What had happened to Emily Foote?

Every button was gone from her boot!

She noticed that morning that one was loose;

“I’ll fix it at bedtime!” Ah, little the use!

“Remember my stitches,” grandmother said,

As she kindly nodded her dear, wise head.

“A ‘corner rent’ in my dress, that’s all,”

And Mary ran for her cap and shawl.

“I’ll mend it soon—now there isn’t time!”

How she wished she’d heeded her grandmother’s rhyme!

The rent grew long and ever so wide,

And kept her at home from the picnic ride.

Teddy was playing with ball and bat.

“I’ve started a stitch!” “Oh, never mind that,”

Answered his chum, jolly Archibald May,

“’Twill last as long as we want to play!”

“But grandmother says—” “Oh, bother such things!”

So soon, the ball was but leather and strings.

And grandmother’s stitches—yours and mine?

“A stitch in time, my dear, saves nine!”