ON THE PLAINS 255 



making anything," she had said one day after putting 

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

 to a severe trial. 



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

 " they leave such easy work to girls ! " 



" What is that I hear ? " said the Doctor from behind 

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

 mistake, young man. Men are not ordinarily obliged 

 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 

 J]y 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. 1 

 will teach you how myself." " 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 few people can sew on buttons properly," 

 corrected the 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, that the poor button-holes gape and 



