Eight cousins : or, The aunt-hill

188 EIGHT COUSINS.to do something for me, and I Ve found out what itcan be. You, know she can't go about like AvmtyPlen, and we are so busy nowadays that she is ratherlonely, I 'm afraid. So I want to take lessons in sewingof her. She works so beautifully, and it is auseful thing, you know, and I ought to be a goodneedlewoman as well as housekeeper, ought n't I ? ""Bless your kind little heart, that is what I wasthinking of the other day when Aunt Peace saidshe saw you very seldom now, you were so busy.I wanted to speak of it, but fancied you had asmuch on your hands as you could manage. It woulddelight the dear woman to teach you allher delicatehandicraft, especially button-holes, for I believe thatis where young ladies fail ; at least I 've heard themsay so. So, do you devote your mind to button-holes ;make 'em all over my clothes if you want somethingto practice on. I '11 wear any quantity."Rose laughed at this reckless offer, but promisedto attend to that important branch, though she confessedthat darning was her weak point.WhereuponUncle Alec engaged to supply her with socks in allstages of dilapidation, and to have a new set at once,so that she could run the heels for him as a pleasantbeginning.Then they went up to make their request in dueform, to the great delight of gentle Aunt Peace, whogot quite excited with the fun that went on whilethey wound yarn, looked up darning-needles, andfitted out a nice little mending basket for her pupil.Very busy and very happy were Rose's days now,for in the morning she went about the house with