ON THE PLAINS 255 



making aiu^tliing," she had said one day after putting 

 her mother's patience, and a seam that would pucker, 

 to a severe trial. 



" Plioof ! men never sew," he said contemptuously, 

 " they leave sucli easy work to girls ! " 



" AVhat is that 1 hear? " said the Doctor from behind 

 his newspaper. "Men never sew? That is a great 

 mistake, 3^oung man. Men are not ordinarily ol)liged 

 to cut and make their clothes, but a man should most 

 certainly know how to use a needle. If he is a doctor, 

 he must be able to sew up wounds and fasten bandages 

 neatly. In any profession he is apt to find buttons 

 missing, even if modern shirts are put together with 

 studs ; while as a woodsman, traveller, or engineer, such 

 as you wish to be, he is in constant need of a stout 

 needle and thread ; a tent cover rips, a gun case is 

 torn, thorns cut the clothing. A man may not sit 

 down in the wilderness and wait for a woman to come 

 by with thimble and scissors. 



" I think it will be an excellent thing, Nat, for you 

 to learn to sew, and you can begin at once by putting 

 the various buttons on these wrappers and aprons. I 

 will teach you how m3^self." " Very well, I will," said 

 Nat, remembering that he and Rap were planning to 

 make a tent in the spring; "but you needn't teach me, 

 uncle, any one can sew on buttons." 



"Very fe^v people can sew on buttons properly," 

 corrected tlie Doctor, " that is, buttons on men's 

 clothing that will button and stay buttoned. I know 

 a charming young lady who sews beautifully, but when 

 it comes to buttons she fastens them down so flat and 

 tight to the cloth, tliat the poor button-holes gape and 



