The old gray frame house shook in the fierce north wind. The temperature was twenty degrees, but felt like twenty below.
Patsy and Gayle huddled together between the warm double-blanket, their body heat keeping them comfortable.
Patsy’s hands crept from under the cover, smoothing the old quilt top that mamma had sewn. She recognized each square on the quilt; there were the multi-colors of gingham, cut from her favorite Sunday dress she had outgrown. She ran her fingers over a blue cotton square with a brown border; that was a piece of mamma’s old dress that had worn out from so many years of wear.
“That’s my dress!” Gayle chirped, flinging her arms out from under the covers. She pointed to yellow squares with tiny green turtles. Patsy pulled the quilt over to get a better look.
“Stop! You’re letting the cold air in!” Gayle snapped.
Mamma opened the door to the bedroom, letting warm air come in from the kitchen.
“You gals get up and make up the bed. Breakfast is ‘bout ready.”
Patsy and Gayle pushed back the covers and leapt from the bed, shivering.
They grabbed their clothes that were lying on a cane-bottom chair where they left them the night before, pulling them on in record time. They quickly spread the covers on the bed, plumping the pillows before covering them with the bedspread. Then, they slammed the door behind them, closing off the cold room as they entered the warm kitchen.
The table was already set for four. Mamma placed steaming dishes of scrambled eggs, bacon and milk gravy in the center. She was taking a pan of golden biscuits from the oven when daddy opened the back door, letting a rush of cold air inside as he hurried to close the door behind him. He was wearing his heavy coat and fuzzy toboggan and carrying a broom in his hand. His wide smile creased his handsome face, showing even, white teeth.
“My lips are froze like bicycle pedals!” he teased.
“Oh, Daddy,” Gayle exclaimed, running to hug him tightly, “what are you doin’ outside when it ain’t hardly daylight?”
“Sweeping up the mess you and Patsy made last night on the porch. You didn’t get all the broken glass swept up.”
“We’re sorry, Daddy. We didn’t mean to break the glass. It just slipped,” Patsy said, sadly.
“It’s okay. Just be more careful next time,” daddy answered. He took off his coat and toboggan and hung them on a hook near the door. He washed his hands in the wash pan on the cabinet top and dried them. Then, he took his seat at the head of the table. Patsy and Gayle sat down quickly and waited for mamma to sit down. Then, everyone bowed their head while daddy said the blessing.
The End
Patsy and Gayle huddled together between the warm double-blanket, their body heat keeping them comfortable.
Patsy’s hands crept from under the cover, smoothing the old quilt top that mamma had sewn. She recognized each square on the quilt; there were the multi-colors of gingham, cut from her favorite Sunday dress she had outgrown. She ran her fingers over a blue cotton square with a brown border; that was a piece of mamma’s old dress that had worn out from so many years of wear.
“That’s my dress!” Gayle chirped, flinging her arms out from under the covers. She pointed to yellow squares with tiny green turtles. Patsy pulled the quilt over to get a better look.
“Stop! You’re letting the cold air in!” Gayle snapped.
Mamma opened the door to the bedroom, letting warm air come in from the kitchen.
“You gals get up and make up the bed. Breakfast is ‘bout ready.”
Patsy and Gayle pushed back the covers and leapt from the bed, shivering.
They grabbed their clothes that were lying on a cane-bottom chair where they left them the night before, pulling them on in record time. They quickly spread the covers on the bed, plumping the pillows before covering them with the bedspread. Then, they slammed the door behind them, closing off the cold room as they entered the warm kitchen.
The table was already set for four. Mamma placed steaming dishes of scrambled eggs, bacon and milk gravy in the center. She was taking a pan of golden biscuits from the oven when daddy opened the back door, letting a rush of cold air inside as he hurried to close the door behind him. He was wearing his heavy coat and fuzzy toboggan and carrying a broom in his hand. His wide smile creased his handsome face, showing even, white teeth.
“My lips are froze like bicycle pedals!” he teased.
“Oh, Daddy,” Gayle exclaimed, running to hug him tightly, “what are you doin’ outside when it ain’t hardly daylight?”
“Sweeping up the mess you and Patsy made last night on the porch. You didn’t get all the broken glass swept up.”
“We’re sorry, Daddy. We didn’t mean to break the glass. It just slipped,” Patsy said, sadly.
“It’s okay. Just be more careful next time,” daddy answered. He took off his coat and toboggan and hung them on a hook near the door. He washed his hands in the wash pan on the cabinet top and dried them. Then, he took his seat at the head of the table. Patsy and Gayle sat down quickly and waited for mamma to sit down. Then, everyone bowed their head while daddy said the blessing.
The End
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