shows us a how
To _twist_ it hard and harder.

When one side is twisted hard enough,
We simply take the other,
And do the same thing over again,
So that the threads are worked together.

Before the ends are entirely free,
One thing around us lingers,
We take the thread, three or two in one,
Around our left-hand fingers.

[Illustration]

A large round awl is just the thing,
To do what we call _milling_;
Two or three trips are sure to bring
From fingers to foot the filling.

Now our thread is very smooth,
But we try to make it smoother,
By using a piece of cloth to rub,
When done, free all together.

Something now is sought that _sticks_,
Commonly known as _wax_;