The Quilt That Jack Built: How He Won the Bicycle

The Quilt That Jack Built: How He Won the Bicycle

by Annie Fellows Johnston (1904)

- Two Short Stories -

The Quilt That Jack Built

Jack desperately wanted to buy a rifle, and his mother promised to pay him for sewing quilt blocks. Because of a twist of events, she paid a dear price in order to keep her word. As Jack is faced with temptation, will he remember this lesson of his childhood? 

Character Lessons:

Keeping promises.

Elements for Parental Consideration

"What under the canopy"; "I'll be jiggered"; "gay" used as "bright, happy colors" (1); "hickey" (described immediately as "a tremendous thump on the head with his thumb and middle finger") (1); Johnny throws a fit (not exactly corrected by parents).

John becomes a rather heedless & fun-loving college student; Some boys plan a night of carousing, including stealing chickens and roasting them in a house belonging to someone else, as well as gambling, drinking, and smoking cigarettes, all in the absence of both the resident and caretaker.

*When John sees the quilt, he is reminded of the importance of keeping promises, and resolves not to join in the "scrape" (he had promised his mother never to drink or gamble)

  

How He Won the Bicycle:

There's a beautiful bicycle for sale in Stark Brothers' store, but neither Chicky, Todd, nor Abbot could possibly buy it. However, Judge Parker has a proposition for the boys: if each will choose a proverb from the Bible to base their summer work upon, he will give the bicycle to the boy who choose the best motto. As the boys begin their work, they choose Diligence, Faithfulness, and Kindness. Which theme will win out? With only one prize offered, will the other two boys have any reward for their summer of hard work?

Character Lessons:

Diligence; Kindness; Honesty; Dependability, Faithfulness.

Elements for Parental Consideration:

"queer" (or forms of it) used in the sense of "odd" (3).

                                                                                          

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