Abner Doubleday leaned against the fence post and tossed his ball in the air, then caught it without looking. He was watching his friend Charley.

Charley lived across the road from Abner in Auburn, New York, and the two boys often played ball together. Today, however, Charley was sweeping the walk.

Abner’s brother Tom was busy too. Everyone in town seemed to be busy on this last day of May, 1825.

Suddenly Abner jumped back as a long gray cat came running through the gate, chased by Abner’s dog Brownie.

”Brownie!” Abner shouted. “Come back!”

Brownie looked back at Abner but kept chasing the cat.

”Oh no!” Abner exclaimed. “Brownie, come back here!”

At that moment Tom came running from the barn. “I’m through with my chores, Abner,” he called. “I can play ball now.”

Abner was glad to see his brother. “I’ll stand down here. You stand at the other end of the yard.” He tossed the ball to Tom.

Tom caught the ball easily. “You’re lucky you’re only six and don’t have any chores to do!” His voice rose. “Here it comes!” He threw the ball back.

Abner had to leap into the air to catch it. The ball was lopsided. One seam was coming open and the insides were beginning to come through. Abner clasped the ball in his hands and tried to shape it round again, as he would a snowball. He leaned back and threw the ball as hard as he could.

”Ho!” Tom caught the ball easily and started to throw it back, then stopped “It’s hard to throw this ball straight,” he said. “It’s coming apart.”

”I know,” said Abner. “Maybe Ma will fix it. Throw it to me and I’ll go see.”

”It hasn’t been very long since she made it.” Tom pushed the stuffing back in with his finger. “I don’t know whether she’ll want to fix it or not. She’s making a dress for Amanda to wear tomorrow,” he said.

Abner looked across the street at Charley, who was still sweeping the walk in front of his house. “Tom, why does Charley have to sweep the walk just because General Lafayette is coming tomorrow?”

”I guess the whole town has to look its best,” Tom answered. He looked at Charley, then shook his head and added doubtfully, “I don’t think a hero like General Lafayette is going to look at all the walks.” He rolled the ball across the grass to Abner. “Go see what Ma says. Maybe she’ll fix it.”

It was dark and shadowy inside after the bright outdoors. “Ma!” Abner called. “Ma, where are you?”

”Right here,” his mother answered from the kitchen. “What do you want?”

Abner’s mother was kneeling on the floor in the kitchen. His sister Amanda was standing on a stool. Mother was pinning the hem of Amanda’s new dress with pins from the pincushion on the floor beside her.

Abner ran to his mother and held the ball out. “Ma, would you sew this up again please?”

Mother looked up at the ball but didn’t take it. She went on pinning Amanda’s dress.

”See, Ma, the stuffing is coming out,” Abner poked his finger in the hole. “It won’t throw straight.”

Ma stopped just long enough to brush up the moist curling hair at her neck. She looked at Abner without a smile. “Don’t make it any worst than it is.”

Amanda tossed her head and smiled scornfully. “Ma doesn’t have time to fix your old ball.” Importantly she smoothed down the crisp ruffles of her new dress. “She has to get my dress finished for tomorrow!”

Mother gave Amanda a stern look and said quietly, “All right, Abner, put the ball on the table. I’ll try to get to it.”

As Abner ran out the front door he yelled, “Tom! Tom! I think Ma will fix it!”

”Now?” Tom asked eagerly.

Abner frowned. “Probably not right now. She didn’t say. She’s fixing Amanda’s dress.”

Tom didn’t wait for all of Abner’s answer.