Sweet Saturday Samples - August 3, 2013

Welcome back to Sweet Saturday Samples. In this snippet from my American Civil War era work-in-progress, Gone For a Soldier, Mary Hilbrands is trying to get the dress finished for her fast-approaching wedding, and her sister, Ida, is helping her along - or not.
~~~


Mary sat in a small room off the kitchen, where light from the sun illuminated the purple fabric in her lap. The tip of her tongue peeked out from between her lips as she concentrated on taking small stitches to join two pieces of the material together. Her sister Ida sat across her, sewing a seam into another two pieces of fabric.

"This is such tedious work," Ida said with a sigh. "Why can't Papa buy us one of those sewing machines?" She batted at the golden curls laying against her neck. "It is so warm today."

"Those machines are too expensive, Ida. Papa cannot afford to buy us one." Mary bent over to bite off the end of a thread. "Besides, he cannot procure one soon enough. You know I have a limited amount of time to finish my dress. Keep stitching."

Ida took one stitch, then stopped to ask, "Why is Papa allowing you to marry? You're not even fifteen yet. Mama wants you to wait until this war is over."

"That is my affair. Mama already agreed that I can wed, and there isn't any time to spare. If you don't want to help me with this skirt, go see if India brought home the lard for my cakes."

Ida put her work in her lap. "I think your beau is selfish. He is going off to war, but first, he wants to get married and do those things to you, those things Papa does to Mama."
~~~

Uh-oh! Can of worms time.

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