This story tells about children who lived in our country a long time ago. 这则故事讲述了很久以前生活在我们国家的一群孩子，

As you read, find out if you would like to have lived in those early days. 阅读这则故事的时候，想想你愿不愿意生活在那时候。

"Here's a letter for you, Mary," called Mother. 玛丽，这有你的一封信，妈妈叫道。

"Isn't there one for me?" asked Peter. 没有我的信吗？彼得问道。

"Just for Mary this time," Mother answered. 这次只有玛丽的，妈妈回答。

"Oh, it's from Grandmother," said Mary happily, as she opened the letter and began to read, 哦，是外祖母来的信。玛丽开心的说，她一边说一边打开信读了起来，

"Dear Mary: "I am sending you something very, very old—about three hundred years old. 亲爱的玛丽，我给你寄了一件非常古老的东西，大约有300年的历史了。

It was made by a girl named Polly Winters, when Polly was about as old as you are. 这是一个叫做波利·温特斯的女孩做的，当时她大概和你一样大。

Polly grew up, as girls do, and became your great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother. 波利就像其他女孩一样长大了，然后成了你的七世祖母。

When she was a little girl, she made the thing that you will find in the package. 她还是小姑娘的时候就做了这东西，你会在包裹中找到它。

Your mother will tell you what it is. I told her about it when she was a little girl. 你妈妈会告诉你那是什么。在她还是小姑娘的时候，我就跟她说过。

"With love to you and Peter and Mother, from "GRANDMOTHER" 爱你、彼得和你妈妈的，外祖母。

"What can it be, Mother?" asked Mary. 妈妈那会是什么呢？玛丽问道。

"I don't know, Mary," Mother answered. "We shall have to wait and see." 玛丽，我也不知道，我们要等等看了。妈妈回答说。

They didn't have to wait long, for the package came that afternoon. 她们没等多久，包裹当天下午就到了。

Mary opened it, and took out a piece of cloth that looked very old. 玛丽打开了包裹，拿出了一块看起来非常古老的布。

"Oh!" said Mother. "I do remember hearing about this when I was a little girl." 哦，我确实记得小时候听说过这个，妈妈说。

"What is it, Mother?" asked Mary. 妈妈，这是什么？玛丽问道。

"It's a sample of sewing. In Polly's day all little girls were taught to sew. 这是一件刺绣的样本，在波利所处那个的年代，姑娘们都要学绣花。

When a girl could make very nice stitches, she sewed the letters of the alphabet or a picture on a piece of cloth. 女孩能绣出漂亮的针脚的时候，她就会在一块布上绣上一些字母或是一幅图案。

Then if anyone asked how well the little girl could sew, her mother would show the piece of cloth, which was called a sampler. 如果有人问到小姑娘绣花绣得怎么样，她的妈妈就会展示这块布，而这块布就叫作绣样。