Our mother was a helpless invalid and neither my sister nor I could leave home to earn money. We faced sad moments for our income was very small.
One day Mother said, “I love to crochet, tat and embroider. We could live all right if we could only sell our work.” That gave us an idea and the next day I went to a needle-work shop in a city about fifteen miles away, told the manager our circumstances and asked him if he would buy some of our articles. He told me he would. So I purchased a supply of crochet thread in different sizes. Mother cheerily started at her fancy work.
We decided to fix up a fancy-work shop at home. We planned to use our parlor as a reception room and the sitting room as a room to display samples. We put an advertisement in the papers inviting travelers to stop at the Hilltop Needle Shop. Hiking college girls heard of us and picked our farm as a choice place for hikes. They stopped to rest and bought some things. Then we made lemonade and ice cream to sell and the next spring we made garden early and sold vegetables. Then we branched out still more and put a sign at the front saying that we served lunches. Many travelers stopped for lunch and often bought fruits, vegetables and chickens to take on with them. Our fancy-work department was more than successful and Mother now has orders for two months' work ahead.
We have had a few set-backs but we are very happy now and our income is steadily growing. It is a pleasure to please others and to know they are pleased.