40 THE CORN LADY 



this afternoon if they possibly can. Do not 

 stay. Just go long enough to tell them." 

 And away she flew down in the woods to 

 the little gray house where the man lived 

 "who didn't take no stock in sich things." 



Florence didn't come back alone; she 

 brought her father along, who looked quite 

 good-natured and her little bent mother, with 

 her tired eyes and peevish baby. I took 

 them over to the apron the best of the 

 fifteen aprons that were on exhibit and 

 said : M 



"It is such a beaumul apron; every stitch 

 is just perfect." 



"Yes, it is nice," the little mother said 

 proudly. "But I never could get her to sew 

 any at home. She wouldn't take any inter- 

 est in it." 



"She's a pretty smart gal," the father 

 added, "and I want you to jest take her as 

 far as you can; take her as far as you can." 

 And all the little brothers and sisters, and 

 the big brother stood around and looked 

 proud, too. 



The little girl, Gladys, who made the best 

 buttonholes, is an orphan. That is, her 

 mother died last year and since then she has 

 been trying to keep house for her father and 



