The poor scarlet stockings
lengthened, meanwhile, but it was a disheartening and almost
imperceptible growth. Where the article should have been most
voluminous, at the calf of the leg, it grew, in spite of me, more
alarmingly narrow at every round. This was after I had graduated from
under Grandma Keeler's tuition, and assumed my own responsibility in the
matter; so that I disdained to appeal to her for assistance in the
dilemma, but thoughtfully devised means of my own for widening the
stocking.
"I'll tell ye what it is, teacher," said Grandpa, who had been regarding
me with that wild look which sometimes visited the old man's face when a
problem seemed well nigh insoluble; "I'm afeerd, teacher, I'm afeerd that
that ere stockin' ain't a goin' to fit nobody! I'll tell ye what it makes
me think on. It makes me think o' one o' these 'ere accordions that ye
open and shet. I'm afeerd, teacher, that it ain't a goin' to fit!"
"Thar! 'sh! 'sh! pa," said Grandma, with all the unction of holy
disapproval; but, for once, my ever dear friend and champion was
compelled to turn her back upon the scene.
In this position, she exclaimed in a low, broken tone of voice, "There
may be legs, pa, as we don't know on!"
Grandpa was curiously aroused.
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