Laura Ingalls Wilder by On the Banks of Plum Creek

Author:On the Banks of Plum Creek
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-06-02T15:48:53+00:00

GOING TO CHURCH

It was Saturday night and Pa sat on the doorstep, smoking his after-supper pipe.

Laura and Mary sat close on either side of him. Ma, with Carrie on her lap, rocked gently to and fro, just inside the doorway.

The winds were still. The stars hung low and bright. The dark sky was deep beyond the stars, and Plum Creek talked softly to itself.

"They told me in town this afternoon that there will be preaching in the new church tomorrow," said Pa. "I met the home missionary, Reverend Alden, and he wanted us to be sure to come. I told him we would."

"Oh, Charles," Ma exclaimed, "we haven't been to church for so long!"

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Laura and Mary had never seen a church.

But they knew from Ma's voice that going to church must be better than a party. After a while Ma said, "I am so glad I finished my new dress."

"You will look sweet as a posy in it," Pa told her. "We must start early."

Next morning was a hurry. Breakfast was a hurry, work was a hurry, and Ma hurried about dressing herself and Carrie. She called up the ladder in a hurrying voice: "Come on down, girls. I'll tie your ribbons."

They hurried down. Then they stood and stared at Ma. She was perfectly beautiful in her new dress. It was black-and-white calico, a narrow stripe of white, then a wider stripe of black lines and white lines no wider than threads. Up the front it was buttoned with black buttons. And the skirt was pulled back and lifted up to puffs and shirrings behind.

Crocheted lace edged the little stand-up collar. Crocheted lace spread out in a bow on Ma's breast, and the gold breast-pin held the collar and the bow. Ma's face was lovely. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright.

She turned Laura and Mary around and 178

ON THE BANKS OF PLUM CREEK

quickly tied the ribbons on their braids. Then she took Carrie's hand. They all went out on the doorstep and Ma locked the door.

Carrie looked like one of the little angel-birds in the Bible. Her dress and her tiny sunbonnet were white and all trimmed with lace.

Her eyes were big and solemn; her golden curls hung by her cheeks and peeped from under the bonnet behind.

Then Laura saw her own pink ribbons on Mary's braids. She clapped her hand over her mouth before a word came out. She scrooged and looked down her own back. Mary's blue ribbons were on her braids!

She and Mary looked at each other and did not say a word. Ma, in her hurry, had made a mistake. They hoped she would not notice.

Laura was so tired of pink and Mary was so tired of blue. But Mary had to wear blue because her hair was golden and Laura had to wear pink because her hair was brown.

Pa came driving the wagon from the stable.

He had brushed Sam and David till they shone in the morning sunshine.

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